Lyminge archaeobotany

A chance online link led to a short paper on recent archaeological digs at Lyminge, that has some fascinating descriptions of botanical finds from the early Medieval period.

The paper Seeds and status: the archaeobotany of monastic Lyminge is by Mark McKerracher (2017).  The relevant paragraphs on botanical diversity are worth repeating in full.

The Lyminge Archaeological Project has reaped a tantalizingly rich harvest of archaeobotanical data. In each season of excavation from 2008 to 2014, bulk soil samples have been taken...   the presence at monastic Lyminge of several relatively unusual plant species is notable.

Anglo-Saxon archaeobotany as a whole is fairly monotonous in character. Evidence of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices is minimal in the extreme, and compares very poorly with the panoply of exotic introductions in the Romano-British record, a disparity not entirely attributable to differential preservation biases.

While hulled barley remained commonplace, the Roman preference for spelt wheat gave way – apparently quite abruptly – to an Anglo-Saxon emphasis upon bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which has prevailed in English wheat cultivation ever since.

The repeating wallpaper of charred bread-type wheat and hulled barley is indeed the botanical backdrop to many Anglo-Saxon sites. Yet while cereals inevitably dominate the assemblage from monastic Lyminge, they are here accompanied by an unusual diversity of other possible taxa – edible, medicinal or otherwise useful – which are either absent or exceedingly rare elsewhere in this period. 

True, there are stray occurrences of Celtic bean (Vicia faba L.) and garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in seventh-century contexts at Lyminge. But it is the eighth and ninth centuries that herald a veritable feast of variety: flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), apple/pear (Malus L./Pyrus L.), plum/sloe (Prunus L.), elder (Sambucus nigra L.), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.), cherry (Prunus avium L.), opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.), hemlock (Conium maculatum L.), and tentative identifications of black mustard (Brassica nigra L.), damson (Prunus domestica ssp. insititia (L.) Bonnier & Layens) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.).

Background video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcZrqh7zau8

Kingsdown Churchyard

To my discredit I rarely post about Kingsdown these days, so I should rectify that. In truth, I rarely blog at all, so that should change too, albeit it is mostly shouting into the ether.

We visited Kingsdown Church - the one on the east coast, not the Pugin one by the M2 - one evening recently, for the first time in many years.... and were astonished by the botanical marvels displayed there.  

We'll revisit to carry out a full survey, but many of the expected chalk grassland species were there, even Fairy Flax and Dwarf Thistle, with good quality habitat throughout as just narrow paths had been mown. Somehow, presumably due to an existing good sward and plenty of hard work, it has come together perfectly, with few rank grasses and large areas of herbage.

 Clearly the invertebrates appreciate it.

We often visit churchyards, frequently as a place to sit, rest and have a snack, and when we do we sometimes rate their habitat management on a scale of 1 to 10.  We have not seen a 10 before, so Kingsdown is special and this is confirmed by the plaque at the gate - Best Churchyard 2019. And perhaps would be again if KWT still gave out the awards.

The Lynch Revisited

 Back in 2011, I did some half-hearted grassland management on a small piece of relict chalk grassland above The Lynch between Kingsdown and Ringwould. An old post reminds me what it looked like then.

The bank is by an old track to the nearby farm, which now has a better road and so has no need for the track. The scrub quickly encroached and overwhelmed the track and some of the grassland. My work in 2011 and more by the parish council and other local volunteers since then tried to hold back the tide of Blackthorn, Bramble and Sycamore, but now it's only a shadow of its former self.

There is, however, hope, and some herbs remain, even under scrub. And the parish council have agreed to put some more effort in to recover what it can. A couple of hours with a small team of locals showed what can be done, with before and after photos below.

It doesn't help that this year has been a good Sycamore year, when the ground is covered with seedlings.

The chalk bank had been covered completely by Traveller's Joy, Sycamore and other brutes, and when these were pulled away we could see some stalwart species underneath, well worth saving.

The next event is Saturday 4 July 10-12 , and the plan is to meet on the first Saturday each month till the end of the year. 

"Twenty-one Churches"

The History of Walmer and Walmer Castle  by the Rev. Charles R.S. Elvin, published in 1894, includes a perambulation of the village noting interesting buildings and historical events.

When the walk reaches the top of what is now Dover Road, "passing as we go the site of the old Toll-gate, and the reservoir that supplies the parish with water. We are in Ripple parish now and have a grand prospect.

"On a very clear day no fewer than twenty-one churches can be seen from this spot, namely, 

Broadstairs, St. George's at Ramsgate, St. Laurence, Minster, St. Clement's and St. Peter's at Sandwich, Worth, Monkton, St. Nicholas, Wodnesborough, Ash, Great Mongeham, Northbourne, Ripple, the three churches in Deal, Sutton, Ringwould, St. Margaret's, and Kingsdown; and very nearly the same number of windmills may also be counted."

Almost all of the windmills have now gone, save the one in front of us called Ripple Mill, which can indeed be seen from miles around.

A clear, early spring afternoon gave an opportunity to count how many churches are still visible from this spot. I expected that prolific tree growth in the intervening 130+ years would have obscured many of the views but in fact all but five can still be seen. 

Ripple church

St Leonard's church, Deal - a fine sea-mark - with Ramsgate beyond

It is, in fact, questionable whether all of St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, Kingsdown, Sutton, Monkton and Worth could have been spotted from this hill, even before tree growth.

The nearest church, behind us at Ringwould can just be glimpsed through the trees.  The furthest, St. Nicholas-at-Wade, is 12½ miles as the crow flies.

