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Volume 10: 2015 – 2019‎

Newsletter-575-February-2019

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Number 575 FEBRUARY 2019 Edited by Andy Simpson

HADAS DIARY – LECTURE AND EVENTS PROGRAMME 2019

Tuesday 12th February 2019: Dorothy Newbury Memorial Lecture.
Prehistory in London – some Problems, Progress and Potential by Jon Cotton
Having taken early retirement from the Museum of London in 2011 after 33 years as an archaeologist and curator, Jon is now a freelance researcher with a long-standing interest in London’s early past and the archaeology of the river Thames. He will be drawing on these interests for his talk on ‘London’s Prehistory; Problems, progress and Potential’

Tuesday 12th March 2019: Lost and Found: The Rediscovery of Roman London by John Clark

Tuesday 9th April 2019: The CITiZAN Project by Gustav Milne

Tuesday 14th May 2019 50 years of recording London’s Industrial Heritage by
Professor David Perrett

Tuesday 11th June 2019. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HADAS 2019 Long Trip. Monday 23rd to Friday 27th September 2019
We have booked the hotel for our long trip in 2019. Details will follow in due course.
The hotel is: Best Western Aberavon Beach Hotel, Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, SA12 6QP

Tuesday 8th October 2019: From Crosse and Blackwell to Crossrail – MOLA excavations at Tottenham Court Road 2009–10 by Lyn Blackmore

Tuesday 12th November 2019: Shene and Syon: a royal and monastic landscape revealed by Bob Cowie
Lectures are held at Stephens House & Gardens (Avenue House), 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE, and start promptly at 8 pm, with coffee/tea afterwards. Non-members admission: £2; Buses 13, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby and Finchley Central station (Northern Line), is a 5-10 minute walk away.

Avenue House Quiz Nights Steve Brunning
Good at quizzing? If so, HADAS needs you! We field a regular team at Avenue
House but require more members to make up a table of ten people.
The cost is £15 which includes supper, plus a cash bar. All the money raised goes
towards the upkeep of the house and gardens. The advertised dates so far this year
are Thursday 14th March and Thursday 23rd May at 7.30pm.

If you are interested please email membership@hadas.org.uk and I will add you to
the list for further information.

Andrew Selkirk writes:
Reluctantly and sadly, I am resigning from the Committee of HADAS. We have
moved from North London to West London, and I fear it is not really feasible to
attend committee meetings any more. We are downsizing, so we are giving up our
wonderful family home in North London, where we spent 47 happy years and are
moving to a cottage in Kew where we will be nearer our grandchildren – indeed we
hope to have them only 200 yards away.
It has been a bit of a struggle to get rid of all the junk that we have accumulated over
the years, especially with my books. I calculated that I had nearly 7,000 books and I
have got rid of nearly 2,000 of them, but it means that the remaining 5,000 are all
packed up in cardboard boxes in the garage – I am longing to get some shelves up so
that I can get my library back!
But I shall be sorry to leave HADAS behind. I will still of course remain a member
and I shall be proud to continue to be a Vice-President, but you will only see me
occasionally. But HADAS has been a great experience for me. I was Chairman for
17 years (1986 to 2003), indeed I was parachuted in from the top as Chairman. I
had a hard act to follow as my predecessor, Councillor Jarman, was an influential
member of the Barnet Council and did a brilliant job representing the interests of
HADAS on the Barnet Council, which alas I could not do.
At the time the Society was run by three formidable ladies who between them
organised the great excavation on Hampstead Heath. There was Bridget Grafton
Green, who was a journalist and publicised the Society. There was Daphne Lorimer
who studied animal bones and who eventually retired with her husband to Orkney
when she invited the Society for a memorable outing. And there was Dorothy
Newbury, the baby of the trio who was a printer who printed the Society’s Newsletter
– her son still does – and also ran the Minimarts which kept the Society afloat
financially – and were great fun.

And I was very fortunate in having a wonderful support from Brian Wrigley and
Victor Jones, from Denis Ross and Ted Sammes and Peter Pickering, from Bill Bass,
Andy Simpson, Eric Morgan and many others, thanks to whom the society ran
remarkably smoothly. I was sometimes at a disadvantage as I did not actually live in
the borough, but in Hampstead, but I got to know the London Borough of Barnet
fairly extensively by chasing round all the excavations the Society carried out.
I have been very fortunate to have been succeeded by Don Cooper who has now been
Chairman even longer than I was, and I know that I am leaving the Society in very
good hands. I have joined a new local society, the Richmond Archaeological Society
who also seem very lively, but I hope occasionally to make my way back to North
London and keep in touch with HADAS. My thanks to you all!
(I am sure the whole of HADAS will wish to note their appreciation to Andrew for all
his years of support to the society – ED)
Below – Andrew and Wendy Selkirk at the ancient Greek city of Paestum, southern
Italy

Barnet Medieval Festival 2019

The organisers of this year’s Barnet Medieval Festival are calling for the local
community to support the return of the Festival on 8th-9th June 2019. This two-day
family festival will feature living history camps, re-enactments of the Battle of Barnet
(1471), firepower displays, have-a-go archery, medieval traders’ market, community
stalls, children’s activities, food and drink.

Volunteers and donations are both needed to make this event happen again – we
welcome all offers of help, especially with fundraising, publicity and stewarding.
Please get in touch with Susan Skedd at barnetbattleproject@gmail.com.
(HADAS attended this event last year, and a great time was had by all- Ed)

Brome Trip day 4 Jim Nelhams
After the previous day’s panic over the cancelled boat trip replaced by a trip to
Orford Castle, Thursday was to follow our schedule. Another castle, this one at
Framlingham, interesting to contrast with Orford, the first having a keep with no
curtain walls, and Framlingham with curtain walls but no keep. Then onwards to visit
the East Anglia Transport Museum, as recommended by Andy Simpson, followed by
the Aviation Museum at Flixton.

Framlingham Castle Claudette Carlton

Framlingham Castle is built on a high point overlooking the town. It was built about
1190 of local flint and a soft limestone material often used in East Anglia. An entry in
the Domesday Book (1086) noted that Framlingham was held by Hugh Bigod, who
came to England in the army of William the Conqueror.

The Bigods and their successors had a part in many dramatic events in the country’s
history. In the war of succession between Stephen and Matilda, one Hugh Bigod was
made Earl of Norfolk. When the Barons forced King John to accept the Magna Carta,
two Bigods were among those listed as its enforcers. They married very well, and in
1397, Norfolk became a Duchy. The Howards inherited it in 1488.

Later Dukes were exiled for treason, executed for treason, one commanded Richard
III’s troops at the Battle of Bosworth and died in the front line, one led the English
forces to victory at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513, one was executed in 1547 on
Tower Hill for annoying Henry VIII.

In 1553, Mary Tudor rallied her army at Framlingham, and rode to London, being
crowned Queen on 1st October. Another Howard Duke was executed in 1572 for
harbouring ambitions to marry Mary Stuart and overthrow Elizabeth.

In 1635 the castle was sold by an indebted Howard to Sir Robert Hitcham, and when
Sir Robert died in 1636, the castle and its estates went to Pembroke, his old college at
Cambridge University. His will instructed that “all the castle saving the stone
building be pulled down and a poorhouse be set up. The castle passed to English
Heritage in 1984.

The castle has a defensive deep dry ditch around it. What’s left of the castle is the
curtain wall, some 10m high and 2.3m thick. The wooden door at the entrance of the
castle dates from c1513, and above it are the arms of the Howard Dukes of Norfolk.
The curtain wall has 13 towers, with arrow loops at two levels. There are two stone
chimneys dating from about 1150. Other decorative chimneys are from the Tudor
period. The castle well, near the gate, is 30m deep.

The only building remaining with the castle walls today is Framlingham’s poorhouse,
which provided work and lodgings for the town’s poor from the 17th to the 19th
century. There are five medieval stone heads set into its façade. The wall walk
provides wonderful views of the castle park, its mere which is fed by the River Ore,
and the countryside. The huge space within the walls is now used for concerts and
events.

East Anglia Transport Museum Andy Simpson
Readers will be unsurprised to hear that this was a much-anticipated visit for me. I
know the EATM very well, visiting it two or three times a year for tramways group
meetings, but its multitude of London connections and friendly atmosphere always
make it a pleasure to visit. This museum originated in 1961 when four local
enthusiasts acquired the body of a Lowestoft tram for restoration after 30 years as a
summerhouse.

The collection grew, and the museum was founded on its present site – then a disused
meadow- in 1965, the first tram running in November 1970, extending ‘into the
woods’ in 1982, and the trolleybus route, since extended, first ran in January 1971 –
the first museum trolleybus to run under trolleybus overhead anywhere in the
country. The narrow gauge ‘East Suffolk Light Railway’ was added in 1973, and land
has now been purchased at the rear of the site to virtually double the size of the
museum.

The site has been developed as a museum of street transport, designed to show the
development of mechanical transport over a century or more, with an emphasis on
local items, plus housing the extensive collection of the London Trolleybus
Preservation Society (LTPS) – the only place in the world where four London
trolleybuses can be seen on one site – that’s a third of the total survivors of an
original fleet of over 1800 vehicles! Currently all four are operational. Three more
can be seen in London – one at the London Transport Museum at Covent Garden and
two at the LT Museum Acton Depot large object store opposite Acton Town tube
station.

Our own steed for the standard three circuits around the site – one of just four in the
country where a trolleybus ride is still possible, the others being Sandtoft, Dudley,
and Beamish – was London Transport Number 260. This is one very lucky
trolleybus! It is officially a London Transport Class C2 with an AEC664T chassis and
Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Works body, delivered new on 2 July
1936 at a cost of £2,286.3s.8d.

It spent all its operational life at Stonebridge depot, until withdrawn on 27 August
1959 for inclusion in the former British Transport Commission Museum of Transport
at Clapham to represent the ‘standard’ London trolleybus.

However, two years later it was decided that the more original condition No 1253
should be preserved instead – this now being at the LT Museum at Covent Garden.
Poor old 260 was sold to George Cohen’s ‘600 Group’ for scrap on 18 July 1962, two
months after the last London trolleybus ran in the Wimbledon/Fulwell area. From
1959, Cohen’s scrapped all London trolleybuses in an area behind Colindale
trolleybus Depot (the last in September 1962) and 260 was virtually their last such
purchase. As she was being coupled up to Cohen’s vehicle at Clapham, she was
purchased by two founder members of the LTPS and stored in Reading, from where it
made enthusiast tours of the Reading and Bournemouth trolleybus systems. Its tour of
Bournemouth on 30 June 1968 made it the last London trolleybus to run under power
on public streets! We were lucky to get her for a run, as she had been specially
cleaned up for the annual EATM Trolleybus event the following weekend.
After a most enjoyable couple of hours, it was time to move on from road transport to
air transport…

Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton Andy Simpson
As it says on the museum leaflet; ‘65 Historic aircraft, 25,000 exhibits, covering civil
and military aviation in East Anglia from the pioneer years, through World Wars I
and II to the present day. Special displays on Boulton & Paul, World War II decoy
sites, aviation archaeology, Link Trainers, Home Front, model aircraft, aero engines,
uniforms and equipment’

And what displays! A large, and much extended, main display building, smaller
buildings covering RAF Bomber Command, 446th Bomb Group USAAF, Royal
Observer Corps and RAF Air-Sea Rescue and Coastal Command.

Every nook and cranny of the eight-acre site is crammed from floor to ceiling, and
usually into the roof, with items, and with captions covering the people as well as the
equipment. Plus a handy cafe and well stocked bookshop AND second hand books.
Plus a number of aircraft on outside display, some admittedly showing the effects of
prolonged outdoor storage. And all free! It is tended by a committed band of
volunteer enthusiasts. And even a nature walk down to the River Waveney, as
explored by one or two of our group. A real aviation enthusiast could probably spend
all day there to properly take it all in!

The museum is handily placed behind the Buck Inn, which has limited opening hours
as another of our group found out…

I had long wanted to visit this museum. One thing top of my list to see was the
excavated crash site remains of Vickers Wellington Mk 1 bomber L4288 which came
to rest in a river bank near Bury St Edmunds following a mid-air collision with
another No. 9 Squadron Wellington in October 1939, sadly killing both crews, nine
men in all, and was recovered in 1982/3.

This is one of the largest chunks of airframe I know of from any such excavation –
virtually the entire centre section, with engines, nacelles and wing spar. An
impressive memorial.

The basic Wellington wings, engines and undercarriage went on to be used in the
post-war Vickers Viking airliner, as remembered by one or two of our group. The
military version of this was the Vickers Valetta, the C.2 VIP version of which is
displayed at Flixton.

A number of us were able to board the aircraft and be expertly shown round by
enthusiastic new volunteer ‘Naval Pete’ proudly wearing his Royal Navy aircraft
carrier Lanyard. VIP seats – and the cockpit seats – were duly sampled.
Also of interest to me were the Boulton and Paul exhibits – two of which, the
Overstrand bomber nose and P6 biplane replica, were worked on by my late father
and myself at their original home with the Boulton Paul Association at the former
Boulton Paul factory in Wolverhampton.

The museum originated with a meeting of local enthusiasts in 1973, with aircraft
arriving on site from 1974. I must return one day! I’ve already promised them a bit of
the former RAF Museum Blackburn Beverley transport that I ‘souvenired’ when she
was scrapped back in 1990.

This seems a logical place to sneak in my usual….

‘Transport Corner’ Andy Simpson
I have been spending much time lately as a reader at the British Library, St Pancras,
mainly researching Birmingham area electric tramways for publication in that
dentist’s Waiting Room favourite, the quarterly historical journal Tramway Review
(available on prescription, sorry subscription, only). The odd more local snippet of
gen does appear along the way however.

Under the heading ‘Middlesex Tram Lines To Go’ the November 8 1941 edition of
the ‘Transport World’ weekly journal records that as part of the wartime scrap drive
for high-quality steel, Middlesex County Council had approved schemes by Hendon,
Southgate, Twickenham, Ealing and Tottenham councils for taking up redundant
tram lines in their areas, which would realise a total scrap value of £10,000.

The tracks in question in Hendon would presumably be those along the Edgware
Road, which had been formally abandoned on 24 October 1936, following closure of
Hendon tramcar overhaul works in April 1936 and conversion of the route to
trolleybus operation on 23 August 1936 and use of the Hendon works yard for
scrapping of redundant tramcars for a few months afterwards, just as with the
trolleybus scrappings there 26 years later mentioned earlier.

I always keep an eye on Edgware Road roadworks just in case, and have seen short
lengths of tram rail re-laid crossways as road supports and the cut-off bases of
trolleybus poles in front of the former depot site, but no in-situ tracks – unlike those
on Barnet Hill which appear to be largely intact and buried today, at least around the
railway bridge at the foot of the hill.

Some years ago, pavement relaying outside the site of the former Hendon
tram/trolleybus depot uncovered the cut-of bases of the former overhead support
traction poles.

Progress at Stephens/Avenue House Andy Simpson
The Sunday morning gang continue to make good progress with the post-excavation
work on the dig held last summer on the outbuildings, with some unusual small finds,
including an interesting couple of fossils, and a few coins – 1986 and 1991 two pence
pieces and a Spanish 50 cent coin dated to 2000! It says a lot for the corrosive state of
the soil, or the poor quality of the coins, when you see how corroded these 30 yearold
coins have become.

Nearly all of the finds are now washed, marked, bagged and recorded on the
appropriate record sheets.

We seem to specialise in CBM – (ceramic building material) – brick, tile, concrete and
pitch, which once coated the outer walls. We use MOLA standard recording sheets to
record the pottery, clay pipe, glass and CBM.

Although most of the pottery and glass, and a few scraps of clay pipe stem, are
Victorian or modern, there is some older ‘background’ material, including yellow
borderware and Metropolitan slipware covering the period 1550-1700.
Members are welcome to visit and view progress- we are there most Sunday
mornings from 10.30 till 1.00pm

Institute of Archaeology Graduate Open Evening
Start: Feb 20, 2019 5:00 – 7.00 PM UCL Institute of Archaeology, 31-34 Gordon
Square, London WC1E OPY

The UCL Institute of Archaeology will hold its next Graduate Open Evening for
those interested in masters courses or research degrees, as well as for those students
already accepted onto a programme. During the evening Institute staff and current
students will be on hand providing talks, tours and information about masters and
doctoral opportunities at the Institute as well as advising on course content and the
admissions process.

Programme 5.30pm: Introduction and welcome to the UCL Institute of
Archaeology: a world leader by Andrew Reynolds, Graduate Admissions Tutor 6pm:
Tour of the Institute building including the Archaeology Collections; Wolfson
Archaeological Science Laboratories; Conservation Laboratories and Archaeobotany
Laboratories. Refreshments will be available throughout the evening.
Registration This event is free, however registration is essential. Please register
using Eventbrite

The UCL Institute of Archaeology is the largest and one of the most highly regarded
centres for archaeology, cultural heritage and museum studies in Britain, as
evidenced by its top position in university league tables and National Student Survey
results. It is one of the very few places in the world actively pursuing research on a
truly global scale and has an outstanding record of training doctoral and postdoctoral
researchers. Its degree programmes offer an unrivalled variety of courses on a diverse
range of topics, fieldwork and placement opportunities.

Any enquiries about the event may be directed to Lisa Daniel. –
ioa-gradadmissions@ucl.ac.uk

Other Societies’ Events Eric Morgan
Monday 11th February, 3pm. Barnet Museum & Local History Society St John
the Baptist, Barnet Church, Jcn High St/Wood St, Barnet EN5 4BW Festival Gardens
Battersea Park, 1951 – The Leftovers. Speaker T.B.A. Visitors £2. Please Note new
venue.

Wednesday 13th February, 2.30pm Mill Hill Historical Society Trinity Church,
100, The Broadway, NW7 3TB Votes For women; Challenging the Mythology Talk
by Dr Mary Sawnsky

Monday 11th March 3pm Barnet Museum & Local History Society Address as
Above. Hop on a Bus Speaker T.B.A. Visitors £2, but please note new venue.
Also Barnet Physic Well, Corner of Well Approach & Pepys Cres, Barnet EN5 3DY
is reopening, monthly, on Saturdays from February. For opening times and dates
please visit http://www.barnetmuseum.co.uk/ – also for names of speakers.

Wednesday 13 March, 2.30pm Mill Hill Historical Society Address as above.
From Philadelphia to Mill Hill – Talk by Letta Jones on the story of botanists Peter
Collinson and John Bartram. Preceded by A.G.M.

Friday 15 March COLAS, 7pm St Olave’s Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB London’s
Waterfront from the C12th to the Great Fire of 1666. Talk by Dr John Schofield, FSA
on how four excavations of Medieval & later waterfront in the City led to
understanding the people of Medieval & Tudor London. Visitors £3.

Friday 15 March, 7.30pm Wembley History Society English Martyr’s Hall, Chalk
Hill Road Wembley (top of Blackbird Hill, Adj. to Church) The Museum of All
Brent Life – London Borough of Culture, 2020 – Camilla Churchill & Stephanie
Wilson. £3.

Saturday 16 March, 11am – 5.30pm LAMAS Conference of London
Archaeologists Weston Theatre, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN.
Morning session Recent Work till 1pm, Lunch. Afternoon session The Thames & its
Tributaries from 2pm. Tea 3.30-4pm, & Displays of work and publications upstairs in
Clore Room. Cost (inc. tea) early bird price (before 1 March) £15, full price £17.50.
Tickets from Jon Cotton c/o Curatorial Dept, MoL, London Wall EC2Y 5HN
joncotton1956@gmail.com

Wednesday 20 March, 6pm Gresham College at Museum of London. Addr. As
above. Art & Power in the English Aristocratic House. Talk by Prof. Simon Thurley
FREE. Shows how from the c.16th Aristocratic families deployed their collections &
their buildings.

Thursday 21st March, 8.15pm, Hampstead Scientific Society Crypt Room, St.
John’s Church, Church Road NW3 6UU The Roman Water Pump Talk by Dr
Richard Stein. This talk is part of Science Week. Refreshments in Interval.

Wednesday 27th March, 7.45pm, Friern Barnet & District Local History Society
North Middx. Golf Club, The Manor House, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL The
Palace of Westminster – The First 1000 Years. Talk by Barry Hall. Visitors £2.

Tuesday 28 March, 7.30pm, Finchley Society Drawing Room, Avenue House
(Stephens House) 17, East End Road, N3 3QE Village Life in Finchley Talk by
Helen Allen on The Story of Finchley Garden Village. Visitors £2. Note early time.

Saturday 30 March, 10am – 4.30pm West London Local History Conference
University of West London The Paragon, Boston Manor Road, Brentford TW8
9GA. Entertainment. Please see the Richmond Local History Society’s website for
more info, www.richmondhistory.org.uk

With thanks for newsletter contributions this month to; Stephen Brunning;
Claudette Carlton; Don Cooper; Eric Morgan; Jim Nelhams; Andrew Selkirk;
Sue Willetts

Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet, Herts. EN5 5HS (020 8440 4350)
e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning, 1, Reddings Close, Mill Hill, London
NW7 4JL (020 8959 6419) e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk
Web site: www.hadas.org.uk
Discussion Group; http://groups.google.com/group/hadas-archaeology

Newsletter-574- January-2019

By | Latest Newsletter, News, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

No. 574 January 2019 Edited by Peter Pickering
____________________________________________________________________________________
HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming lectures and events

Tuesday 8th January 2019: NO LECTURE

Tuesday 12th February 2019: Dorothy Newbury Memorial Lecture.
Prehistory in London – some Problems, Progress and Potential by Jon Cotton

Tuesday 12th March 2019: Lost and Found: The Rediscovery of Roman London by John Clark

Tuesday 9th April 2019: The CITiZAN Project by Gustav Milne

Tuesday 14th May 2019 50 years of recording London’s Industrial Heritage Professor David Perrett

Tuesday 11th June 2019. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HADAS 2019 Long Trip. Monday 23rd to Friday 27th September 2019
We have booked the hotel for our long trip in 2019. Details will follow in due course.
The hotel is: Best Western Aberavon Beach Hotel, Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, SA12 6QP
Tuesday 8th October 2019: From Crosse and Blackwell to Crossrail – MOLA excavations at Tottenham
Court Road 2009–10 by Lyn Blackmore

Tuesday 12th November 2019: Shene and Syon: a royal and monastic landscape revealed by Bob
Cowie

Lectures start at 7.45 for 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3
3QE. Buses 13, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley Central
Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the talk. .

