A Community Archaeological Excavation on Land at Front Brents, Faversham
Discovering Kent’s Heritage. Bringing the past to the present for everyone. A Community Archaeological Excavation on Land at Front Brents, Faversham Carried out on behalf of The Faversham Creek Trust by the Kent Archaeological Society (KAS) in partnership with Faversham Society Archaeological group (FSARG) and Coasts in Mind (CiM) Date of Excavation: 24 th May 2025 – 1 st June 2025 Authors: Andy Ward and Harry Farmer Museum Archive Number: OASIS Reference: KAS Site Code: FBFV25-EX NGR : TR 0156 6173 Archive Location: TBC Sign-off History : Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Issue no. Date: Prepared by : Checked / Approved by : Reason for issue : 1 06-08-2025 Andy Ward Harry Farmer (CiM) Review 1 2 18-11-2025 Harry Farmer (CIM) Andy Ward Review 2 3 27/02/2026 Andy Ward Harry Farmer (CiM) Final Review Summary (non-technical) This report has been commissioned by The Faversham Creek Trust in order to document the results of a community archaeological excavation carried out by The Kent Archaeological Society (KAS) and Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group (FSARG) in partnership with the Coasts in Mind (CiM) project run by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on land at Front Brents, Faversham, ME13 7DR (TR 0156, 6173). The project was run as a community excavation with c. 300 participants including both adults and children taking part over the nine days. The site lies on public land owned by Swale Borough Council (SWB) adjacent to The Albion Taverna and was once an area of 19 th century tenement buildings constructed for local brick workers before being occupied by oyster catchers, shopworkers, shipbuilders, and brewery workers. Numerous passers-by also engaged with the project sharing memories and personal archives of the former buildings on site and life within and alongside Faversham Creek. Archaeological deposits and structures were recorded in section and plan in one 5m x 10m trench and a 5m x 1m slot. The trench revealed traces of the brick foundations of at least two buildings and to the rear outbuildings likely comprising toilets or sculleries. Other internal structures recorded included a probable chimney stack foundation and a possible basin. The 5m x 1m slot Investigating the external face of the south-western structure’s rear elevation wall and the external face of later cavity wall running parallel across a small courtyard, revealed brick wall remains composed of a course of unorthodox vertical headers below a course of stretchers and Running Bond construction respectively, with no obvious construction cuts. There is partial survival of a third brick course at the north-eastern end of the prior and evidence of demolition collapse in the centre of the latter. Both walls sit on top of / are barely sunk into an alluvial layer deposit which could represent a build up from creek flooding episodes or a landscaping layer composed of redeposited riverine silty clay. Both the trench and slot yielded large numbers of finds primarily of post-medieval and later date with a small quantity of earlier Late Medieval pottery and a single Late Prehistoric flint blade. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Contents Summary (non-technical)......................................................................................................... 2 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Site Background...........................................................................................................4 1.2 Planning and legislative framework..............................................................................7 1.3 Origin and scope of the report......................................................................................7 1.4 Research aims and objectives..................................................................................... 7 2 Topographical and historical background..............................................................................8 2.1 Topography...................................................................................................................8 2.2 Historic Map Regression.............................................................................................. 9 2.3 Historic Background................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Prehistoric.................................................................................................................. 14 2.4 Romano-British...........................................................................................................15 2.5 Early Medieval............................................................................................................15 2.6 Medieval.....................................................................................................................15 2.7 Post-medieval.............................................................................................................16 3 The Excavation................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Methodology...............................................................................................................16 3.2 Project Specific Methodology.....................................................................................17 3.3 Results of the project..................................................................................................18 3.3.1 Trench 1.................................................................................................................. 19 3.3.2 Archival Research................................................................................................... 20 4.1 Methodology...............................................................................................................25 4.2 Bulk Finds...................................................................................................................25 4.2.1 The Pottery..............................................................................................................25 4.3 Registered Finds........................................................................................................ 28 Worked Bone..............................................................................................................31 Beads......................................................................................................................... 31 Lead Projectile............................................................................................................31 Bovril Bottle................................................................................................................ 31 Clay Whistle............................................................................................................... 32 Tyler Hill Pottery......................................................................................................... 32 5 Stories from a Creek Community.................................................................................... 32 5.1 Memories of the Front Brents.....................................................................................33 5.2 The Industrial Creek That Was...................................................................................43 5.3 Shipbuilding in Faversham.........................................................................................49 5.4 Part of the Coasts in Mind Community Archive..........................................................53 6 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................53 6.1 Realisation of Excavation Research Aims..................................................................53 6.2 Realisation of Community Engagement Research Aims............................................56 6.3 Conclusion of Gathered Memories, Histories and Perspectives from Local Residents and Participants................................................................................................................56 References............................................................................................................................58 Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 1 Introduction 1.1 Site Background The community excavation took place on public green space adjacent to Front Brents Public Car Park and The Albion Taverna, hereafter called ‘the site’. The site comprises a rectangular area of green space, divided in half diagonally by a public footpath. The area lies immediately to the south-west of Front Brents Public Car Park (Fig 1). The centre of the site lies at National Grid reference 601560, 161730. The site extends to Front Brents Road at the south-east and Church Road to the north. The excavation area (Fig 2) was a 10m x 5m rectangle centred on TR 0156 6173. The intersection of the public footpath and Front Brents Road was used as the site's temporary benchmark (TBM) and measured at 4.01mOD. The site code is FBFV25-EX. A geophysical resistivity survey was carried out by KAS in March 2025 with the assistance of the Shorne Woods Archaeology Group. This survey helped inform the Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) for this project which was carried out between Saturday 24 th May and Sunday 1 st June (KAS 2025). This project ran for nine days comprising a community archaeological excavation led by Kent Archaeological Society staff and volunteers from the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group. The project was also joined by the Museum of London Archaeology’s Coasts in Mind Project on three days to run a series of memory and image sharing workshops for local residents. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 1 - Site location plan. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 2 - Trench Location Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 1.2 Planning and legislative framework The excavation was undertaken with the permission of Swale Borough Council (SBC) as a local community archaeological excavation, and was therefore a research project rather than a “rescue” archaeology project. There was no proposed scheme of redevelopment and the site was not, therefore, subject to planning legislation under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). However, a copy of this report detailing the results of the excavation will be sent to Swale Borough Council and their archaeological advisors at Kent County Council. A copy of the report will be publicly available on the Kent Archaeological Society, Faversham Creek Trust and Faversham Society websites. 1.3 Origin and scope of the report This report was commissioned by The Faversham Creek Trust (Registered Charity No. 1146660) and produced by the Kent Archaeological Society (KAS, Registered Charity No. 1176989). The report has been prepared within the terms of the relevant standards of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA 2023). The report analyses the results of the community excavation carried out on the site between 24 th May and 1 st June 2025. 1.4 Research aims and objectives The full research aims and project background is detailed in the WSI produced by the KAS in March 2025 (KAS, 2025). The single rectangular trench was located specifically to locate buried remains of the housing fronting onto Front Brents road. These houses, visible on historic maps, were constructed sometime between circa 1850 – 1867. The project was designed around community engagement and thus the primary focus was to engage the local community to help ensure that any archaeological remains at Front Brents were correctly examined and recorded. The following research aims and objects were established in the WSI for the excavation (Section 4). The aim of the community excavation is to: Engage the local community to help ensure that any archaeological remains at Front Brents are correctly examined and recorded. The objectives of the community excavation are to: Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Excavate and document the archaeological remains of former nineteenth-century terraced houses at Front Brents to enhance local heritage knowledge. This will be accomplished through the following stages: ● Excavation – observing and recording the excavation (removal of topsoil, demolition rubble) that will expose any remaining structures associated with the former dwellings ● Recording of artefacts – observing and recording all artefacts recovered from the excavation that relate to the former dwellings and perhaps early evidence of human occupation. ● Oral history – record any recollections or memories of Faversham residents during the period when the dwellings were standing. ● General site landscape and services overview – observing and recording the site’s general landscaping and services (alterations and groundworks) and how these relate to the former dwellings. ● Health, Safety, and Wellbeing of All Participants – as a community archaeological excavation, the public will be invited to participate and contribute to the excavation’s findings in a safe and productive environment. ● Reporting – within three weeks of completing the community excavation, a report must be submitted to Swale Borough Council, the County Archaeologist, the local historical society, and the project archive. This report will include observations and recording details, as well as a separate analysis of each designated section (4.4.1 to 4.4.6). 