Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Anglo-Saxon disc brooch, Martello Dairy Farm, Folkestone. Exact location is uncertain, but it is said to be between Folkestone and Dover. The jewelled disc brooch was found with a string of seventy-four beads, two of which were of amethyst, at Martello Dairy Farm. The brooch was of gilded silver, 3.5cm in diameter but the central setting was now empty. The brooch and beads were sold at Sothebys on 12 July 1971, lots 10 and 11 and are now in a private collection. They have been recorded in the Leeds Archive at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Classified by Avent as corpus number 71.The site lies on a ridge above the North Downs scarp, the bedrock is Upper Chalk. OD 165m.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 410 AD to 1066 AD)

Associated Finds

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

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Anglo-Saxon disc brooch, Martello Dairy Farm, Folkestone. Exact location is uncertain, but it is said to be between Folkestone and Dover. The jewelled disc brooch was found with a string of seventy-four beads, two of which were of amethyst, at Martello Dairy Farm. The brooch was of gilded silver, 3.5cm in diameter but the central setting was now empty. The brooch and beads were sold at Sothebys on 12 July 1971, lots 10 and 11 and are now in a private collection. They have been recorded in the Leeds Archive at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Classified by Avent as corpus no. 71. (1,2, 3)

The farm was situated next to the Valiant Sailor public house, at the top of Dover Hill. The associated grave was found in the yard of behind the Valiant sailor. More finds were reported on from the opposite side of the Dover road.

Southern Water Services, 1993, Dover & Folkestone Wastewater Treatment scheme Environmental Statement (Unpublished document).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

Andrew Richardson, 2000, Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent (Unpublished document). SKE29253.

<1> BAR 11 pt 2 AS Garnet Inlaid Disc & Composite Brooches 1975 plate 14 (R Avent) (OS Card Reference). SKE37475.

<2> Med Arch 16 1972 157 (L E Webster J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46732.

<3> Southern Water Services, 1993, Dover & Folkestone Wastewater Treatment scheme Environmental Statement (Unpublished document). SKE6815.

Sources and further reading