Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Late Saxon scramasax found in 1872 during construction of a house near the Daily Chronicle Paper Mills in Sittingbourne. It is inscribed and inlaid with copper, bronze, silver and niello and is now in the British Museum.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 800 AD to 899 AD)

Associated Finds

• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 800 AD to 899 AD)

Full description

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A probable late 9th century knife was found (c. 1872) at Sittingbourne during excavations for the foundations of a house at the "Daily Chronicle" Paper Mills. The knife, measuring 12.75 inches by 1.375 inches with a 3 inch tang, is decorated with inlaid silver and brass (see Illustration Card). On what may be regarded as the principal face is an inscription showing the name of the owner and on the back is the name of the maker inlaid in silver letters. The knife is in the possession of the house owner, Mr Edward Lloyd (1,2). The "Daily Chronicle" Paper Mills, later known as Lloyd's Mills, were taken over by Bowaters Ltd, c. 1935. The mill is centred at TQ 9030 6411 but it was not possible to identify the building where the knife was found (3). A sword-knife or scramasax inlaid with silver and brass found near the"Daily Chronicle" paper mills at Sittingbourne, is now in the British Museum (4). An iron scramasax, inlaid with copper, bronze, silver and niello, found while digging foundations of a house near the Daily Chronicle paper mills at Sittingbourne, was given to the British Museum by Mr E.Lloyd. B.M. Reg. No. 81, 6-23, I. The inscriptions can be translatedas "Geberht owns me" and "Biorthelm made me" (5,6). Additional reference (7).

<1> Arch 44 1873 331-4 fig (J Evans) (OS Card Reference). SKE34422.

<2> Coll Cant 1893 111 Illus (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39125.

<3> F1 CFW 18-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42634.

<4> The County Arch of Kent 1930 237-9 fig (RF Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE50325.

<5> VCH Kent 1 1908 382-3 (RA Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE50863.

<6> Cat of Ants of the Later Saxon Period I AS Ornamental Metalwork 700-110 1964 172-3 plate 30 (DM Wils (OS Card Reference). SKE38718.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 96 SW 12 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4939.

Sources and further reading