Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Possible deserted medieval village of Hope All Saints. The ground adjacent to the ruined church (TR 02 NW 10) was carefully examined for any house sites. There was a possible road but little else. No DMV remains are apparent on AP's or on the ground. Finds discovered by metal detector on the site of Hope All Saints DMV. From south of the church a lead token, medieval buckle and strap end and six coins ranging in date from Edward the Confessor to Henry III. From north of the church a small copper alloy coin probably Roman, 3 coins ranging in date from John to Henry III. Other finds include a Papal bull of Celestine III, (1191-1198), a C14th copper alloy strap and medieval buckles and fittings. Two coins of Henry I and Henry III. Medieval and post-medieval pottery has also been unearthed and are now located in private hands. Two medieval ampullae and a C13 seal matrix were also found.

Field walking of a 12% sample of the field between the church and the road during 1988 by Romney Research Trust produced pottery of mid 13th to mid 15th century date. No post Medieval pottery was recorded. The large assemblage of medieval pottery forms convincing evidence for a settlement in this part of the parish in the Middle Ages.

Monument Types

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (DESERTED VILLAGE, Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)

Full description

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(TR) 049258. Possible deserted medieval village of Hope All Saints. The ground adjacent to the ruined church (TR 02 NW 10) was carefully examined for any house sites. There was a possible road but little else. The group of isolated and ruined churches on Romney Marsh are clear indications of a retreat of settlement since the day when the churches were built to serve the colonists of the reclaimed lands. In these conditions it is not possible to say that there were villages which the church served. (1) No DMV remains are apparent on AP's or on the ground. (2) Hope All Saints TR 049258. Listed as a deserted medieval village in Kent. (3) Maurice Beresford and John G. Hurst eds. Deserted Medieval Villages, 1971, list 69 places for Kent in their County Gazetteers of Deserted Medieval Villages. In most cases there is nothing to prove that there was a village at the sites in question. A deserted church site or isolated church certainly does not prove the extence of a deserted village. (4) Finds discovered by metal detector on the site of Hope All Saints DMV. From south of the church a lead token, medieval buckle and strap end and six coins ranging in date from Edward the Confessor to Henry III. From north of the church a small copper alloy coin probably Roman, 3 coins ranging in date from John to Henry III. Other finds include a Papal bull of Celestine III, (1191-1198), a C14th copper alloy strap and medieval buckles and fittings. Two coins of Henry I and Henry III. Medieval and post-medieval pottery has also been unearthed and are now located in private hands.(5) 2 MD ampullae and a C13 seal matrix were also found.(5b)

Field walking of a 12% sample of the field between the church [see associated Monument records] and the road during 1988 by Romney Research Trust produced pottery of mid 13th to mid 15th century date. No post Medieval pottery was recorded. The large assemblage of medieval pottery forms convincing evidence for a settlement in this part of the parish in the Middle Ages. (6)

<1> Lost Villages of Eng 1954 359 (M Beresford) (OS Card Reference). SKE46180.

<2> F1 CFW 15.03.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42579.

<3> DMV 1971 191 (ed M Beresford & JG Hurst) (OS Card Reference). SKE39749.

<4> Arch Cant 92 1976 10-11 (AM Everett) (OS Card Reference). SKE36071.

<5> J Vale Kent Mus Service (OS Card Reference). SKE44815.

<6> Field report for monument TR 02 NW 11 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5052.

<7> The Romney Marsh Irregular 4 April 1989 Romney Marsh Research Trust (R Harris) (OS Card Reference). SKE50509.

<8> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers. comm. J. Vale (curator county museums service) to KCC, 26/1/88. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

Sources and further reading

Related records