Members please read and respond. Jo Nelhams
The HADAS lectures clash with the LAMAS lectures on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, which some
members like to attend. A proposal was discussed with the Committee that in 2020 the HADAS Lectures
be moved to the 3rd Tuesday of each month. The 2019 lectures will continue on the 2nd Tuesday, as
these are all booked.

PLEASE RESPOND TO THE SECRETARY BY EMAIL, LETTER OR PHONE BY JANUARY
31ST 2019 CONTACT DETAILS ON THE BACK PAGE OF THIS NEWSLETTER.

Farewell to a long standing member

It is with great regret that we have received the very sad news that Henry Burgess (better known as
Harry) passed away on November 6th, in the Arkley Care Home. Harry was a long standing member
having joined HADAS in April 1994. He was involved with a variety of interests. He was a keen metal
detectorist with the Herts & District Metal Detectoring Society, venturing out into the Hertfordshire and
Cambridgeshire countryside, on their approved sites. He also loaned equipment and provided guidance
for some exploration of the Battle of Barnet site. Harry was also a member of the East Barnet Shooting
Club, enjoying pistol shooting, and was also on their rota for duties, both opening and closing the club on
Thursday evenings, and recording the members’ scorecards in their club competitions. Harry also
dedicated over 25 years service to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution as a volunteer fundraiser and
souvenir secretary of the local RNLI branch, Barnet, Finchley & Friern Barnet District.

His main career was spent working at the BBC TV Centre where he was a supervisor in the
Mechanical Engineering workshop. It was their responsibility to maintain the studio equipment monitors,
camera and lenses etc, until the corporation decided to shut the workshop and outsource the service. His
later work was locally at the Homebase Store in New Southgate, until retirement age.

Harry also enjoyed the HADAS holidays, organised by Jim & Jo, and went on many, both
individually, and later on with his wife Marilyn, when she too retired. Unfortunately, ill health prevented
Harry from being an active member since 2016, and also Marilyn, who became his full time carer. He did
however keep up to date with the Society’s activities as he was an avid reader of the newsletters.

HADAS Christmas party 2018 by Don Cooper

The HADAS Christmas party this year took place on Sunday, 9th December 2018. This year the weather
was kind to us, unlike last year when only a small number made it to the party because of snow.

Thirty-two members and their guests assembled at 12.30 at Avenue House on the Stephens House and
Gardens estate for nibbles and drinks before sitting down to a festive meal of turkey or salmon with all
the trimmings followed by Christmas pudding with cream and brandy butter, or fresh fruit salad and
cream.

To make sure we kept mentally alert, Vicki Baldwin
produced a table quiz full of intriguing questions.
After eating our fill and doing our best in the quiz, it was
time to draw the raffle with its many prizes and announce the
answers to the quiz. This was followed by coffee or tea,
mince pies and/or a slice of the cakes that Liz made.
The most important part of the Christmas party is to meet up
with friends and catch up with all their news.
All-in-all the party was a great success and thanks are due to
Peter Pickering for his part in the organisation, Vicki
Baldwin for the Quiz, Liz Gapp for the cakes, Jo Nelhams,
Melvyn Dresner and Andy Simpson who helped decorate the
room and all who contributed to the raffle prizes.

The Rose Theatre: Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse presented by Suzanne Marie Taylor on
13th November Liz Gapp

The November 2018 meeting took the innovative form of a short introduction by Suzanne Marie Taylor
to a 30 minute film called Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse, which was funded and produced by herself
and Anthony Lewis. Both of them had main narrative roles in the film, which tells the story of the
discovery and excavation of the remains of the Rose theatre.

As Sir Ian McKellen, the renowned actor, had been heavily involved in the movement to preserve
the Rose theatre, he was contacted to see if he would contribute his views. To their great delight, they
were invited to meet him at his house. They took some pipe replicas of pipes found in the Rose
excavation. This was fortuitous as they found he collects pipes.

Suzanne outlined the structure of the film, designed to appeal to schoolchildren as well as adults.
For example, there was a portrait of Shakespeare whose mouth and eyes moved at appropriate times and
also included a spoof film called The Lost Valley of London throughout conducted by Anthony Lewis in
intrepid English Safari Hunter role.

After an initial glitch with the sound equipment, the film started with Anthony walking to where
the Rose was found. Simon Hughes, the local MP at the time, sets the scene, explaining why all the
entertainment, including the theatres, was situated outside the City of London in the sixteenth century.
The Rose theatre constructed in 1587 was the first of the Elizabethan theatres to be built. It survived until
1605 when it was abandoned due to proposed lease increases which Philip Henslowe refused.

Julian Boucher, Senior Finds Specialist at MOLA, who excavated the Rose in 1988-9, gave a tour
round the present day site. This showed the water preserving the site, and the red lines highlighting the
foundations of the Rose. From these red lines a series of drawings, starting from ground level and going
to the final theatre drawing, showed the presumed structure of the theatre.

Ian McKellen describes the theatre project going public and the reason for the campaign to
preserve it. Later, he describes his surprise at how small the Rose theatre was, and that the actors were in
easy reach of the audience which was in the open air. An interesting innovation was the auditorium raked
for easier viewing. The entire Rose would fit into the auditorium at the modern Globe theatre.
Harvey Sheldon, chairman of the Rose Board of Trustees, described discovering the Rose theatre
remains 30 years ago, and the reason for the foundation of the Trust to preserve it.

Many valuable papers relating to the Rose theatre are kept at Dulwich College, deposited by
Edward Alleyn, the eminent contemporary actor who founded the College of God’s Gift, now Dulwich
College. Shown in the film was the Diary and Accounts book for the Rose kept by Philip Henslowe, his
father-in-law,- a copy of this book is available from Foakes 2nd Edition by Philip Henslowe. Starting in
1592, with renovation details of the theatre, it lists performance and income details of a Hamlet and a
King Lear predating Shakespeare’s first known performance of his plays of those names. Also included is
Henry VI part I, premiered at the Rose on 3 March 1592.

The discovery of the Rose theatre was due to the demolishing of Southbridge House which had
been built over two thirds of the Rose and was to be replaced by a new office block due to be built by
Ivory Merchant, which in its original design would have destroyed the Rose remains.

Scholars, the theatrical world, and the general public worldwide felt that the Rose was so
important historically that its remains should not be destroyed. This sentiment resulted in a concert to
create publicity to put pressure on the government to get the Rose preserved. A huge gathering in 1989
including the theatrical world’s pre-eminent people (Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave, Judy Dench,
Irene Worth, Dame Peggy Ashcroft etc.) It culminated in a recorded amended speech from Henry V by
Sir Laurence Olivier, who was too ill to attend. The recording was organised by his son, Richard, and
ended ‘Thank God for Harry, England and the Rose’. The government backed down and provided a £1
million grant. One consequence was Planning Policy Guidance 16, which made archaeological
investigation a condition of planning permission, rather than discoveries being made haphazardly, thus
upsetting building schedules.

Jane Siddell, PhD, MCIfA, describes how she looks at the water quality once a month to check the
site is neither too dry, acidic or alkaline. There is apparatus to monitor the oxygen levels – the lower the
better for anaerobic preservation of the remains.

Many more people appeared in the film. It described the demands on the Elizabethan actors, by
Lizzie Conrad Hughes, Rose Volunteer and actress. Play runs were for 1, 2, or, if popular, 3 days. If there
was a new play, there would be 5 or 6 weeks to learn it, while maintaining the play run schedules. A play
could be put on at a day’s notice, so the actors had to have an active knowledge of 30-40 parts at one
time.

There was a new design by Sir Nicholas Helm RIBA, who describes the redesign. The new
building is called Rose Court. The theatre’s remains are covered in sand and water to preserve them for
the future. This had to be done to replicate the original anaerobic marshy conditions that had preserved it
since its original burial. Red lighting outlines the theatre, and a viewing platform has been built, which
also allows actors to play to an audience of about 50 people.

The website for the Rose theatre is roseplayhouse.org.uk which is available for all who wish to
know about the project and possibly offer their help.

The film is on YouTube, entitled Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse: The Lost Valley of London.

Brome Trip day 3 Jim Nelhams
Wednesday dawned bright and breezy. We had planned a leisurely start leaving at 9:00 for a two-hour
boat trip on the River Deben. This would give us a view of our second stop at Woodbridge Tidal Mill and
the country adjoining Sutton Hoo. As the mill only operates following high tide, we had a fixed
appointment to visit it. At 8:15, we received a call to say that because of expected high winds, the boat
operators had cancelled the trip as being potentially unsafe. Luckily, in our planning, we had identified
another possible visit in the same area – so off we went to Orford Castle.

Orford Castle Jim Nelhams
We had not visited the castle beforehand, so our information came from the English Heritage handbook.
We emailed ahead to announce our visit, but our message was not read until after we arrived. Access and
parking proved to be difficult for our coach, as was pedestrian access, with wheelchairs impossible, and
no toilets. Thanks to Simon Williams for accepting this and setting off in his buggy to explore the village.

The castle was built by Henry II in the twelfth century to protect against foreign invasion. Its position on
high ground provides a good view of the coast, and the access from the coast to Framlingham Castle,
owned by Henry’s rival, Hugh Bigod. In World War 2, this function continued as it served as a radar
station.

Only the keep of the castle remains, surrounded by extensive earthworks. Archaeologists have
excavated parts of the original curtain wall, but the task is incomplete. We are used to keeps that are
square or rectangular – not so Orford. The main section is circular, a basement containing the well, and
two high halls, one above the other. Surrounding the core are three towers, one, slightly larger than the
others, containing the staircase. The halls have two floors of side rooms in each tower. The innovative
layout of the halls provided a grand and impressive residence.

Clearly the Chaplain must have remained in his chapel for long hours, since he was provided with
his own latrine.

In the upper hall is an exhibition curated by the Orford Museum Trust, with documents and artefacts
of local interest. From the roof, there is a good and strategic view of the surrounding countryside and
coast.

Time to visit the village centre for a coffee.

WOODBRIDGE TIDE MILL – molendinium aquaticum marinum. Vicki Baldwin

In common with so many other examples of our working industrial and pre-industrial heritage,
Woodbridge Tide Mill owes its continued existence to a small band of dedicated volunteers.
A mill at this location is first referred to in a 12th century document granting Baldwin of Ufford
easier access to his mill. In the Middle Ages the mill was a source of income for the local Augustinian
Priory. It was listed as a valuable asset in 1340, but when the Bishop of Norwich visited 200 years later,
the parlous state of the mill was blamed for the poverty of the Priory. However, if the Priors did
redevelop the mill, as Woodbridge Priory was one of Henry VIII’s early casualties during the Dissolution
of the Monasteries, the church would not have reaped the benefit. The person to whom the Priory’s land
and mill were granted, Sir John Wingfield, had no family and the property reverted to the Crown upon his
death. Elizabeth I granted the estate to Thomas Seckford for £764 8s 4d. The Mill subsequently passed
into the ownership of a succession of families until in 1808, following substantial redevelopment, it was
sold by the Cutting family. The current building probably dates to this time and has only survived the
subsequent changes to the milling methods and machinery due to the fact that in the late nineteenth
century the then owners, A. Hayward and Sons, had it enclosed in corrugated iron sheeting. Unattractive
to the artists and photographers maybe, but an armour that enabled the structure to withstand the
introduction of a diesel engine and hammer mill in the 1950s.

The tide mill featured in the Craftsman series made by the Shell Company film unit. But it was
already in disrepair, having staggered on for the previous 30 years in need of replacements for vital worn
parts of the mechanism. An appeal for funds enabled the roof to be repaired, but in 1957 the 22 inch
square oak shaft broke. This would have been the end of tidal powered milling on the Deben if it had not
been for the efforts of local enthusiasts. Following a talk by local historian Norman Scarfe in 1968, Mrs
Jean Gardner discussed with him the possibility of purchasing the mill at auction with the intention of
restoring it. She was successful in her bid and subsequently the Woodbridge Tide Mill Trust was formed.
They have managed to restore the mill to a working condition and indeed it is possible to purchase flour
ground by the mill in the gift shop. Very good it is too! Keeping the mill in good enough repair for
visitors to appreciate this historic building means a constant fight for grants and funding. If you have the
chance, this is a fascinating place to visit if you are in the area. https://woodbridgetidemill.org.uk/

Sutton Hoo Dudley Miles

Sutton Hoo is the most important archaeological site in Britain, and it revolutionised historians’ views of
the so-called Dark Ages, showing that they were capable of producing treasures of the highest quality and
sophistication. In 1939 Edith Pretty commissioned Basil Brown to excavate mysterious mounds on her
land, and he found the tomb of a seventh-century king, perhaps Rædwald of East Anglia.
Almost all HADAS members will have seen the treasures from the site in the British Museum, but
the displays in the site museum include replicas of the most important artefacts such as the wonderful
helmet, purse lid and belt buckle. There are also original finds such as from the burial of a young warrior
with his horse.

Edith Pretty’s house has been restored to give a picture of how it would have looked in the 1930s,
and several people said that it was more interesting than the site museum. It was an interesting experience
standing on the mound of the famous ship burial, but the view of it from the nearby viewing platform is
blocked by a tree.

The site is now closed for refurbishment.

OTHER SOCIETIES’ EVENTS compiled by Eric Morgan
Please check with the organisations before setting out in case of any changes / cancellations.
Many organisations expect a small contribution from visitors.

Tuesday 8th January 7.45 pm Amateur Geological Society Finchley Baptist Church Hall East
End Road opposite Avenue House What gives minerals and gemstones their colour? Talk by Robin
Hansen

Thursday 31st January 2.30 pm. Finchley Society. Drawing Room, Avenue House The Highgate
Society, Past Present and Future Talk by Elspeth Clements (Chair) and Jan Morgan on the highs
and lows of planning applications. NOTE AFTERNOON MEETING

Sunday 3rd February 10.30 am Heath and Hampstead Society. Guided walk on the history of the
Hampstead Heath ponds. Led by Marc Hutchinson. Meet at Burgh House, New End Square NW3 1LT.
Lasts about two hours. Donation £5.

Thursday 7th February 7.30 pm Camden History Society Burgh House, New End Square NW3
1LT The campaigns to save Kenwood. Talk by Helen Lawrence.

Thursday 7th February 8.00 pm Pinner Local History Society Village Hall, Chapel Lane car
park, Pinner HA5 1AB. Gog and Magog – Giants in the Guildhall (London’s legendary guardians).
Talk by John Clark

Tuesday 12th February 1.00 pm Society of Antiquaries Burlington House, Piccadilly W1 Anne
Mowbray Duchess of York, a 15th century child burial from London. Talk by Bruce Watson. Free –
limited places, book on www.sal.org.uk or 020-7479 7080.

Wednesday 13th February 7.45 pm Hornsey Historical Society. Union Church Hall, corner
Ferme Park Road/Weston Park N8 9PX. The history of the Regent’s canal Talk by Roger Squires

Friday 15th February 7.30 pm. Wembley History Society English Martyrs’ Hall, Chalkhill
Road, Wembley, HA9 9EW (top of Blackbird Hill, adjacent to church) The General strike in
Wembley and Willesden Talk by Christine Coates.

Friday 15th February 7.00 pm. City of London Archaeological Society. St Olave’s Church Hall,
Mark Lane EC3R 7BB Thames Landing Craft. Presidential address given by Gustav Milne about
the causeways, river stairs and ferry terminals on the tidal Thames. Preceded by AGM.

Monday 18th February 8.15 pm Ruislip, Northwood and Eastcote Local History Society
St Martin’s church hall High Street Ruislip Saxons at the Adelphi, Strand. Talk by Douglas Killock.

Wednesday 20th February 8.00 pm. Edmonton Hundred Historical Society. Jubilee Hall,
2 Parsonage Lane/junction Chase Side, Enfield EN2 0AJ Evacuees in World War II. Mike Brown.

Wednesday 20th February 7.30 pm. Willesden Local History Society. St Mary’s church hall,
Neasden Lane, NW10 2TS (nr Magistrates Court) Living in Meyrick Road Church End. Talk by
Sophia MacGibbon on the origins of the people who moved to this working class street.

Tuesday 26th February 10.30 am. Enfield Society Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane/junction Chase
Side, Enfield EN2 0AJ. The History of Quilling. Talk by Judith and Christine Hughes.

Wednesday 27th February 10.30 am. Enfield Society Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane/junction
Chase Side, Enfield EN2 0AJ. Charles Lamb in Enfield and Edmonton. Talk by Joe Studman.

Wednesday 27th February 7.45 pm Friern Barnet and District Local History Society North
Middlesex Golf Club, The Manor House, Friern Barnet Lane N20 0NL. Dabs and DNA detects
criminals Talk by Chris Truran

Thursday 28th February 2.30 pm. Finchley Society. Drawing Room, Avenue House
Improvements to Victoria Park – latest developments Talk by Matthew Gunyon, Barnet Council
Green Spaces team. NOTE AFTERNOON MEETING

Friday 8th and Saturday 9th March. Current Archaeology Live 2019. Conference in the
University of London Senate House, Malet Street WC1E 7HU. Wide range of expert speakers
sharing the latest archaeological finds and research. For details and tickets visit
www.archaeologylive.co.uk or ring 020 8819 5580

With many thanks to this month’s contributors: Jo and Jim Nelhams, Don Cooper, Liz Gapp,
Vicki Baldwin, Dudley Miles and Eric Morgan

Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8440 4350)
e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning 22 Goodwin Court, 52 Church Hill Road, East Barnet
EN4 8FH (0208 440 8421) e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk

Newsletter-573-December-2018

By | HADAS, Latest Newsletter, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

No. 573 DECEMBER 2018 Edited by Don Cooper
May we take the opportunity to wish all our readers and their
families, a happy holiday and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2019

HADAS Diary
Tuesday 8th January 2019: NO LECTURE
Tuesday 12th February 2019: Dorothy Newbury Memorial Lecture. Prehistory in London – some Problems, Progress and Potential by Jon Cotton
Tuesday 12th March 2019: Lost and Found: The Rediscovery of Roman London by John Clark
Tuesday 9th April 2019: The CITiZAN Project by Gustav Milne
Tuesday 14th May 2019: 50 years of recording London’s Industrial Heritage Professor David Perrett
Tuesday 11th June 2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
HADAS 2019 Long Trip
We have booked the hotel for our long trip in 2019. Details will follow in due course.
The hotel is: Best Western Aberavon Beach Hotel, Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, SA12 6QP
Dates Monday 23rd to Friday 27th September 2019
Tuesday 8th October 2019: From Crosse and Blackwell to Crossrail – MOLA excavations at Tottenham Court
Road 2009–10 by Lyn Blackmore
Tuesday 12th November 2019: Shene and Syon: a royal and monastic landscape revealed by Bob Cowie

Lectures start at 7.45 for 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3
3QE. Buses 82, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes walk from Finchley Central
Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the talk. Visitors £2.

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS – AN IMPORTANT UPDATE
At the time of writing there are 25 members who have not paid their subscription. If this applies (or think it
may apply) to you, please contact me using the details on the last page of this newsletter.
I will assume that you have decided not to renew if no reply is received by 31st December 2018. After this
date your details will be taken off our membership database and you will not receive any further newsletters.
Stephen Brunning, Membership Secretary (see contact details on the last page below).

Lant Street, Southwark – an update by Melvyn Dresner
Jacqui Pearce’s talk at this year Annual General meeting brought together a year of work with the HADAS
finds group on finds from Lant Street dig, Southwark in 1999. This work continues this term in the dining
room at Avenue House with an enthusiastic group of volunteers recording finds under Jacqui expert
guidance.

The site is south of the river Thames in Southwark, not far from Borough tube station on the Northern Line.
We are lucky enough to be able to handle material from Roman and medieval period, though most material
from site is post medieval from the 16th century onwards. In Jacqui’s talk we are able to understand the
social history of the area. She recounted Robin Densem’s work to relate the site to historic maps such as
John Roque’s 1746. Even maps from late 18th century showed large areas of open ground. In the early 19th
century a row of terraced houses was built. These were pulled down in 1960s as slums. In their early years
they would have been single homes with kitchens in the basement. Later in their life the houses were sub
divided multi-family occupation used by poorer people.

We have pottery that pre-dates the houses built on site from 16th and late 17th century. This includes pottery
made on the Hampshire/ Surrey border, which is known as borderware. This includes tripod pipkins with
hollow handles. These cooking vessels were in later periods replaced by metal cooking pots. Metal rarely
survives in archaeological context in London as either metal rusts or it is recycled into new vessels. As we
move into the 18th century cooking vessels with clear lead glaze and no feet appear and from the kitchen we
have mixing bowls for settling milk or fish.

Also associated with eating we have plates and platters in borderware from the 16th century. This can be
based on a red or white fired body with clear (lead), red (iron) or brown (magnesium) glaze. We see more
decorative features with geometric slip patterns. By 1660s, we have Staffordshire slipware in London,
including at Lant Street – patterns that reminds us of Bakewell tarts, which were made using a feather to
ripple the slip. At Lant Street, we are not far from the Rotherhithe pothouse. We have tin glazed ware are
from 1630s – 1670s. In this pottery, tin glaze ware was made by Dutch potters, who were influenced by
Chinese porcelain. Designs included “Chinaman in the grasses.” We have Portuguese tin glaze that copies
Dolphin-design from late Ming dynasty designs. The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368–1644. Other
vessels from the 18th century include Nottingham stoneware and white salt glaze ware from 1720 to 1780s,
including porringers with small handles for spoon foods such as porridge. For utensils we have knife handles
from 18th century with pistol grip. We can see indirect evidence of metal from staining and location of the
tang in the middle of the handle.

