Welcome from the Editor
Springtime in Kent is such a refreshing, bright and exciting time of year, when the county seems to wake from its chilly hibernation and look forwards with a renewed vitality. It is occasionally still a touch chilly out there, but the natural world is in bloom, and it is wondrous to behold.
I recently drove across the Isle of Sheppey, on our way to promote the society with a talk for the Sheppey Local History Society in Minster, and I was blown away by the stunning landscape, particularly the bright yellow sea of rapeseed fields, stretching out into the distant horizon where it touched the enormous fiery pink and red sunset skies above. I also adore the vibrant blankets of bluebells stretching across countless woodland floors. This time of year, is one of my favourites.
Whilst I am certainly full of the seasonal feels, winter at the society was far from sleepy! It has perhaps been the busiest I have experienced in fact. The enthusiastic engagement from our new trustee team and a range of ambitious goals for the year ahead has allowed us to really motor forward.
[fg]jpg|Springing forwards into the season.|Image[/fg]
The society is delighted to be at the forefront of a movement towards bringing the benefits of heritage study to all who have an interest, and creating opportunities for those who have not historically had such a chance to enjoy the fascinating world of history and archaeology. We have been working incredibly hard towards that goal.
As a county, like many, we remain in a state of uncertainty, with government restructures, storage challenges, infrastructure pressures, financial constraints, university closures and even recent unexpected health scares, and the worries of the wider world are doing little to alleviate the pressures at home. This is a difficult time for so many people, which is even more reason why societies like ours, and all the incredible local groups I have had the pleasure of communicating with, are vital in creating positive community momentum. We offer a place where like-minded people from all walks of life can come together and find a sense of place. Whatever your level of interest, we offer a space to explore, to learn, to communicate, connect and to thrive.
[fg]jpg|Springing forwards into the season.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|KAS are focused on training and community events around the county.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|KAS are involved in innovative collaboration with groups such as Lord of the Bricks, a Kent-based FIRST LEGO League robotics team, whose KAS collaborative program won the Kent Regional Robotics Championship and the 2026 National Robot Knockout competition.|Image[/fg]
As always, our major focus is promoting the incredible heritage of our county, be it the very latest discoveries from excavation, detection and survey to the most up-to-date research from scholars and talented amateurs alike, we are dedicated to keeping you updated and informed on Kent’s rich and fascinating past. The magazine this month wanders through valleys and along coasts, inside architectural curiosities and over natural wonders. We explore the people and the places, the objects and the ideas that have shaped Kent, from the distant prehistoric past to its familiar modern features.
Our AGM is just round the corner, on May 30th, and will be held at the fantastic Lenham Community Centre. Don’t forget to book you tickets on the website asap. It will be a great chance to meet our new Trustee team and hear all about the future direction for the society. You will also be able to hear a review of our achievements over the year so far.
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/events/kas-agm-2026
Since Christmas we have been out on the road several times, bringing the treasures and tales of the society to communities across the county. We even spent a very busy and successful week at Bluewater, speaking to over 1500 people about opportunities to get involved in our events and activities. It always comes as something of a surprise to discover that many folks have little or no idea about the Kent Archaeological Society, who we are or what we do. Obviously, I wouldn’t expect everyone to share our particular interests, but having spoken with so many families and individuals, it seems clear there is a general fascination in history and archaeology outside of academic circles, but many people simply did not realise there was an opportunity to be involved. This is something we are keen to work on.
[fg]jpg|KAS staff have been supporting local initiatives and ensuring heritage care across the county.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Engaging the public and providing access to the County’s heritage is at the forefront of our aims.|Image[/fg]
We are also dedicated to forwarding the knowledge of Kent heritage in academic and scientific circles, and as such, our Curator has been busy connecting with a range of professionals, utilising our incredible collections to learn more about the ancient communities who have settled and moved through Kent. This includes meeting with university teams, scholars and students, museums, radiographers and more to explore new techniques and avenues of research. Our digital manager has been equally busy, particularly in the world of 3D reconstruction and modelling, creating unique and data rich records of historic monuments and artefacts. This not only provides unique access to monuments which would normally be physically impossible, but is also a great tool for preservation, creating detailed, measured and annotated records of architectural and structural features which can be used in case of damage or restoration in the future.
Finally, whilst we work on promoting the history and archaeology of the county and enjoying the longer days, brighter mornings and colourful scenic delights of Kent over the next few months, we are also keen to find out more from our members about what you would like to get involved in. Over the years we have offered volunteering opportunities in excavation, cataloguing, and research projects, along with training and lectures, conferences and general outings and adventures. There have been a wide range of successes, but what would you be keen to get involved in moving forward? Please do let us know your thoughts and desires, so that we can build our future programs around the most important aspect of the Kent Archaeological Society, its amazing members.
[fg]jpg|We engage in regular outreach events to encourage connections within local communities.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|We aim to remain at the cutting edge of archaeological recording and methodologies.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|It is important we communicate our expertise, achievements and discoveries.|Image[/fg]
As ever, if you have any questions, queries, thoughts or ideas, do feel free to send them across by email. I would love to hear them. Thank you to all those who have supplied the brilliant content for this magazine, there are so many groups and individuals working all aspects of Kent heritage, and it is a privilege to receive and to read your work. I am always keen to receive articles, so do keep them coming. We have a thriving community of heritage enthusiasts and I for one am keen to celebrate our successes. Any topic related to the heritage of Kent will be considered. Do check out the comprehensive calendar of events over the next few months, it is phenomenal to see how many heritage-focussed discussions are occurring across the county.
Enjoy the fresh sunny days ahead, and I hope you find the pages of the Spring magazine a comfort and source of some fascination.
Until the Summer, all the very best wishes,
Craig
craig.campbell@kentarchaeology.org.uk
[fg]jpg|We are keen to offer skills and training to our members in a range of heritage and archaeological topics.|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|We welcome articles, news and updates on anything related to the ancient county of Kent.|Image[/fg]
All images courtesy of the Kent Archaeological Society, 2026.