2 Topographical and historical background 2.1 Topography The site is located on the western bank of Faversham Creek, within the historic town of Faversham, in an area of open public space on Front Brents. It is characterised as a low-lying, residential area, within the Faversham Creek floodplain, protected by an Environment Agency bund. The site sits at an elevation of 5m and the land rises gently to the north with an elevation of 8m recorded on the northern side of Upper Brents. The area is bounded to the south and west by the residential terraces of Front Brents and residential homes of Upper Brents respectively. Faversham Creek borders the site to the east and the Front Brents car park together with the Albion Taverna pub and the historic site of the Willow Tap flank the site’s northern perimeter. The town of Faversham lies roughly 16.9 km west-north-west of Canterbury and 32.1 km east-north-east of Maidstone, adjacent to the northern extent of the Roman Watling Street, connecting London to the southeast coast. The British Geological Survey online geological mapping tool was assessed to define the site’s background geology. A sedimentary bedrock of the Thanet Formation underlies the open public area containing Trench 1. Formed between 59.2 and 56 million years ago during the Palaeogene period, this bedrock geology is composed of sand, silt and clay which runs north-east and then north Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk along Faversham Creek until it meets the Lambeth Group geology at Ham and Nagden marshes. There is an overlaying superficial deposit of Alluvium comprised of clay, silt, sand and gravel, at this lower elevation along the creek. This sedimentary superficial deposit was formed between 11.8 thousand years ago and the present during the Quaternary period. 2.2 Historic Map Regression A program of historic map regression was undertaken with the assistance of the Faversham Fleur De Lis Museum. A thank you must go to John Clarkestone for his knowledge and assistance. Figure 3: Preston Tithe Map circa. 1840’s, TOP6B0001 Courtesy of Kent County Council. The Preston (nr Faversham) Tithe Map (fig. 3) Demonstrates the, mostly, undeveloped nature of Faversham’s north-west bank around the time of Tithe Commutation Act 1836. Plots are demarcated with numbers and the empty area denoted as “62” represents the current site of the Front Brents. Continuing north-west along the creek, the plot denoted as “58” is annotated as “The Brents”. This area represents what became the Upper Brents and likely relates to development following the establishment of the Cobb Brickyard in 1825. The Tithe Award plot 62 is labelled as Bunt’s marsh with the land being owned by The Dean & Chapter of Canterbury and leased to a Thomas Waller. Bunt’s marsh is listed as pasture with the surrounding properties to the north listed as occupied by John Wise & others. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 39 - c. 1842 Creek Improvement Map supplied by Faversham Fleur De Lis Museum. Figure 39 was produced as part of the major engineering works initiated c. 1842 - 43 to remove two meanders from Faversham Creek and improve the navigation for shipping. It illustrates the planned straightening work which carried on for 13 months (Clarkestone, J Pers Comm). The map annotation states that the areas highlighted in pink represent areas for excavation whilst the areas in yellow are where “The spoil is to be deposited”. The lower right portion of this map demonstrates that the area which became the Front Brents was one of the areas of land highlighted for the raising of the ground level with the removed alluvium. Figure 4 - Kent XXXIV.6.21 Published 1867 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The earliest available map published by the National Library of Scotland was the 1867 map of Faversham (Fig. 4). This map shows the buildings around Front Brents, Faversham with the rear area, site of St John’s Church shown as an area of woodland. Figure 5 - Kent Sheet XXXIV, Published 1877 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland The next map (Fig 5) was published in 1877 and shows that the area around Front Brents has continued to be developed. The woodland area shown to the north has reduced in size, but the church has still not been constructed. By the 1897 map (Fig 6) St John’s church has been constructed along with the associated Vicarage. Front Brents remains mostly unchanged apart from some additions/ modifications to outbuildings at the rear of the properties. The 1909 (Fig 7) map of Davington Parish shows the area of The Brents at the bottom centre. Very little has changed within the footprint of Front Brents, but the area of various Brick Works, one immediately to the north of The Brents and two slightly further afield to the north-east and north-west respectively, are shown more clearly. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 6 - Kent XXXIV.6 Published 1897 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Figure 7 - Kent XXXIV.NW Published 1909 Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The area of Front Brents remains populated and relatively unchanged throughout the following years with the 1960 map (Fig 8) of Faversham being the last to show Nos. 14 – 24 on the plot where the work was being undertaken. Figure 8 - TR0061-TR0161-AA Published 1960 Published with permission of the National Library of Scotland By the publication of the revised 1967 OS map of Faversham in 1968 (Fig 9), the sets of houses on both Church Road and Front Brents have been demolished. As had the buildings either side of The Albion Taverna. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 9 - TR0161NE - B, revised 1967, published 1968 Published with permission of the National Library of Scotland Documents from Faversham Borough Council in 1955 outlined a number of houses in the parish which had been marked for demolition by the council. While the area the community excavation was undertaken (19-21 Front Brents) are not listed in these documents, the houses east of the plot including numbers 30 - 34 Front Brents which are scheduled for demolition c. 1957 once the Upper Brents scheme had been completed. 1 The buildings in 14 - 21 Front Brents appear to have been demolished between 1960 and 1967 as indicated by the cartographic evidence. This is potentially linked to the wider clearance initiative undertaken by the council in the mid to late 1950’s. 2.3 Historic Background A full breakdown of the site's archaeological and historical background can be found in the WSI produced for the excavation (KAS, 2025). Below is a summary divided by period: 2.3 Prehistoric Faversham is located within the Stour Basin Palaeolithic Character Area defined by Kent County Council. This project conducted between 2013 and 2015 highlighted Palaeolithic potential for the Stour Basin. However, no Palaeolithic material has been uncovered from the site itself. The Historic Environment Record (HER) records the discovery of a single Mesolithic flint blade found at Brent Hill. Excavations carried out in 2012 by the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group (FSARG) recorded a number of Mesolithic flint artefacts including arrowheads, piercers, an awl, a borer, a scraper and waste flakes. No Bronze Age activity has yet been recorded within Faversham according to the Kent HER. An Iron Age settlement was discovered at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in 1965 with ditches and post holes recorded alongside pottery dating to c. 600 BCE. Areas of possible 1 1000025103 - Supplied by Fleur De Lis Museum, Faversham. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Prehistoric activity have also been recorded on the former east bank of Faversham Creek during redevelopment of Belvedere Road. 2.4 Romano-British The area of Faversham has recorded a significant amount of Romano-British archaeology, although none has been found on the site of Front Brents. A cremation cemetery is marked on historic mapping at the site of the Weston Works buildings. It was reportedly discovered in 1770 but little further information has been found nor are the finds accounted for. Further Romano-British remains were recovered in the 18 th century when the tower of St Mary of Charity Church, visible across the Creek from Front Brents, was demolished in 1755. This work recovered an altar and bricks alongside further urns and coins during demolition of the western tower in 1795. Remains of Romano-British buildings have also been observed north of the nave and south of the chancel. A winged villa was exposed in the playing fields of the Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar school in 1965. This villa had been remodelled at least three times between 70 and 300 CE. A rubbish pit sealed by a Medieval deposit was discovered at the site of the Old Faversham Institute in 1986. Further Romano-British features were discovered during predevelopment construction of a petrol station on Crescent Road yielding a ditch. Some Romano-British finds including coins, a lava quern stone and glass were recovered during small scale excavations at Tanners Street and West Street, behind The Bull Inn. 2.5 Early Medieval Faversham’s origins can be traced back to at least the 6 th century CE. By the 9 th century the town was being divided up and in the 10 th century it was once again an important royal centre in which Athelstan held a council in 930 CE. Single finds of Early Medieval date have been recorded throughout Faversham. An Early Medieval green glass cup and cranial fragment was discovered in the St Mary of Charity churchyard in 1853. A circular clay loomweight was found in 1954 on the site of the new post office which is now displayed in Maidstone Museum. Excavations throughout Faversham have revealed traces of its Early Medieval past. Test pits in the gardens near to Arden’s house revealed large amounts of early medieval pottery dating between 1050 – 1225 CE. To the rear of The Bull Inn, FSARG revealed a possible beaten earth floor and post hole which is possibly of early medieval date with pottery found dating from c. 750 – 900 CE. A possible early medieval ditch was uncovered in St Mary of Charity churchyard during excavations there. A possible sunken featured building and ditch were recorded in Abbey Street in 2009 at the former Whitbread Training Centre site. 2.6 Medieval In the 12 th century CE Faversham became the Royal centre for King Stephen, with the construction of the Benedictine Abbey of St Savior in 1147 CE where the Royal Family were buried. Excavations in 1965 revealed extensive chalk foundations of a large Abbey with cloisters and other attached buildings. By 1066 Faversham held a market worth £4. It was during the reign of King Stephen when Faversham became a major town and a limb of the Cinque Port of Dover. Edward I ratified by charter the customs of Faversham from the time Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk of Edward the Confessor granted between 1042 and 1066. In 1252 Henry II granted by charter his barons of Faversham sake and soke and other privileges. Archaeological and standing building evidence of Medieval Faversham can still be found across the area. The Training Ship Hasarde is a 15 th century former town warehouse located directly on Faversham creek and Town Quay diagonally opposite the excavation site. Formerly used by the Sea Cadets as a shore training ship, Faversham Town Council has recently taken ownership of the building and are preparing its refurbishment. At the site of the Old Faversham Institute a Medieval deposit was recorded, sealing a Romano-British rubbish pit. During the demolition of Faversham Gas Works in 1991 large amounts of rubbish were recovered dating from c. 1150 CE to 1700 CE. The previous position of Faversham Creek bank was also revealed some 60m south of the present one. Faversham is synonymous with the brewery industry. Early evidence of brewing at the site of the present-day Shepherd Neame Brewery dating back to c. 1520 CE. Two sections of wooden revetment, one of which overlay a c. 13 th century rubbish pit were recorded on the former east bank of Faversham Creek. Numerous Medieval buildings are located throughout Faversham especially centred on Abbey Street and West Street. 