We have evidence of drinking vessels and jugs from the 17th century. Brown glaze is associated with
drinking. We have drinking jugs with green slip that were characteristic of vessels used at the Inns of Court.
We have Staffordshire type slipware with red blob slip and trailed slip with light blobs given a jewelled
effect such as an example saying “TURNER”, maybe the owner’s name? We also have indirect evidence of
metal, with a hole in the handle to attach a pewter lid. Frechen stoneware imported from Germany may have
been used to serve wine or spirits. On this ware we have a pub sign for George and the Dragon. We have
punch bowls from the early to mid-18th century. Most evocatively represented in William Hogarth’s A
Midnight Modern Conversation (1732), the bowl sits at the centre of a group of drunken men in disarray,
wigs askew and sprawling on the floor, smoking and drinking. We have faceted wine glass that would have
captured candlelight beautifully. We have a complete quarter bottle with “JUSC” upon it. This post-dates
1827 as it relates to Junior United Service Club, which was located near Regents Street. According to
Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens’s Dictionary of London, 1879, first child of Charles Dickens, the author and
former resident of Lant Street:
“Junior United Services Club, Pall Mall, consists of the princes of the blood royal, commissioned officers of
the Navy, Army, Marines, Royal Indian Forces, and Regular Militia, Lieutenants of Counties, sublieutenants
in the Army and midshipmen in the Navy.”

Source: http://www.victorianlondon.org/entertainment/juniorunitedservicesclub.htm accessed 12th
November 2018
Evidence to changing ideas about drinking in the late Victorian period include “R White” bottle that would
have contained ginger beer or lemonade.

There are decorative teapots in white salt glaze stoneware and cream ware including a spout with an arm
wrestling a serpent and another from a pineapple form, as well as handles and lids. Tin-glaze ware though in
design following Chinese porcelain examples are not good for hot liquids – tea bowls. We have examples of
clobbered decoration applied in London or Amsterdam to blue and white Chinese porcelain and fired in
enamelling kilns. We also have late 18th century pearl ware – saucers and fluted tea bowls.
We have also pharmaceutical stoneware and tin glaze ware. Dark blue glass was used for poison such as
laudanum and arsenic. In another Charles Dickens’ association, we have a blacking bottle in English
stoneware. As a twelve-year-old boy, Dickens worked in Warren’s blacking factory.
Evidence for hygiene are chamber pots from various ceramic types, in yellow ware, white tin glaze and
mocha slipware. Also we have a toilet dish for soap, dress accessories, buckles, a needle case in bone and
part of a bone fan. Bone combs dating from the 17th century and bone buttons from the early 19th century.
For clay tobacco pipes these are mainly 18th or 19th century. We recorded 259 pipes, which were marked.
These include pipes related to the Hudson Bay Company, Watermen’s Company and Royal Inniskilling
Fusiliers’ as well as giraffe pipe. We have gardening represented in the form of a glass cloche and red-ware
flower pots. For architecture we have lead from windows and decorative tin glaze tiles, as well as Victorian
fireplace tiles. We have glass waste possibly associated with the Falcon Glass works, Bankside or the wider
glass industry in Southwark. The work on the Lant Street material will continue into 2019.

Monument to Major John Cartwright, St Mary at Finchley Churchyard, Hendon Lane N3
Hidden behind hoardings for nearly two decades because of its dangerous condition, in the churchyard of St
Mary at Finchley, is the monument to Major John Cartwright. This Grade II Listed building is currently on
the Historic England Register of Buildings at Risk but is now in the process of being restored. Not all the
funds required for the restoration have been raised and it is now your chance to contribute and make the
difference.

Major John Cartwright was born on 28 September 1740 and died on 23 September 1824. He was a political
reformer and radical spokesman of national importance who is known as the Father of Reform having
championed universal suffrage and the introduction of secret ballots. He also founded the Society for
Constitutional Information.

Although he is not so well known today his ideas contributed to a century of social and political change. It
was not only his thinking that was important, the way he conducted himself made him a model of good
political debate. He was noted for his generosity to all people and his lack of self-interest. Contemporary
accounts refer to his “unceasing benevolence and affectionate disposition”, his “public integrity and
uprightness”. His qualities of character were praised by Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United
States of America. Indeed, it is a measure of the high regard in which he was held by his contemporaries that
his memorial was funded through public contributions rather than an act of private glorification.
The monument was erected in 1835. It is built of yellow oolitic limestone, with a square tapering obelisk and
armorial and portrait roundels. The monument was dismantled in 2008 (under the watchful eyes of our own
Vicki Baldwin and Don Cooper – see report in HADAS newsletter 460 July 2009) due to its dangerous
condition.

A condition survey was carried out in 2017 with funding from Historic England. Faculty Consent was
granted in 2018 for the conservation and repair of the vault and obelisk. Works to repair the Monument are
in progress with funding from Historic England. The Rector of St Mary at Finchley, Phillip Davies, has set
up a Crowdfunding page to help raise the final £1000 required to complete the project. They are halfway
there but HADAS members could be the ones to push it over the top. Please contribute if you can at:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/heritage-of-finchley-at-risk

Report on the October Lecture
At a well-attended lecture, Suzanne Marie Taylor gave us an interesting talk on the fate of Motor Launch
M.L. 286-The Not So Silent WWI Movy. Hulked at Isleworth Ait she described Motor launch M.L. 286-
also known as a Movy, a veteran of World War I and World War II. Built for speed in 1916, she began her
adventurous life as a spirited submarine chaser as a part of The Grey Patrol in World War I. In World War
II, M.L. 286 was one of the Dunkirk Little Ships, which took part in Operation Dynamo in 1940-by which
time, she was named Eothen.

In the 1980s Eothen was a houseboat until she was abandoned on the Thames foreshore at the back of BJ
Wood & Son Boatyard at Isleworth Ait. Suzanne’s talk highlighted how M.L. 286 continues to evolve
through the dedicated volunteer work of The Thames Discovery Programme, and what the future might hold
for her.

After fielding a number of questions, Suzanne was thanked for a very interesting talk.

Brome Trip Day 2
The first and last stops on Tuesday were at churches. The reports on these are recorded together so that
contrasts can be drawn.
St Peter’s Church, Forncett St Peter Micky Watkins
To Londoners, the high round tower seems very remarkable, but there are 185 round towers surviving, 124
of them in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk. A thousand years ago when these towers were built in East Anglia there
was a fear of Viking raids and the high towers provide a good look-out and possibly some defence. The
reason why they are round is that there was a lack of building stone in East Anglia so knapped flint was used
and corners are difficult to construct in flint. Even the youngest children were set to work picking stones
from the fields to ease the ploughman’s work so there was plenty of flint.

The round tower of St Peter’s is complete with a crenelated top and is probably the highest in the country.
Just below the top are four gargoyles and below that eight small circular openings, there are several other
openings and a small Norman doorway.

The original Anglo-Saxon church was a small church covered with thatch. In the 14th century it was rebuilt
and enlarged with three aisles. In the 17th century it was severely damaged by puritans who were very strong
in East Anglia. In the mid-19th century there was restoration work and some stained-glass memorial
windows were added.

We were all fascinated by the oak pew ends. These originated in the 15th century but severely mutilated by
Puritans who decapitated all the heads. They were very well restored in 1857. They illustrate the calendar,
symbols of morality and the saints. (Pictures by David Bromley.)

There are large stone memorials set into the floor of the aisle and an unusual alabaster tomb in memory of
Elizabeth and Thomas Drake who died in 1485. Incised on the top are portraits of them both.

ST. MARY THE VIRGIN CHURCH, WORTHAM Jean Bayne

Hidden by trees, Wortham Church is one mile away from the village it serves rather than at its centre.
Doomsday suggests there were 2 churches/parishes originally in the area but in 1769 they were combined
into one. The most striking feature of this church is its round tower, with the largest diameter in England at
about 10 metres and a height of nearly 19 metres.


This has led to speculation about the site of the church. A
partly buried black stone, The Sacred Stone, near the
tower may have been an object of pagan veneration so the
church may have been built there to counteract and
dominate the old beliefs of local people. Moreover, the
tower, all seeing but unseen, may have also been used as a
defensive structure. This view is reinforced by the fact
that a navigable river existed nearby at the time of the
Vikings—-now it is just a brook.

It is now generally accepted that this tower was built
c1160 at the same time as an earlier church, although
some claim Saxon origins. The tower is probably Norman
as are some of the existing footings in the This suggests
that a church was built at the same time as the tower: not
just added onto it but integral to it. The building we see
today is mainly in the 14th century, perpendicular style
with the addition of a splendid clerestory in the 15th
century. This has geometrical designs between the
windows and various holy signs and symbols including
the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek. (IHS)

The tower is an impressive example of early flint work. You cannot go inside it but parts of its interior are
clearly visible from outside through a large arched opening. It is open to the sky as the roof and bell tower
containing 4 bells collapsed in 1789 and were never replaced. A bell turret was added, though, in the 18th
century, and, more recently, in 2005, a weather vane with a horse and hounds was placed on top. There is
some evidence of internal floors and what may have been a fireplace.

The interior of the church is light- filled and welcoming. The entrance porch, with its lists of incumbents and
patrons starts at 1259 but the new porch gates were installed in 2001 to commemorate the millennium. You
experience this church as a well-loved vibrant, living institution, changing and adapting over centuries and
linking the church closely to the parishioners’ lives and experiences. Most recently, the North aisle windows
were installed in 2012 to commemorate 100 years of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and they
reflect different areas of Wortham and celebrate faith through time from daybreak to sunset. Lilies of the
valley symbolize the Virgin Mary. Other windows are in memory of various significant figures in the past
life of the parish including a local farmer in 1986 with delightful roundels of the seasons. Black stone floor
slabs also commemorate past rectors and prominent families and individuals. A little medieval glass has
been preserved in the east window alongside the Victorian additions.

The greatest amount of restoration took place in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The porch, pulpit, choir
stalls, organ and timbers and roof, for example were all restored. There was some defacement of the stone
corbel heads on the wall posts in the nave in Cromwell’s time but in 1882 they were re-carved: they were of
14 monarchs from Edmund to Victoria. The loveliest carvings, however, are to be found on the bench ends
of the pews. Texts taken from Psalm 104 are charmingly illustrated by a range of different animals,
including an owl, a turtle, a deer and a walrus. This was done in 1890 when the seating was restored.

However, older features remain, among them, the highly decorated 14th century font, and a Royal Coat of
Arms from William and Mary’s time besides two 18th century hatchments. A piscina with detailed stone
carving is to be found near the altar and an old wooden vestry door stands opposite.
Outside, the tranquil graveyard is maintained as a wild life sanctuary, planted with yews, conifers, limes,
hawthorn, cherry and crab apple trees and it sits close to open fields. The lychgate, rebuilt in 1911 and
restored in 2010 is testament to the continuing investment and involvement of its parishioners and rectors.
Norfolk Tank Museum Simon Williams

The approach was flanked by 3 bad boys: namely a Scorpion (of the light variety & recent), Chieftain Mk5
(main battle tank of yesteryear), & a Walker Bulldog. No doubt the greatest draw was the replica World
War One tank: star of the recent Channel 4 documentary, ‘Guy Martin’s WWI Tank’
Altogether there was a magnificent collection – ranging from 50/60’s main battle tanks & heavy armoured
cars, such as a mighty Saladin APC & big wheeler Ferret (Scout vehicle — 6 reverse gears??) to two
Wermacht field guns and large anti-aircraft gun and (rather amazingly) a 1970 Russian missile launcher (in
decent war livery!) to a double- tracked articulated troop carrier. In the hangar there were 2 loaded standard
backpacks, which one could handle & lift (if one could) impossibly heavy to lift, let alone march/fight
with!!)

The display was of exhibits, all in battle-ready excellent condition. One was encouraged to make a hand’s-on
experience & climb aboard them. As a spin-off there was a Nissen-hut communications display.

Bressingham Jim Nelhams

Bressingham is situated on the A1066. It provides a number of attractions mainly aimed at nostalgia. It has
three separate railways of different gauges though only one, the Fen Railway, was active during our visit.
Most members chose to take a ride on this, a two-foot gauge, today diesel-hauled for the 15-minute trip out
into the countryside.
“The Gallopers” is a traditional roundabout with horses and an organ. This also attracted most of us, even
those nonagenarians in the group.

There are also a number of sheds housing railway engines and carriages and a Dads’ Army museum with
parts of Wilmington High Street. My favourite was the Royal Mail railway coach still with its sorting racks.
Bressingham Gardens Liz Tucker

While browsing in the steam engines and Dad’s Army museum, I noticed that they had been founded by
Alan Bloom (1906-2005), the plantsman and designer whom I’d frequently come across in garden
magazines. His work has been continued by his son Adrian. We therefore allowed an hour to explore the
famous gardens.

There are two main garden areas. The “Foggy Bottom” garden, designed by Adrian, has a winding path
through it. There were some flowering plants, but the characteristic island beds mainly contained conifers
and grasses of every possible size, shape, colour and texture, which would look beautiful at any season. Next
to that garden, Adrian planted a wood of exotic trees, such as giant redwoods.

The Summer garden opposite was designed by Alan Bloom himself. Luckily it was a lovely sunny day, as
we kept being drenched by sprinklers, and could dry off easily!

We did not have time for the plant sales area; probably a good thing, as we had enough plants to carry from
Cressing Temple!

Eleanor Crosses – Journey’s end Jim Nelhams

We have been following the route of the funeral procession of Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I, after her death in
1290.

Leaving Dunstable, the procession continued southwards along Ermine Street to St Albans. Here they were met by
monks and the coffin was sheltered overnight in the Cathedral. The stopping place was at the south end of The Market and is marked by a plaque on the clock tower.

Thence they headed east to Waltham Abbey, where another of the original crosses remains (at Waltham Cross). The
statues on the upper section of this cross have been replaced, but a notice advises that the originals are in Cheshunt
central library. A number of buildings and roads in the area pay recognition to the journey, including Geddington
Court and Hardingstone Court (both named after other crosses) and Castile Court all in Eleanor Way.

The next stopping point was in Westcheap (now Cheapside in the City of London) A few fragments of this cross
survive in the Museum of London. The cross was damaged in religious upheavals. It does appear in old pictures
showing the coronation procession of King Edward VI.

Thence to Charing Cross, where the Victorian stone cross on the forecourt of the station was erected to publicise the
Charing Cross Hotel. Further recognition can be found in murals on the platforms of the Northern Line stations.
After this final rest, the journey was completed to Westminster Abbey.

When Edward I died in 1307, his embalmed body also reached Westminster after a stop at Waltham Abbey. Both he
and his much-loved Queen have tombs in St Edward the Confessor’s Chapel behind the High Altar of Westminster
Abbey.

Exploring the Oceans (part 3) Jo Nelhams

Cook had been at sea throughout six of the preceding seven years and had completed two tremendous
voyages such as had never been made before. There remained one more great unknown, the North Pacific.
The possibility of a North West Passage had only been investigated without success from the North Atlantic.
If there was any such passage, then it was likely there was a link to the North Pacific.

Cook accepted command of the third voyage. He was now 47 years and had been at sea more or less
continuously for 30 years. On July 6th, 1776, barely a year after completing the second voyage, he set sail
again on the Resolution from Plymouth accompanied by the Discovery. Some of the crew had had
experience with Cook on his previous two voyages.

The Resolution had had a refit while in the dockyard, but Cook was not able to observe the work being done
very often. Some of the work was of poor quality. They sailed south towards the south of Africa. At the
Cape, there were repairs to the ship, where work was more thoroughly done.

They continued on towards Tasmania with some very rough weather with the ship rolling violently.
Tasmania had good harbours and some of the best shipbuilding timber. Here they found fine trees for new
masts. Sailing on to New Zealand he was in seas which were familiar to him and continued on to the South
Pacific islands and Tahiti. Here they were able to replenish supplies for the journey.

(The red line shows Cook’s passage. The blue line shows the boat’s return after his death)
It was time to leave familiar places and sail north. Cook was pioneering this route, which was to become
greatly used later. On route to the North Pacific having been at sea for nearly 2 years he came across the
Hawaiian Islands. They were the first European vessels known to have been there.

They reached the coast of Alaska, but then had to find a channel through the Aleutian Islands. There were
some puffs of smoke, which indicated volcanic activity among the mountains. The ice was becoming more
impassable and great floes ground together in the swell. Cook reached nearly 71 degrees north, but it was
no use, there was no way through, nor hope of any and so he turned back to head southwards. He sailed
down from the Arctic towards the Hawaiian Islands. He eventually found a shallow bay on the western side
of the Big Island, which is the biggest island and is called Hawaii. This was January 1779.

The inhabitants appeared to be friendly and welcoming. After some months the ships were ready to sail
again, with their sails and rigging repaired as well as they could be and stores on the ships replenished. It
was now early February and the Resolution set sail again.

They had not sailed very far when the ship suffered some more damage from some submerged coral. Cook
was reluctant to return to the islands but there was no other option.

The islanders were not so welcoming. Cook had been mistaken on the first landing as being ‘Lono’, a god,
but on returning so quickly the attitude was different. Thieving from their ships had happened before but
now it was excessive. Fighting between the islanders and the crew began and Cook tried to return to the
water’s edge, but he was attacked, and he then fired a shot with pellets. He was violently clubbed by a
warrior and then stabbed many times and there he died.

Captain Clerke from the Discovery took Cook’s command and Lieutenant Gore from the Resolution took
command of the Discovery.

It was tragic that James Cook, who elsewhere on his travels had established good relationships with the
Polynesians, should end his extraordinary life of exploration and caring for his crews, never having a case of
scurvy on any of the ships that he had captained on his years of sailing the oceans.

Captain Clerke after leaving Hawaii pressed on to the Arctic again for one more effort, but the ice fields
were larger and further south so no hope of getting anywhere.

It was October 1799, when the ships finally started the journey homeward, down the western side of the
Pacific and across the Indian Ocean, but it would be October 1780 before the Resolution and Discovery
arrived back in England, very quietly, after a voyage of 4 years and 3 months.
The search for the North West passage would continue well into the Victorian age.


The above statue of Captain James Cook stands at the eastern end of The Mall close to Admiralty Arch.

OTHER SOCIETIES & INSTITUTIONS EVENTS, compiled by Eric Morgan
Please check with the organisations before setting out in case of any changes / cancellations
Tuesday, 8th January, 6.30pm, LAMAS. Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London, 150 London
Wall, EC2Y 5HN. “From the Romans to the Saxons – Results from the archaeological fieldwork at the site
of St Martin-in-the-fields Church, Trafalgar Square” Talk by Al Telfer (MoLA). Refreshments 6pm Nonmembers
£2.
Tuesday, 8th January, 1pm. Society of Antiquaries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BE “The Pope as
Pontifex Maximus. Tracing a Title from Numa Pompilius to James1” Free public lecture by Dr Oren
Margolis and Dr Graham Barrett. Spaces are limited, and reservations recommended at www.sol.org.uk
Wednesday, 9th January, 2.30pm. Mill Hill Historical Society. Trinity Church, 100 The Broadway, Mill
Hill, NW7 3TB. Talk “The Blue Plaque Scheme for London.” By Cathy Powers (English Heritage Manager)
Friday, 18th January, 7pm. CoLAS, St. Olave’s Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB. “A conversation about
conservation: 20 years of caring for museum collections” by Andy Holbrook (Collection care manager at the
Museum of London). Visitors £3.
Friday, 18th January, 7.30pm. Wembley History Society, English Martyrs’ Hall, Chalkhill Road,
Wembley, HA9 9EW (Top of Blackbird Hill, adj. to the Church). “Brent, London and the Anti-Apartheid
Struggle”. By Suresh Kamath. Visitors £3

Acknowledgements & Thanks: Jean Bayne Melvyn Dresner, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Jo Nelhams,
Liz Tucker, Micky Watkins, Simon Williams,

HADAS
Chairman: Don Cooper, 59 Potters Road, Barnet, EN5 5HS Tel. 020 8440 4350
chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary: Jo Nelhams, 61 Potters Road, Barnet, EN5 5HS Tel. 020 8449 7076
secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer: Jim Nelhams, 61 Potters Road, Barnet, EN5 5HS Tel. 020 8449 7076
treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec: Stephen Brunning, Flat 22, Goodwin Court,
52 Church Hill Road, East Barnet, EN4 8FH Tel: 02084408421
membership@hadas.org.uk
Web site: www.hadas.org.uk/
Discussion group: http://groups.google.com/group/hadas-archaeology

The January Newsletter Editor will be:
Peter Pickering: send contributions to him by 14th December please.

Newsletter-572-November 2018

By | HADAS, Latest Newsletter, Past Newsletters, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

No. 572 NOVEMBER 2018 Edited by Sue Willetts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming lectures and events Lectures, the finds group course, and the film are held at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Buses 13, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley Central Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the lecture.

Sunday 9th December – HADAS Christmas Lunch at Avenue House. 12:30 – 4 p.m. £30 including full Christmas dinner. See p.2.
Tuesday 8th January 2019 NO LECTURE
Tuesday 12th February 2019. Jon Cotton Prehistory in London – some Problems, Progress and Potential
Tuesday 12th March 2019. John Clark Lost and Found: the Rediscovery of Roman London
Tuesday 9th April 2019. Gustav Milne The CITiZAN Project
Tuesday 14th May 2019 Lyn Blackmore (but waiting for final confirmation) Crosse and Blackwell factory excavations
Tuesday 11th June 2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 8th October 2019 To be arranged. Tuesday 12th November 2019 Bob Cowie Shene and Syon: a royal and monastic landscape revealed

For your diary – 2019 Long Trip
We have booked the hotel for our long trip in 2019. Details will follow in due course.
The hotel is: Best Western Aberavon Beach Hotel, Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, SA12 6QP
Dates Monday 23rd to Friday 27th September 2019

Cost will be slightly higher than 2018 because of the increasing cost of fuel for the coach.
If you are interested, please let Jim Nelhams know (treasurer@hadas.org.uk)

Battle of Barnet Project
We were pleased to receive from the above a card saying: “Thank you for being part of the Battle of Barnet Project”. This is in recognition of our help with the test-pitting and other associated actions.
Although no site for the Battle of Barnet…….

