Update from the Society Archivist

11 May

Big things have been happening in the Kent Archaeological Society Archive this month. We are delighted to announce that our Archive has a new home and is finally united (in some cases reunited) with our library collections, under one roof at the incredible Maidstone Museum.

The society library has had the honour of calling Maidstone Museum home since 1867, just 10 years after the foundation of the society in 1857. Our unique collections have graced the shelves in this historic building for over 150 years. We continue to work from the library, welcoming visitors and researchers to enjoy the stunning space.

We are now incredibly excited to occupy another of the Museums marvellous rooms, Upper Court Lodge, where our unique archival collection will be housed for the foreseeable future. The move required careful logistical considerations during the transportation, storage and repackaging of many delicate, rare and important documents. It has been a fantastic opportunity to further organise the collection, to make sure it is preserved for the future and is accessible to researchers moving forward.

[fg]jpg|Maidstone Museum. Image courtesy of Maidstone Museum, 2026.|Image[/fg]

[pg13]As well as holding the documentary archive of the Kent Archaeological Society, including fieldwork records, detailed research and business documentation, the archive collection is made up of many regionally and nationally important collections.

These include the Kent Archaeological Society Past Members Papers archive, containing research from a wide variety of significant members and scholars since the society’s inception in 1857. We also care for archive material from the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group, Lower Medway Archaeology and Research Group, the Archbishops Palace excavation archive, Architectural Drawings collections, Kent etchings, prints, watercolours, drawings and photographs, several important ecclesiastical collections documenting churches through print, drawing, photography, monumental inscriptions and documentary evidence, many archaeological archive collections and an extensive visual records collection, from glass plate negatives and lantern slides to 35mm negatives and printed photographs. We preserve the Gordon Ward, Anne Roper, Albert Daniels, Alec Miles, Twisden [Twysden] Family and Peter Tester Archives, amongst many others.

[fg]jpg|The Kent Archaeological Society have housed their library in Maidstone Museum since 1867.|Image[/fg]

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[fg]jpg|The Library is now utilised as a society office and is accessible to researchers and volunteers upon request.|Image[/fg]

[pg14]Recently we have acquired the archives of other prominent Kent historians and archaeologists such as Brian Philp, Gordon Taylor, and the late Jill Edison, as well as a number of donations from former society president, Gerald Cramp. We are excited to be accepting part of the archive of the late Paul Ashbee who was instrumental in many aspects of Kent archaeology, a Patron of the society, but perhaps best known for his publication, Kent in Prehistoric Times. We are also welcoming some fascinating artefacts such as a certificate presented to former 19th century society member, the Reverend Arthur W Lawson.

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[fg]jpg|The Archive is now housed in Upper Court Lodge at Maidstone Museum.|Image[/fg]

[pg15]Now that our archive collections are housed in close proximity to the society library, we can soon offer extensive access to these fabulous collections. With well over 2000 books and manuscripts, and c.120m of archive shelving, I am absolutely certain there are many treasures waiting to be discovered within the fascinating documents we care for.

With this in mind, our volunteer programs are well underway. I have welcomed 15 regular volunteers recently and we have been working hard to arrange and catalogue both the library and archive materials. With the move complete, we have the space and opportunity to fully catalogue the entire collection efficiently and make the catalogue records widely available on the website. We hope this in turn will encourage researchers and curious enthusiasts to visit and utilise the collections regularly. Our blog will provide further details, and we hope to get this up and running very soon.

[fg]jpg|We have a significant collection of drawings, watercolours and illustrations within the collections.|Image[/fg]

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[fg]jpg|We have an extensive Visual Records Collection, much of it to be explored and catalogued.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|We hold a large map collection including such treasures as ‘An Accurate Map of the County of Kent divided into its Lathes’, Eman Bowen, 1736.|Image[/fg]

[pg16]In other news, our outreach activities have picked up pace, and we have delivered talks on the society collections and activities to a range of heritage groups. We have been involved in some important rescue archaeology and recording, including a fascinating shipwreck. I have had exciting meetings regarding the latest in archaeology in southeast England, potential future projects for the society, educational and training opportunities, and have been writing several proposals for projects utilising our collections. We continue to train young heritage students in the Cur8 program and have arranged tours of the British Library Conservation Studios, East Wear Bay and Shorne Woods to introduce them to a range of heritage opportunities.

Our Zoom lectures continue to be a success, the most recent of which were a spectacular update on the internationally significant late Iron Age and Roman site at East Wear Bay and an enlightening tour of Ancient Canterbury. The response to the YouTube channel remains incredible, numbers continue to rise, and the topics of discussion continue to be varied and fascinating. Check out the calendar in this issue for details of the next talk. Our most recent talks can be found online now:

www.youtube.com/@kentarchaeologicalsociety8317/featured

[fg]jpg|August 11 1894, Certificate awarded to Reverend Arthur W. Lawson.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Volunteers hard at work cataloguing our library collections.|Image[/fg]

[pg17]As ever, details of our archive and library collections can be found on the Kent Archaeological Society website:

www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/library

If you would like to be involved in the archive or library as a volunteer, or are interested in learning more about the collections, please do email me at:

craig.campbell@kentarchaeology.org.uk

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[fg]jpg|The society has engaged in outreach around the county, such as meeting people at Bluewater shopping mall.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|We have offered lectures to local societies such as this one for the Sheppey Historical Society.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Our Zoom lectures continue to be very popular and insightful. Image courtesy of Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2026.|Image[/fg]

All photographs courtesy of the Kent Archaeological Society, 2026, except Image 1 courtesy of Maidstone Museum, and Image 16 courtesy of Canterbury Archaeological Trust.