2.7 Post-medieval From the 16 th century onwards Faversham became a centre of gunpowder manufacturing, which was run by The Crown in the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Evidence of post medieval industry, buildings and archaeology is prevalent throughout Faversham. In the 19 th century the town of Faversham underwent extensive development, which included the area now occupied by Front Brents. In 1795 the area of Front Brents was open fields but by 1865, a dense area of occupation had sprung up consisting of Front Brents adjacent to Faversham Creek, Brent Road running north towards Brent Hill and Church Road, almost parallel to Front Brents but positioned higher up the slope. A series of tenement properties were constructed in Front Brents in c. 1860 – 1890 with two outbuildings shown to the rear in the area of the excavation trench. These properties were initially supplied water by a well before a pump was installed in the early 20 th century. Three churches were built to supply the religious needs of the area; a now demolished Methodist chapel, built between 1857 and 1898, once existed where Front Brents car park is now, a Mormon church demolished in 1866, an St John the Evangelist, built in 1881 having been founded by Mrs Wall, wife of the Gunpowder works owner, John Hall. This church is still known colloquially as “The Brickies Church”. It is now a private residence as is the adjacent Vicarage. The area of Front Brents also housed three public houses; The Albion Taverna built in 1847 and adjacent to Front Brents Car Park, The Willow Tap, constructed c. 1840 and now two private dwellings and The Brents Tavern, which opened in 1831 and closed in 2022, becoming a nursery. 3 The Excavation 3.1 Methodology All archaeological excavation and recording during the excavation was done in accordance with the preceding Written Scheme of Investigation (KAS, 2025), the Archaeological Site Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Manual (MoLAS, 1994) and best practices established by CiFA, Historic England, and KCC Specifications. The trench was initially recorded and tied to the Ordnance Survey (OS) Grid using a Leica GNSS Rover connected to a Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) correction service. Nearby tree cover presented challenges in recording features using the GNSS and so manual recording in plan and section was used. The drawn plans will be tied into the British National Grid using QGIS. The turf and initial topsoil layers were removed by hand by a team from The Kent Archaeological Society and The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group using spades and turf cutters. The turf was placed in reverse order on tarpaulin which was then covered in order to be reinstated at the end of the project. The site's temporary benchmark (TBM) was installed using a Leica GNSS Rover at the junction of Front Brents and the public footpath, on the corner of the front wall of No. 13 Front Brents (601549, 161705). The heights of observations and / or archaeological remains were recorded relative to OD from the temporary benchmark using the Leica GNSS where possible with levels also taken manually using a Dumpy level and ranging pole. Where relevant sections were drawn at a scale of 1:10; numbered contexts were allocated where appropriate. Members of FSARG received training in single context recording sheets and site and plan drawing alongside KAS and MOLA staff. The site plan (Fig 44 ) was recorded in 1:20 scale with levels taken at six relevant points. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Fig 44 - 1:20 Site Plan (Courtesy of Kent Archaeological Society). The site has produced: 1 trench location plan, 1 site plan at 1:20; 10 context records; 2 section drawings at 1:10; and digital colour photographs. In addition two 36 litre ReallyUseful boxes of finds were recovered from the site consisting of bulk finds and 37 Registered Finds. The analysis phase of post-excavation was based around the creation of a phased matrix of the contexts. However, when taken together with the excavated remains the documentary sources and in particular the historic maps and photographs have provided invaluable in analysing the archaeological remains. The site finds and records can be found under the site code FBFV25-EX in the KAS archive. This will be retained until such time as they can be deposited with the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group or Faversham Fleur De Lis Museum. 3.2 Project Specific Methodology As has been mentioned above this project was primarily a community archaeological excavation. The archaeological excavation was supervised at all times by suitably qualified staff from The Kent Archaeological Society and The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group. Training in stratigraphy and context recording was provided to participants by staff from the Museum of London Archaeology’s Coasts in Mind project. Local nursery and schoolchildren were instructed in the basics of archaeological excavation, site background, and finds processing supervised by teachers and archaeologists. They were involved in practical excavation and finds washing. Regular updates from the project were Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk shared on the KAS social media channels including Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram. Adult participants from the local community and from FSARG received training in excavation techniques, site recording, section and plan drawing, geomatics, and finds processing. Extensive documentary research was undertaken in the archives of the Faversham Fleur De Lis Museum and incorporated into this report where necessary. Records of the documentary research will be retained as part of the site archive. 3.3 Results of the project A single trench was excavated across the project area with a subsequent, 1m x 5m slot excavated to reveal the site's stratigraphy at the junction of two walls. The archaeological results have been combined with the documentary research to produce a synthesised report, detailing what is known of the historical and social background of Front Brents. Figure 10 - Trench 1 with GIS Data Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 3.3.1 Trench 1 Context Number Type Fill/Layer Date Notes Initials of Excavator 1001 Topsoil Layer 23/05/2025 Turf removed, straight into “Demolition” layer AW 1002 Feature Feature 29/5/2025 Stoneware Sewage pipe Suzanne 1003 Structure Wall Foundation 24/5/2025 West corner, N.E – S.W linear wall foundation HF 1004 Structure Wall Foundation 24/5/2025 SW Central, N.E-S.W Linear Wall Foundation HF 1005 Secondary Fill Fill 24/5/2025 Secondary fill / sealed demolition dump HF 1006 Alluvium Layer 30/5/2025 Clay layer, dark brown, sparse to none existent finds – River alluvium HF 1007 In Situ Bottle Deposit 30/5/2025 In-Situ brown Bovril bottle Ray 1008 Fill of “Hearth” Fill 31/5/2025 Loose soil above footings ND 1009 Hearth/Chimney Structure 31/5/2025 Stepped brick foundation extending south from wall 1003 ND 1010 Structure Wall Foundation 30/5/2025 Single line of Yellow bricks north of 1003 AW Table 1 - Context Description The trench covered an area of 5m x 10m centred on the resistivity results and the 1907 Ordnance Survey map of Front Brents (see figure 1). Upon removal of the turf archaeology was almost immediately encountered, consisting of a demolition layer (1001) of loose bricks, slate roof tile, ceramic roof tiles and numerous finds from the c. 1960s. Traces of the former buildings were represented by two linear walls [1003] and [1004] which stretched across the entire length of the trench. Two further walls extended south from [1004] forming the rear elevation of the property. A possible hearth or chimney [1008] was recorded in the north-west corner of the trench consisting of stepped brick foundations. A small number of in-situ features and finds were recovered from beneath the demolition layer [1001]. This included a broken, but apparently in-situ stoneware drain pipe (1002) in the southern half of the trench, and an in-situ Bovril bottle (1007), RF 9. These were both recorded in 3D with the KAS’s GNSS. The drain pipe was recorded using photogrammetry to create a digital 3D model. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Fig 40 - Top down view of in-situ 19th century sewer pipe [1002] The entire trench was also recorded in 3D using photogrammetry by KAS Digital Manager Jacob Scott. All models are available for viewing on the KAS website: Brickmakers’ Houses, Front Brents, Faversham — Kent Archaeological Society. 3D photogrammetry models allow for the entire trench to be reconstructed, interrogated and explored by other archaeologists and members of the public. 3.3.2 Slot 1 A slot measuring 1m x 2m was excavated abutting walls [1003] and [1004] in order to better understand their phasing and construction methodology. Two members of FSARG, assisted by Harry Farmer of Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA)/Coasts in Mind (CiM) reduced the slot until the revelation of (1006) which was a compact silty clay layer, clean of finds representing alluvial flood deposits or more likely, a landscaping layer composed of redeposited creek alluvium. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Fig 41 - South west facing section of (1005) bottoming to (1006), taken from North East. Cartographic evidence from section 2.2 indicates that this area on the northern bank of Faversham Creek, now the Front Brents, was designated as an area for building up a heightened ground level during engineering works to straighten the creek in 1840 - 1844. This suggests that context (1006) is a redeposited creek alluvium layer relating to the aforementioned earlier phase of activity and not the preparation of this site for construction of Front Brents terraces in the 1860’s. The slot revealed two courses of brick with mortar joints and a partial third course surviving above (1006), running north-east to south-west across the entirety of the 10 metre trench. This structure represents a wall foundation [1003] consisting predominantly of red bricks, some stamped with the letter K. It is composed of a row of 13 headers, 7cm in width x 11cm in height, placed vertically with a row of stretchers on top. One half stretcher and header, representing a third course of bricks, survives the demolition phase at the north-eastern end of this north-western facing section. No evidence of a foundation cut or foundation footings were recorded. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Fig 42 - North West facing section of wall [1003], taken from South East. The south-eastern facing section of Slot 1 evidences another wall foundation [1004], orientated on a parallel south-west to north-east alignment with [1003]. This wall extends 4 meters from the south-west trench extent before the initial part of a return wall meets the north-western trench extent. Consisting of red brick laid in Running Bond on the exterior courtyard face and yellow brick on the interior face, bonded with greyish-white mortar with sandy inclusions. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Fig 43 - South East facing section of Wall [1004] taken from North West. These components form a cavity wall and this feature is evidence of a structure added to the site in a later phase of activity shown on the 1897 OS map in section 2.2. Some of the partially excavated bricks in this wall also featured a stamped letter K denoting their origin from a local Faversham brickfield. The use of higher quality bricks on the outside with lower quality bricks hidden on the interior skin represents a typical economic building practice. The middle portion of [1004] had collapsed into the secondary fill (1005), evidence of demolition by levelling attributed to the slum clearance phase of activity here between 1960 -1967. Again, no evidence of a foundation cut or foundation footings were recorded. The construction methodology of these structures differs to the front elevation wall [03] of contemporaneous housing further along the Front Brents, north-east of the Albion Taverna pub, uncovered by the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group in 2013 In-situ remains from the earlier excavation revealed a stepped, three-course, foundation of “high quality brickwork” 2 . 3.3.3 Archival Research A full description of the development of Front Brents in the early 19 th century is produced in Report for Keyhole Excavation KP92 Front Brents, Faversham (2013) by the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group. The area of Front Brents is first shown clearly on the 1865 Ordnance Survey Map. The area of the excavation trench overlays houses 19 - 21. 2 Keith Robinson, “Report for Keyhole Excavation KP92 Front Brents, Faversham.”The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group, 2013. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 11 - Ordnance Survey 1865. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 4 The Finds 4.1 Methodology The archaeological finds recovered during the community excavation at Front Brents have been recorded in line with CIFA standards and packaged in accordance with museum best practice. In the following sections the bulk and registered finds will be described and discussed by material. 