Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

215 plus burials were found when excavations of the Eccles Roman Villa started in 1962 (see TQ 76 SW 10), evidence of scattered burials was uncovered. Some were found in the derelict hypocausts of the bath building while others were found in the servants quarters.

After 1970 it was established that an Anglo Saxon cemetery existed east of the north wing of the villa. In 1972 more burials were found in the area, most laid approximately east-west, in layers, each burial disturbing the one beneath it. Some of the earlier burials had grave goods which dated them to the end of the Anglo Saxon pagan period and into the beginning of Christianity.

In 1973 70 more burials were found which were dated as later than AD 650. More were found in 1974 to the south east of the villa together with signs of a wooden structure. It is believed that the wooden building had been a chapel linked to the cemetery.

Study of the skeletons has identified a leprous skeleton (second half of 7th century) and hydrocephalus in a child. Some skeletons revealed weapon injuries.

Evidence of the Anglo Saxon settlement site has not been uncovered.

The cemetry lies on the mid to lower slopes, facing west-south-west,below the downs in the bottom of the River Medway valley. Covering soil dark gray loam. OD 20-25m.

Monument Types

• CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 870 AD)
• TEMPLE? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
• CHAPEL? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 870 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 722 605] Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Eccles villa (TQ 76 SW 10). Evidence for scattered burials in the ruins of Eccles villa has been accumulating from the very first season of excavation in 1962. Some of these were found in the derelict hypocausts of the third bath building (1), others in the ruined servants quarters of the house (2), and elsewhere. Only after the excavations in 1970 was it established that an Anglo-Saxon cemetery existed E of the NE wing of the villa. (1-3) In 1972 many more burials were found in this area. The majority of the inhumations were laid approximately E-W with superimposed burials, each subsequent inhumation usually badly disturbing the one below it. Fortunately some of the earliest burials have been provided with gravegoods (see illustration card) showing that inhumation had begun duringthe closing years of the pagan Anglo-Saxon period and continued into christian times. (4) Anglo-Saxon cemetery, later than cAD 650. A further 70 burials were uncovered in 1973. (5) Several new burials were found in 1974 to the SE of the villa. They were clearly christian. Signs of wooden structure adjacent to the cemetery and possibly contemporary with it were uncovered. (6) Excavation of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery was completed in 1975. More post holes were uncovered adjacent to the cemetery, suggesting the possibility that a small timber building such as a chapel was connected with the cemetery. Evidence for an Anglo-Saxon settlement, necessitated by the excavation of its cemetery on the villa grounds, is still lacking. It should lie to the E of the area so far examined. (7) Details of Anglo-Saxon cemetery and grave goods. (8) TQ 722 605 Study of a leprous skeleton dated to the second half of the C7th from the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Eccles. (9) Pottery from Aylesford Anglo-Saxon cemetery. (10) Final season of excavation of Anglo-Saxon cemetery in 1976 exposed one further inhumation burial. (11) Hydrocephalus in an Anglo-Saxon child from the cemetery in Eccles. (12) 1994- preliminary report of post-exc. work: The cemetery went through several phases of use- a provisional summary of these phases and their relationship to 1 another is made with discussion of kinship groups, grave goods, weapon injuries, orientation, depth of burial, stratigraphy and proximity to villa. (13)

Geophysical survey of the northern area around Eccles Villa found no direct evidence for the cemetery extending into the survey area.(14)

Bio-cultural analysis of the inhumation remains found there were no apparent spatial variations with relation to age, gender, or grave assemblages. It is noted that there is a high proportion of trauma, perhaps showing the violence involved in the development of the Kentish State in the 7th and 8th centuries. (15)

<1> Arch Cant 78 1963 140 pl8 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35628.

<2> Arch Cant 79 1964 130 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35658.

<3> Arch Cant 86 1971 31 fig 1 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35872.

<4> Arch Cant 88 1973 78 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35961.

<5> Arch Cant 89 1974 129-30 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35967.

<6> Arch Cant 91 1975 44 plan (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36060.

<7> Arch Cant 92 1976 161-2 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36078.

<8> Ant J 53 1973 281-6 (AP Detsicas and J Hawkes) (OS Card Reference). SKE33207.

<9> J Arch Scient 8 2 1981 205-9 (K Manchester) (OS Card Reference). SKE44788.

<10> Wheelthrown Pottery in AS Graves 1979 75 (VI Evison) (OS Card Reference). SKE51326.

<11> Arch Cant 93 1977 55-59 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36158.

<12> Arch Cant 96 1980 77-82 (K Manchester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36268.

<13> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, AS cemetery, Eccles: preliminary report, R. Shaw, Arch. Cant, 1994. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<14> Stratascan, 1996, A Report for Lawson-Price Environmental on a Geophysical Survey carried out at Eccles Roman Villa (Unpublished document). SKE7142.

<15> Upex, B.R., 2006, A bio-cultural analysis of the mid to late Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Eccles, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16399.

Sources and further reading