Remember, Remember, Remember to sign up for the HADAS Christmas party.
The party is on December 9th, 2018, between 12.30pm and 4.00pm at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, N3 3QE. The party is for HADAS members and their guests. The price is £30 per person.
Send remittances to Peter Pickering, 3 Westbury Road, Woodside Park, London N12 7NY
Or pay directly to: Account title: HADAS, Bank code: 40-52-40 Bank account: 00007253
Please title the payment “HADAS Party 2018”

HADAS vacancy
As Jim Nelhams, who has been HADAS treasurer for the last ten years plus, has decided to stand down at next year’s AGM, HADAS is in dire need of a replacement.
Could you manage HADAS’ treasury function? If you could we would love to hear from you.
To discuss this vacancy and what the role entails please contact me (Don Cooper) by any of the various methods below. (See last page of the newsletter)
PS An assistant editor to help Sue Willetts in preparing the newsletter for printing would be very welcome. Please contact Don Cooper to discuss this role.

Exciting archaeology news from the Black Sea and Pompeii Sue Willetts
A merchant ship, thought to be Greek, dating back more than 2,400 years has been found lying on its side off the Bulgarian coast. The 23m (75ft) wreck, found in the Black Sea by an Anglo-Bulgarian team, is being hailed as officially the world’s oldest known intact shipwreck. See the BBC website for more information: It was discovered with its mast, rudders and rowing benches all present and correct just over a mile below the surface. A lack of oxygen at that depth preserved it, the researchers said. The principal investigator of the Black Sea Maritime Project (MAP) is Professor Jon Adams – his view is that this will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.
In Pompeii a new coloured fresco has been discovered in the House of the Enchanted Garden, so called due to the variety of animals and plants that decorate its walls, which was partially excavated in the 19th century but the frescoed room has only now been found. The director of the site is Massimo Osanna. The frescoes include the figure of a horse, birds in flight and a strange human figure with a dog’s head. The main room is believed to be a lararium, a room designed to hold the images of the lares, divine protectors.
For more information and images from the Daily Telegraph – click here – or look out for more coverage to come in the archaeology press.

New Publication Information from Don Cooper The Roman Pottery Manufacturing Site in Highgate Wood: Excavations 1966-78 by A. E. Brown and H. L. Sheldon.

This book co-authored by our president Harvey Sheldon has, after a long germination, finally been produced. It is being sold by Archaeopress and is priced at £60. I know it is expensive, but you can also download it as a pdf from the link to the Archaeopress site below.
Perhaps one of our Romanists would like to write a review in due course.
See http://www.archaeopress.com/Public/displayProductDetail.asp?id=%7B7915E40D-7B87-49DD-B1CC-08D5FDABB505%7D The following text is taken from the publicity for this volume.
Excavations over a period of eight years uncovered at least ten pottery kilns, waster heaps, ditches and pits, but only a few definite structures. The pottery from the site indicates a period of operation extending from the first half of the 1st century AD to the later 2nd century. The pottery made at the site included initially a vegetable tempered handmade ware, but subsequently the bulk of it consisted of a grog tempered ware and then pottery in a sandy fabric which is well known from assemblages in London. The type of kiln varied with the pottery fabric; there was possible evidence for a pre-Roman pit firing, and later kilns set in ditches were of the twin flued type, eventually replaced by the more familiar above ground kilns with raised floors. Changes in pottery fabric were reflected in different methods of clay preparation, which led to changes in the function of the various ditches, the stratigraphy of which, along with the variation in the fabrics, was significant in enabling the four broad phases into which the site has been divided, to be proposed.
The report includes a very detailed analysis of the forms and fabrics of the pottery made at Highgate. Finds of prehistoric flintwork and pottery during the excavation, and of material of later date, together with the observation of earthworks and historical research, have been used to show the place of the pottery kilns as an element in the exploitation of the woodland of northern London over the last eight thousand years.

London Archaeologist 50 (1968-2018): an archaeological conference held in London
Robin Densem

I went to an archaeological conference on 6th October 2018. The conference, at King’s College London, was attended by some 200 amateur and professional archaeologists, and others, and was held to celebrate fifty years of the London Archaeologist magazine that had been founded in 1968. I saw at least two other members of HADAS there, including Harvey Sheldon who was co-chairing the proceedings.

The publication is an A4 sized quarterly magazine that presents archaeological research and excavation reports; interviews; finds, artefact, and bioarchaeology studies; book reviews and an events diary, and it is probably well known to our members.

The magazine contains articles from writers across the archaeological spectrum in London, on topics ranging from human skulls in the Walbrook, to community archaeology in Fulham, to Tudor bee boles in Greenwich.

London Archaeologist is run by a completely voluntary team elected annually each May at the AGM. The production of the magazine, marketing, membership and financial matters are handled by the officers. The officers are joined on the Publication Committee by up to six further ‘ordinary’ members, drawn from the professional and voluntary side of archaeology. The organisation is a registered charity, no 262851.

The presentations by various speakers at the conference included considerations of the development of archaeological practice in London over the last fifty years, and specialist contributions on finds, public engagement, health and safety, and commercial archaeology carried out to satisfy town planning requirements.

It may be that developers, planners, and construction professionals would find it interesting and worthwhile to subscribe to the magazine, as well as local society members and other archaeologists, if they are not already doing so: https://www.londonarchaeologist.org.uk/ . One of the themes at the conference was the importance of archaeology in enhancing development schemes and this is one of the threads in commercial archaeology, in amongst the fact that archaeology is a material consideration in the planning process. The reality that a developer may be faced with ten, twenty or more planning conditions, of which the historic environment is just one of these.

The left-hand image  shows the front cover of a recent issue of the magazine, featuring the reverse of a gold coin minted in London of the Saxon king Coenwulf who ruled Mercia (the Midlands down to London), from AD 796 until his death in 821. The legend reads DE VICO LUNDONIAE (‘from the wic of London’). A wic was, of course, a Saxon trading settlement or emporium, usually on a navigable river or on the coast, and the place-name element can be present in some in modern place names, such as in Sandwich on the Kent coast, or it may be preserved in the archaic names for places such as Hamwic for Southampton, Jorvic for York, and Lundenwic for London. These places were all important Saxon trading settlements, and in London and York’s cases they overlay former Roman towns there.

The right-hand image  was taken during the conference. Clive Orton who edited the magazine for 40 years from 1976 can be glimpsed at the lectern on the extreme right facing the audience as he reads a paper written by Peter Marsden on the latter’s important work on Roman London. Peter Marsden is on the left on the slide on the screen, taking notes from Mortimer Wheeler who, with his arm raised, is declaiming the history of an archaeological site in London in the 1960s. Wheeler (1890-1976) was a big figure in archaeology in England, publicising many discoveries, latterly on television, and founding the Institute of Archaeology in London, now part of University College London, in 1937.

A speaker at the conference explained how some archaeological sites in London are now being displayed for public access, notably the Temple of Mithras in the City of London. Another speaker told how a Roman sarcophagus has formed a central element of an exhibition on Roman Dead at the Museum of London (25 May – 28 October 2018) at its Docklands site. A room of displays at the conference featured books for sale, and t-shirts, though with the weather as it was on the day umbrellas would have been more appropriate!

HADAS Long trip to East Anglia Jim Nelhams
Monday 17th September and a quick tour around the borough to pick up 34 travellers for our trip, with five more to join us later at the Hotel in Brome, just south of Diss.

Cressing Temple Peter Pickering
A comfort break at a service station apart, our first stop out of London was at Cressing Temple, which I remembered having visited on a HADAS day trip in 1990, when there were ‘crowds milling around Women’s Institute competition entries’, and before the walled garden had been restored. The temple is not, as its name would imply, a place of worship, but rather a group of enormous barns with ancillary buildings and a beautiful walled garden. It is called ‘temple’ because the two largest barns were built in the thirteenth century by the Knights Templar, the famous, indeed unfairly notorious, military order who fought in the Crusades and got some of the finance for these operations out of agriculture. The ‘Barley Barn’ is the first, built early in the thirteenth century, and the ‘Wheat Barn’ came some fifty years later. Magnificent barns like these are often compared to cathedrals, and because they do not have stone or much-decorated vaults it is easier to comprehend from barns how the carpenters covered great buildings. Add to these two barns from the thirteenth century one rather similar from the seventeenth and another, smaller, from the eighteenth – and a seventeenth century farmhouse – and the true value of this complex emerges. But that is not all; Essex County Council, to whose stewardship we owe it, have, since the 1990 HADAS visit, restored the walled garden, with lots of (clearly identified) interesting and attractive plants, which looked glorious in the balmy autumnal sunlight. Oh, and there was a cafe run by Tiptree, which leads on to . . .

Tiptree Jam Shop, Tea Room and Museum Deirdre Barrie
The second stop on Day One allowed HADAS to shop early for presents (albeit weighty ones!) at the Tiptree jam shop and museum. There was also an outdoor exhibit of farm machinery. Tiptree not only manufacture jams, but also chutneys and delicacies such as an addictive lemon curd – and there are FIVE varieties of raspberry jam alone. (One preserve is actually called “Traffic Jam!”). Most of us will be familiar with the handy little 28 gram mini jars of jams and honey available in restaurants and supermarkets (and later at our hotel).
Those who could bear to postpone their trip to the tea shop could visit a small museum about the history of the firm. The Tiptree business was founded in 1885 by the Wilkin family. Peter John Wilkin (who lives nearby in a house unsurprisingly called Tiptree Hall) is the fourth generation of the Wilkin family to join the board. One of their early, witty company mottoes was “By their fruits shall ye know them.”

The management appear to have been caring employers. Houses were built for their workers, and whole families have and still do work for the company. “Wilkin & Sons Limited”, says the sign outside the factory. Present management are watchful that modern slavery does not play any part in their suppliers. Production methods continue to improve. Before the Killie Jam Filler machine was introduced in 1950, an employee could manage to fill only 20 jars of jam in an hour by hand. Now 200 jars whizz along the production line in the same time.
Jam was sent to the troops in World War I, and Tiptree was awarded a Royal Warrant for jam in 2008.
Part of the Tiptree secret is that they grow all their own fruit. Twelve mulberry trees not far from the factory were planted 120 years ago. Tiptree even have their own variety of strawberry, named “Little Scarlet”. Apparently Little Scarlet Conserve is a favourite of James Bond – it is mentioned in the Ian Fleming novel, “From Russia with Love”.

East Bergholt Church Peter Pickering
We arrived in East Bergholt fortified by Tiptree and walked from the coach past many reminders of the artist John Constable (whose parents’ house had stood there) to the imposing church of St Mary. The church signalled at the same time the wealth produced by the wool industry that had paid for it and the ferocity of the reformers who had despoiled it. Was the strange half-built but clearly ambitious tower outside the west doors evidence of a recession in the wool industry or an early sign of the reformers’ zeal?
Inside, the austere appearance left by the Puritans, who were strong in the area, is only partly softened by the Victorian reintroduction of stained glass. Careful exploration, however, reveals many features of interest – the parish chest, a fifteenth century wall-painting of the Resurrection, a seventeenth century brass (the only survivor of many once on the church floor), and a monument to Edward Lambe listing his merits in two columns – one of those beginning with E and the other of those beginning with L. But perhaps most striking was the monument to John Mattinson, schoolmaster, who was ‘unfortunately shot’ in 1723; he is described in a Latin verse as ‘a terror and a delight to his pupils’.
We were also amused by a repeated notice in the choir stalls reminding those inhabiting them to be careful what they say because the microphones mean that it will be heard throughout the church; one wonders what libellous or ribald remarks made such a reminder necessary. On our way out of the church we noted various tombs, including those of Constable’s parents, and a free-standing bell-cage, needed because there was no tower.

 

Flatford Mill Don Cooper
And so to Flatford Mill, the last visit of the day before we went to the hotel. Flatford Mill is rightly famous for being the site of many of John Constable’s paintings. John Constable (1776-1837), one of the greatest British artists, was the son of the owner of Flatford Mill. The mill itself is sited by the river Stour in a beautiful landscape now often referred to as “John Constable country”. Constable created many of his more famous paintings in the area of the mill and its surroundings. Below are a couple of my photographs, I hope they convey some sense of the beauty of the area.

Figure 1 Stour river at Flatford

It was fascinating to see the actual landscape which has hardly changed from the time it was painted by Constable. The sun was shining, and the late afternoon light highlighted the colours of the trees, vegetation and reflections on the water.

Figure 2 Willy Lot’s cottage
There is a small museum with poster illustrations of some of his paintings as well as a tea and gift shop on the site. For those, like me, that love Constable’s paintings this was an exciting and rewarding visit.
Further reports on the trip will follow….

Queen Eleanor’s Journey – Part 3 Jim Nelhams
After leaving Geddingstone, the procession made its way to Hardingstone, where another of the surviving crosses remains.

The route continued across to Watling Street (A5) and southwards along it to Stony Stratford, now part of Milton Keynes.
No trace remains of this cross – it was destroyed during the civil war by troops on their way to the Battle of Naseby. The town has many Royal connections including King John, Edward IV and Richard III.
A house at the north end of the High Street displays a plaque with the following wording.
“Near this spot stood the Cross erected by King Edward the I to mark the place in Stony Stratford where the body of Queen Eleanor rested on its way from Harby in Nottinghamshire to Westminster Abbey in 1290”
Further south along Watling Street, the cortege made a slight diversion to the Cistercian Abbey at Woburn. The original Abbey is thought to have been somewhere near the west side of the current Woburn Abbey. In 1547, Henry VIII granted the land to the first Earl of Bedford, John Russell. The building was rebuilt in 1744, and remains the residence of the Dukes of Bedford.
No trace of the Woburn Cross remains.
This is situated on the A508 London Road on the south side of Northampton. It is at the edge of Delapré Abbey, or more properly, the Abbey of St Mary de la Pré, which was a monastery, originally founded as a nunnery about the year 1145 devoted to the congregation of the great Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy, France.
Its expansive sloping grounds are a nationally-protected Wars of the Roses battlefield, as a one-time site of the advance of the Yorkists during the Battle of Northampton (1460).
This cross is octagonal and stands on some steps. The steps have clearly been replaced. When erected, there was a cross at the top, but this was lost before 1460.
Continuing along Watling Street, the next stop was at Dunstable, where overnight custody of the coffin was taken by the canons of Dunstable Priory and placed on the High Altar. The carriage was kept near the crossroads. There is a plaque on the wall of the NatWest Bank by the traffic lights.

In High Street North, there is now a modern statue of the Queen.
Nearly there. Only three more stops before Charing Cross.

OTHER SOCIETIES & INSTITUTIONS EVENTS, compiled by Eric Morgan Please check with the organisations before setting out in case of any changes / cancellations

Friday 16th November 7.30 pm Wembley History Society, English Martyrs’ Hall, Chalk Hill Road, Wembley, HA9 9EW. Talk by Camilla Churchill. Brent archives revealed, Visitors £3. Refreshments
Monday 19th November. 6.00 pm Council for British Archaeology. London Archaeological Forum, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN. An opportunity to hear about London archaeology in recent months – the sites currently under investigation, recent discoveries and to discuss the issues that matter for the protection and promotion of archaeology in the capital.
Thursday 22nd November. Mill Hill Preservation Society. An evening meeting held at The Hub, Hartley Avenue, Mill Hill Library Building, Hartley Avenue, NW7 2HX – doors open 7.15 pm for coffee / subscription payments. Individual membership is £13.00 per year. The meeting will start at 7.45 pm when Chris Beney, chair of the Open Spaces Society (OSS founded 1865) will be giving a talk on the important work it does – including the protection of footpaths, common land, green spaces and parks. OSS is the oldest National conservation body in the country.
Sunday 25th November 11:30 – 16:30 Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Frost Fair with the Finchley Women’s Institute who are hosting their 7th Annual Frost Fair, with art and craft stalls.
Wednesday 28th November. 7.45 pm. Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, North Middlesex Golf Club, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL. Film about Britain’s past. Coast and Sea. Non-members £2.
Thursday 29th November. 8.00 pm Finchley Society. Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Lane, N3 3QE Lecture VAD Nurses in WWI. Jean Scott Memorial Lecture given by John Drewry + actors. Non-members £2. Refreshments
Thursday 6th December. 8.00 pm Pinner Local History Society. Village Hall, Chapel Lane car park, Pinner, HA5 1AB. Talk by Brian Thompson. West Hertfordshire in the Footsteps of Herbert Tompkins on exploring with a Victorian Guide. Visitors £3.00
Friday 7th December 7.30 pm Wembley History Society (address as above). Talk. Turning the pages of History – on a historical oddity (Or Odyssey?) by Philip Grant (Brent Archives) Refreshments & mince pies. Visitors £3.00
Tuesday 11th December 6.30 pm LAMAS. Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London. (address as above) The Everyday Heroes of Postman’s Park. Talk by Dr John Price (Goldsmith’s College, University of London) Refreshments 6.00 pm Non-members £2.00
Tuesday 11th December, 7.45 pm Amateur Geological Society, Finchley Baptist Church Hall, East End Rd, N3 3QL (opp. Avenue House): Talk on enigmatic minerals of the UK by Mike Rumsey (Natural History Museum)
Wednesday 12th December, 2.30 pm. Mill Hill Historical Society. Trinity Church, 100 The Broadway, Mill Hill, NW7 3TB. Talk. Richard III: the body in the carpark. Dr Barry Walsh.
Thursday 13th December, 7.30 pm. Camden History Society. Burgh House, New End Square, Hampstead, NW3 1LT. Käthe Strenitz’s Camden Town and the Railways Lands. Talk by Peter Darley on how KS’s drawings are a unique record of Camden’s past and deserve far greater recognition. Visitors £1.00 Wine and nibbles from 7.00 pm.
Saturday 15th December. 1.30 – 3.30 pm Barnet 1471. Battlefields Society. St. John the Baptist Church, Barnet Church, junction High St. / Wood St. EN5 4BW. Mad Monk of Mitcham. Talk by Andrzej Lubienski on Medieval jewels and gemstones. Non members £5 + donation for refreshments. Pay at door.
Wednesday 19th December. 7.45 pm for 8.00 pm Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane at the junction with Chase Side, Enfield, EN2 0AJ. Christmas traditions. Talk by Howard Whisker. Wine and nibbles. Visitors £1.


With many thanks to this month’s contributors:
Deidre Barrie, Don Cooper, Robin Densom, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Peter Pickering, Sue Willetts

Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8440 4350)
e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning Flat 22 Goodwin Court, 52 Church Hill Road,
East Barnet EN4 8FH (0208 440 8421) e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk
Join the HADAS email discussion group via the website at: www.hadas.org.uk

Newsletter-571-October-2018

By | HADAS, Latest Newsletter, News, Past Newsletters, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

No. 571 OCTOBER 2018 Edited by Robin Densem
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming lectures and events

Lectures, the finds group course, and the film are held at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3
3QE. Buses 13, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley Central
Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the lecture.
Wednesday 3rd October – Finds Group Course recommences. The weekly meetings are on Wednesdays,
from 6.30 to 8.30pm. There may be one or perhaps two places available. Please contact Don Cooper if
you would like to discuss and learn availability– if there is space it is possible to enrol after the course has
started.
Tuesday 9th October 2018 7.45pm for 8pm: Motor Launch M.L. 286-The Not So Silent WWI Movy
Hulked at Isleworth Ait by Suzanne Marie Taylor
The talk/lecture will describe Motor launch M.L. 286-also known as a Movy, a veteran of World War I
and World War II. Built for speed in 1916, she began her adventurous life as a spirited submarine chaser
as a part of The Grey Patrol in World War I. In World War II, M.L. 286 was one of the Dunkirk Little
Ships, which took part in Operation Dynamo in 1940-by which time, she was named Eothen. In the 1980s
Eothen was a houseboat until she was abandoned on the Thames foreshore at the back of BJ Wood & Son
Boatyard at Isleworth Ait. In the present, it would seem that M.L. 286 lies stationary in the boatyard of
Isleworth Ait. Yet, is she stationary? This talk will examine M.L. 286 as vibrant material culture which is
continuously moving and evolving, and becoming a dynamic part of the boatyard landscape. This talk
will highlight how M.L. 286 continues to evolve through the dedicated volunteer work of The Thames
Discovery Programme, and what the future could possibly hold for her. This talk will aim to highlight
how M.L. 286, is still very much a Movy.
Thursday October 11th – Quiz at Avenue House – 7:30 – £15 including a cooked supper.
HADAS regularly fields a team. Contact Stephen Brunning if you would like to be involved.
Tuesday 13th November 2018: The Rose – Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse – a film made by Suzanne
Marie Taylor, Anthony Lewis and Siegffried Loew-Walker. The documentary film will be introduced by
one of the filmmakers, Anthony Lewis. The film’s highlight is HADAS member Suzanne Marie Taylor’s
interview with one of the world’s greatest and most respected actors, Ian McKellen, who speaks about his
own personal experience during the 1989 Save the Rose Campaign when the Rose was partially excavated
by the Museum of London. The film was premiered at Canada House on February 2nd 2017.
Sunday 9th December – HADAS Christmas Lunch at Avenue House. 12:30 – 4 p.m. £30 including full
Christmas dinner.

CHARING CROSS Stewart Wild
Jim Nelhams pondered in the last newsletter, with reference to Charing Cross station and the nearby
Eleanor Cross, on the origin of the name Charing. I must say, I think an etymology of “chère Reine” (dear
Queen) is rather ludicrous.

The Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names (2001) may be more helpful: Charing Cross
Westminster. The first part of the name is recorded early, as Cyrringe c.1100, Cherring 1198, La
Cherryng 1258 and’ La Charryng 1263. Derivation Old English c(i)erring (turning or bend), which may
refer either to the bend in the River Thames here, or to the well-marked bend in the old main road from
London to the West (Akeman Street, the Great West Road).

Personally I prefer the river derivation, as the Thames at this point makes a spectacular 90-degree turn
from a northerly to an easterly course which would have been unmissable, and significant, to eleventhcentury
Londoners settled nearby.