4.2 Bulk Finds A total of 27.1kg of archaeological bulk finds were recovered during the excavations at Front Brents. Table 2 - Quantified Bulk finds by Weight Context Bone Ceramic Coal Glass Metal Plastic Marine Shell Stone 1001 289g 114kg 12.6kg 6.5kg 322g 2.3g 2.3kg 412g 1002 2.76kg 1005 13.5g 1kg 66g 38g 4.7g 0.8g 234g 51g 1006 133g 2.6g 5g 32g 1008 7.5g 114g 3g 49g 30g The recovered bulk finds included animal bone, some with clear butchery evidence, ceramic building material including both brick and peg tile, coal/clinker, glass sherds, metal fragments, plastic, marine shell including a large native oyster, and concrete. The recovered material is typical of a 18th and 19th century building demolished in the mid to late 20th century. A sample of each bulk finds category will be retained as part of the project archive with de-selection carried out in line with CiFA guidance. 4.2.1 The Pottery A large quantity of predominantly late post medieval to modern pottery was recovered across the site with the majority recovered from the demolition spread layer (1001). A summary of each pottery type from each context is included below: 1001 (Plain Pottery) The demolition spread across the site (1001) contained vast quantities of mixed, predominantly post medieval pottery. These were sorted by volunteers from KAS and FSARG on site into plain pottery, mixed colour pottery and redwares. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The “plain” pottery amounted to 1412g of assorted pottery sherds including a small number of rim and base fragments with the vast majority comprising body sherds. The pottery was almost entirely made up of plain whitewares of late post medieval date from the 1700s onwards. A small number of non-white plain stonewares were recovered from the body sherds comprising one large sherd of possible English Stoneware with a white internal glaze and a buff yellow ‘orange-peel’ textured outer surface and smaller fragments of creamware. One large flat topped rim made up of two joining sherds was also recovered, likely from a large dish or bowl. Of the rims, only two were of non-white wares; a sherd of buff-cream stoneware likely from a jar and a grey stoneware jar with moulded vertical lines down its body, likely for jam or marmalade. A large 10cm rim diameter stoneware container consisting of two conjoining sherds with an internal white glaze, likely tin glaze, and moulded outer surface was found in (1001). The top two concentric rings on the outer surface were left unglazed. The rim is flat, suggesting the container may once have had a lid. A small quantity of bases were identified during sorting of the plain pottery. All were varying whitewares bar one, which was a large stoneware base with internal and external light yellow-brown colour glaze. A small number of whiteware handles were also recovered, likely from teacups. 1001 (Assorted Pottery) During sorting pottery of mixed colours and fabrics were sorted into a separate bag weighing a total of 1264g. While this assemblage contained predominantly late post medieval to modern pottery including transfer printed wares, a small number of potentially earlier pieces were recovered. Four body sherds were recovered including a German stoneware sherd with its characteristic ‘orange-peel’ texture likely originating from Cologne. There is too little to assign to a Bartmann jug or another vessel form. German stonewares date from c. 1450 AD onwards. A small Blackware body sherd with a bright brick orange fabric and all over shiny black glaze was also recovered. Blackwares date from c. 1550 to the 1800s. A small redware fragment with dark-mottled brown glaze was also recovered. The internal glaze is all over but the outer surface is only half-way down the sherd, pooling towards the bottom. Two joining fabrics of slip-trailed ware, possibly Staffordshire Slip Ware were also recovered from (1001). They have a dark red, hard fired fabric with yellow slip crossed by light brown lines. These date from c. 1650 – 1740. A second bag of 3100g of assorted pottery was also recovered from (1001). This bag contained a mix of pottery types including blue & white, brown, green and red transfer wares, stonewares, salt-glazed wares, slipwares and a few residual earlier pieces. Two fragments from two-toned stoneware jugs were recovered from (1001), one with its short handle attachment points visible while the second features moulded decoration and is possible slip-dipped white a white slip and an iron-brown glazed upper portion. These date from the 18 th – 19 th centuries. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The Blue & White Transfer Ware A large quantity of Blue & White transfer ware was recovered from across (1001), weighing 603g. The assemblage includes several distinct designs and border styles predominantly from platters, cups, and one large dish with raised applied decoration. Transfer printed ware of this style dates primarily from the 19 th century emulating earlier imported Chinese porcelain. Redwares A small assemblage of redware pottery sherds were recovered from (1001) weighing 526g. These consisted primarily of probable domestic flowerpot fragments, with some ceramic building material intermixed. Three pieces of Medieval Tyler Hill ware were identified and added to RF 17. 1005 A very small quantity of pottery was recovered from (1005) weighing a mere 85g. It comprised two red earthenware sherds, one with a clear glaze over internal red surface dating from the 16 th – 19 th centuries, but likely no earlier than the 18 th century. A very small fragment of probable German Stoneware dating from c. 1550 – 1750 in a light grey fabric with speckled beige/light brown surface, a fragment of yellow slipware on a hard fired red fabric, two sherds of creamware dating to the mid-18 th to 19 th centuries and one fragment of buff yellow glazed stoneware dating from the 1700s onwards. Later pottery included three pieces of white porcelain, likely 18 th – 19 th century, four pieces of blue and white transfer ware two showing signs of fire damage and being of 19 th – 20 th century date and a small, slightly translucent sherd with internal red glaze which may be plastic rather than ceramic. A white ceramic kitchen tile fragment was also included. Conclusion Overall, the pottery assemblage recovered from Front Brents can be confidently dated to the late 18 th to 20 th centuries as would be expected from buildings constructed in the late 19 th century. A few earlier residual pieces including the Tyler Hill Ware are likely the result of land levelling represented by the Creek Straightening carried out in 1844. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 4.3 Registered Finds A total of 38 registered finds were recovered during the excavation at Front Brents, weighing a total of 17.13kg. Registe red find ID Cont ext ID Material category Material type Object type Object description 1 1001 ceramic clay whistle ceramic bird whistle 2 1001 metal cu alloy hook fish hook 3 1001 metal iron hook meat hook 4 1001 glass and ceramic glass and ceramic beads 3 beads, 2 glass and 1 ceramic 5 1001 plastic plastic shoe black 1950s doll shoe 6 1001 metal cu alloy token Israel & Joel covent garden market token, sixpence. Made by Ralph Neal of Percival street. Late 19th - early 20th century 7 1001 glass glass marbles 4 glass marbles 8 1001 plastic plastic bead bead 9 1007 glass glass bottle 2 ounce bovril bottle 10 1005 ceramic clay pipe stem barley twist decorated clay tobacco pipe stem 11 1001 ceramic clay pipe bowl John Sheepwash clay tobacco pipe bowl 12 1001 animal remains antler antler antler piece 13 1001 metal cu alloy thimble thimble Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 14 1001 metal cu alloy buttons 5 buttons, 4 with excelsior writing 15 1001 organic material organic material buttons 12 buttons of organic material 16a 1001 metal cu alloy nails cu alloy nails, 1 whole and 1 fragment 16b 1001 metal cu alloy handle spoon handle, decorated 16c 1001 metal cu alloy keyhole cover keyhole cover plate 16d 1001 metal cu alloy thing piece of cu alloy 17 1001 ceramic pottery 12 pieces of late medieval tyler hill ware including 2 rims and a base sherd 18 1001 ceramic brick brick 2 pieces of painted brick 19 1001 stone flint flint worked flint 20 1001 stone flint flint flint flake 21 1001 metal iron chain iron chain with ring 22 1005 ceramic clay pipe connecting bowl and stem of clay tobacco pipe 23 1001 metal cu alloy coin 1917 one penny coin. George V profile and Britannia figure 24 1001 metal cu alloy coin 1962 sixpence coin. Elizabeth II profile and british plant sprig emblem 25 1001 metal cu alloy coin 1945 halfpenny coin. George VI profile and ship Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 26 1001 metal cu alloy coin 1971 two pence coin. Elizabeth II profile and Prince of Wales badge 27 1001 metal cu alloy coin 1921 halfpenny coin. George V profile and Britannia figure 28a 1001 metal iron bottle opener bottle opener 28b 1001 metal iron ring large ring 29 1001 plastic, glass, ceramic plastic, glass, ceramic beads 4 beads 30a 1001 plastic plastic toy toy knight figure (just top half) 30b 1001 plastic plastic toy green gaming counter - possibly from tiddlywinks 30c 1001 metal lead toy toy sheep figure 31 1001 stone flint flint flint blade 32a 1001 ceramic clay pipe spurs 2 John Sheepwash marked clay tobacco pipe spurs 32b 1001 ceramic clay pipe bowl 2 piece of joining clay tobacco pipe bowl, barley twist decoration 33 1005 metal cu alloy button military button for the East Kent Regiment 1881-1914. Victoria crown 34a 1001 metal cu alloy ring ring 34b 1001 metal cu alloy buckle small buckle, possibly for a shoe? Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 34c 1001 metal cu alloy buckle buckle 34d 1001 metal cu alloy attachment 35 1001 plastic plastic button bakelite button, 40s/50s 36 1001 metal lead ball projectile ball 37 1001 metal iron and cu alloy doorbell doorbell 38 1001 glass glass collet / Bead glass working waste / bead x 2 39 1001 Ceramic Pottery ?Plate General Post Office Refreshment Branch pottery sherd c. 1870 - 1939. 40 1001 Ceramic Pottery Prick Strap Handle Sandy late medieval prick strap handle. Table 3 - Quantification of Registered Finds. Worked Bone A small fragment of possible worked Antler was recovered from context (1001). It is only a small fragment, possible from the base of the pedicle. Beads A small number of plastic, glass and ceramic beads were recovered from across context (1001) which are likely dropped items within the demolition layer of Front Brents. Lead Projectile A single lead projectile ball was recovered from the demolition layer represented by context (1001). Its size suggests it is more likely to be a catapult projectile rather than musket shot. Bovril Bottle An intact 2oz brown glass bovril bottle was recovered intact from context (1007). It was recorded in situ and lifted in one piece. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Clay Whistle A ceramic clay bird whistle was recovered from (1001) on the very first day of excavation. While missing its head and feet it is in relatively good condition. These whistles were produced in clay, wood and eventually plastic with many visitors on site recalling once owning their own. Tyler Hill Pottery A small number of late Medieval Tyler Hill pottery [SF17] sherds were recovered from context (1001) totalling 17 pieces including three rims and a base, weighing a total of 78.4g. Ten sherds are in a buff orange and grey, sandy micaceous fabric with one retaining its olive green glaze. The remaining pieces are in a grey sandy micaceous fabric, with one having a dark brown mottle glaze.. One rim sherd is in this grey fabric with the other being in the orange fabric. A single sherd possibly represents a shallow dish (McCarthy & Brooks, 1988, pg 315, No. 1192). 3 A single prick side strap handle [SF40] in a dark grey, sandy fabric likely Tyler Hill ware was recovered from (1001). It measures 48mm long x 25.9mm in diameter x 22.2mm thick. It weighs 38.1g and features 10 pricks in three vertical rows. There are faint traces of an olive green-yellow glaze on the handle. 5 Stories from a Creek Community As part of the community excavations, archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology’s National Lottery Heritage Funded project, ‘Coasts in Mind’ delivered free public image and memory sharing workshops to research local perspectives of coastal change and champion local knowledge alongside stimulating wider engagement with heritage. This section comprises those memories, photographs and the information shared by local Faversham and Swale residents during the events, emanating from the cleared 19th century Front Brents terraces outwards to encompass the wider intertidal creek which flows into the Swale Estuary. Where necessary, further level three desk-based research has been provided throughout this report to frame these public contributions. An expansive social history of the Front Brents community compiled in, “A Look at the Brents” by Peter Stevens and the Faversham Society, should be consulted for the extensive historical and archaeological background of the area. Whilst referenced in this volume, it is available in its entirety from the Faversham Society. 