The Romano-British Villa and Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Eccles, Kent: A Summary of the Excavations by Alex Detsicas with a Consideration of the Archaeological, Historical and Linguistic Context

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'The Romano-British Villa and Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Eccles, Kent' presents a study of the central and lower Medway valley during the 1st millennium AD. It takes as its focus the Eccles Roman villa and Anglo-Saxon cemetery, excavated between 1962–1976 and directed by Alec Detsicas. An account of this important villa throughout its long history is outlined, and a re-assessment of the architectural evidence which Detsicas presented, with fresh interpretations, is provided. In the middle of the 7th century, a large Anglo-Saxon cemetery was established south of the villa. It started as a typical ‘Final Phase’ cemetery but continued into the late Saxon period. The evidence from the cemetery is presented as a site report, with a burial catalogue, a discussion of the grave goods and a study of the wider aspects of mortuary practice. The monograph also includes a chapter on some fragmentary Iron Age evidence and a discussion of an Anglo-Saxon timber building and its relationship to the cemetery. The evidence from the villa and Anglo-Saxon cemetery is discussed within the context of the Medway valley, which highlights the important contribution that Eccles makes to archaeological knowledge. The significance of the area is further investigated by studies devoted to the pre-English place-names of the valley and the documentary evidence of the area during the Anglo-Saxon period. The volume concludes with a general discussion, which draws together all the strands of evidence and evaluates the significance of the Medway valley during the 1st millennium AD. Cover Title Page Copyright page Contents Page List of Figures and Tables Introduction Figure 1.1. Location of Eccles in the Medway valley Figure 1.2. Part of the Fryars estate plan as surveyed in 1700, showing Eccles field names: Field 17 ‘Eccles Wood’; 18 ‘Little Eccles Meadow’; 19 ‘Great Eccles Meadow’; 20 ‘Eccles Pond Meadow’; 21 ‘Eccles Field’, the site of the Eccles Roman villa. “An ex Figure 1.3. The location of the villa, pottery (P), tilery (T), possible foundations noted in 2015 (F), and the area of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery (shaded in green) at Rowe Place Farm, Eccles. The Late Iron Age Figure 2.1. Ditches I and II (Detsicas 1966, figure 1) (reproduced with kind permission of Kent Archaeology) Figure 2.2. Post-holes in the base of Ditch II (Detsicas Plate 1, photograph by R. G. Foord) (reproduced with kind permission of Kent Archaeology) Table 2.1. Details of the pre-villa ditches (depths were not recorded) Figure 2.3. Plot of the geophysical survey carried out by Stratascan on behalf of Lawson-Price Environmental. The figure shows the area of the survey and anomalies in relation to the excavations. Scale 1:2000 Table 2.2. Iron Age sites of the Medway valley, summary details (for Soilscape types see Table 00) The Roman Period Figure 3.1. Simplified multiphase plan of the villa (omitting enclosure wall). Period 1 beige; Period 2 green, Period 3 mauve; Period 4 yellow ochre (applies to all phase plans). Table 3.1. Eccles villa: Periods 1-5 Figure 3.2. Period 1 house and ?granary in relation to the Period 2 baths (the possible early phase of the baths highlighted green) Figure 3.3. Photo of early house beneath Period 4 baths. Figure 3.4. Plan of granary Figure 3.5. Period 2 house (for the key see the caption to Figure 3.1) Period two ‘thumbnail’ plan Figure 3.6. Plan of south end of main building Figure 3.7. Conjectural early phase of the Period 2 baths (for the key see the caption to Figure 3.1) Figure 3.8. Detailed plan of conjectural early phase of the Period 2 baths. Figure 3.9. The apse of the Period 2 baths, early walls and oblique drain beneath later structures crossing over it (mostly dismantled during