Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Cremation burial at The Bayle, Folkestone. In digging for buildings on the brow of the hill called the Bayle, under the Pavilion Hotel, a large iron spearhead or part of a sword was found with fragments of an urn broken probably by the workmen. The pottery is identical to that found in other Saxon cemeteries in southern Britain. Brown was suspicious because neither the pottery nor a drawing was available, and questioned the unusual nature of an Anglo-Saxon cinerary urn being found in Kent. However, Meaney notes that Wright was an experienced archaeologist and the Society of Antiquaries made no protest that the pottery was not Saxon.

OD 50m

Monument Types

• CREMATION (CREMATION, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)

Associated Finds

• SPEAR (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SWORD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)

Full description

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Excavation in 1850 for foundation of buildings on a hill known as the Boyle at Folkestone uncovered an Anglo-Saxon spearhead with fragments of an urn which had been filled with calcined bones. It was thought to be "a circumstance worthy to be noticed, because urn-burial among the Saxons in Kent appears to have been a much less usual practice than the interment of the body entire". (1,2) No further information on the Saxon burial was gained at Folkestone. "The Boyle" is probably "The Bayle" an area centred TR 231359. (3) TR 230358. Cremation burial. The Boyle, Folkestone. In digging for buildings on the brow of the hill called the Bayle, under the Pavilion Hotel, a large iron spearhead or part of a sword was found with fragments of an urn broken probably by the workmen. The pottery is identical to that found in other Saxon cemeteries in southern Britain. Brown (5) was suspicious because neither the pottery nor a drawing was available, and questioned the unusual nature of an Anglo-Saxon cinerary urn being found in Kent. However, Meaney (4) notes that Wright (2) was an experienced archaeologist and the Society of Antiquaries made no protest that the pottery was not Saxon. (4,5)

Southern Water Services, 1993, Dover & Folkestone Wastewater Treatment scheme Environmental Statement (Unpublished document). SKE6815.

Southern Water Services, 1993, Dover & Folkestone Wastewater Treatment scheme Environmental Statement (Unpublished document). SKe6815.

<1> VCH Kent 1 1908 364 (R A Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE50851.

<2> Proc Soc Antiquaries London 2 1851 175 (OS Card Reference). SKE48728.

<3> F1 CFW 23.04.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42714.

<4> Gaz of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial sites 1964 120 (A Meaney) (OS Card Reference). SKE43509.

<5> Arts in Early Eng 4 1915 696 711 (G B Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE37360.

<6> Field report for monument TR 23 NW 19 - April, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5605.

Sources and further reading