3 Michael R. McCarthy and Catherine M. Brooks “Medieval Pottery in Britain AD 900 - 1600” Leicester University Press, 1988. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 5.1 Memories of the Front Brents Faversham’s first industrial suburb, “it housed mainly seamen and workers from the brickfields” 4 which multiplied in the early industrial revolution. Local historian, Arthur Percival notes that “… in the early 19th century – much of Victorian south London was built of bricks from the Faversham/Sittingbourne area.” 5 The first brickfield developed in the Brents area was in 1825 by Faversham businessmen Edward Cobb, John Little and John Perkins. 6 This was actually the second substantial brick speculation in Faversham after an 1808 development leased by James Knowler. As a labour-intensive industry, brickmakers needed accommodation close by which initiated the development of dwellings on the Brents. Clara Beach (formerly Cornelius) from the Upper Brents told Peter Stevens that ”...brickies were expected to protect their bricks (from weather) at all times, day and night… No wonder they lived near their work!” 7 . The second Brickfield in the area, “Court & Pryor”, operated between 1860 to 1909 and seems to have triggered more extensive development on the north bank of the creek. The brickfield owner is referenced in one of the three unmade roads known as “Court’s Opening” which led from the Upper Brents to the brickfields. The third brickfield within the Brents community operated until 1907 on the site which later became Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. Shipyard. Figure 12 - Image of Arthur Percival’s map of Faversham brickfields © the Faversham Society 7 Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 6 Peter Tann, “The Brickmaking Industry in Kent c. 1825 -1900” Archaeologia Cantiana, Volume 141, Kent Archaeological Society, 2020 5 Arthur Percival, “Faversham Creek. A Nutshell Guide.” The Faversham Society, 1987 4 Arthur Percival, “Faversham Creek. A Nutshell Guide.” The Faversham Society, 1987 Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Despite improvements to Faversham creek in 1840 -44, it never quite matched Milton Creek for tonnage transported where “it was a not uncommon sight to see as many as forty laden barges leave on one tide”. 8 E.T. Coulter, a representative for East Kent Barge-owners Association told a parliamentary enquiry in 1879 “that there were 180 sailing barges from Faversham and that a round trip to London from Faversham took two weeks. This makes 4,680 voyages a year, 2,340 of them out-bound. Assuming no down-time, and a six-day working week, the average number of laden barges leaving Faversham creek on one day would be about eight.” 9 This was when the Brick industry in the Swale was at its zenith. The Brents became a flourishing community in its own right which was home to bargemen, oystermen and shipwrights as well as brickmakers. It was serviced by three places of worship, three pubs and three shops. Faversham Resident, Jackie Reynolds, visited the excavation to share her personal collection and memories of her families’ life on the Front Brents which included fascinating insight into one of the shops. Figure 13: CIM_SE_47 - Mrs Winifred Phipps in front of her shop at no.19 Front Brents with her grandchildren, Jackie Reynolds and Jackie’s brother Peter, c.1951 - courtesy of Jackie Reynolds Jackie confirmed that the shop was located at house no.19 on the Front Brents and that it did not have a formal name and was instead referred to as “Mrs Phipps’ shop” after its owner and her grandmother, Winifred Phipps. It was a general store and ‘sold a bit of everything’. Jackie recalled that her nan would open early to sell tobacco to the local shipyard workers on their way past the Brents to Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. She also noted that ‘the shop front went right up to the road and then there was a patch of green (grassy verge) before the river’.Mrs Phipps was born in 1904 and owned the shop on the Front Brents from around 1930. The donor believed that the shop was sold between 1955/6 after the big flood when her grandmother, Winifred, retired. 9 Peter Tann, “The Brickmaking Industry in Kent c. 1825 -1900” Archaeologia Cantiana, Volume 141, Kent Archaeological Society, 2020 8 E.J. Marsh, “Spritsail barges of Thames and Medway”, Self-published, 1948. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Archaeological evidence for Mrs Phipps’ shop operating within the footprint of the terraced housing excavated here may come in the form of the late 19th - 20th century Covent Garden Market token recovered from the demolition layer (1001). The sixpence token belonged to Israel & Joel wholesale Fruiters and was made by Ralph Neal of Percival Street, London. From the 19th century up until the 1970s, market traders supplied their goods to retailers in wholesalers' containers for a deposit. As a deterrent to others collecting wholesalers' baskets to claim the deposit money, wholesalers issued their own tokens as a receipt for any deposits. This would have to be presented alongside the containers in order to claim the money laid down. Whilst the representation of retail activity is sparse in these excavations, and could in fact be a residual find given the disturbed nature of this context, the token could provide a potential glimpse into the daily business of the shop. It is not unlikely that Winifred or even her predecessors were providing Front Brents residents with goods from one of the south-east's most famous fruit and vegetable as well as flower (19th century) markets. On the right of Fig. 13, is the passageway/alleyway entrance between no. 20 & no.21 Front Brents, evident on the OS mapping for the area between 1867 - 1960 (section 2.2). Fig. 14 shows the front elevations of no. 20 & 21, the very Front Brents terraces uncovered during these excavations. It also evidences more clearly, the alleyway between the two dwellings as well as the nature of the creekside/ green verge in the 1930’s prior to the clearance of this row of Front Brents housing in the 1960’s and subsequent phases of development including the 2015 installation of flood defence bund on bank between Front Brents and Faversham Creek. Fig. 14 also demonstrates the susceptibility of this location to flooding with high tides often reported to bring water right up to the front doors and tidal surge events such as that of 1953 causing major inundation. Figure 14: CIM_SE_44 - Mrs Winifred Phipps sitting on the grass bank in front of no.20 & no.21 Front Brents, c. 1930’s - courtesy of Jackie Reynolds Jackie was born at no. 14 Front Brents (Fig. 15) and whilst recounting her memories of the area at the excavation for the Coasts in Mind community archive, she commented on the Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk small, two-up-two-down nature of the buildings. Given the accessibility of this community excavation, Jackie was able to interact with tangible remnants of the stories she was sharing from her pictures. A notable moment came when she held one of the excavated bricks that likely comprised no. 19 and her grandmother’s shop. The houses from no.14 to no. 25 along the Front Brents were eventually demolished in the 1960’s, and Jackie was unsure why it was only this block, though she believed the houses may have become untenable due to repeated flooding. Perhaps the low quality building techniques highlighted in the excavation of structures [1003] to [1004], which had no substantial foundation element, is a clue as to why this row was selected for clearance. Figure 15: CIM_SE_42 - Back of no. 14 Front brents with Jackie as a baby, her mum, Jean, and her brother, c. 1950 - 52 - courtesy of Jackie Reynolds Over the course of the three days that the Coasts in Mind team were on site in May through June 2025, many residents echoed memories of the tight-knit, nuclear community demonstrated in Fig. 16. In this image of a street party from 1953 we can see the creek at low tide on the right as well as the weather-boarded facade of the Albion pub, established in 1847 and still in operation today, jutting out beyond the front elevation of the 19th century terraced housing. The chimney stacks visible in this row appear somewhat uniform and seem to be located in the central to front portion of the properties, suggesting the front Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk rooms as their likely position. There is also an indication of a second chimney stack at the rear of the properties. Figure 16: CIM_SE_43 - Queen’s coronation street party along the Front Brents, 1953 - courtesy of Jackie Reynolds Figure 17: CIM_SE_70 - The Jemmett family on the creekside along the Front Brents c. 1890 - 1910 - courtesy of Dawn Emery and Anne Jemmett Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Local Faversham residents Dawn Emery and Anne Jemmett shared a compelling personal archive of inherited family photos spanning well over a century. The Jemmett family have a long tradition as bargemen and oystermen in Faversham and fig. 17 shows their forbears posed for a photo along the Front Brents in around 1900 - 1910, where some of Anne’s and Dawn’s ancestors once lived. Again we can note the variations in brick and weatherboard facades along these terraces as well as the small and exposed nature of the creekside. Figure 18: CIM_SE_73 - Ethel and Lesley Marsh with their son, Keith and dog, rex, in front of no. 38, Front Brents c. 1956 - courtesy of Gary Carlton Many tales of a close community on the Brents, with extended families living in proximity were relayed to us by participants, with one vividly remembering shared use of the communal well at the back of the Front Brents houses. The participant noted "particular" times when you could draw water from the well relating to the tides. This seems to echo memories shared by Crab Island residents about their well getting “contaminated” by saline water “an hour or two” high-tide. 10 Both fig. 18 & 17 demonstrate that the creek facing houses on the Front Brents were “two-up-two-down”. Betty Heward, who grew up on The Brents recalled that “At the back of the houses there was a communal yard leading to the scullery, coal-bunker and toilet. The scullery, which was shared by two families, had a brick floor and on either side there was a wood/coal burning brick copper for boiling the washing, and a brick sink with a cold-water tap… The toilet was of the non-flush variety and had to be 10 Keith Robinson, “Report for Keyhole Excavation KP92 Front Brents, Faversham.”The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group, 2013. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk emptied every week by council workers…” 11 Houses no. 19 & 20, where this community excavation was sited, have extended rear elevations in the 1865 and 1867 OS mapping (section 2.2). This cartographic evidence represents the shared scullieries and outbuildings referenced by Betty Heward which was common across the Brents development. We can see in section 2.2 that these smaller outbuilding / informal extensions expand and change in the 1897 & 1907 OS map through to the 1960 OS map. Furthermore, the brick basin uncovered in the north-eastern corner of the trench together with wall remains/ foundations (1010) and possibly wall remains/ foundations (1004) and stoneware drain feature (1002) provide physical evidence of the design and some of the features recounted. Subsequently the Front Brents terraces between the Albion Pub and no.39 (fig. 18) were also demolished as part of a clearance programme and their demolition is mentioned in 1950’s council correspondence . Figure 19: Faversham flood including the Front Brents 29.11.1987 © the Faversham Society Speaking to residents past and present, flooding was very much part and parcel of life in the Brents community. Several participants remembered that the whole area ‘regularly flooded’ and one man who grew up along the Front Brents recalled looking forward to floods as a kid in the 50’s and 60’s with a wry grin on his face. He remembered that ‘you wouldn't be able to get off of the swing gate/ bridge and so couldn't go to school or at least, missed a few hours’. Another contributor to the community archive noted that Church Road was particularly susceptible, actually being lower than the Front Brents. Many residents had memories of floods or particularly high tides coming up through the drains in the area first. These memories evidence some of the long-term impacts of the extensive engineering works removing two meanders from Faversham Creek as well as straightening the water course between Standard Quay and Ordnance Wharf in 1840 to 1844. This work was carried out to improve the navigation for shipping and essentially created the area known as Crab Island today. Dredged alluvium from the navigation was added to some areas including the Front Brents, to raise the ground level and possibly reduce the likelihood of tidal flooding. As a result, Crab Island was notoriously prone to inundation and whilst church road often flooded first, with one resident remarking that ‘the carpets of the Willow Tap (pub) were always wet!’, 11 Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 20: CIM_SE_48 - Front Brents flood 1949. Taken from Upper Brents side - courtesy of Susan Hawkins The Front Brents community still had to deal with the effects of regular flooding resulting in memories of carpets and other items covering the creek bank when the water receded so that they could finally dry out. Damage from the 1953 North Sea Flood and the tidal surge of 1979/80 were the most represented episodes from participants accounts with water levels in the houses rising up to four feet. “The leader column of the paper commented that serious floods seem to happen at intervals of ten years; there were comparable floods in 1938 and 1928, but lesser ones were more frequent.” 