excavation) Figure 3.10. Phase 2A baths Figure 3.11. Original Testudo showing possible circular emplacement for hot water tank (miliarium) Figure 3.12. Later furnace and arch (later blocking removed) Figure 3.13. Some of the fragments from a figured mosaic, found in the fill of Room 46, with speculative reconstruction by D S Neal below Figure 3.14. Plan of the Laconicum (Room 32) Figure 3.15. Plan of the Phase 2B-C baths Figure 3.16. Rooms 63 and 61 of Period 2B showing division between caldarium and tepidarium (right) Figure 3.17. Same view with opus signinum removed to reveal furnace arch (unblocked), drain and wall flues of Period 2A (Room 58) Figure 3.18. Final phase of the Period 2 baths Figure 3.19. Plan of Rooms 26 and 27 Figure 3.20. The south-east corner of Room 26 showing cheeks of furnace in Room 27 (left) Figure 3.21. Villa, Phase 3A. Period 1 beige; Period 2 green, Period 3 mauve; Period 4 yellow ochre (applies to all phase plans). Figure 3.22. Plan of north wing block (excluding porticus) Figure 3.23. North wing block Phase 3A with baths retained from Period 2 (Bottom shows addition of Room 26 to the baths) Figure 3.24. Eastern end of northern wing block showing converging walls, the eastermost cut by later apse, and with Room 2 abutted to it (foreground) Figure 3.25. North wing block Phase 3B: alternative interpretations of the conversion into baths Figure 3.26. Channelled hypocaust in Room 6 Figure 3.27. North Wing block Period 3C: new suite of baths at western end Figure 3.28. Room 45 built over praefurnium (Room 46) of Period 2 baths Figure 3.29. Cheeks of furnace in Room 25, the one on the right built against the blocked arch of earlier stoke-hole. Figure 3.30. Plan of South wing block Figure 3.31. View looking east over channelled hypocaust in Room 129, with pillared hypocaust (Room 124) beyond Figure 3.32. Apsidal pool (Room 100) abutted to eastern porticus Figure 3.33. Apse (Room 105) abutted to outer wall (robbed) of the eastern porticus Figure 3.34. Plan of the Channelled hypocaust, Room 121 Figure 3.35. View looking north over Room 121 showing remnants of channelled hypocaust Figure 3.36. Recess (Room 120) looking west, showing original arrangement of underfloor flues Figure 3.37. Plan of the small rectangular pool Figure 3.38. Small rectangular pool, partially dismantled to show base of tiles Thumbnail plan of Period 4 house Figure 3.39. Reconstruction of the Period 4 baths by I. J. Bissett (after Detsicas 1983: fig. 28) Figure 3.40. Period 4 baths (yellow ochre) with the possible Period 3 north wing block retained (mauve) Figure 3.41. View over Period 4 baths looking north with steps into large pool constructed over the demolished Period 3 cold plunge bath (centre) Figure 3.42. Box flue tile in situ and impressions of others jacketing Room 24 Figure 3.43. Period 4 main house Figure 3.44. Hypocaust in Room 95 (looking west) after tessellated floor had been removed Figure 3.45. Plan of north end of the Period 4 house. Figure 3.46. Rooms 79-85 Figure 3.47. Hearth in Room 89 Figure 3.48. Plans of villas: A.Chignall St James; B. Boxted; C. Alresford; D. Farningham 2; E. Eccles (Period 3). Figure 3.49. The villas at Eccles (Phase 3A) (bottom right), Ath (left) and Voyennes (top right) Table 3.2. To show pools parallel to the winged corridor house (unless otherwise stated) in Britain and northern Gaul. Dimensions are approximate Figure 3.50. A. Eccles (Phase 3A); B. Merbes-le-Château (internal baths omitted); C. Reinheim; D. Liéhon; E. Borg (presumed additions omitted); F. Val-de-Reuil; G. Echternach (Phase 2) Figure 3.51. Map of area (divisions are 1km) with a circle to show sites within 4km Figure 3.52. Plans of Roman villas: Barton Road, Maidstone (left), Snodland (top right) and The Mount, Maidstone (bottom right) Figure 3.53. Plan of Eccles showing theoretical construction. (The dotted line shows the correct position of the north wing if a symmetrical arrangement had been possible Figure 3.54. Plan of the Fishbourne Palace with a grid superimposed, each square