CHARING CROSS, AND THE EQUESTRIAN STATUE Robin Densem
Jim Nelhams wrote in the last issue (no. 570) that the folk etymology is that the place-name was perhaps
derived from “Chère Reine”. I took his mention of folk to be a warning that the derivation may or may
not be reliable – as it was folk etymology. It post-dated earlier variations of the place-name for the place.
The site (Site) of the original wooden Eleanor Cross is where the equestrian statue of Charles I stands, at
the south end of Trafalgar Square. The stone replacement cross on the Site was destroyed in 1647.

There is a story about the statue, cast by Le Sauer in 1633, and said to be the earliest equestrian statue in
England. The bronze statue had been ordered by Charles I’s Lord High Treasurer, Richard Weston, for
his garden at Roehampton. In 1649, John Rivett, a brazier or bronze-smith, was ordered to destroy the
statue, but instead he buried it in his garden. Rivett made a fortune by selling fragments of bronze,
purportedly from the statue. These were purchased by Roundheads and Cavaliers, respectively to either
rejoice in the destruction of the image of the king, or to have and treasure a memento of him.

Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, eight of the regicides who had signed the death
warrant of Charles I were executed at the Site. The Site was chosen so these regicides would look south at
the Banqueting House on Whitehall where their order to execute Charles I had been carried out in 1649.
Meanwhile also in 1660 the equestrian statue was unearthed by Rivett from his garden. He refused to give
the statue up to Lord Weston’s son, and by gift or purchase it came into the hands of Charles II, and was
erected on the Site in 1675, where it still stands, the earliest equestrian statue in England.

The execution by beheading of Charles I on a makeshift scaffold in front of Banqueting House in January1649. The king called for two shirts so he wouldn’t shiver in the cold. He
is reported to had said “the season is so sharp as probably may make me shake, which some observers may imagine proceeds from fear. I would have no such imputation.”

SOME EARLY DAYS IN ROMAN SOUTHWARK Robin Densem
I arrived again at Montague Close, SE1 one Sunday in late May 1972 to volunteer on what would have
been a third season for me on the local Southwark and Lambeth Archaeological Society excavation on a
17th century delftware pottery site. Their site was full, but they thought there might be space down the
road at Harvey Sheldon’s site at 207 Borough High Street (207BHS). There I was set to work shovelling
what I later realised was natural sand and gravel! I asked about coming back another day, and there was
some discussion in the background, out of my earshot – the site supervisor said they would be open again
on Wednesday, so I returned. The site supervisor was the late Eric Ferretti who was to be my mentor for
the next fifteen months. Apparently there had been some concern I was too noisy but he had felt I might
just be useful. This site was being excavated on behalf of the Southwark Archaeological Excavation
Committee, SAEC, founded in 1962, for which Harvey was their Field Officer. Later I discovered that
Harvey led a band of archaeologists who had excavated several Roman sites, including Highgate Wood
(with A. E. Brown), and various rescue sites, in advance of redevelopment, in the East End of London, a
site in Clapham, another in Cambridge, and a major site, Toppings Wharf, in Southwark, by London
Bridge. I eventually realised much of this work was funded by grants from the Directorate of Ancient
Monuments and Historic Buildings (DAMHB) of the Department of the Environment, working in liaison
with the Inspector and Assistant Inspector of Ancient Monuments for London, and by grants from the
county archaeological society, the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society.

At 207BHS we had other volunteers on site on the weekends, working alongside a few full-timers who
were funded, and on Wednesdays to Fridays there were far fewer, if any volunteers, apart from me! So,
after a few days Eric said he would like me to open a trench, and it was suggested I should purchase a
double-sided notebook, with graph paper alternating with lined paper.

We worked in imperial scale and drew plans at one inch to two feet, so at 1:24. I remember being worried
that it was difficult to record relationships, as we generally only drew the extents of features, not layers –
all this was to change in the early 1980s with our adoption of the ‘single context recording system’ that
involved the planning of all layers and features, so plans could be overlain to discern relationships.
My trench, and I was so proud to have a role, was trench 4 and it contained the eastern edge of the gravel
metalling of the Roman bridge approach road, Stane Street, and its underlying ‘agger’ or bank of dumped
sand and silt, laid of a raft of timbers. The seriousness and commitment to recording was all-present, and I
began to learn about the complexities of archaeological stratigraphy, and a little about finds.

207BHS on a week-end day in summer 1972. I am sitting on the end of the far trench
wearing a white helmet, and writing in one of my notebooks.

BARNET IN CONTEXT: DATA FROM THE GLHER Robin Densem
Archaeology Advisors and Greater London Historic Environment Record (GLSMR) staff at
Historic England Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service (GLAAS). Photo: Robin Densem.
I had great plans to study the historic environment record (HER) data for the extent of the London
Borough of Barnet, but have only just started! My idea was to quantify the HER entries by period, and
see what this told me about the archaeology and history of Barnet. This idea goes back to 1976 when
Harvey asked me to look after the archaeology of Lambeth for his archaeological unit, the Southwark &
Lambeth Archaeological Excavation Committee, and I began researching local archaeology then.
Meanwhile in the City, John Schofield and Brian Hobley of the Museum of London’s Department of
Urban Archaeology began from 1978 “suggesting to every developer that they should pay for the
necessary archaeological work on their redevelopment site.” (John Schofield 1998 Archaeology in the
City of London 1907-91 (Museum of London). Harvey established the Museum’s Department of Greater
London Archaeology in 1983, having been instrumental in establishing the Greater London Sites and
Monuments (GLSMR) record that saw the employment of its first staff member, Pete James, in 1982.
We had achieved some developer funding for prominent sites from 1983, and then, largely George
Dennis, developed the use of archaeological planning conditions in Southwark from 1985, including for
the Rose Theatre in 1989. That year saw several sites in the news, as archaeological excavation work
found sites that needed preservation. In the reorganisations that followed, the GLSMR was taken into
English Heritage and is now the GLHER that is a marvellous and essential source of archaeological
information.

There is some information about GLAAS and its constituent GLHER on the internet at:
https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/our-planning-services/greater-london-archaeology-advisoryservice/
. The website explains “The GLHER is a comprehensive and dynamic resource for the historic
environment of Greater London. From the earliest human occupation to the present day, its data supports
the work of the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service. Our computerised record contains over
87,000 entries providing data on archaeological sites, historic buildings, historic parks and landscapes,
finds and heritage features, and supporting sources of information.” (accessed 22nd September 2018).
My hope is to use the GLHER data for Barnet to identify historic houses and mansions, and maybe to
give some lectures about them. Some of the buildings still stand today.

As part of my background reading I counted the number of archaeological projects in each London
borough from 1972, the first year for which the London Archaeologist magazine took to publishing an
annual round up of archaeological fieldwork. The full table is a bit too big to publish here but if you email
me, robindensem@btinternet.com, then I should be able to email the table to you. Some extracts:

My conclusion is that I have more work to do. I have been a great believer in a theory that there is more
archaeology on sands, silts and gravel then on London Clay, but is this true? And how much of Barnet is
on London Clay? A problem is that such theories can become self-reinforcing, as if sites on London Clay
are rarely investigated, then the truism that there isn’t much there appears proved! And I haven’t started
looking at Rocque’s map of London and Ten Miles Round of 1746 that I expect covers at least part of
Barnet. And there are many more maps that I hope to look at. Meanwhile I am very grateful to Laura
Hampden of the GLSMR for providing Table 1, and to her colleague Rebecca Seakins for my visit.

HADAS AT THE HENDON PAGEANT Don Cooper
HADAS had a stall at the Hendon Pageant which was held at the Royal Airforce Museum on Saturday
15th September 2018. It was a well-attended event. Andy Simpson, Bill Bass and I were there to represent
HADAS. The highlight of the event was a fly-past by the last surviving airworthy Lancaster Bomber in
Britain – a splendid sight.

QUEEN ELEANOR’S JOURNEY – PART 2 Jim Nelhams
When Queen Eleanor died in Harby in Northamptonshire on 28th November 1290, King Edward decreed
that her body be carried back to London for burial. The procession could only move in daylight, so it took
12 days to reach London. The King also ordered that a cross be erected at the places where they stopped
for the night, the first now being in Lincoln. There being not that many suitable stopping points on the
journey south, most were at religious establishments. In Lincoln her body was embalmed, probably at
the Gilbertine Priory. Parts of her body were sent to the Angel Choir of Lincoln Cathedral for burial,
where they still rest, and part of the cross which was erected is now in the grounds of Lincoln Castle.
Next stop was Grantham, though no part of this cross remains. Following this, stop three was in
Stamford.

Stamford’s cross stood for approximately 350 years, and to confirm this we have two eye-witnesses. The
first was Captain Richard Symonds of the Royalist army, who visited Stamford briefly on his way from
Newark to Huntingdon on Saturday August 22nd 1645. He wrote the following in his diary,
‘In the hill before ye into the towne stands a lofty large cross, built by Edward I in memory
of Eleanor whose corps rested there coming from the north.’

The cross was probably destroyed by Cromwell’s forces during the commonwealth.
On January 16th 1745 William Stukeley wrote to a fellow antiquarian:
‘Our surveyor of the turnpike road opened up a tumulus half a mile north of Stamford on the brow of a
hill by the roadside and there discovered the foundations of the Queen’s Cross, the lower most tier of the
steps intact and part of the second, tis of Barnack stone, hexagonal, the measure of each side thirteen feet
so the diameter was thirty feet. It stood on a grassy heath called by the towns people Queens Cross’.
Stukeley also noted that the Grantham Cross decoration almost certainly contained Eleanor’s coat of
arms.

In the 1960s, a stone spire was erected at Castle Dyke, Stamford. Is this connected?
Stop 4 was at the village of Geddington, in Northamptonshire, where there was a Royal hunting lodge.
The cross is the best preserved of the remaining crosses and is unusual having 3 sides.

(Hadas visit to this
cross is recorded in
Newsletter 257 –
August 1992.)

EXPLORING THE OCEANS (PART 2) Jo Nelhams
James Cook’s Second Voyage
Having returned safely from his first voyage, much of the praise was directed to Joseph Banks, a useful
passenger and wealthy landowner from Lincoln and an amateur botanist. He had provided most of the
scientific personnel for the first voyage.
A second voyage was planned and the Admiralty’s instructions were to sail south from the tip of Africa to
search for the Great Southern Continent. Cook needed the summers in the Antarctic and suggested
circumnavigation in the higher latitudes in the winter months.


Joseph Banks was very keen to go on a second voyage and this time two ships would sail. The ships
selected were the Resolution, 462 tons and a smaller one the Adventure, 336 tons. Since the Resolution
had been selected, Joseph Banks wanted modifications to be made for his large party of naturalists,
scientists and the artist Joseph Zoffany to be accommodated. After some work had been done on the ship,
it proved to be unstable. Joseph Banks also thought that he should be in charge on the ship. After these
disagreements, Joseph Banks and his party withdrew and the Resolution and the Adventure, with
replacement naturalist, artist and draughtsman left Plymouth on July 13th 1772.

An artist and astronomer were included with those aboard. The artist was William Hodges and the
astronomer a Yorkshire man named William Wales. He took care of the chronometer, a copy of the
invention of John Harrison, which gave accurate time for the calculation longitude. Harrison’s
chronometer had been used on other ship’s voyages and had proved to be very successful. In later life
William Wales became a tutor at the Royal Mathematical School, located within Christ’s Hospital School
in the city. He was the first master there to have had considerable practical experience of navigation at
sea, which needed real mathematical knowledge.

Wales had kept a detailed logbook on board. One of his students at Christ’s Hospital was Samuel Taylor
Coleridge, and his poem, “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner”, has significant parallels with Wales’
descriptions of the voyage.

The Antarctic waters were very different from the Arctic waters. In 1773 Cook sailed across the Antarctic
Circle, the first man ever to do this. Penguins, seals and whales were not good for eating. Visibility was
often poor and there was much ice and the area of sea free to sail gradually decreasing. He had come as
far as a sailing man could go. In the poor weather the Resolution and Adventure lost contact. They knew
that a possible parting was long foreseen and the Adventure, if adrift, had her orders to make for Queen
Charlotte Sound, New Zealand.

When the Resolution reached Queen Charlotte Sound the Resolution and Adventure were reunited. The
Adventure had scurvy aboard the ship. Cook made sure that they consumed fresh food and the Adventure
was restored to being scurvy free.

The circular plan was an ideal method of investigating the South Pacific. They sailed to the east of the
longitude of Tahiti. From first crossing the Antarctic Circle in January 1773, Cook spent the next 2 years
exploring the southern oceans. On March 21st 1775 the Resolution anchored at the Cape of Good Hope.
During that time he had discovered new groups of islands in both the Atlantic and Pacific. The Resolution
had not lost a single man to scurvy or anything else avoidable. Three were lost by drowning and one from
a disease brought aboard. After 5 weeks at the Cape of Good Hope Cook sailed for England and in July
1775 dropped anchor off Spithead, but “Terra Australis” was still a mystery so there was great
disappointment at the results from this second voyage.
To be continued: Third Voyage next newsletter.

OTHER SOCIETIES & INSTITUTIONS EVENTS, compiled by Eric Morgan
Until 4th November 2018, Museum of London Bluecoats in the City: 350 Years of Christ’s Hospital, a
small, free display open daily at the Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2 5HN, 10am to 6pm.
October 2018 is Huguenots Month in Spitalfields, London. For programme visit:
http://www.huguenotsofspitalfields.org/walks-events.html or contact: Charlie de Wet at
info@huguenotsofspitalfields.org or telephone 020 7247 0367. Huguenots of Spitalfields is a registered
charity promoting public understanding of the Huguenot heritage and culture in Spitalfields, the City of
London and beyond.
Wednesday 10th October 2018, 2.30pm. Mill Hill Historical Society, Supporting Churches for 200
Years, The National Churches Trust, by Eddie Tulasiewicz, Head of Communications and Public Affairs.
The talk will be held at Trinity Church, 100 The Broadway, London NW7 3TB.
Saturday 13th October 2018. Local London Guiding Day. There are free walks, lasting up to 60
minutes by guides from Camden, Clerkenwell and Islington and Westminster.
Friday 19th October 2018, 7.30pm. Wembley History Society, 7.30pm, Power Play, a tale of Victorian
values (the life and times of Mary, Dowager Duchess of Sutherland), by Bruno Bubna-Kasteliz. The talk
will be at English Martyrs Hall, Chalkhill Road, Wembley,HA9 9EW. Visitors £3.
Thursday October 25th 2018, 8pm. Finchley Society, Major Cartwright’s obelisk … and other fine
tombs in Finchley Churchyard by Dr Roger Bowdler. Major Cartwright was an early advocate of
American independence, universal (male) suffrage, the abolition of slavery and many other causes. The
talk is at 8pm in St. Mary-at-Finchley Church, Hendon Lane, London N3. Visitors £2.
Thursday 1st November 2018, 8pm. Pinner Local History Society, Watford’s Bronze Age Hoard, by
Laurie Elvin, a local archaeologist. The talk will be in the Village Hall, Chapel Lane Car Park, Pinner
HA5 1AB. A £3 donation from visitors would be appreciated.
Saturday 3rd November 2018, 10am to 6pm. Aldenham Transport Spectacular, an indoor transport fair,
held at Allum Manor House & Hall, 2 Allum Lane, Elstree and Borehamwood, WD6 3PJ. Admission £3.
Saturday 3rd November 2018, 10.30am – 4.30pm. Geologists’ Association Festival, including exhibitors
from the world of geology, including fossil and mineral displays. University College London, Gower
Street, London WC1 6BT. Free event.
Saturday 3rd November 2018, 1.30-3.30pm. Barnet 1471 Battlefields Society, The Knights Templar, by
Robert Stephenson. The talk will be held at St John the Baptist, Barnet Church, Junction of High Street
and Wood Street, Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 4BW. Visitors £5, and the Society asks for
donations/money in the hat towards tea/coffee and cake.
Wednesday 7th November 2018, 8pm, Stanmore and Harrow Historical Society, The Ellen Burgin
Lecture: Historic Greenwich, by Diana Burnstein. The talk will be held at the Wealdstone Baptist
Church, High Street, Wealdstone, Harrow, HA3 5DL. Visitors £3.
Friday 9th November 2018, 8pm (doors open 7.30pm), Enfield Archaeological Society, Walbrook
Mithras Temple Reconstruction, by Sophie Jackson, MoLA. The talk will be held at the Jubilee Hall at
the junction of Chase Side and Parsonage Leane, Enfield, EN2 0AJ. Visitors £1.50.
Wednesday 14th November 2018, 2.30pm. Mill Hill Historical Society, The Oldest House in London, by
Fiona Rule. The talk will be held at Trinity Church, 100 The Broadway, London NW7 3TB.
Wednesday 14th November 2018, 7.30pm for 8pm, Hornsey Historical Society, The Folklore and
Traditions of the Tidal Thames, by Mark Lewis. The talk will be held at Union Church Hall, (corner of
Ferme Park Road/Weston Park) N8 9PX. Doors open at 7.30pm for the sale of refreshments and
publications and talks start promptly at 8pm.
Thursday 15th November 2018, 7.30pm, Barnet Museum and Local History Society, How to Capture a
Castle by Julian Humphrys, from the Battlefields Trust. The talk will be at Pennefather Hall, St Albans
Road, EN5 4LA. Tickets on the door: member £3, visitors £5; 18 & under free. Refreshments included.
Thursday 15th November 2018, 8pm, Historical Association (Hampstead and Northwest London
Branch), Harold Godwinson: his family and career, by Dr Ann Williams, FSA, FRHistS. The talk will be
held at Fellowship House, 136A Willifield Way, NW11 6YD and are followed by free refreshments.
Visitors £3.00. “There is no difficulty with parking.”
Friday 16th November 2018, 6.30pm for a 7pm start, City of London Archaeological Society, A
Sarcophagus and a Roman Road in Southwark, by Ireneo Grosso. The talk will be held at St. Olave’s
Church Hall, Mark Lane, London EC3R 7BB. The lecture is followed around 8.30pm with an opportunity
to chat with the lecturer and fellow members over tea and biscuits, with an optional extension to an
adjacent pub. Visitors are asked to sign the visitors’ book and to donate £3 toward expenses.

Saturday 17th November 2018, London & Middlesex Archaeological Society, 10.30am to 6pm,
53rd Local History Conference: “An Emporium for many Nations”: London shaped by trade. Various
speakers. The conference will be held in the Weston Theatre, Museum of London, London Wall, London
EC2Y 5HN. Tickets £12.50 until 31st October 2018, and £15 from 1st November 2018. Tickets can be
purchased using PayPal via the LAMAS website http://www.lamas.org.uk/conferences/localhistory/
local-history-conference-2018.html or by post from Patricia Clarke, 22 Malpas Drive, Pinner,
Middx. HA5 1DQ, and do provide your name and address, a cheque for the requisite amount, and a
stamped addressed envelope so your ticket(s) can be posted to you.
Saturday 17th November 2018, North London & Essex Transport Society, 11am to 2.30pm, Enfield
Transport Bazaar. The bazaar will be held at St. Paul’s Centre, 102, Church Street, Enfield EN2 6AR.
There will be no bus display at this event, but up to forty selling stalls. Light refreshments available.
Admission £3, accompanied under 16 years of age free.
Wednesday 21sat November 2018, Willesden Local History Society, 7.30pm, First World War in
Willesden, by Margaret Pratt. The talk will be held in St Mary’s Parish Centre, St Mary’s Parish
Centre. Neasden Lane NW10 2TS. There is limited parking in Church Path.
Saturday 24th November 2018, Amateur Geological Society-North London, 10am to 4pm, Mineral,
Gem & Fossil Show. The show will be held at Trinity Church, Nether Street, Finchley, London N12 7NN.
Admission £2, accompanied children under 12 years of age free.


With many thanks to this month’s contributors:
Don Cooper, Eric Morgan, Jim Nelhams, Jo Nelhams, and Stewart Wild


Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8440 4350)
e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning Flat 22 Goodwin Court, 52 Church Hill Road,
East Barnet EN4 8FH (0208 440 8421) e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk
Join the HADAS email discussion group via the website at: www.hadas.org.uk

Newsletter-570-September-2018

By | HADAS, Latest Newsletter, News, Past Newsletters, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

No. 570 September 2018 Edited by: Sandra Claggett

HADAS DIARY 2018/19

Thursday September 13th – Quiz at Avenue House – 7:30 – £15 including a cooked supper.
HADAS regularly fields a team. Contact Stephen Brunning if you would like to be involved.

Saturday September 15th. RAF Centenary event. Hendon Pageant. See p.2 for details

September 17th – 21st – Long trip to East Anglia staying in Brome.

Wednesday 3rd October – Finds Group Course recommences.

Tuesday 9th October 2018: STOP PRESS: Gabriel Moshenska has moved from the UK and will be unable to give the lecture on Unrolling Egyptian Mummies in Victorian London. Membership Secretary will arrange for another speaker on a different topic to be announced.

Thursday October 11th – Quiz at Avenue House – 7:30 – £15 including a cooked supper.
HADAS regularly fields a team. Contact Stephen Brunning (see p.12) if you would like to be involved.

Until 12th October – Bluecoats in the City – FREE Exhibition at Museum of London.

Until 28th October – “Roman Dead” at London Docklands Museum.

Tuesday 13th November 2018: The Rose – Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse – a film made by Suzanne Marie Taylor, Anthony Lewis and Siegffried Loew-Walker. The documentary film will be introduced by one of the filmmakers, Anthony Lewis. In the film Ian McKellen speaks about his own personal experience during the 1989 Save the Rose Campaign when the Rose was partially excavated by the Museum of London. The film has been shown at Canada House and the Birkbeck Archaeology Society in 2017.

Sunday 9th December – HADAS Christmas Lunch at Avenue House. 12:30 – 4 p.m. £30 including full Christmas dinner, quiz. Application form to follow with next newsletter

Until 30th December 2019 – Star Carr exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) in Downing Street, Cambridge. See article below.