12 Fig. 20, shared by Faversham resident, Susan Hawkins, illustrates the high water level at the Front Brents in the immediate aftermath of the 1949 flood. A previous landlord of the Willow Tap, Matthew Groom, remembered that they “...stacked some of their bar stock on top of the counter but to no avail; the water came up twelve inches higher than the counter. The scene in the pub was one of devastation. Two pianos floated on their backs and were damaged beyond repair, and the kitchen and other rooms were covered in mud.” 13 The Brents had actually been flooded only a week earlier than this and many of the houses were still damp. Nearing the completion of the community excavation, a lifelong resident of the Upper Brents recollected a more recent flooding episode in 2013 when 30 houses and the Albion taverna pub were flooded in the area. This led to them helping to start a campaign for flooding defence/ mitigation measures which they said galvanised the community and resulted in the installation of flood defence bund by the Environment Agency in 2015. The earthwork runs from Bridge Road, north-east, to the footbridge leading to Crab Island and the resident believes minor flooding events have been lessened in recent years as a result. Faversham News reported in their April 8th, 1960 paper, that the council would acquire and demolish "... nos 3,8,9,10,11 & 12 Church Road, The Brents as well as nos 14 - 24 Front Brents..." so that they could "... be kept as an open space for the time being." Medical Officer of health, Dr Murphy, said that the houses were 13 Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 12 Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk "unfit for human habitation" owing to dampness and general disrepair. This report is bolstered by emphasis on "Flooding risks.” Bridge House, once home to the Faversham Harbour master in the mid 19 th century, ‘…was known as Brents Coffee Tavern… it was a temperance hotel, which was a kind of social hub providing affordable accommodation and promoting abstinence from alcohol, hence all the coffee.’ - according to a local couple still living on the Brents who dropped in to the memory sharing sessions during the excavation to recount the stories both their parents and grandparents had passed down to them. Gary Carlton shared photographs from his personal collection which included fig. 17. Gary believes this shows Bridge House in the 1960’s based on the age of Keith, one of the school boys in the picture. This locally important building appears to be in a vulnerable and deteriorating condition in the 1960’s but by 1972 it had gained a protected status. It is now a Grade II listed private residence with its Ionic columns and recessed porch in good condition. Figure 21: CIM_SE_77 - Keith Marsh and his school mates Outside Bridge House, site of the Coffee Tavern at end of Front Brents terraces c. 1960’s – Courtesy of Gary Carlton Gary also brought along fig. 22 which shows the allotments and informal buildings that once occupied the area behind the Front Brents, just south-east of Crab Island island. The photograph also shows Brent's Tavern, the second pub which served the Brents community in the 19th century through to 2022 when it closed. Originally built as a house for Thomas Waller, the manager of a hat factory which opened in 1832 and failed after a few years, it contrasts heavily with its environment of terraces and “cottages built for occupation by brickfield workers” 14 . Operating on the high ground of the Upper Brents, this pub did not suffer the effects of flooding as much as its counterparts, the Albion and the Willow Tap. This building has also been Grade II listed since 1972 and currently operates as a local nursery. 14 Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 22: CIM_SE_72 - Lesley Marsh and David (toddler) in front of the Brent's Tavern, Upper Brents c. 1976 - courtesy of Gary Carlton Figure 23: CIM_SE_71 - Late 19th Century ‘Tramps Supper’ outside of the Willow Tap, Front Brents - courtesy of Dawn Emery and Anne Jemmett Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The third and final watering-hole for the pub patrons of the two-up-two-down houses along the Brents was the Willow Tap. Another Shepherd Neame pub, this early to mid 19th century building is also Grade II listed and has now been converted into two private houses. Fig. 71 highlights this heritage asset as a vital hub for social cohesion and celebrations within the community for over 150 years. Local residents Anne Jemmet and Dawn Emery, whose ancestors appear in the back row of the photograph, told us that men would dress up to go drinking. It is interesting to note the clay pipes as many pipe stems and a pipe bowl recovered from the excavation of the terraced housing suggest a similar design. 5.2 The Industrial Creek That Was Many of the memories shared with us by participants and local residents naturally incorporated the wider setting of the intertidal creek itself. A common thread was the vast change that has occurred along banks of the waterway which was so vital to the town's community and fortunes throughout the ages. Dozens of people recounted anecdotes about the large creek-side industrial building which have all but gone in the present decade. Fig. 24 shows the view north-east along Faversham Creek at low-tide in the winter of 1985/86. In the background are the industrial warehouses that once lined the creek. These include Gillet Cook's, an animal feed stockist, Pauls and Whites, agricultural supplies and fertiliser. Many local residents have shared memories of the strong smells exuding from the produce in silos and piles along the creek-side or from animal feed ingredients, such as hooves, transported by Lighters travelling up to the various wharves here throughout the 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s. There were also recollections of rats, which opportunistically fed and thrived on these industries, swarming along the creek-side so that ‘...you couldn't see the banks.’ The presence of the two swans in the foreground of the picture is important to note as we had a handful of contributions focused on swans specifically. Once a common site on the creek in the 50's - 80's, many Faversham residents have commented that they are not really seen along it anymore, though ‘other bird species like oyster catcher seem to be increasing.’ This highlights the changing habitat along the creek which people have directly experienced. Whilst many wader and over-wintering birds benefit from the absence of some of the potentially polluting industries in the present, Swans certainly seem to have thrived from the increased activity and usage of creeks during that industrial heyday, perhaps again, feeding opportunistically. The mid 1980's level of inter-tidal creek silting is visible in this picture donated by Yvonne Wills. Also visible is a sailing barge moored at Belvedere Wharf alongside vessels lifted out of the water for winter. Other vessels are visible further along the creek and represent the fading twilight of when the creek was used extensively as a navigation for working vessels serving gunpowder, cement, brick-making and warehouses in the area from the 18th century through to 1980's. Fig. 25, digitised from the Faversham Society’s extensive archive, illustrates the view of these same industrial warehouses from the Front Brents with the current Pontoon in-situ. Only the Provender Mill, a 19th century warehouse with its white lucan gable and over quay, on the right of the image and also just visible behind the first grey warehouse in Fig. 24, Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk remains today. It is Grade II listed building situated along Belvedere Road, adjacent to the site of Belvedere Wharf and is now occupied by an Italian restaurant. In addition to the wharves and quaysides from the operators aforementioned, people remembered the builders and timber merchants like ‘Magnet’ and ‘Southerns’ who also had yards and wharves serviced by creek-bourne transport. The result of all of this commercial activity along the creek was a busier waterway that residents can remember being managed with a regular programme of dredging. Indeed, an older couple still living on the Brents side reported that during the 1950’s through to the 1970’s/80’s ‘the bridge was regularly operated as were the sluices which would wash away the mud carried in by tide and ships’. We were told that boats would actually often turn around on the north-western side of the bridge into the mid and later 20th century to avoid getting stuck in the basin, an indication of the rate and extent of natural silting at this time. It is important to note that, by this period, Coasters ‘carrying 500 tonnes’ and tugs towing lighters and other tenders (fig. 26) would be scheduled to come in fortnightly on the high-water. Due to the larger draft requirement, they needed the spring tide levels to collect and deliver materials and goods from the various Faversham industries. Cargo included the animal feed ingredients previously referred to as well as ‘...fertiliser, timber and logs, granary/flour and fuel bound for the fuel depot further to the north-west of Gilletts and Pauls’. Whilst many reminisce fondly about the active waterway, others were quick to point out that ‘you always remembered to close your window on the spring tide due to the bad smells from the cargo.’ Figure 24: CIM_SE_30 - Industrial buildings along faversham creek on a winter low-tide 1985 -86 - courtesy of Yvonne Wills Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 25: CIM_SE_115 - Industrial buildings along Faversham Creek from the Front Brents, 1988 © the Faversham Society Figure 26: CIM_SE_55 - Tug "Temeritie" towing 2 lighters (barges without engines) up Faversham Creek at high water circa 1950 -59 - courtesy of Dawn Emery Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 27: CIM_SE_116 - Creek from the Brents bank, engraving circa 1868 © the Faversham Society In keeping with the theme of bad smells, one older member of the community stopped by to share his memories of the Thames sailing barges ‘with their iconic oxblood sails’ (see figures 28 & 29) bringing in rough stuff from London to the brickfields and picking up bricks for transport in the 1930’s. Adjacent to this decade, the Landlady/ manager of the Shipwright’s Arms ( a historic pub located at the confluence of Oare and Faversham Creek) shared the stories her dad used to tell her about diving from the masts of tall masted ships past Standard Quay and not touching the bottom in the 1940’s. This is suggestive of far less silting during these more active periods for the waterway when it was kept navigable for commercial enterprise. Indeed many residents shared inherited anecdotes from their forebears stretching back to industrial revolution stimulated activity such as the cement works (fig. 30) which operated on the quayside north-east of the Provender Mill opposite the current site of the footbridge leading to Crab Island from 1816 - 1905. Figure 27, another digitised item from the Fleur de Lis Museum archive, illustrates the provender Mill (Left) close to its construction date as well as the smoking chimneys of the cement works. Note the navigation, busy with ocean-going vessels, the quayside cranes and the industrial nature of the town. This speaks to the inherited memories of the types of 19th century activities and scenes that were taking place along this stretch of Faversham Creek. It is also interesting to note the less developed nature of the Brents bank south-east towards the modern bridge site. Also visible in this image on the right is the circa 15th century Training Ship Hasarde / Hazard. This building on Conduit Street once served as the town’s store and takes its current name from a ship built, provisioned and manned in Faversham to join the fight against the Spanish Armada in the 16th Century. The building continues its connection with Faversham's maritime heritage by serving as a Sea Cadet unit and one resident recalled training in boats there as a boy whilst another shared photographs of her husband from the 1950’s in full uniform outside of T.S. Hazard, including fig. 31 which shows the view facing north toward the Front Brents across the creek. We can see the first part of Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk the terrace 19 - 25 in this image, a decade or so before its demolition. It is important to note the slightly different configuration of these terraces compared to the ones shown on the left of the image, which still stand today. For no.19 - 25 there is a clear indication of two chimney stacks per house including one towards the front elevation and one towards the rear as represented by structure [1009] uncovered in our excavations. Figure 28 & 29: CIM_SE_65 (left) bargeman and boy on boomie rigged Thames sailing barge, Faversham Creek, circa. early 20th century & CIM_SE_56 (right) Tug towing Thames Sailing Barge up the creek by "Gillets" yard, circa 1956 - courtesy of Anne Jemmett Figure 30: CIM_SE_117 - Hilton Cement Works on south-east bank of Faversham Creek opposite the Front Brents, circa. 