being an actus quadratus Figure 3.55. Diagram to show the planning of features at the Darenth villa Figure 3.56. Chart to show coin loss (those from the ash deposit in Room 96 shown in grey) The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Figure 4.1a. Overview of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery in relation to the Roman villa, ditches and the larger pits. Where the location of a burial is uncertain, it is indicated by dashes. Figure 4.1b. Overview of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery. Figure 4.1c. Close up of the main group of burials. Figure 4.1d. Close up of the west group of burials. Figure 4.2. View of burials lying above the subsoil Table 4.1. Groups of disarticulated human remains Figure 4.3. Disturbance to an area of burials Figure 4.4. Plough damage to Burial L61 Figure 4.5. Damage to Burial L52 from intercutting (above L60, below L13 & L15) Table 4.2. Intercutting burials, showing stratigraphic relationships. *= relationship not certain. Bold = not on plan. Based on information from the archive Figure 4.6. Spearhead (I25) (1:1). Figure 4.7. Spearhead, awl and knife (J30) (all 1:1) Figure 4.8. Spearhead (J32) (1:1). Figure 4.9. Knife (J43) (1:1). Figure 4.10. Buckle (2:1), antler disc, copper alloy disc and two rings (K07) (all 1:1) Figure 4.11. Shears, spindle whorl, sharpening steel and knife (K07) (all 1:1) Figure 4.12. Pair of silver pins and knife (K12) (pins 2:1, knife 1:1) Figure 4.13. Burial K12 showing pins in situ. Figure 4.14. Burial K19. Figure 4.15. Buckle (K19) (2:1). Figure 4.16. Buckle (K19) (2:1). Figure 4.17. Buckle (K19) (2:1). Figure 4.18. Knife (K19) (1:1). Figure 4.19. K19 showing buckle and knife in situ. Figure 4.20. Knife (K37) (1:1). Figure 4.21. Key (K42) (1:1). Figure 4.22. Shears and knife (L01) (both 1:1). Figure 4.23. Pin (L02) (2:1). Figure 4.24. Knife (L03) (1:1). Figure 4.25. L16 on right side. Figure 4.26. Knife (L25) (1:1). Figure 4.27. Photo of pot in situ (L25). Figure 4.28. Buckle (L45) (2:1). Figure 4.29. L45 showing buckle in situ. Figure 4.30. L51 showing position of the limbs. Figure 4.31. Fragment of bracelet (L52) (2:1). Figure 4.32. L53. Figure 4.33. knife (L53) (1:1). Figure 4.34. Knife (L54) (1:1). Figure 4.35. L54 showing disturbance to the interment and the knife in situ. Figure 4.36. L56 showing buckle and knife in situ. Part of the pursemount is visible on the edge of the photograph. Figure 4.37. Buckle with triangular plate (L56) (2:1). Figure 4.38. Backplate to buckle (2:1) buckle plate (2:1) and pursemount (1:1) (L56). Figure 4.39. Crouched burial (L58). Figure 4.40. Knife (L63) (1:1). Figure 4.41. Buckle (2:1) and knife (1:1) (L65). Figure 4.42. Buckle (2:1) and knife (1:1) (L65). Figure 4.43. Buckle (M03) (1:1). Figure 4.44. Closeup of M2 and M3 showing position of ‘buckle’. Figure 4.45. Bone comb (NO1) (1:1). Figure 4.46. N03 showing disturbance. Figure 4.47. N04 view. Figure 4.48. N05 showing feet resting on large stones. Figure 4.49. N06 view of burial showing legs flexed to right. Figure 4.50. N07 showing disturbance by N06. Table 4.3 Eccles Anglo-Saxon cemetery: breakdown of objects from graves by material and type Figure 4.51a. Distribution of burials with grave goods (shaded). Figure 4.51b. Distribution of burials with grave goods (shaded). Figure 4.51c. Distribution of burials with grave goods (shaded). Close up of the main group of burials. Figure 4.51d. Distribution of burials with grave goods (shaded). Close up of the west group of burials. Figure 4.52. Unstratified tool with decorated handle (1:1). Figure 4.53. Unstratified knife (1:1). Figure 4.54. Unstratified iron rod (1:1). Figure 4.55. Unstratified coin. Table 4.4 Comparison of aspects of burial practice Table 4.5 Eccles, depth of graves Figure 4.57. Unknown burial associated with stones. Figure 4.58. Unknown burial showing a large stone by the feet. Table 4.6. Overall burial orientation Table 4.7. Burials with a non-westerly orientation. Where position of head is known. Figure 4.59a. Burial plots (unshaded burials = not possible to allocate to a plot with any certainty). Figure 4.59b. Burial plots (unshaded burials = not possible to allocate to a plot with any certainty). Figure 4.59c. Distribution of burials with grave goods (shaded). Close up of the main group of burials. Figure 4.59d. Burial plots (unshaded burials = not possible to allocate to a plot with any certainty). Close up of the west group of burials. Figure 4.60a. Genetic groups. Red (Group A; lighter red = possible Group A), blue (Group B; lighter blue = possible Group B), green (Group C). Figure 4.60b. Genetic groups. Red (Group A; lighter red = possible Group A), blue (Group B; lighter blue = possible Group B), green (Group C). Figure 4.60c. Genetic groups. Red (Group A; lighter red = possible Group A), blue (Group B; lighter blue = possible Group B), green (Group C). Close up of the main group of burials. Figure 4.60d. Genetic groups. Red (Group A: lighter red = possible Group A); blue (Group B: lighter blue = possible Group B), green (Group C). Close up of the west group of burials. Figure 4.61a. Distribution of sex and age groups. Blue=male, red=female, green=unsexed adult, grey=subadult, unshaded=unknown sex or age. Figure 4.61b. Distribution of sex and age groups. Blue=male, red=female, green=unsexed adult, grey=subadult, unshaded=unknown sex or age. Figure 4.61c. Distribution of sex and age groups. Blue=male, red=female; green=unsexed adult, grey=subadult, unshaded=unknown sex or age. Close up of the main group of burials. Figure 4.61d. Distribution of sex and age groups. Blue=male, red=female, green=unsexed adult, grey=subadult, unshaded=unknown sex or age. Close up of the west group of burials. Table 4.8. Burials from the south end of the villa. Figure 4.62. Charnel deposit. Figure 4.63. Stratigraphically highest burials (shaded). Figure 4.64. Location of sites mentioned in the text. Figure 4.65. Location of sites mentioned in the text (estuary). Table 4.9. Soil types and topography of the Medway valley Anglo-Saxon sites. The Anglo-Saxon Building and Associated Non-Cemetery Features Figure 5.1. Area of ditches, gullies, stake- and post-holes (all features: post-holes not labelled see Figure 5.2). Figure 5.2. Tentative building outline. Place-names in the area around Eccles and their contribution to understanding the history of the area Figure 6.1. Location of places mentioned in the text. Documentay Evidence for the Medway Valley Table 7.1. Main historical events in the Medway valley Figure 7.1. Hundreds. 1: Shamwell, 2: Toltingtrough, 3: Axtane, 4: Rochester, 5: Chatham and Gillingham, 6: Larkfield and Aylesford, 7: Wrotham, 8: Maidstone, 9: Littlefield, 10: Twyford, 11: Marden, 12: Brenchley and Horsmonden, 13: Wachlingstone Figure 7.2. Lathes of Kent Figure 7.3. Parishes of the Medway areaSt Mary, West Malling General Discussion and Conclusion Table 8.1. Roman sites of the Medway, summary details Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Introduction Aylesford, Eccles and the Medway Valley Nick Stoodley Post-excavation The Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group and the investigation of Eccles The excavations Recent fieldwork The organisation of the monograph Chapter 2 The Late Iron Age Nick Stoodley Periods I-II: Late Iron Age ditches Period III: Late Iron Age -?earliest Roman Discussion Chapter 3 The Roman Period Introduction Excavation method The site Dating (Figure 3.1 and table 3.1) Plans Summary Stephen R. Cosh Period 1 Discussion The granary (Detsicas 1965: 70-71, fig. 1, fig. 3 section C-D, pl. IIa) Dating The timber building Period 2 The main house Discussion The first baths Conjectural first phase Phase 2a (Detsicas 1965, 72-9) Phase 2B-C (Detsicas 1965, 79-82, fig. 2) Period 3 The northern porticus The western porticus The southern porticus Discussion North wing block / second baths (Detsicas 1963) Phase 3A Phase 3B Phase 3C The extension to the north: Rooms 8, 40, 10, 41 and 45 Discussion The detached latrine (Room 51) The south wing block (Detsicas 1972: 