Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of a medieval beacon. the beacon was certainly in use from 1570-1640, but it is clear from records of the late 14th century that Sheppey was a one of the first warning points for ships sailing up the Thames, and furze Hill would have been a natural site for such a beacon.

Monument Types

• BEACON (BEACON, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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William Lambarde's "Carde" of c. 1570 shows a beacon on "Fursenhill" on Sheppey, and another nearby and a total of 52 beacons in Kent (see Illustration Card) (1). A beacon shown about a mile east of Queenborough is probably the one on Furze Hill (2). The beacon system dropped out of use after 1640. (1)(2) This site is under pasture, but there can be little doubt from the general topography that the Furze Hill beacon was situated at TQ 9268 7199. No information on the site of its companion was found. (3). Given that the beacon site has not been precisely located on the ground it is difficult to comment on condition but as the hill top is under arable there may have been plough damage to any buried archaeological remains that may be present. There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the scheduling of all or part of the site. (4)Rapid field survey in 1992 confirmed no visible traces remain. (5) Additional bibliography (6-7)

Wessex Archaeology, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough Road Improvements, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 2: Preliminary Field Evaluation (Unpublished document). Ske11943.

Wessex Archaeology, 1992 Oct, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough improvement, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 1: Desk Study (Unpublished document). SWX7146.

<1> Arch Cant 46 1934 plate facing 77 (OS Card Reference). SKE35206.

<2> Map of Sheppey c 1572 scale about 3" to 1 mile [PRO MPF240] (OS Card Reference). SKE46538.

<3> F1 CFW 22-FEB-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42702.

<4> Field report for monument TQ 97 SW 9 - February, 1965 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5027.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, Nov 1992, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough Improvements Archaeological Survey (Unpublished document). SWX7237.

<6> Wessex Archaeology, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough Road Improvements, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 2: Preliminary Field Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE11943.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 1992 Oct, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough improvement, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 1: Desk Study (Unpublished document). SWX7146.

Sources and further reading