1860 - 1905 © the Faversham Society Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The Thames sailing barges, in all of their variations, were the workhorses of the Swale brick, cement, gunpowder and papermaking industries. Utilising the creeks and estuary, they were synonymous with this activity for nearly all of the participants in the memory events which accompanied the excavations. Anne Jemmet, a descendant of bargemen, was still in disbelief at the stories passed down of them being operated by only two crew, often a man and a boy as shown in fig 28. Figure 31: CIM_SE_52 - Anne's husband as a sea cadet outside of T.S. Hazard Building with Faversham Creek and the Front Brents in the background circa 1950’s - courtesy of Anne Jemmett Whilst analysing the importance of visible rallying points for stories of Faversham's past in a discussion with participants, one resident proudly noted that ‘Oyster Bay House is one of the first and last warehouses that serves as a reminder of those 19th and early 20th century industries that defined us. My(his) father used to say it was the only building he still recognised.’ Undoubtedly a hyperbole to push the point home, figure 32 which showcases this coastal heritage asset does present a brilliant case study to conclude this section. First built in 1843 alongside navigation improvements we can note train tracks on the right of the photo, from the railway built around 1855 which transported goods to and from the ships and warehouses along Standard Quay. Remnants of the tracks can still be seen on the quayside to the west of Oysterbay House and whilst this line has long since been closed, a local resident shared a rather poignant memory of being put in the carts that used to line the tracks so that he could see over the crowds when gathering for the Pollock’s yard ship launches. The participant chuckled to himself as he recalled the added benefit of being safe off the ground from the tidal wave that inevitably followed those historic sideways launches. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 32: CIM_SE_118 / APA0429 - Looking east along Faversham Creek from Standard quay to Oyster Bay House and the railway line, circa late 19th century © the Faversham Society, Arthur Percival Collection 5.3 Shipbuilding in Faversham This section will focus on the history of shipbuilding at one prolific site, some three-hundred metres north-east of the Front Brents community excavation, through the memories of iconic sideways ship launches and flooding episodes shared by local residents. As aforementioned, barge transport flourished on the creeks and estuary throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries and, in turn, barge-building became a leading industry here. We were told by one local, whose father had been a shipwright in the area, that Mr A. M. White from a local bargebuilding family expanded his operations from Conyer to Faversham Creek taking over Brent’s Yard in 1899. This is thought to have been where the present day “Faversham Reach” is sited and elements of the wharf are still visible. Three boat sheds and a patent slip way were erected here for operation until 1903 and local paper, “The Pictorial Record”, reported on the ample employment opportunities it would bring to the area. In 1917 Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. shipyard was established on the old site of White’s barge-builders and Perry's brickyard on the west bank of Faversham Creek. The site already had a ready-made wharf with Faversham providing railway connections and the proximity of skilled labour. The Creek was an ideal location, providing access to the sheltered Swale and, in turn, London and the Thames Estuary as well as the coasts of Britain. Ex-shipyard-workers from ‘Pollock’s’ recollected that over two-thousand vessels were built on the site ranging from barges to one-thousand-one-hundred tonne coasters which were Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk exported all over the world. Famous for sideways launches and pioneering concrete-hulled ships required due to steel shortages of the First World War, the site today is occupied by housing at Faversham Reach adjacent to Crab Island and an industrial estate further along the creek. Figure 33: CIM_SE_119 - Launch of the Goldhind at Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. Shipyard - courtesy of Paul JM Everest Due to the narrow nature of the creek, which had been straightened in the 1840's specifically for shipping and large vessel traffic, newly constructed ships had to be launched sideways. The contributor of fig. 34 & 35 recalled that ‘...the ships were finished on “stocks" parallel to the creek which were then knocked out so the vessel could slide down the slipway sideways.’ Dozens of attendees dropping in to the memory sharing events remembered that local residents and visitors alike would gather to watch the sideways launches as special events, with some spectators, knowingly or unknowingly, getting drenched by the wave that was sent towards the east bank as the new ships hit the water. Many people have fond memories of the Faversham Creek "log fume", enjoying watching people get soaked by the launch waves or just appreciating the scale and designs of the ships themselves. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Figure 34: CIM_SE_63 - Union Lighterage Co. Steel Motor Vessel ULCO on the “stocks” at J. Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. shipyard, Faversham in 1958 - courtesy of Dawn Emery Figure 35: CIM_SE_69 - Pollock’s shipyard flooded from Upper Brents in 1964- courtesy of Dawn Emery Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk In figure 35, the view looking south-east shows the shipyard partially underwater some years prior to its closure in 1970. We can identify an unknown vessel being built on the stocks, oil containers and the manager's house as well as the line of the creek in the background. Another participant told us that ‘larger vessels would often be launched as shells, with as little weight as possible to ensure enough draft in the creek… they would then be floated empty and towed down into the Swale for fitting out.’ The depth of the Swal estuary was required for the final stage as a fully laden vessel would sit lower in the water. From as early as 1843, the 'Commissioners of the Faversham Navigation' hired tugs to tow vessels in and out of the creek, a practice that continued with ocean going vessels through the shipbuilding heyday of the 20th century. Returning to the photograph, it is another poignant example of the frequent inundations of The Brents, Crab island and other creekside properties. The closure of James Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. in February 1970 due to market unpredictability, falling demand, increased competition and a decline in the Thames Lighterage Industry signalled the end of an important era for the coastal town of Faversham. The yard had once been the town's largest employer and a staple of maritime tradition. Despite this, residents were quick to point out that the tradition of boatbuilding and the craft of Shipwrights is still alive in Faversham, albeit on a smaller scale, at working yards like Iron Wharf and the Hollowshore boatyard. Figure 36: CIM_SE_28 - Launch of the "Fairweather V", in Faversham Creek on 21st June, 1974 - Courtesy of Yvonne Wills Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The Southern Shipbuilding Company ltd. took over part of Pollocks yard (no. 7) after the James Pollock, Sons and Co. Ltd. closure. Southern Shipbuilding subsequently closed in 1978 due to a changing market and competition from larger as well as foreign shipyards. As with Pollock's shipyard, the narrow creek required special sideways launches from the west bank, demonstrated in figure 36. The Fairweather V was a steel motor trawler which eventually ran aground and sank on a rock shelf outside of Loch Broom, Scotland with no loss of life. The donor of this photograph recalled that ‘spectators would still gather on either side of the creek to witness these launches, some getting soaked’, continuing the legacy of the Pollock’s tradition. 5.4 Part of the Coasts in Mind Community Archive Coasts in Mind is a 3-year National Lottery Heritage Fund project running from autumn 2024 to 2027 and delivered by Museum of London Archaeology. This citizen science project is mapping 100 years of coastal change in the Swale Estuary as well as on the Isle of Sheppey through local knowledge and memories. These records will be co-curated on an open-access, geospatially mapped, digital community archive, celebrating local perspectives whilst exploring how factors like climate change are increasingly altering coastal ecosystems, historic landscapes, and the ways of life that people have built around their local coastal environment. To complement this mandate, the project offers free training, creative and wellbeing events to a diverse range of local community groups such as the events delivered alongside project partners - the Kent Archaeological Society, Faversham Creek Trust and Faversham Society for this community excavation. This report has highlighted a selection of the personal collections, records and memories shared with the CiM team and the full catalogue of contributions is available on the constantly growing community archive map here. (https://cim.mola.org.uk/map) 6 Conclusion 6.1 Realisation of Excavation Research Aims The excavation revealed the remains of the rear elevation wall of house numbers 18, 19 and 20, Front Brents, which ran continuously, south-east to north-west through the centre of the trench, along this range of terraced housing until meeting an alleyway/ passageway between number 20 and 21, Front Brents. Recorded as structure [1003], it yielded evidence of low-quality construction methodology given the absence of foundation cuts or footings which is consistent with the nature of the working class neighbourhood and the 1950/60’s clearance decision. This feature is associated with the initial development phase of the site in the 1850’s to 1860’s. It is abutted and slightly overlain by a compacted demolition infill/ secondary fill of detritus where the original habitation surface would have been. Small find 33, a military button for the East Kent Regiment dated from 1881-1914 alongside small finds 10 and 22, clay pipe stems representing the earlier part of the Front Brents site clay pipe assemblage, seem to relate to this 19th century phase of activity here. The comparatively large quantities of butchered animal bone and native oyster shell retrieved from context Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk (1005) in this small intervention, evidences the local diet of the time although this is inconclusive as waste patterns relating to animal or marine resource consumption did not change significantly here into the early 20th century. This is the second phase of activity recorded in this community excavation, with the earliest phase represented by a re-disposited alluvial layer recorded as context (1006), which underlies both structures [1003] and [1004] as well as secondary fill (1005), and is associated with the 1842 to 1844 Faversham Creek improvement works. This landscaping layer was intended to raise the ground level of this area of The Brents as discussed in section 2.2 The exterior courtyards to the rear of the aforementioned properties were also recorded with substantial evidence for the outbuildings / informal extensions shown in historic maps (fig. 37) and recollected in the local residents oral histories as well as community memories. Partial removal of the demolition layer in the north-eastern corner of the trench revealed a brick basin inside of a smaller interior space demarcated by the remains of structure [1010], a wall foundation composed of a single line of yellow bricks running perpendicular to structure [1003], which represented an outbuilding connected to the rear of number 20, Front Brents. This pair of features is interpreted as a scullery, which were often shared by multiple houses along the terraces, and is associated with the second phase of activity, identified as the expansion of The Brents neighbourhood in the circa. 