Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Three Anglo-Saxon fibulae were reported to have been found in a Teynham brickfield around 1890, accompaned by amber and glass beads, a bronze armilla, a small bronze buckle, a bronze ring and fragments of an amber coloured glass vase. Other finds of a spear, sword and shield boss were said to have come from Richardson's brickfield in 1881, but were suspected to be from the Kingsfield, brick field in Faversham

The site lies at the base of a gentle north-east facing slope, overlooking marsh land. OD 5-6m.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)

Associated Finds

• VASE (Undated)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• BURIAL URN? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• LOOMWEIGHT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 900 AD?)
• RING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• SHIELD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• SPEAR (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)
• SWORD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD?)

Full description

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Three Anglo-Saxon fibulae were exhibited at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of London in June 1890 by George Payne. D. F. Kennard, the owner, is unable to say in which brickfield they were found at Teynham but Payne is disposed to think they were smuggled by workmen employed in King's Field, Faversham (TR 06 SW 16) which has long been famous for yielding fibulae of this type. It cannot now be ascertained whether they came from one or more graves, but with them were a few amber and opaque glass beads, a bronze armilla of stout twisted wire, a small bronze buckle, a bronze ring, with a portion of an iron key-like instrument attached, and fragments of an amber glass vase with rounded base. Fragments of an iron spear, the umbo and studs of a shield, and a sword, found in a grave the previous winter were shown to Payne by workmen employed in Richardson's Brickfield, Teynham. It is possible the whole of the objects mentioned came from the same locality. (1) [Area TQ 9545 6358] Anglo-Saxon interment found in Richardson's Brickfield, Teynham, in 1888, north of Teynham Station. (2) Richardson's Brickfields of Teynham have long ceased working. All buildings associated with the brickworks are cleared away and the brickfields are under crops, fruit or hops. (3) [TQ 956 637] Inhumation cemetery, Teynham. Sword and beads were found by workmen excavating for brick-earth at Teynham in 1888. Shortly afterwards an urn, a knife and beads, doubtless from Anglo-Saxon graves, were found (a)(b). Payne (Authorities 1 and 2) was not able to identify the site. In 1890 three brooches were shown to the Society of Antiquaries as coming from Teynham, and with them amber and opaque glass beads, a bronze armilla of stout twisted wire, two bronze buckles, part of an iron key-like instrument and fragments of an amber glass. Payne was shown, by workmen employed in Richardson's brickfield, fragments of an iron spear, the boss and stud of a shield,and a sword found in a grave during winter 1889 (4)(5). He supposed they may come from the same site but suspected that some could be from King's Field, Faversham (see Authority 1). The brickfields which apparently produced these finds were near (see also TQ 96 SE 20 and 39). (4)(5) Saxon loom weights found on site of Black Huts just tp West of Osiers Farm, now site of council houses. No details given. (6)

Andrew Richardson, 2000, Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent (Unpublished document). SKE29253.

<1> PSA 2nd Ser 13 1889-91 190 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE48780.

<2> Coll Cant 1893 114 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39126.

<3> Maidstone Museum 6" (Anon undated) (OS Card Reference). SKE46363.

<4> F1 ASP 16-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42135.

<5> E Kent Gazette 17 March 1888 (OS Card Reference). SKE41537.

<6> VCH Kent I 1908 386 (R A Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE51170.

<7> Coll Cant 1893 114 198 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39127.

<8> Gaz Early AS Burial Sites 1964 139 (A Meaney) (OS Card Reference). SKE43484.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 96 SE 6 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4890.

<10> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Swale Archaeological Survey, Teynham District, Interim Report, 1996 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

Sources and further reading