It is certainly a fine view from the hill, and local lore has it that Horatio Nelson sat here, watching the ships in the Downs. 

On a really, really, clear day it might just be possible to see l'Eglise Notre Dame in Calais, 26 miles away.

I cannot resist posting two pictures from an American retail site, showing views of our town:

Jack of Dover

 By chance I saw the book Jack of Dover in Dover Library1, and borrowed it on a whim.

It's a charming tale of a medieval character from Dover, who walks to London to seek his fortune. Unfortunately, being the Greatest Fool in Christendom, things do not go smoothly for him, but of course it all turns out well in the end. The tale reminds me somewhat of Voltaire's Candide, with an innocent learning wisdom in the face of adversity.

The book is written by Richard Garnett and was published in 1966. It has fine engravings by Graham Oakley, with the one shown above depicting the road into Canterbury.

It is based on an older book of the same name, "a collection of merry tales published at the beginning of the sixteenth century", an original of which is held in the Bodleian Library.

The origin of the name "Jack of Dover" is unknown, but according to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales it was referred to a kind of pie or pasty:

The later book is followed by a second tale, the Penniles Parliament of Threed-Bare Poets, which holds a mine of wisdom, such as "leave your controversies if you love a woman, for a mince-pie is better than a musket". It end with this final advice......

1   Dover Library is a fine place with helpful, friendly staff. So is Deal Library.

Walmer Tithe Apportionments

 

The Tithe Map drawn up in 1844 to assess properties in the parish of Walmer for the apportionment of tithe fees gives a fascinating view of life 180 years ago.  So far as I know, there has been no published comparison of the properties listed in the Assessment with present-day buildings, so I tackled it myself.

A full list is available to those that ask.

Each property has its own story of course, but it is particularly interesting to find the occupants of some of the better-known buildings, to trace the paths of old roads and tracks and to realise the extent of land-holdings of the rich and powerful at the beginning of Victoria's reign.

The pink house on the left as you enter Walmer down Dover Road, for example, was the Hare and Hounds pub, supplied of course by the Thompson Brewery whose buildings surrounded the pub at the time. The striking Flemish gable-end was added later.

(photo supplied by Miss Frances Woodcock, whose father ran a shop by the junction with Station Road, and who sold vegetables and flowers from her garden in Lawn Road)

The Assessment was carried out not long after the Napoleonic Wars had expanded Deal and Walmer, with the building of the Naval hospital and Barracks. The construction of the Hospital was undertaken by George Urmstone Leith (1788-1820), a Scottish physician who also  bought up large swathes of land and built many houses and shops to supply the military and the increased population, including the buildings along the Strand that we see today. He also bought Walmer Court and Liverpool House for his own use.

In 1844 his huge estate was being managed by his executors; it remains a significant land-owner today.

The parish is clearly divided into Upper Walmer and Lower Walmer, the former adjacent to Deal and being quickly built up along the beach and Dover Road, as merchants and seamen needed homes to suit their status; the latter a more traditional village grouped around Walmer Court farm, old St Mary's church and the shops, yards and brewery. The ponds (indicating a spring at Walmer Court, with a stream falling down to Walmer Castle paddock) have sadly gone.

A small third cluster of houses have formed inland of Walmer Castle, including Liverpool House and Glen Hill House. 

The map also reminds us that, at this time, Walmer Parish included some 90 acres of land on the marshes north of Deal, presumably for the grazing of livestock outside the confines of the main part of Walmer.

A listing of the Tithe Apportionments is available online, and the maps themselves are on a CD in Deal Library; Dover Library has the whole set of Kent maps, and both places benefit from very helpful staff.

Much useful information was found on the website of Families of Deal and Walmer, for which many thanks are due.

A very Brief History of the East Kent Railway

 History of East Kent Railway Trust, from two marvellous books 1

The East Kent Railway was constructed between 1911 and 1917 to serve the growth of the Kent Coalfield that was being developed in East Kent. The consortium of Kent colliery and landowners envisaged a line that would link the collieries with the mainline and a new port at Richborough.

Although Richborough became an important port during WWI, the line did not cross the River Stour until after the war, by which time the port was in decline. Branch lines to Canterbury, Deal, and Birchington were planned but never completed.

The line was built to light railway standards by the engineer, Colonel H .F. Stephens. The first passengers were carried from 16^th October 1916, with just a few facilities being provided for them.

Wells Farm, near Eastry

Sandwich Road, Eastry

Knowlton Halt, was originally known as Tilmanstone and Knowlton, at Thorndon crossroads. Presumably the site of Ground Pine.

Shepherdwell station, with the Knees area and a never-used connection to the main line.

Golgotha tunnel

Eythorne station

Elvington Halt. The platform can still be seen now.

Eastry South, at the north end of Thornden Lane

Eastry north (Poison Cross) gave an opportunity for a nice pun.

Branch line to Hammill colliery, which was built but never operated. A brickworks replaced it.

Woodnesborough Station and Roman Road Station

Ash Town - clearly a metropolis

Staple station

WinghamColliery Halt

The line from Shepherdswell to Tilmanstone Colliery remained operational until the 1984/85 Miners Strike. Tilmanstone Colliery reopened for a short while but eventually ceased production in October 1986. Inevitably closure of the line followed in 1987.

In November 1985, the East Kent Railway Society had been formed with the intention of saving and reopening the remaining two and a quarter miles of line, but it was not until 1989 that the volunteers were able to start the massive task of clearing the tangle of shrubs, trees and other vegetation that had claimed the railway since closure. 

1  M. Lawson Finch & S.R. Garratt The East Kent Railway 2 vols – Oakwood Press (from library)