1850’s to 1860’s to include the Front Brents. The wall runs north-west from [1003] and continues into the north-western limit of excavation. Another wall foundation, perpendicular to [1010], running south-west, parallel to [1003] for circa. 2.4 metres is also contemporary with this second phase of activity. Although the south-east return does not survive, this structure represents the outbuilding/informal extension of number 19, Front Brents present in the 1865 OS maps (section 2.2) up until the clearance of the properties. A ceramic sewage pipe and drain [1002] was recorded in-situ on the south-western corner of this single line of red bricks. The piping was finished with a salt glaze which dates from 1846 onwards when Salt-Glazed earthenware pipes were invented by Henry Doulton. This feature provides archaeological evidence for the level of services that these cleared properties were equipped with and is attributed to the early part of the second phase of activity identified. The interior of houses 18 to 20, Front Brents are represented by the rear rooms partially cleared of demolition detritus in these excavations. The stepped brick foundation of a chimney stack [1009] was recorded towards the centre of the north-eastern limit of excavation whilst a counterpart was uncovered towards the centre of south-western limit of excavation. These represent the rear chimneys of house numbers 20 and 18 respectively. Personal photo collections shared at the dig, such as figure 31, demonstrate that most of the terraces from numbers 14 to 24 had a front and rear chimney stack. These features represent archaeological evidence of those amenities and it is possible that such a feature corresponding with number 19 was further damaged by demolition or remained covered by the aforementioned demolition layer during this community dig. Slot 1 also exposed a cavity wall [1004], orientated on a parallel south-west to north-east alignment with [1003]. This wall extends 4 meters from the south-west trench extent before the initial part of a return wall meets the north-western trench extent. It represents a slightly more advanced construction methodology and utilises the economic practice of cheaper yellow brick on the hidden interior skin with superior red brick on the visible exterior. The mortar composition is of a lighter, whitish grey colour with fine inclusions compared to the coarser, darker elements of [1003]. These differences indicate that the structure belongs to a Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk later phase of activity when additional outbuildings and informal extensions to the rear of the Front Brents properties develop. This third phase of activity is represented in the cartographic evidence as well and structure [1004] represents the south east facing wall of stunted “T” shaped building which, is not present in 1865 but, appears to the rear of house numbers 17 and 18, Front Brents on the 1897 OS map (fig. 37). Figure 37: 1897 25-Inch OS Map excerpt with the outbuildings rear of no’s 19 & 20 and the emergence of later informal/out building rear of no’s 17 & 18 highlighted. Structure [1004] also yields evidence of the demolition activity attributed to the Town’s clearance strategy for house number 14 to 24, Front Brents enacted between 1960 to 1967. Recorded in the centre of the south-east facing section of the wall are a series of collapsed bricks as well as a notable slant which indicates the direction of collapse (south-east). Proceeding topsoil removal, a fairly loose demolition layer (1001) covering the entirety of the site was revealed which also demonstrated this final fourth phase of activity. The context was abundant in pottery, coinage, toy and clay pipe finds which spanned the 19th and 20th century occupation of the terraces. The residual finds from (1001) including prehistoric debitage and a small assemblage of Tyler Hill Ware representing redeposited material brought on to the site by successive flooding episodes or during leveling and landscaping efforts post demolition. The fairly abraded nature of the medieval pottery sherds are indicative of riverine tumbling which suggests they were washed onto the site in alluvial deposits when Faversham Creek was in flood. In this instance, it is important to note the exposed nature of this site prior to the 2015 flood defences and consistent historical accounts of inundation. To conclude, the archaeological excavation and recording of landscaping or demolition layers, associated services and in-situ features combined with the site chronology for four distinct phases of activity has served “to enhance local heritage knowledge”. This chronology is further supported by the cartographic research as well as the finds retrieval and Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk processing methodology which yielded some dating evidence as well as insight into the daily lives of those occupying these terraced houses in the later part of the 19th century through the mid 20th century. 6.2 Realisation of Community Engagement Research Aims The primary aim of the Kent Archaeological society, working alongside its partners The Faversham Creek Trust, Faversham Society Archaeology Research Group, and Museum of London’s Coasts in Mind project was to “engage the local community to help ensure that any archaeological remains at Front Brents are correctly examined and recorded.” Over the 10 days of excavation the project gave over 300 people the opportunity to experience an archaeological excavation and learn a variety of archaeological skills ranging from finds retrieval, context and photographic recording, archaeological drawing and finds processing. Beyond this, volunteers and KAS staff spent countless hours discussing and showing the site to passers by, many of whom had no idea that buildings had once existed in this green area of Faversham. Throughout the project, the biggest comment from passers by was how much they appreciated being included in the archaeological process through both physically undertaking excavations alongside professional and community archaeologists and by being spoken to as active participants, with equal levels of knowledge to share. This later sentiment was magnified by the open memory and personal collection sharing sessions hosted on site by Coasts in Mind. Local residents and participants noted the positive impacts on the community and on their own personal well-being when being involved in a project that valued their local knowledge and personal perspectives. Here the opportunity to learn about archaeology and local history alongside sharing stories and engaging through personal histories was highly valued by the additional 96 participants at three events within the excavation site and one additional event offering greater accessibility at the Fleur de Lis Museum in Faversham. 6.3 Conclusion of Gathered Memories, Histories and Perspectives from Local Residents and Participants Local residents, participants and attendees engaged throughout these events believed that they captured an important part of Faversham's local history and connection to the coastal environment. They agreed that the loss of local heritage assets as well as connections to the coast could have an adverse effect on placemaking and community identity. It became clear that the existence of these 19th century terraced cottages was heavily related to the local industries which have all but vanished such as brickmaking, oyster-farming and shipbuilding. These houses along the Front Brents were filled with the life of a tight-knit community which flourished alongside the intertidal creek in the 19th and 20th century as evidenced by three locally operated shops, three pubs and multiple places of worship. Beneath the compacted demolition layer, sherds of Victorian ceramics, clay pipes, coins and rusted nails, finds retrieved including the token discussed in section 5.1 and shown in fig. 38, paint a picture of daily life before these homes were leveled. The decline of these local maritime and coastal industries upon which the town grew is, in turn, connected to the history and clearance of these houses in 1960 - 1967. Whilst the above ground traces of these stories are now Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk erased from view, access or engagement, the excavation of their archaeological remains served as a rallying point for connecting with and celebrating that past for community wellbeing, inspiration and stimulation. Those sharing their personal collections and memories felt that this was paramount for renewed community resilience in the face of inevitable coastal change. Figure 38: Israel & Joel covent garden market token, sixpence, late 19th to early 20th century. The key drivers of change within the community highlighted in the personal photos, stories and viewpoints shared by local residents and participants during these events are chiefly the change as well as decline in local maritime and creekside industries, development ( such as gentrification or that of the railroads followed by extensive road networks eventually preferred for transport over the waterways) and flooding. Indeed, many of those memories shared on site stand as examples of historic coastal change and impacts of inundation by the sea. The recurring theme of flooding, existing not only in the major North Sea tidal surges of 1953 and 1978, demonstrate the exposed nature of this working class neighbourhood to all manner of flooding episodes prior to the 2015 installation of the flood defence bund by the Environment Agency. They also portray a hardy community, resilient to the misfortunes of the tides. Local knowledge highlights Faversham Creek as prone to a range of flooding events, mostly minor, however it is evident that the west bank proved particularly susceptible after the navigation improvement scheme in 1842 to 1843, enacted due to continued silting up and sharp bends unfriendly for large vessels, which deepened the channel and straightened the creek from just downstream of Iron Wharf to Ordnance Wharf at the head of the creek in the upper basin, giving us the course of the creek we are familiar with today. This historic intervention might have compounded the town's vulnerability alongside increasing extreme weather events and rising sea levels as a result of climate change. In any case, it appears to have been anticipated by an attempt at engineering a raised ground level with redeposited material (represented by layer (1006)), however this defence was short lived. The encroachment of permanent occupation into the floodplain inevitably led to increasing damage and losses. From the information gathered, a concerted community effort between 2013 to 2015 changed the exposed nature of the bank Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk and reduced the amount of minor flooding episodes in the area. This, perhaps, is an echo of how one-off flood defence interventions represent preventative measures that will struggle to keep pace with sea level rise and increasing tidal surges/extreme weather events in the future. References ● The Rough Guide to Pottery Pt.10 – Black Glazed & Midland Purple Wares. – The Glossop Cabinet of Curiosities ● The Rough Guide to Pottery Pt.7 – The 17th Century (Slipwares & Manganese Glazed) – The Glossop Cabinet of Curiosities ● Archaeological Resources | My Site ● How To... Tell What Type Of Pot You've Got - the Medieval Dig Edition | DigVentures ● Pottery-Identification-Guide-DigSchool.pdf ● A Pottery Kiln Site at Tyler Hill, Canterbury by P. J. Spillett, W. P. D. Stebbing, F.S.A., and G. C. Dunning, F.S.A. - Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 55 - 1942 page 59 ● Homepage | Printed British Pottery & Porcelain ● paste | What the Victorians Threw Away ● Medieval Pottery Research Group (1998), A Guide to the Classification of Medieval Ceramic Forms. ● Tyson, R. The Glass in N. Corcos et al. Excavations in 2014 at Wade Street, Bristol - a documentary and archaeological analysis, Internet Archaeology 45. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.45.3.5 ● Arthur Percival, “Faversham Creek. A Nutshell Guide.” The Faversham Society, 1987 ● Peter Tann, “The Brickmaking Industry in Kent c. 1825 -1900” Archaeologia Cantiana, Volume 141, Kent Archaeological Society, 2020 ● Peter Stevens, “A Look at the Brents.” About Faversham no.85, The Faversham Society, 2003 ● E.J. Marsh, “Spritsail barges of Thames and Medway”, Self-published, 1948. ● Keith Robinson, “Report for Keyhole Excavation KP92 Front Brents, Faversham.”The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group, 2013. Kent Archaeological Society Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