All Lectures are held at Stephens House & Gardens (Avenue House), 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE, and start promptly at 8.00 pm, with coffee /tea and biscuits afterwards. Non-members welcome (£1.00). Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 & 460 pass nearby and Finchley Central Station (Northern line) is a short walk away.

RAF Hendon Pageant Saturday 15th September 2018 11am – 5pm Free

The pageants of the past drew huge crowds and were a chance for spectators to see aircraft fly, to experience technology they had never seen before and to see the Royal Air Force in action.
This Centenary year we they will be bringing this tradition back to the Hendon Aerodrome, which is now home to the newly transformed Museum. This family festival will capture some of the magic of the past with re-enactors, traditional fairground games, live music from the 1930’s and much more! The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be flying the Dakota ZA947 over the Museum, times are still to be confirmed and the flypast is subject to change. It is possible that HADAS will have a display stall. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/events/hendon-pageant/

Fifty years of archaeology in London

This year marks the 50th anniversary of London Archaeologist magazine and there is a conference to celebrate. Speakers include Harvey Sheldon, Peter Marsden, Jane Sidell and Jelena Bekvalec. The venue is the Waterloo campus of King’s College from 10.00am to 5.30pm on Saturday 6th October. Ticket details and the outline programme are at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/50-years-of-londons-archaeology-tickets-45718893441

London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Conference

Saturday 17th November. 10.30 – 6.00 pm. “An emporium for many nations: London shaped by trade” Tickets before 31st October are £12.50, thereafter £15.00. Also Local History Societies will have displays. Afternoon tea / biscuits included. www.lamas.org.uk.conferences/local-history

Forthcoming exhibition: Sue Willetts

The British Library have announced Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War which will run from Friday 19th October until Tuesday 19th February 2019.
The following text is taken from their website: Treasures from the British Library’s own collection, including Beowulf and Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, sit alongside stunning finds from the recently discovered Staffordshire Hoard. Domesday Book offers its unrivalled depiction of the landscape of late Anglo-Saxon England while Codex Amiatinus, a giant Northumbrian Bible taken to Italy in 716, returns to England for the first time in 1300 years.

Read some of the earliest-surviving words inscribed in English on objects large and small. Come face-to-face with manuscripts of Old English poetry and prose and the first letter written in English. Wonder at the wit and wisdom in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Encounter handwritten books intricately decorated. Discover finely crafted metalwork and sculpture unearthed in recent times. See the deep artistic connections between Anglo-Saxon England and its European neighbours. Glimpse into the past through original manuscripts to explore the corners of the kingdoms. Many books were produced, but few survive – this is your opportunity to follow the journeys of these magnificent manuscripts, brought together for a major landmark exhibition.
Full Price: £16.00; Senior 60+: £14.00; Concessions £8.00; National Art Pass Full member £8.00 and Senior National Art Pass rate: £7.00; Child 0-4: Free; Child 5-17: £5.00

Finds in Focus
Hendon & District Archaeological Society Finds Group
Course tutor: Jacqui Pearce BA FSA MCIfA

A 22-week course in post-excavation analysis to be held at Stephens House (formerly
Avenue House), East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE on Wednesday evenings, 6.30–8.30, starting on 3 October 2018

This year we will conclude our recording of the finds from the Birkbeck training excavations at Lant Street in Southwark (LNT99). Some pottery and other finds remain, and we will aim to produce a short article summarising the work of the Finds Group on this site over the past two years. Regular presentations and professional tuition will be provided throughout the course. This is an ideal opportunity to gain – or increase – your experience of working with and handling a wide variety of archaeological finds. We will also embark on the recording of smaller new sites in Barnet, excavated by HADAS. The aims will be the same – to introduce the various types of finds and provide opportunities to become more familiar with post-excavation procedures, while working toward publication.

All are welcome – it doesn’t matter whether or not you have experience of working with archaeological finds! There are only a couple of places left on the course.

Course fee: £295 for 22 sessions. To book, contact Don Cooper (olddormouse@hotmail.com; tel. 020 8440 4350) or Jacqui Pearce (pearcejacqui@gmail.com; tel. 020 8203 4506). Please make cheques payable to HADAS and send to Don Cooper, 59 Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS.

Hornsey Historical Society

This organisation has a local history surgery for those conducting their own local history research. This takes place on the first Saturday of every month from 10.30 am – 2.30 pm. Members of the public are invited to attend as well as HHS members. Please phone 07531 855714 or email hornseyhistoricalsurgery@gmail.com to book a half hour appointment.
The Old Schoolhouse, 136 Tottenham Lane, Hornsey, N8 7EL

Further details at www.hornseyhistorical.org.uk/whatson.

Exploring the Oceans Jo Nelhams

An exhibition of the achievements of Captain James Cook was recently displayed at the British Library. The story of Cook’s three round the world voyages was told through original journals, maps and artwork, which were the records compiled while on board the ships.

The first voyage was from 1768 to 1771 in the Endeavour. The Endeavour was a Whitby Coal Cat, the type of boat in which Cook learnt his skills sailing down the east coast to London delivering coal. They were strong, comparatively shallow draught, good carriers with plenty of room for men and stores, which was Cook’s description.

The Endeavour set sail carrying 94 people in the 109-foot vessel, also loaded with supplies.

Cook had instructions from the Admiralty and the Royal Society to observe the Transit of Venus across the face of the sun in Tahiti in June 1769. The route was to sail south through the Atlantic Ocean, round Cape Horn across the Pacific and search for land in the South Pacific.

Although there had been many previous explorers who had sailed to the Pacific, half of it remained quite unseen and wholly unexplored. Cook had experienced sailing across the Atlantic, but the voyage of the Endeavour was far longer than anything he had done before.

Supplies need to be replenished and many naval ships would stop over in Madeira. The Endeavour stopped here for six days and replenished supplies taking on fresh fruit that would keep well, water and a large quantity of Madeira wine. The voyage continued round Cape Horn and on to Tahiti.

Cook was not only a very competent sailor, but a navigator and astrologer, which qualified him to understand the significance of the Transit of Venus. Also, on board were scientists and artists who were to document information of wildlife and flora and fauna.

Leaving Tahiti and sailing south, after six weeks on October 6th 1769 land was sighted. This was the beginning of Cook’s circumnavigation of both main islands of New Zealand. New Zealand’s coast was familiar to no man. One of Cook’s skills was cartography and his maps have proved to be extraordinarily accurate. It took over six months to chart the coasts of both islands.
They sailed on westwards and came to the east coast of ‘New Holland’ (Australia) and turned northwards following the coast. The only way to properly examine this was by using smaller boats and going ashore frequently. As the coast was about 2,000 miles, to do this would take years. Much was missed such as Jervis Bays and Sydney Harbour. He landed at Botany Bay (first called Stingray Bay and then Botanists Bay), which was not the best harbour.

Further north off Queensland, the Endeavour became grounded on the coral. She began to leak but at the top of high water she floated again. Although leaking she was gently sailed to a harbour to beach and somehow to repair the ship. A large piece of coral broken from the reef was found. It took many weeks to make the hull sound again and eventually leave the Great Barrier Reef. The passage had been a nightmarish, nerve-wracking experience for months. In his subsequent voyages Cook never approached the area again.
They made their way via the Cape of Good Hope back to England arriving in July 1771 having been away for nearly 3 years

To be continued: Second voyage next newsletter.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Star Carr Mesolithic exhibition at the (maa) Sandra Claggett

Although not a large exhibition the Star Carr Mesolithic exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge is very interesting. It focuses on the Mesolithic site of Star Carr (in Yorkshire) on the shore of Lake Flixton from around 11,500 years ago. This site has remarkable preservation due to waterlogging which means there is more than the typical lithic remains and it has preserved bone, antler and wooden objects. This makes Star Carr one of the most important Mesolithic sites in Europe.

This link to the Wikipedia page shows the location of the site. It was discovered in the late 1940s by John Moore and then excavated by Grahame Clark from 1949-1951. There were more excavations between 2003-2015, directed by Conneller, Milner and Taylor who were investigating the nature of the site and its use. They found evidence that the site was in use for Figure.1 shows the location of the site. It was discovered in the late 1940’s by John Moore and then excavated by Grahame Clark from 1949-1951. There were more excavations between 2003-2015, directed by Conneller, Milner and Taylor who were investigating the nature of the site and its use. They found evidence that the site was in use for around 800 years despite climate change during this period. Structures for houses and three large wooden platforms were found along the lake edge and lithic activity areas with intensive manufacture and tool repair.

Mesolithic people made use of the natural environment such as iron pyrite for making fire at Star Carr. Iron pyrite would be struck with flint to make sparks. Bracket fungus that grew
naturally on trees was also used as tinder when dry it becomes flammable. Tightly wound birch bark rolls could be used as portable tinder, one showing signs of burning. Birch bark can also be
heated to make resin to fix flint arrowheads and barbed points to wooden shafts. Another use of the natural environment is flora, a drink which can be made from pine and other plants could also be eaten such as crowberry, yellow water lily and bogbean. Tools were made from animal bones; Antler harpoons were used to hunt pike and perch. Other animals hunted in the landscape were deer, elk, wild boar and aurochs which were large cattle now extinct. The animal bones and hide were used for food, clothing and tools such as pins from elk antlers. A wooden paddle has survived from a boat. Another famous find from Star Carr was the Antler headdresses made from deer skulls with holes bored into them. Twenty-four have been found these are thought to be used for hunting and or ritual Shamanic purposes. More than 90% of all European prehistoric headdresses come from Star Carr.


Fig. 1 Antler headdress from Exhibition Fig 2. Author’s photograph of engraved pendant Both mages reproduced with kind permission from the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (maa)
There have been other recent examples of the use of Antler headdress including from about 100 years ago by shamans of the Orochen culture of Inner Mongolia.
The earliest Mesolithic art in Britain is found here in an engraved pebble of shale with a deliberate perforation. As in Figure 2. Other engraved motifs on Mesolithic pendants are rare and found only in Amber pendants from southern Scandinavia. The engravings were hardly visible until computer imaging techniques were used. Analysis shows barbed lines typical of Danish motifs and it is suggested that the lines may have been made visible by the use of pigment as possibly for the Danish amber. Near Star Carr at Seamer Carr and Flixton School House an ochre crayon and pebble have been found. An ochre crayon measuring 22mm has been discovered with heavy striations caused by scraping to remove the red powder.

According to Dr Needham the tip is faceted and has gone from a rounded to a sharpened end through use. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42831463
Why not make a trip to Cambridge and go along to the MAA, there is plenty of time to plan your trip as the exhibition is on until the 30th December 2019!

Links to Star Carr information and publication details for further reading:
Milner N., Taylor B., Conneller C., Schadia-Hall., T. (2013) Star Carr: Life in Britain after the Ice age. (Archaeology for all) Council for British Archaeology.
Exhibition details are entitled ‘A survival story- prehistoric life at Star Carr on until the 30th of Dec 2019. http://maa.cam.ac.uk/a-survival-story-prehistoric-life-at-star-carr/
Here is a link to the Star Carr website where it is possible to download the two monographs produced for the site for free. http://www.starcarr.com/
An academic article on the pendant. http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue40/8/index.html
An academic article on the analysis of the Red Deer headdress from Star Carr. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0152136&type=printable
An academic article on the fish remains. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X1630044X?via%3Dihub

Charing Cross Jim Nelhams

When Jo was teaching, each year she would take her class on an outing into London. One year, it was decided to take all three classes from Year 1 (5/6 years old) to investigate Queen Eleanor, Eleanor of Castile, the wife of King Edward I as part of a history project.
When Queen Eleanor died in Harby in Northamptonshire on 28th November 1290, King Edward decreed that her body be carried back to London for burial. The procession could only move in daylight, so it took 12 days to reach London. The King also ordered that a cross be erected at the places where they stopped for the night, the first being at the Castle in Lincoln and the last at what we now call Charing Cross.

Eleanor’s tomb is in St Edward the Confessor’s chapel at Westminster Abbey, behind the High Altar, as is that of her husband, so Westminster Abbey was the start of our self-guided walk.
From there, we crossed Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge stopping to admire the statue of Boadicea on the north east corner of the bridge, then along by the river in front of the old County Hall, now the London Aquarium, to have lunchtime sandwiches on the grass on the old site of the 1951 Festival of Britain where the London Eye now stands. A quick toilet stop at the Royal Festival Hall before crossing Hungerford Bridge to reach Charing Cross Station and look at the stone cross in the forecourt. Those that have been on our HADAS trips might recognise that we try to know where there are toilets available, though the children on our trips are a little older.

Finally, we went back to the Embankment to re-join our coach by Cleopatra’s Needle. Quite a distance for 5/6-year olds. In fact, one mother was concerned that her daughter was not good at walking and came with us. To our surprise, we discovered later that she and her daughter had so enjoyed themselves that the following weekend they repeated the walk with the rest of their family.
The original wooden cross stood on an island at the south end of what is now Trafalgar Square which is occupied by an equestrian statue of Charles I see Figure 1.

If you look at the street names at that point, there is a short section of road named Charing Cross between Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall. It must be one of the shortest roads in England, though it was at one time longer.

The cross was replaced by a stone cross which was demolished in 1647.

Charing Cross Station and the Charing Cross Hotel were built in 1864, and it was decided as a marketing initiative to erect on the station/hotel forecourt a replica of the stone cross based on drawings in the British Museum. See Figure 2. It is 70 feet tall and octagonal. Next time you are in the area, why not take a closer look.
Opinion about the place name varies. Some say that there was a small village named Charing at the spot, very near to the Palace of Westminster. Folk etymology is that it was actually named “Chėre Reine” – ‘dear Queen’ in French. The royal court at that time spoke Norman French and the inscription on Queen Eleanor’s tomb is in this French dialect. But we cannot ask those involved.
What about the other crosses? Well they are the subject of another article to be published later.

Figure 1 Author’s own photo

Figure 2 Author’s own photo

Below is some information from the Historic Buildings and Conservation Committee

We have spaces open – come and find out what we do!
The historic built environment disappears – sometimes by outright demolition, at other times by disfigurements by new owners; or adjacent redevelopments ruin the setting of a building or a whole area. Important internal as well as external features of Listed buildings can be at risk. Does this cause you concern?

LAMAS has many new members and we hope some may be interested in assisting the Society with one of its important activities – the work of the LAMAS Historic Buildings and Conservation Committee. This Committee reviews applications for listed building consent and seeks to ensure a sustainable future for vital aspects of London’s built heritage.
The Committee’s remit fills the gap between amenity societies working within boroughs and national amenity societies who consider only the more high-profile cases.
The Committee is composed of individual members of LAMAS, or members of its Affiliated Societies, and meets monthly to consider cases. The meetings take place on a Tuesday evening from 6.30 to 8.30 pm and are held at 75 Cowcross Street, close to Farringdon Station. The Committee secretary sends an agenda out in advance.
This is one of LAMAS’s important activities and cannot work without the co-operation of its members in bringing their knowledge of buildings across London, and particularly in areas with which they are familiar.

An interest in historic buildings is all you need. Although some Committee members have an architectural or heritage background, others are just ordinary interested people who will give some time to the matter.

If you wish you could come to a meeting to see how it works. If you are interested please contact Vicki Fox (e-mail: vickifox2011@hotmail.co.uk) for more information.

Details of other societies’ events Eric Morgan

Tuesday 11th September, 7.45pm. Amateur Geological Society, Finchley Baptist Church Hall, East End Road, N3 3QL. Sharks in the desert, Laboratory and ocean by Charlie Underwood.

Tuesday 15th September, 10.50am. Mill Hill Historical Society visit to the London Transport Museum Depot, Acton Town, 118-20 Gunnersbury Lane, W3 9BQ. A behind the scenes private tour of over 370,000 objects including rare road and rail vehicles spanning over 100 years. Members £13.50, Non-members £15.50 to book send a cheque payable to Mill Hill Historical Society and s.a.e. to Julia Haynes, 38 Marion Road, Mill Hill London, NW7 4AN. Contact Julia Haynes on 020 89060063 or Haynes.julia@yahoo.co.uk (see also 22-23 Sept, Open weekend.

Wed. 19th September, 6pm. Gresham College at the Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN. Painting, patronage and politics under the Tudors by Professor Thurley. Free.

Friday 21st September, 7pm. CoLAS St. Olives Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB. The archaeology of Fulham Palace by Alexis Haslam. Visitors £3. Light refreshments after.

Friday 21st September, 7.30pm. Wembley History Society, English Martyr’s hall, Chalkwall Road, Wembley, HA9 9EW talk on the Shree Swaminorayan Mandir building by Somar Savani. Visitors £3. Refreshments.

Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd September,11am-5pm. London Transport Museum Depot, W3 open weekend admission £12, concessions £10. https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/museum-depot/open-weekends
Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September. Open House weekend buildings not normally open will be open and it is free. Local buildings included are Myddelton House Gardens and the Old Vestry House both in Enfield.

Saturday 22nd September, 11:00 – 4:00pm. Barnet Museum and Local History Society with Barnet 1471 Battlefields Society – St John the Baptist Church, Wood Street, Barnet EN5 4BW. Day conference including –
 12:00 “Warwick & Edward IV” with questions at 1:00. By David Santuiste.
 1:30 Lunch break
 2:30 “Richard III, man or Myth”. Gillian Gear memorial lecture by Alison Weir with questions.
Tickets on door – £3, non-members £5.
Wednesday 26th September, 7:45pm. Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, North Middlesex Golf Club, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL. “Hendon School Excavations” by Don Cooper (our chairman). Non-members £2.

Saturday 29th September, 11.30am-4.30pm CoLAS and Totally Thames, Fulham Palace, Bishops’ Avenue, SW6 6EA. A day of family archaeology activities as part of the Mayor’s Thames Festival.

Thursday 4th October, 8pm. Pinner Local History Society, Village Hall, Pinner, HA5 1AB. Pinner’s old roads and paths, tracks, travellers, turnpikes and tarmac. By the research group. Visitors £3.

Saturday 6th October, 2pm. London Parks and Gardens Trust. Humphry Repton and the Wembley Park Barn Hill landscape. Wembley Park and Barn Hill guided walk by Leslie Williams and

Susan Darling. Details on www.londongardenstrust.org This is part of Repton 200 and is one of the events planned in and around London to celebrate landscape designer Humphry Repton who died 200 years ago.

Sunday 7th October, 2.30-4.30pm. Heath and Hampstead Society. Flagstaff, Whitestone Pond, Heath St. Hampstead Heath from the 1820’s to the 1920’s. Guided walk by Thomas Radice. £5.

Monday 8th October, 3pm. Barnet Museum and Local History Society. Church House, Wood St, Barnet, EN5 4BW. Katebrygge: 100 years of East Finchley by Richard Selby. Visitors £2.

Monday 8th October, 6.20-7.50pm. Finchley Church End Library. 318 Regents Park Road, N3 2LN. An evening with Dr Fraser in association with the RAF Museum Hendon. The story of the established British Jewry’s involvement with the royal flying corps in WWI. A mystery prize for the best question after the talk. Book by email on libraryevents@barnet.gov.uk

Saturday 13th October, 1.30-3.30pm. Barnet 1471 Battlefield Society. St John the Baptist, Barnet Church, High St, Wood St, Barnet, EN5 4BW. English fashion and art of the 1470’s by Mario Carvana. Non-members £5.

Monday 15th October, Museum of London Docklands, Canary Wharf. Finds of the dead in roman London and beyond. Roman finds group autumn conference with MoLA. Info at www.romanfindsgroup.org.uk email sigreep@romanfinds.org.uk Details were in the HADAS August newsletter.

Friday 19th October, 7pm CoLAS. Address as above. Respect your elders: old swords in Anglo-Saxon England by Dr Brunning. Visitors £3.

Wednesday 24th October, 7.45pm. Friern Barnet and District Local History Society. North Middx Golf Club, The Manor House, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL. The history of almshouses by Simon Smith. Non-members £2.

Thursday 25th October, 8pm. Finchley Society. Major Cartwright’s obelisk … and other fine tombs in Finchley Churchyard. Dr Roger Bowdler NB venue is St. Mary-at-Finchley Church, Hendon Lane, Discussion and tea. Visitors £2. Free for members – but if you join at the same meeting, the charge is waived.

Thursday 25th October, 8pm. Heath and Hampstead Society. Burgh House, New Square, NW3 1LT. John Constable and Hampstead Heath: in the foot-steps of a contemporary artist. The Springett lecture by Lindy Guinness exploring Constable’s passion for Hampstead Heath. Free.

Saturday 27th October, 10.30am. Enfield Society. Relaunch of Pymmes Brook trail. Part 1: High Barnet to Arnos Grove. Guided walk by Colin Saunders. Meet at High Barnet Station to depart at 10am. 6-mile linear walk ending at Arnos Park.

Sunday 28th October, 10.30am. Part 2 of above. Arnos Grove to Tottenham Hale by Colin Saunders meet at Arnos Grove Station. 7-mile linear walk ending at Tottenham Hale Station.

Thanks to this month’s contributors Jo and Jim Nelhams, Don Cooper and Eric Morgan, Sue Willetts
Apologies for the late arrival of this newsletter, which was due entirely to Sue Willetts’s holiday from 18th August – 3rd September with very limited access to email / computer.

Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman: Don Cooper, 59 Potters Road, Barnet, EN5 5HS Tel 020 8440 4350
E-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary: Jo Nelhams, 61 Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS. Tel 020 8449 7076.
E-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer: Jim Nelhams, 61 Potters Road, Barnet, EN5 5HS Tel 020 8449 7076.
E-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Membership Sec: Stephen Brunning, 1 Reddings Close, Mill Hill, London NW7 4JL.
E-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk Tel 020 8959 6419
Web site: www.hadas.org.uk
Discussion group: http://groups.google.com/group/hadas-archaeology

Newsletter-569-AUGUST-2018

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No. 569                                   AUGUST 2018          Edited by Jim Nelhams

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming lectures and events

Thursday September 13thQuiz at Avenue House – 7:30 – £15 including a cooked supper.

HADAS regularly fields a team. Contact Stephen Brunning if you would like to be involved.

