in Essex. In other parts of the farm are three separate
groups of foundations, and among other finds from these sites may be
mentioned a mortarium urn stamped MATVGENVS
and a portion of’ a pipeclay figurine of Venus. [Arch. Cant. xlii,
proc. p. xlviii.] See Industries, p. 129, No. 2.
CRAY.—See’ St. Mary Cray and St. Paul Cray.
CRAYFORD.—Building, see p.110 (14). In 1878 a lead coffin
ornamented with bead moulding and escallop shells and containing the
skeleton of a young female was dug up 7 ft. below the surface of the road
from Crayford to Bexley, 30 yds. east of the gate to St. John’s iron
church; it was subsequently reburied [Arch Cant xli, 429, and proc
p xlvi, Coll Anti qua, vu, 188, Arch. Journ. xxxviii (1881),
401; Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc. xxxiv, 259.] An ancient Greek coin
found together with a modern one in Crayford Churchyard was perhaps lost
there in recent years. [M.S. Minutes Soc. Antiq. iii, 69; Gough in Camden Britannia
(1806), i, 329.] Roman potsherds have been dug up in the brickfields
at Slades Green and in the dene holes in the chalk pits. at Perry Street
to the north of Crayford. One of these, which had been excavated through
the, chalk to the flint, to a total depth of 42¼ ft., seems to have been
used in the Roman period as a refuse pit. At the bottom was a cone of
sandy clay into which flint blocks and flakes had been washed from the
surface. Then came coarser soil and some very coarse pottery, a few pieces
‘made of powdered chalk.’ Above that was a 12-inch layer of pottery—about
150 vessels—chiefly cooking jars, showing traces of fire outside and
remains of food inside. Those at the bottom were of coarse hand-made ware,
probably pre-Roman; the upper ones were of Samian, ‘Upchurch,’ and
local wares of Roman date. With them also were bits of iron, the bones of
young animals, and snail and oyster shells; in fact, the usual contents of
a rubbish heap. Outside the pit were many surface flint chips, etc., but
no traces of buildings. In another pit were the remains of a fire. [V.C.H.
Kent, , i, 448, fig. 1; Arch. Journ. xxxvii, 333, xxxviii, 401,
and Arch. Cant. xviii, 313.] See also’ Bexley and, for another
dene-hole,. Greenhithe. ‘
CRUNDALE.—On the hill east of Crundale and in the parish of
Godmersham,. a large urn, containing a shallow earthen pan and a small
inscribed urn, was found in 1678 or later; it was covered with a large
flat stone, and round it was a wall of flints. In 1703 a cemetery was
found near the top of the hill on Tremworth Downs three-quarters of a mile
from Crundal; on each side of a hollow road; excavations undertaken by the
rector and later by the Earl of Winchilsea, revealed 6 skeletons (two of
children), a small red urn, fragments of a wide shallow vessel, and a fine
red urn, and bottle. In 1713 another skeleton was found with three urns, 5
in., 4 in., and 3 to 4 in high respectively, in a grave cut in the chalk
Three of the skeletons were placed side by side. [Harris, op. cit. (1719),
i, ‘89;. Hasted, op. cit. vu, 368; hence Gough in Camden Britannia (1806),
i, 352.] In 1758—9, near the river Stour and about one mile west of
Crundale, Brian Faussett excavated earth and glass urns, dishes of various
sizes and colours, with a coin of Faustina junior and ‘female
trinkets.’ These, however, are more possibly Saxon burials. [Hasted, op.
cit. iii, 370; hence Brayley and Britton, Beauties of Eng. (1808),
viii, 1164, 6-in. Ord. Surv. map, no. lv, N.E.] In the Mayer Collection in
Liverpool Free Public Museum are two brooches, one being of the late
crossbow type, and miscellaneous pottery vessels, including some Samian. A
Roman bronze brooch was said to have been found on the Downs to the west
of Crundale. [W. S. Morris, Hist. and Topog. Wye (1842), p. 6. ? in
Canterbury Museum.]
CUXTON.—Buiiding, see p. 111. In excavating for the
foundations of the White Hart Inn about 1860, two urns of dark clay, a
bone ring, a saucer and four cups of Samian ware, one stamped MATERNVS
(or as another writer gives it, MATERNI.M.
Probably the potter is Maternus of Lezoux). [Gents Mag. 1860, ii,
141 ; Arch. Cant. xxv, proc. p. lxvii;’ Payne, Coll.
Cant. (1893), p. 132. The vessels were sent to Cobham Hall.] A
‘first brass’ of Lucius Verus (TRP) was found in a pond near Cuxton Brickfields.
[Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc. v (1849), 80.] The site is ½ mile,
north-east of Cuxton Station, where there are remains of a long-disused
cement factory formerly known locally as the Brickfield. For pottery. in
Whorne’s Place Quarry, which is partly in Cuxton and partly in Hailing,
see under Hailing.
DARENTH.—Villas, see p. 111. A large round two-handled
buff-coloured urn, 32 in. high and 21 in. diameter, containing calcined
bones, a small Castor urn, 3¼ in. high, an iron lampstand, a Samian
saucer, 7 in. diameter, and a red goblet, 9 in. high, were all found in a
pit packed with large flints and measuring 3 ft. 4 in. by 4¼ ft. and 3
ft. deep, in a field near Rye Croft Wood, just to the east of the road
from Green Street Green to Horton Kirkby. [Arch. Cant. xxiv, proc.
p. ii; xxv, proc. p. lxiii, fig. 2; urn now in Rochester Museum.]
DARNET NESS.—On the east bank of the lower Medway a
wide-mouthed jar of the late-first-early-second century was found in 1865.
[Kent Arch. Soc. Mus.]
DARTFORD.—Settlement, see p. 88.
DAVINGTON.—For the cemetery here, see Ospringe, p. 93.
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