Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

All Saints Church was identified from aerial photographs and subsequently excavated in 1978-79 by the Thanet Archaeological Group. The excavation revealed five phases of structural development beginning in the latter half of the 10th century until the late 17th/early 18th century. Nothing was thought to be visible above ground at the site in c.1734 and it is likely the church was delapidated a long time before this. Little remains at the site today but the foundations of the church are still visible as cropmarks.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Post Medieval - 949 AD? (between) to 1734 AD? (between))

Full description

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[TR 27126789] All Saints' Church [NR] (site of) (NAT) (1) The church or chapel of All Saints stood near Shoart or Shourte House,St. Nicholas in Thanet, and was in ruins in Leland's time (1535-43) and completely demolished in Hasted's. (2,3) At the OS siting there is a slight raised platform together with a scatter of broken tile and some stone. (4) TR 273697. All Saints Chruch, first revealed on an air photograph taken by Prof. St. Joseph of Cambridge (Ordnance Survey 1 inch Map Sheet 173), was excavated in 1978-79 by the Thanet Archaeological Group. The church lies at the south end of a large arable field adjoining the north side of the old trackway going eastwards from Struart Farm to Hale Farm. The excavation revealed five phases of structural development which can be summarized as follows (see illustration cards): Phase I. Saxon, either before 949 or in the latter half of the 10th century. Phase II. Saxon, either in the latter half of the 10th century or in the first half of the 11th century. Phase III. Norman, in the first half of the 12th century. Phase IV. In the first half of the 13th century completed c1250. Probably in ruins c1450 and eventually demolished. Phase V. In the latter half of the 15th century. Either in ruins or gone by 1630, but said to be dilapidated c.1695-1716. Nothing visibleabove ground. c.1734. As only the foundations of rammed chalk remained, the interpretation of the structural development of the church rests almost entirely on evidence provided a the places where certain foundations either abutted or overlapped others. (5) TR 27126790. Cropmarks of foundations of All Saints Church. (6) TR 271679. The ruins of the medieval Church of All Saints, Shuart wasexcavated in 1978. Some areas and layers of the site were only sampled; the churchyard is unexcavated. (7) KCC AP shows ring ditch immediately below and group of 7 or more to the North and East. GCE TR 2725 6805. (8)

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Arch Cant 29 1911 252-3 (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE34959.

<3> Hist of Kent 4 1799 304 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43979.

<4> F1 ASP 04-OCT-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41923.

<5> Collectanea Historica 1981 (ed A Detsicas) The Church of All Saints Shuart in the Isle of Thanet 147 (OS Card Reference). SKE39227.

<6> AP (CUC BMT 92-94 4 6 73) (OS Card Reference). SKE33402.

<7> Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 Record No 240 (OS Card Reference). SKE44710.

<8> Field report for monument TR 26 NE 1 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5800.

<9> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, KCC AP, 1967, run 30, no. 1064. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

Sources and further reading

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