September 17th – 21st – Long trip to East Anglia staying in Brome.

Wednesday 3rd October – Finds Group Course recommences.

Tuesday 9th October 2018: Unrolling Egyptian Mummies in Victorian London by Gabriel Moshenska, Senior Lecturer in Public Archaeology, UCL

 Thursday October 11th – Quiz at Avenue House – 7:30 – £15 including a cooked supper.

HADAS regularly fields a team. Contact Stephen Brunning if you would like to be involved.

Until 12th October – Bluecoats in the City – FREE Exhibition at Museum of London. Article below.

Until 28th October – “Roman Dead” at London Docklands Museum. See following article Throughout October – Huguenot Month – Information below.

Tuesday 13th November 2018: The Rose – Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse – a film made by Suzanne Marie Taylor, Anthony Lewis and Siegffried Loew-Walker. The documentary film will be introduced by one of the filmmakers, Anthony Lewis. The film’s highlight is HADAS member Suzanne Marie Taylor’s interview with one of the world’s greatest and most respected actors – Ian McKellen, who speaks about his own personal experience during the 1989 Save the Rose Campaign when the Rose was partially excavated by the Museum of London. The film was premiered at Canada House on February 2nd 2017.

Sunday 9th December – HADAS Christmas Lunch at Avenue House. 12:30 – 4 p.m. £30 including full Christmas dinner. Application form to follow.

Lectures start at 7.45 for 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3

3QE. Buses 13, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley Central Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the talk. .

 

 

ROMAN DEAD – Exhibition at London Docklands Museum

Piecing together burials and beliefs in Roman London                                                             Deirdre Barrie

 

This compact exhibition at the London Docklands Museum is well worth a visit. Not only are there the expected skeletons and cremated remains of over 30 Roman Londoners, but a great deal of other interesting material.

It was the discovery of a huge stone coffin in Harper Road, Southwark which inspired this exhibition. The coffin was for the burial of a wealthy woman – costly, because no local stone is available. Most cremations use only pottery vessels, but higher status cremations have lead or glass vessels.

The burials and cremations in London demonstrate the diversity of the local population, who came to London from all over the Empire. One gravestone commemorates a man who came from the modern city of Arezzo, in Italy. Another third century tombstone was set up in memory of Marciana, a ten-year-old girl. and hints at her origin being from the Rhine or Danube area. Roman gravestones are often discovered reused in later buildings.

Burials had to be outside the central city, and there would also have been tombs beside roads leading there. (Think of the tombs lining the Appian Way). However, babies or newborns were sometimes buried near threshholds or under the floors of buildings.

I was intrigued by a mass of clumped, corroded soil enclosing a pair of Roman sandals. The X-ray photograph beside it showed clearly the outline of the soles by their studs, and beside that was a shiny, new reconstruction of similar sandals.

The millefiori glass dish found in Prescot Street, near Aldgate was worth more than a year’s wages for a Roman army officer. Its patterned glass was once brilliantly coloured red and blue, but after 2000 years has faded.

Entry to the exhibition is free, but donations are welcome. Minimum visitor age: 8.

Website:  https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museumlondondocklands/whatson/exhibitions/romandead

Open until 28th October 2018; open 10 am-6pm. The Docklands Museum entrance is two minutes’ walk from West India Quay Station. Access is good, wheelchairs are provided, but there are cobbles outside the entrance.

Tomb fragments                       Millefiori glass dish

 

 

Cremations and vessels

 

Huguenot Month Launches in Spitalfields

October is Huguenot Month!  Huguenots of Spitalfields have a packed programme of events to celebrate these extraordinary, creative and talented people.

Huguenots were French Protestant refugees who fled persecution during the 16th to 18th centuries, many of whom settled in London. They contributed their skills to many fields, including silkweaving, furniture design, spinning and dyeing, silversmithing, clock making and jewellery.

Highlights include:

 Take a step back in time – Visit the unique and atmospheric ‘still-life drama’ of Dennis Severs’ House – a beautiful Georgian house in Folgate Street.

Enjoy a Georgian-Style ‘Back in Time for Dinner’ 

Find out how to trace your Huguenot ancestors

Hear how Queen Anne’s ladies- in- waiting prepared for her dazzling candlelit birthday ball, at the Townhouse in Fournier Street.

Hear Dan Cruickshank talk about Queen Mary II, and enjoy a gin and tonic.

Take a room-by-room tour of a Georgian house in Spitalfields to eavesdrop on those living and working in the kitchen, parlour, bed chamber and garret.

Come along to a ‘Skills Day’ for all the family : Try craft activities from collage and embroidery to paper making and plant dyes,  admire and buy the work of talented artisans including textile art, stained glass and jewellery, inspired by Huguenot skills.

Saturday 20th October, in the Crypt of Christ Church and Hanbury Hall Spitalfields, 11am to 4pm.

For full programme visit: http://www.huguenotsofspitalfields.org/walksevents.html

Contact: Charlie de Wet at info@huguenotsofspitalfields.org or telephone 020 7247 0367.

Huguenot Month is supported by the City of London Corporation as part of their initiative, ‘Women: Work and Power.’

Huguenots of Spitalfields is a registered charity (no. 1151801) promoting public understanding of Huguenot heritage and culture in Spitalfields and beyond.

*********

Bluecoats in the City: 350 Years of Christ’s Hospital      Jim Nelhams Museum of London until 12th October

Explore the history of the ‘Bluecoat School’ in London in this small free display.

In 1546, the former buildings and church of Greyfriars monastery in Newgate Street were given to the City of London for the benefit of the poor, elderly and sick. The buildings were used to establish Christ’s Hospital; founded in 1552 for the education of poor children. The School became known as the ‘Bluecoat School’ because of its distinctive uniform of navy coats and yellow stockings.

Two pupils in normal uniform in the cloisters which adjoin the quadrangle.

 

Painting of the old school in Newgate Street.  The tower of Christ Church is on the right.

After 350 years in London, the School moved to the market town of Horsham in 1902, but its strong bonds to the City of London remain. Since opening, Christ’s Hospital has educated, lodged, fed and clothed more than 65,000 children. Today the School continues its mission to advance the education of children, mainly for the benefit of those whose families are in social, financial or other specific need. Although officially a public school, over 80% of the pupils do not pay the full fees, with some 15% paying nothing.

This new display delves into the history behind the School’s creation, its iconic uniform, historic practices, charitable benefactors, and some of its famous pupils including Charles Lamb and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

The original site was on Newgate Street close to the Old Bailey. When the school moved to Horsham, the site was used by the Post Office. The church of Christ Church Greyfriars was used by the school pupils among others, but total attendances declined after 1902. The church was badly damaged in the blitz in December 1940, though has not been fully demolished. Part of the old churchyard became “Postman’s Park”.

The school site is now occupied by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and in 2017, they sponsored a sculpture to commemorate their predecessors on the site.

Sculpture erected  in 2017 at junction of Newgate Street and King Edward Street with ruins of Christ Church in the background.

 

The school has a strong musical tradition and boasts a large marching band, well used since pupils march from their boarding houses to lunch on most days. The band has played at lunchtime for Lord’s test matches, and at Twickenham for rugby internationals. It takes part each year in The Lord Mayor’s Show. In addition, parts of the school march through the City of London to a church service marking St Matthew’s Day (21st September). Should you choose to visit the museum on this day, you will be able to see the march. (Check the times.)

The school also boasts its own railway station on the line between Horsham and Arundel, and had a steam locomotive in the Southern Railway “Schools” class carrying its name – 30913 “Christ’s Hospital”.

Akiva School                                                                                                                           Jim Nelhams

Members will be aware that, as a charity, we include education in our remit. This is not just the education of ourselves, it includes the wider public. Over the years, we have had much contact with schools in the borough, and have carried out digs with some of them.

Akiva School is a Jewish school in East End Lane on the site of the medieval Bibsworth Manor and a few hundred yards from Avenue House. Back in November 2017, we received an email from one of the teachers at the school asking if there was any way the children could be involved in an archaeology project or if somebody could talk to them about archaeology.

There have been previous digs on the school site and it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. School security is tight. A dig within the school was not therefore practical.

This year, when we planned a dig near the water tower in Stephens House and Gardens, I contacted the school to see if, with this dig, we might help them, though for insurance reasons, having the children dig was not possible.

During the dig, the six classes in years 3, 4 and 5 (ages 8-10) were all given a half-hour presentation on archaeology and Avenue House before visiting the dig to see what we had done, some of the finds and some of our equipment. They also used measuring tapes and the dumpy level. Some 170 children were included.

Appreciative feedback has been received from the school.

A full report on the dig will appear in a later newsletter.

Wallingford and Dorchester Abbey                                                                                                 Don Cooper

This was a coach outing with the Barnet Museum and Local History Society (BM&LHS) to Wallingford and Dorchester Abbey on Saturday, 23rd June 2018. The coach with 44 eager passengers set off at 08.30 from the layby outside the BP garage on the Great North Road. It was a lovely sunny day.

On arrival at Wallingford we were “set free” to do our own thing. Wallingford is a pretty town by the banks of the Thames in Oxfordshire. It has a long history. In 1066 William the Conqueror came to Wallingford to cross the Thames with his army to negotiate terms for the surrender of the kingdom. The following year he ordered the building of a royal castle. It became the third great royal castle on the Thames after the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. The castle remained the main source of the wealth of Wallingford right up to the end of the Civil

War when Charles II ordered it to surrender to Cromwell. Cromwell ordered and paid for the castle’s demolition. There is little left of the castle, but it was lovely to walk along the bank of the Thames and marvel at how large the castle had been.

A stroll around the town with its market square and three lovely churches was thirsty work and a pint and sandwich at one of the many pubs was welcome.

The museum at Wallingford deserves a special mention for both good and bad reasons. The bad is it charges £5 entrance fee (although we were told we could come back as many times as we liked during the next year!). The good is that is it jam-packed with items from the area and from every period. It especially has memorabilia of Agatha Christie who lived in Wallingford with her archaeologist husband.

Then it was back on the coach at 15.30 for the short ride to Dorchester Abbey. Dorchester on Thames as its name implies was a Roman town and the seat of a bishopric from AD634 when Pope Honorius had sent St Birinus to be its first bishop.

The bishopric was transferred to Lincoln in 1085. The abbey was founded in 1140 by the Augustinian canons although there are traces on the north side of Saxon masonry. The abbey is famous for its lead font, one of the few surviving lead fonts in England; its surviving effigies, especially the well-known “Swaggering Knight”; its Jesse Tree window; and an ornately carved sedilia and piscina dating from 1330. We were given a conducted tour by volunteer guides who were both knowledgeable and helpful.

At the end of the tour we were treated to a magnificent cream tea. A beautiful abbey well worth another visit.

Then it was back on the coach for the return to Barnet. It was a splendid day ably organised by Denis Bird.

OTHER SOCIETIES’ EVENTS                                                                                      compiled by Eric Morgan

Sunday 5th August, 2:30 – Finchley Society – unveiling of information panel about Octavia Hill – Green Man Community Centre, Strawberry Vale, East Finchley, N2 9AB.

Until 28th August – Exhibition at British Library – “James Cook – the voyages” – £14 entry but concessions. Booking suggested. Daily times vary. Check www.bl.uk for more information.

Friday 7th September, 7:45 – Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall Chase Side, Enfield, EN2 0AJ. Lecture “Exploring the Material Culture of Roman London” by Michael Marshall (MOLA). Visitors £1.

Saturday 8th September, 8:30 am. Barnet Museum and Local History Society. Coach trip to West Stow AngloSaxon Village and Bury St Edmunds. £25. Contact Dennis Bird, 020 8449 0705 for more information.

Monday 10th September, 3:00 – Barnet Museum & Local History Society. Church House, Wood Street, Barnet, EN5 4BW. Lecture “Miss Marjorie Honeybourne – an avid local historian” by Yasmine Webb. Visitors £2.

Thursday 13th September, 2:30 – London Parks & Gardens Trust. Tour of New Southgate Cemetery, Brunswick Park Road, N11 1JJ, led by Colin Barratt. £10.

Saturday 15th September, 10:30 – 4:00. Metroline Holloway Bus Garage, 37A Pemberton Gardens, N19 5RR. Open Day. Vehicle displays and Heritage vehicles. Admission by programme. Proceeds to charity.

Wednesday 19th September, 7:30. Willesden Local History Society. St Mary’s Church Hall, Neasden Lane, NW10 2TS. “An Evening with Brent Archive” by an archive team member about resources available to local historians.

Saturday 22nd September, 11:00 – 4:00. Barnet Museum and Local History Society with Barnet 1471 Battlefields Society – St John the Baptist Church, Wood Street, Barnet EN5 4BW. Day conference including –

  • 12:00 “Warwick & Edward IV” with questions at 1:00. By David Santuiste.  1:30 Lunch break
  • 2:30 “Richard III, man or Myth”. Gillian Gear memorial lecture by Alison Weir with questions. Tickets on door – £3, non-members £5.

Wednesday 26th September, 7:45. Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, North Middlesex Golf Club, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL. “Hendon School Excavations” by Don Cooper (our chairman). Non-members £2.

Thursday 27th September 8:00. Finchley Society – Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Lane, N3

3QE. “The Story of London’s Buses” – talk by Dr John Hodgson. Non-members £2. Refreshments at interval.

Saturday 6th October – 10:00 – 17:30 – London Archaeologist 50th Anniversary Conference at King’s College London, Waterloo Campus, Stamford Street, SE1 9NH. Booking for non-members opens August. Book online or contact Becky Wallower on www.Londonarchaeologist.org.uk. £16.76

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With many thanks to this month’s contributors:

Deirdre Barrie, Don Cooper, Eric Morgan

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Hendon and District Archaeological Society

            Chairman          Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS  (020 8440 4350)

e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk

            Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams   61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS      (020 8449 7076)

e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk

            Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS    (020 8449 7076)

e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk

            Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning 22 Goodwin Court, 52 Church Hill Road,

East Barnet EN4 8FH  (0208 440 8421)       e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk

Join the HADAS email discussion group via the website at:   www.hadas.org.uk

Newsletter-537-December-2015

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Newsletter-537-December-2015

No. 537                                   DECEMBER 2015                             Edited by Don Cooper

Doesn’t time go quickly, here we are in the middle of November looking forward to that end-of-year holiday period again!! Do the years go faster as we get older?  It seems like only yesterday that I edited last December’s one! 

May I, on behalf of the HADAS community, wish you and yours the compliments of the season and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2016. 

HADAS DIARY   

Tuesday 12th January, 8pm. Royal Palaces of Enfield. Lecture by Ian Jones (EAS)

Tuesday 9th February, 8pm. Medieval Middlesex – The Archaeological Remains     by Adam Corsini.

Tuesday 8th March, 8pm. The Crossrail Archaeology Project. Lecture by Jay Carver.

Tuesday 12th April 2016, 8pm. In the lift to the beach: a visit to the Lundenwic waterfront by Douglas Killock

Tuesday 10th May, 8pm. Hadrian’s Wall: Life on Rome’s northern frontier. Lecture by Matt Symonds.

Tuesday 14th June 2016    ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday 11th October 2016 To be arranged

Tuesday 8th November 2016, 8pm.  The Cheapside Hoard. Lecture by Hazel Forsyth

All the above events, unless otherwise stated, will be held at Stephens House & Gardens (formerly Avenue House), 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE, starting at 8pm, with tea/coffee and biscuits afterwards. Non-members are welcome (£1.00). Buses 82, 125, 143, 326 and 460 pass nearby. Finchley Central Station (Northern Line) is a short walk away.

Church Farm House                                                                                     by Don Cooper

Church Farm House, Hendon (formerly Church Farm House Museum) is STILL vacant. The museum was closed in March, 2011, so it won’t be long until the 4th anniversary of its closing. We are being assured by Barnet Council that it is secure and being properly maintained and Historic England have not felt it necessary to add it to the buildings-at-risk register published last month (October 2015). Negotiations, we are told, are proceeding with Middlesex University but have yet to result in the signing of a lease. 

Recent discoveries about Roman Britain                                        By Peter Pickering

On 7th November I went to a conference organised by the Roman Society and the Association for Roman Archaeology. There were four lectures describing very recent excavations with remarkable new discoveries from Roman Britain. One was of a late Roman temple site in south-west Wiltshire, with a spectacular set of finds, especially miniature amphorae and hammers, and a large number of coins, over 30 of which have iron nails in them – perhaps originally attached to pieces of cloth, or hammered into a wooden post. There are also some lead curse tablets. But no indication, as yet, of what god or gods might have been worshipped there.

Professor Michael Fulford took us over the eighteen years of his excavation of part of Insula

IX of Silchester, which has finally come to an end, discovering so much more than the Society of Antiquaries had been able to find at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We were all fascinated by the evidence of a flourishing business of skinning dogs, presumably to make fur cloaks – a knife was found carved with an image of mating dogs. It seemed at the end that Professor Fulford was weaning himself and his students slowly from the excavation, having done some work on another insula, re-excavating some of the trenches of the Society of Antiquaries.

Sam Moorhead then gave an account of the Romans west of Exeter.  

Although he was standing in for a lecturer who had been prevented from telling us about Binchester, the ‘Pompeii of the North’, no-one would have guessed this from his polished and fluent presentation. The discovery of the site at Ipplepen was due to two active and responsible metal detectorists (who recorded the GPS data for the many coins they found). The coins demonstrated that the Romans had not lost interest after they got to Exeter; geophysical surveying and excavation has already found many archaeological features over several acres, including a roadside cemetery. The dig has a strong community focus. Finally, Andrew Birley told us about the most recent work at Vindolanda, which continues to be one of the most important Roman sites in the country. He is the third generation of Birleys to work there. Among the finds he described were a gold coin of Nero, and the wooden toilet seat. The anaerobic conditions in parts of the site continue to reveal wooden writing tablets and other things which are usually lost. It looks as if the Vindolanda excavations will continue for many years.

 

The Sandridge Hoard                                                                                   by Jean Lamont

Members of HADAS may be interested to know that the Sandridge Hoard has now been conserved and has gone on display at the Verulamium Museum in St Albans. The Museum is open all year round and every day (Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 17.30 and Sunday from 14.00 to 17.30), for public holidays such as Christmas check with the Museum, tel. 01727 751 810.

The Sandridge Hoard consists of 159 gold solidi and is the largest collection of solidi ever found in this country: they date from 375-408 AD and represent more wealth than most people could earn in a lifetime. There is no trace of the original container. The guidebook suggests a connection with one of the local villas and mentions Turnershall Farm a few miles away, itself subject of a separate display. Well worth a visit. 

http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/verulamium/  Website gives details of entrance fees / parking etc

 

Lyndhurst Trip – continued

Our aim on our trips is to visit a variety of places without spending too long on the coach. These cover a range of interests, with twenty of our travellers submitting interesting newsletter contributions about our stops, and related topics. Our thanks to all who have put pen to paper. 

Day 2 started with one of our longer excursions – one hour to Stonehenge.

Visit to Stonehenge                                                                                                       Liz Gapp  

 

 

Our coach dropped us at Stonehenge in time for entry timed for 10.30. As the threatened rain was holding off, most of us decided to get the shuttle bus to visit the monument first, before visiting the visitor centre. Some people walked the 1¼ miles to the site; some later also walked back.

 

We had all been provided with audio tour guides. There were numbers on the site which went from 1 to 8 corresponding to the audio descriptions. These descriptions also gave additional numbers for more detailed information about specific aspects. The descriptions pointed out that Stonehenge is the only stone circle with lintels; there are 300 later mounds around the circle using it as a focal point; the monument is not a true henge as the ditch is inside the defensive mound, not outside it; it was all built over a period dating 3,000 – 2,000 BC; the famous bluestones reputedly from the Preseli Hills in Wales are the smaller of the upright stones, the larger ones being the Sarsen stones from a more local area, most likely the Marlborough Downs in North Wiltshire; the stones had been rearranged at various times in the past.  As you walk round the circle of the monument various features such as the Heel Stone and the Slaughter Stone are described. You are kept to the edge of the monument by barriers, as the archaeology inside the barriers is deemed too fragile to be walked on.

 

Talking to people who knew the site from previous visits, it was felt the new approach, whether by shuttle bus or foot, was more atmospheric and a good way to enter the landscape. 

After returning to the interpretive centre (around midday), we went to the café and ate our lunch. Then we went to the exhibition, not large but with quite a few interesting video displays. After this we briefly walked round the reconstructed village of round houses. There we also saw two sample bluestones and a Sarsen stone, the latter in a frame to enable it to be moved. This was so that it was possible to feel the difference between the two stone types. The Sarsen frame was set up with a challenge for people to try and move it, with pressure gauges to highlight how much effort it would take to move it, and showing that in practice it  would have taken 200 people to move it.

 

We returned to the coach just after 13.00, although it wasn’t due to depart until 13.30. We were lucky, the rain had held off until just as we were due to leave the site, despite forecasts predicting an earlier start to the rain. Although not the warmest, it was a very enjoyable and rewarding visit.

 

Old Sarum                                                                                                          Peter Nicholson

 

The grey skies which had threatened, but mercifully held off during our visit to Stonehenge began to rain at a sprinkle on the coach trip to Old Sarum, then dampened us more and more. This curtailed both the time we spent on site and the proportion of it we explored.

The boundaries of the site are those of an Iron Age hillfort probably from about 400 BC.

When the Normans arrived, ready-made defences seemed a bonus too good to ignore and William the Conqueror raised a motte and bailey castle inside in about 1070. Our access was easy – the coach park is in the outer bailey, so no need to climb a hill as at Danebury. The view in front of us was impressive. A deep ditch was crossed by a modern wooden bridge and, rising above us, the inner bailey with rubble cores of walls of extensive ranges of buildings remaining.

Besides castles, the Normans were great cathedral builders and, at Old Sarum, they built two in quick succession inside the hill fort. The first, begun about 1075 was small by their standards with three apses at the east end. The second, larger, cathedral is shown by the rubble cores of its walls, which remain to a little above ground level. The wall lines of the first cathedral, where they do not coincide, are shown by lines of modern paving.