103-106) Discussion Eastern porticus The projecting wing at the south-east corner (Rooms 118-121) (Detsicas 1971: 28-30) Large garden pool (Detsicas 1972: 102-103) Overall discussion and dating The smaller rectangular pool Period 4 The third baths (Detsicas 1963: 136-140; 1964: 131-133) Discussion Dating The main house Discussion Boundary wall (Detsicas 1973: 76 fig. 1; 1976: 158-159, fig. 2; 1977: 56-58, fig. 2; 1989: 84) Period 5 The main house Burials The baths Overview Ownership The house Maidstone: The Mount Snodland Maidstone: Barton Road Teston Planning in relation to water features Other structures in the neighbourhood The end of the villa Chapter 4 The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Introduction Nick Stoodley The site of the cemetery Circumstances of discovery Post-excavation work, study and publication The burials Catalogue of burials Grave goods and the chronology of the cemetery Introduction Dress accessories Pins Bracelet Brooch Buckles Keys Weapons Personal equipment Knives Comb Needle Pursemount Sharpening steel Shears Tools Miscellaneous tool Rings and discs Spindle whorl Vessels (incorporating a report by J Cotter) The grave good rite Chronology Unstratified objects Anglo-Saxon Medieval The cemetery and its wider context Aspects of burial practice (Table 4.4) Grave structure and features associated with the burial Multiple burial Orientation Burial position Deviant burial The origins of the cemetery and its structure Society and community Social archaeology and the Eccles community The human remains (Figure 4.61) Discussion Burials within the villa complex Eccles: a Kent cemetery of the 7th to 10th centuries Anglo-Saxon settlement in the Medway valley Area 1: west bank Area 2: east bank Area 3: the Hoo Peninsula Area 4: east bank of the estuary Topographical analysis Chapter 5 The Anglo-Saxon Building and Associated Non-Cemetery Features Introduction Nick Stoodley Pre-cemetery features The building Discussion Chapter 6 Place-names in the area around Eccles Jillian Hawkins Introduction Abbreviations Eccles (TQ 728606) The meaning, use and significance of Eccles Local place-names of significance and their derivation (Figure 6.1) Aylesford (TQ 730592) The qualifying initial element Ayles- The second (generic) element: -ford or -þrep Chatham (TQ 755670) Medway (river name) The first (qualifying) element Med- The second (generic) element –way Rochester (TQ 740689) The first element *dŭro- ‘fort, town on low ground’ The development of the name The element –chester “fortress” The second element –brivæ “bridges” Upnor (Castle) (TQ 759705) Wickham (TQ 730675) Borstal (TQ 735668) Burham (TQ 726623) Chattenden (TQ 756749) Culand (TQ 731612) Cuxton (TQ 709670) Ditton (TQ 711585) Frindsbury (TQ 740696) Halling (TQ 703642) Holborough (TQ 703642) Hoo St Werburgh (TQ 780725), St Mary (TQ 803766) Hythe, New (TQ 708599) Larkfield (TQ 707603) Nashenden (TQ 731660) Other local place-names and their derivation Conclusion: the evidence to be gained from the place-names Ryarsh (TQ 670590) Snodhurst Bottom (TQ 756655) Snodland (TQ 705615) Strood (TQ 729690) Wainscott (TQ 745718) Walderslade (TQ 760634) Wouldham (TQ 712641) Chapter 7 Documentay Evidence for the Medway Valley Courtnay Konshuh Introduction The historical sources and their context Hundreds and their meeting places Territorial and administrative organisation of the Medway valley Lathes (Figure 7.2) Parish connections and earlier territories (Figure 7.3) Addington Allington and Barming Cossington Offham Twyford Hundred East and West Malling Trottiscliffe Yalding Conclusion Chapter 8 General Discussion and Conclusion Introduction Landscape, environment and settlement patterns Nick Stoodleywith contributions by, Steve Cosh, Jillian Hawkins and Courtnay Konshuh Communication routes Burial ritual and religious belief Economy, society and community Territorial and political organisation Conclusion Appendix 1. Trauma case studies (Griffiths 2007) Appendix 2. Estates in Larkfield Hundred in Domesday Book Bibliography