Time moved on and so, unusually, did the cathedral. A hilltop site exposed to extremes of weather and inconvenient for trade had obvious disadvantages. Proximity to a Royal castle, which was politically advantageous in the eleventh century, had ceased to be so in the thirteenth when the Pope had excommunicated the King. After years of dissatisfaction and discord, the foundation stone of the present cathedral, on its site in the river valley below, was laid in 1220. After the cathedral went downhill, literally, Old Sarum did so metaphorically, suffering depopulation, and eventually became notorious as one of the rottenest of rotten boroughs.

Lyndhurst

With the inclement weather, we opted to return to the hotel. The rain having relented, it gave an opportunity for a brief walk around Lyndhurst itself. The town is quite small, with roads that do not lend themselves to modern traffic with frequent queues of traffic for some 400 yards from the traffic lights onto the High Street. Our hotel was at the northern end of the town opposite some open ground.

Race Course View  by Vicki Baldwin

Although the ‘view’ is now open ground where the New Forest ponies come to graze, in the 18th Century there really was a popular racecourse here that appears on contemporary maps and continued in use until the 1880s.

 

 

The Custards                                                                                                        Vicki Baldwin

Opposite the hotel a turning, Race Course View, had a sign stating that it led to The Custards, which turned out to be a rather unremarkable road with houses on either side.  It seemed a very strange name so I started to look on-line for an explanation.  The reason given on the website for ‘Rhubarb Cottage, The Custards, Lyndhurst (I know, I know!) was that there had been orchards on the site and the apples were eaten with custard.  This seemed rather an odd link until I remembered that there was a variety of cooking apple named Costard.  It would seem rather more logical that ‘The Custards’ is a corruption of ‘The Costards’ and these were the apples grown in the orchards.


 

Report on HADAS Lecture – October 2015                       by Ken Sutherland-Thomas Scientific Methods in Archaeology.   

                               

Lecture by Dr Caroline Cartwright from Department of Scientific Research at the British Museum.

The speaker’s primary areas of scientific expertise were identification and interpretation of organics such as wood, charcoal, fibres and other plant remains, shell, ivory and bones from all areas and time periods in the British Museum’s collections. She has led expeditions in many parts of the world.

The quite technical talk was illustrated with digital images of many of the objects under investigation. The many techniques used in analysis and investigation were discussed. She highlighted the fact that the processes used for this apply pre-excavation, during excavation and post-excavation as well as in conservation. Also highlighted was the need for outreach with emphasis on the requirement to publish results in an understandable form both in print and online; and to stage exhibitions.

The advance in analysis techniques including ever more sophisticated microscopes in the last couple of decades has been phenomenal and the hardware and software required mean an expenditure of many millions of pounds. Very few organisations can afford this expenditure.

The storage and archiving of objects is important as future techniques not yet discovered may well enable more information to be extracted from these objects.

The meeting, which was well attended, concluded with a question and answer session. Dr Caroline Cartwright was thanked for a very interesting lecture.

CROSSRAIL at Liverpool Street 

We have a lecture in March 2016 on the Archaeology discovered during the Crossrail project. Here is a taster from the Crossrail website

http://www.crossrail.co.uk/sustainability/archaeology/liverpoolstreet/  

The Bedlam burial ground was in use from 1569 to at least 1738, spanning the start of the

British Empire, civil wars, the Restoration, Shakespeare’s plays, the Great Fire of London and numerous plague outbreaks. 2015 marks the 350th anniversary of London’s last Great Plague in 1665 and archaeologists hope that tests on excavated plague victims will help understand the evolution of the plague bacteria strain.

The Bedlam burial ground, also known as Bethlem and the New Churchyard, is located at the western end of Liverpool Street. Over 20,000 Londoners are believed to have been buried at Bedlam between 1569 and 1738. It got its name from the nearby Bethlehem Hospital which housed the mentally ill, although only a small number of Bedlam residents are believed to have been buried there.

In June last year Crossrail invited 16 volunteers to scour parish records from across the capital to create the first extensive list of people buried at Bedlam. 

The resulting database of over 5,300 names and backgrounds is published on the Crossrail website and will inform Crossrail’s archaeological excavation.

The Roman remains that archaeologists uncovered at the Liverpool Street station tell a very different story from the Bedlam burial ground skeletons. Initially, skulls found in a small river channel were interpreted as wash-out from a Roman cemetery somewhere upstream.  But the discovery in May 2015 of a reused cooking pot full of cremated human bones changed archaeologists’ minds…..

Be sure and put a note in your diaries for what I’m sure will be an exciting lecture.

A Member’s Lecture                                                                         by Don Cooper

Stewart Wild is giving a lecture to the Mill Hill Historical Society at Trinity Church, Mill

Hill Broadway, on 13th January 2016 at 14.30 to 16.00 on the following subject: “History of Stevens’ ink and its Finchley connection” 

Other Societies’ Events                                                                     by Eric Morgan

Thursday, 7th January 2016 at 10.30 am. Pinner Local History Society, Town Hall, Chapel

Lane Car park, Pinner. “Memories of the Queen’s Coronation.” a talk by Terry Jenkins. Visitors £2, Please note the earlier time.

Monday, 11th January 2016, at 15.00 Barnet Museum and Local History Society, Church House, Wood Street, Barnet (opposite Museum). “Photographic History of Charing Cross Road.” Talk by Bob Kayne. Visitors £2.

Wednesday, 13th January 2016 at 19.45 Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, Corner Ferme Park Road/Weston Park N8 9PX. “The Friern Hospital Story.” Talk by David

Berguer (Chair, Friern Barnet and District Local History Society). Visitors £2 Refreshments.

Friday, 15th January 2016, at 19.00 City of London Archaeological Society (COLAS), St Olave’s Church Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB. “The Temples and Gods of Roman London.” Talk by Dominic Perring (Institute of Archaeology University College London). Visitors £2.

Thursday, 21st January, 2016 at 19.30 Camden History Society, Venue details not yet available.Dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park.” Talk by Professor Joe Cain. Visitors £1. Further details, visit www.camdenhistorysociety.org  or Telephone Mrs. Jane Ramsay on 0207586 4436 (acting secretary)

Thursday, 28th January 2016, at 14.30 Finchley Society, Drawing Room, Avenue House, (now Stephens’ House and gardens) East End Road, N3 3QE. “Women and Medical Care in the First World War.” Talk by Dr. Susan Cohen. Non-members £2, refreshments (Please notice earlier time. 

Acknowledgements  

Thanks to our contributors: Peter Pickering, Jean Lamont, Vicki Baldwin,  Ken Sutherland-Thomas, Liz Gapp, Peter Nicholson and Eric Morgan.

 

Newsletter-549-December-2016

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Newsletter-549-December-2016

No. 549                                   DECEMBER 2016                             Edited by Don Cooper

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year.

HADAS Diary

Sunday 11th December 2016 HADAS Christmas Party at Stephens House and Gardens (formerly Avenue House) from 12.30 to 4.00 pm

Tuesday 10th January 2017: My Uncle, the Battle of Britain VC, by James Nicolson

Tuesday 14th February 2017: London Ceramics at time of the Great Fire, by Jacqui Pearce

Tuesday 14th March 2017: Bugging the Nazis in WW2: Trent Park’s Secret History, by Helen Fry

Tuesday 11th April 2017: to be confirmed

Tuesday 9th May 2017: The Cheapside Hoard by Hazel Forsyth

Tuesday 13th June 2017: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday 10th October 2017: The Curtain Playhouse Excavations, by Heather Knight, MOLA

Tuesday 14th November 2017: The Battle of Barnet Project, by Sam Wilson

 

Lectures start at 7.45 for 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road,

Finchley N3 3QE. Buses 82, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley Central Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the talk.

Women in Medieval London – Professor Caroline Barron                      by Vicki Baldwin

Professor Barron’s talk dealt mainly with the period following the Black Death (1348-9) during which women appeared to become more prominent as members and practitioners of skilled trades.  Her sources were Custumals, Mayor’s Court records, City Livery Company records, Parish Records, Indentures and Wills.  Custumals were compiled over time and record the obligations and acceptable practises in a particular manor or town.  The records of City Livery Companies mainly date from the 15th Century, although a few have material from the 14th Century.  There were 100 parish churches but only around 30 have records that are Pre-Reformation.  Few original Indentures of Apprenticeship survive as once the term of apprenticeship had expired they had no use.  Wills could be made by married women with their husbands’ consent, and by single women and widows, and provide some indication of the financial status of a certain group of women.  Personally I suspect that even though the general workforce was diminished by the ravages of the Black Death, the majority of women would never have been in a position to be apprenticed to, and subsequently follow independently, a trade.

Custumals afforded women a number of opportunities not available outside towns.  If a woman followed a trade that was not that of her husband, the City Custumal allowed her to claim the status of a feme sole, a single woman, as opposed to a feme covert or married woman.  This enabled her to make contracts, sue or be sued, and to take on male or female apprentices to her trade.

Girls could be apprenticed to a Master or a Mistress, and some fathers left money in their wills so their daughters could be indentured.  In some cases women apprenticed themselves to a trade.  At the end of the period of apprenticeship boys became Freemen or citizens, whereas the skills the girls had acquired probably made them more marriageable.  As some of the female apprentices came from minor gentry, presumably their skills would help swell the family coffers until such time as they married.  The City of London oversaw the welfare of both male and female apprentices, and would punish their Masters and Mistresses for mistreating them.  For example, one Alice Boston who had prostituted her apprentice, was imprisoned and on three market days led from prison, accompanied by pipers or other musicians, and made to stand in the pillory for an hour with the reason for the punishment proclaimed.

The status of feme sole allowed a woman to claim the legal and economic advantages of a Freewoman and she could petition to be allowed to trade outside London, unlike a Freeman she could play no part in the political life of her guild or trade.  In addition, women who were living with their husband at the time of his death could also claim to be Freewomen as long as they remained unmarried and ran their husbands’ businesses.

In conclusion, this was an interesting talk that covered the opportunities available for a relatively small number of women at a specific point in history.

From Peter Pickering

I was interested to read the reference in the November newsletter to Gildas, since I recently went to a lecture at the British Library about this gentleman by Dr Rowan Williams, who was recently Archbishop of Canterbury, and is now Master of Magdalene College Cambridge. He was talking about Gildas’s education and the books to which he had access (which was why it was appropriate to the British Library). Gildas was more a polemicist than a historian in the sense we know it to-day; his prime purpose was to excoriate the kings and clergy of the Britons after the end of Roman domination, and to blame them for the terrible state the country was in (does this remind you of today’s politicians?). He does not speak of Arthur by name, but rather of the British victory at Mount Badon, at which other writers tell us Arthur led the British.

The lecture on Gildas was the first of a series of three. The second was on Bede and his library; Bede was much more a historian in the modern sense – interested in dates, and quoting sources – though he is biassed towards the Anglo-Saxons and against the Britons, whom he regards as inferior Christians. The third lecture, which I was unfortunately unable to go to, was about Nennius, a very shadowy figure who may have been the author of a ninth-century history of the Britons which connects Arthur with the battle of Mount Badon. I hope the lectures will be published in due course.

I also look forward to the results of the excavations at Tintagel; I viewed the site in the distance from the Victorian hotel now called Camelot Castle (run by scientologists) on a trip to Cornwall in the summer.

 

The Greek Pompeii                                                                                                  by Don Cooper

Akrotiri, a Minoan site, on the volcanic island of Santorini (called Thera in classical times) it is known as the “the Pompeii of Greece”. After a volcanic eruption, which destroyed the settlement and covered it with metres deep of pumice in 1627 BCE the site disappeared from view for 3½ thousand years. Although known about from the mid-19th century, excavations were not begun until 1967 and are still being carried out despite a number of pauses. They were initially carried out by Spyridon Marinatos of the Archaeological School in Athens, who died on site in 1974 and is buried by the side of it.

It seems that the volcanic eruption was preceded by severe earthquakes probably causing the population to leave the site (and go to Crete?) as no evidence of human remains have been found. The settlement was large about 20 hectares (c.50 acres), and with its sophisticated three-storey buildings, elaborate drainage system and street layouts it was an important place. It also seems to have been wealthy as witnessed by magnificent wall paintings, furniture and pottery vessels.

My wife and I visited Akrotiri in September 2005 where sadly about an hour after our visit and while we were driving back to our hotel, the “bioclimatic” roof over the site collapsed, killing one British tourist and injuring six tourists from other countries. The site staff had been watering the grass roof when one of the pillars supporting it gave way. Eight people were persecuted and subsequently jailed. The “bioclimatic” roof had recently replaced an asbestos one. The site then remained closed for seven years.

My wife went back in October this year (2016) and the change was amazing. The new entrance see (fig. 1) was landscaped and there are picnic areas and good toilet facilities.

Figure 1:  The new entrance

In the interim, there have been further excavations which have highlighted the multi-storey nature of many of the buildings as well as improving the definition of the street layout. So far only about 40 buildings have been uncovered which probably represent no more that 5% of the site. The whole Akrotiri harbour has not yet been excavated.

The volcanic ash which gets everywhere, has provided great preservation but means that the place looks as though it could do with a good hoovering! (Fig: 2 & 3).

The journey around the site is now largely on raised walkways so that you are looking down on the various features.

Figure 2: Earthquake damage to staircase

Figure 3: New areas

 

There are information plaques on the walkways around the excavation but it is a feature of the site is that there isn’t an official guide book nor indeed any book on the site for sale locally. However, there are local human guides that will show you around for 60 Euro.

The museum associated with the site is in the islands capital – Thera. It is an excellent museum with the artefacts well displayed – but still no written literature! The museum highlights the magnificent wall paintings – many now in Athens museum, the furniture, tables and chairs as well as the extensive pottery vessels. The various imported artefacts highlight the extent of Akrotiri’s trade links with items from Cyprus, Egypt, Syria and the Greek mainland. The photos below show various aspects of the displays: a wall painting, pottery vessels and an oven.

If possible it is best to visit the museum first before going to the site as it gives you a better understanding of this amazing site. Further information can be gleaned from the many web sites that have write-ups on the site.

Report on the Gillian Gear Memorial Lecture 4th November 2016

It is hard to believe that it is over a year since Dr Gillian Gear PhD MBE died and those of us who knew her still miss her. She was the driving force at the Barnet Museum and a fountain of local knowledge.

This inaugural lecture took place at Chipping Barnet Library and between 45 and 50 people heard a fascinating lecture about Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (known as the “Kingmaker”) by Karen Clark. Karen Clark is a historian and author who has just published a book entitled “The Nevills of Middleham”, the book is for sale at Waterstones in Barnet.

The lecture was entitled “Warwick’s War” and she described the many battles that the Earl was involved in. Indeed it seems that if there was a battle then Warwick was there, he fought on both sides of the War of the Roses. He was also involved in fighting at sea. After success at the first battle of St Albans, he was made Captain of Calais, later Admiral. During his time there he acted inter alia as a pirate capturing and plundering a fleet of Hanseatic salt ships on their way to Lubeck and capturing six ships of the Castilian fleet. England was not, at that time, at war with either Castile or the Hanse.

His luck ran out at the Battle of Barnet in 1471 where he was killed. His body was brought with other nobles killed to London and put on display at St Pauls Cathedral to prove to the populous that he was dead. He was later buried at Bisham Abbey.

This was a very enjoyable lecture although the complexities of the relationships during the “War of the Roses” was difficult to understand.

Editor’s note:

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, known as “The Kingmaker” as a pirate.

Following the lecture, and not having known that Warwick indulged in piracy, I consulted the annuals of British Naval history notably “The Safeguard of the Sea” A Naval History of Britain 660 to 1649 by N.A.M Roger (Professor of Naval History at Exeter University) published in 2004 by Penguin Books, from which I quote.

“The Earl of Warwick became Captain of Calais in 1456, and soon showed himself a skilful and unscrupulous exponent of sea power, building his squadron on the revenue of the Wool Staple* and the plunder of unrestrained piracy. In 1458 he took six prizes out of a Castilian fleet. They at least were enemies, which the Hansa and Genoese, whom he plundered soon after, were not. All this was extremely popular in England where people cared nothing for legality or diplomatic consequences and saw only an English commander whose bold deeds did something to restore battered national esteem.” P153.

“In May 1460 Warwick’s squadron met the Lancastrian fleet under the Duke of Exeter at sea in the Channel, and Exeter ran away. The next month Warwick raided Sandwich, where the royal fleet lay and captured the entire force.” P154

In 1469 Warwick was at war with the Hansa. He captured a Flemish fleet in the Channel and was blockaded in Honfleur by an English and Burgundian fleet from which he escaped.

The Hansa and the Burgundians had their revenge when in March their fleet brought Edward 1V back to England and on 14th April 1471 Warwick was killed at the Battle of Barnet and his fleet surrendered.

In between all this piracy Warwick found time to change sides and help to install Henry V1 in October 1470 having previous helped to install Edward 1V after the battle of Northampton in 1461 – thus earning the title of “The Kingmaker”

N. A. M. Roger, 2004. ““The Safeguard of the Sea” A Naval History of Britain 660 to 1649” London/ Penguin Books. P153-154

The Wool Staple

The Wool Staple was a trading stratagem whereby a government required that all trade in certain designated goods could only be transacted at specific towns or ports. Calais was designed as the port for wool. All wool sold overseas was taken first to Calais, then under English control. Under this system, Calais itself was called ‘the Staple’. The trade was dominated by the Merchants of the Staple who, from 1363, had been granted the exclusive right to trade raw wool in Calais.

The English system remained in place for nearly two centuries, though it would decline in importance as exports of finished cloth were substituted for exports of raw wool. With the fall of Calais to the French, in 1558, the staple moved again to Bruges.

Warwick was able to impose and extract levies on the trade.

Jenckes, A L. 1908. “The Origin, Organisation and the Location of the Staple in England” Philadelphia/ University of Pennsylvania

Report on the lecture by Lyn Blackmore                           by Peter Pickering

Many thanks to Lyn Blackmore of Museum of London Archaeology for stepping in at very short notice when Hazel Forsyth cancelled the advertised lecture. Lyn took as her subject From Londinium to Lundenburgh – the development of Anglo-Saxon London. Her talk, well-illustrated with slides of pottery and other artefacts was, actually, almost as much an account of the steady development since the war in our knowledge of the area between the City of London and Westminster as it was of the development of Anglo-Saxon London itself.

The defences of the Roman walled city of Londinium were being strengthened as late as the beginning of the fifth century, but for whatever reason, the early Anglo-Saxons avoided it, though St Paul’s cathedral is mentioned in a seventh-century charter. For a long time where actually the Anglo-Saxons had lived in the London area was a mystery. Then, from the 1960s, when excavations at the Treasury site in Whitehall uncovered a well-preserved ninth-century settlement, the real Anglo-Saxon London began to emerge. In 1972 Saxon pottery was identified on the site of Arundel House on the Strand; evidence accumulated over the next ten years, and from 1984 the major excavations at the Royal Opera house, Covent Garden, found Lundenwic, a planned town established from AD 670s by Wulfhere of Mercia, or Hlothere and/or Eadric of Kent, which became the port of Mercia. Here, then, was the metropolis described by Bede in the early eighth century. To the east of Lundenwic, towards the Treasury, recent discoveries of sarcophagi and a tiled structure (perhaps a temple) near the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields have confirmed antiquarians’ accounts and show that Anglo-Saxons did not avoid this significant late Roman site. There were major fires in Lundenwic late in the eighth century, but it continued to flourish into the ninth century; then came Viking attacks, and people began to return to the old Roman city, which was re-established and refortified by Alfred the Great in 886. Lundenwic was forgotten, though some memory survived in the name ‘Aldwych’, (the old ‘wic’).

Lyn believes that there is still more evidence of the Anglo-Saxons waiting to be discovered; the small excavation for a lift-shaft in the Adelphi building, described for us at our May meeting, which found some of the Lundenwic waterfront, is a good omen. But Lyn thinks there is unlikely ever to be another site like the Royal Opera House – the Law Courts in the Strand will not be redeveloped for a long time, and shall we ever know if there was a temple of Apollo where Westminster Abbey now is?

BRADFORD Trip – Day 2   Jim Nelhams

Unlike Henrietta Barnet, who had long visits to Bristol (see November newsletter), the HADAS contingent had only a few hours to explore, starting at SS Great Britain.

“SS Great Britain”                                                                                                   Kevin McSharry

Day 2 of the HADAS expedition to Bradford-on-Avon and environs, was to Bristol.

The highlight for me was the visit to the “SS Great Britain”. The story of this mighty vessel, and the many, many people associated with this ship, is both epic and heroic.

 

 

Fig: 5 Launch of the SS Great Britain by Prince Albert 18th June 1843

 

 

Fig 4 Isambard Kingdom Brunel

 

 

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a visionary engineer designed “SS Great Britain”. The “Britain’s” supersize hull made her, at that time, the biggest, strongest ship ever built.. She was fitted with a ground-breaking steam powered screw propeller, instead of the conventional paddle wheels, the very latest in maritime technology; the most powerful steam engine ever afloat; a balanced rudder, designed to make steering the ship easier for the crew … …. I could go on but suffice it to say “The Britain” was at the cutting edge of technology for its day.

“The Britain” had a long working life from 1845 to 1933. A working life brilliantly recounted in the inter-active exhibition that tells the life-story of this Leviathan of the seas from its inception to its abandonment in Sparrow’s Cove in the Falklands in 1937.

“The SS Great Britain” has been lovingly and meticulously restored, as a result one experiences what the “Britain” was like in its heyday for the crew and the passengers, 1st Class to Steerage. It would take days to do justice to this magnificent restoration of our heritage. My appetite was whetted for further visits.

Just as it was ground-breaking technology that enabled the building of the “SS Great Britain” it was ground-breaking technology that enabled its rescue from Sparrow’s Cove in the Falkands and its later restoration e.g. the floating pontoon which returned the “Britain” to Bristol, her birthplace, to the desert-like moisture reduced atmosphere that prevents the deterioration of the iron hull.

The visit left me with a kaleidoscope of reflections and emotions. The heroism of the men, who crewed the “Britain” through the “roaring 40s”, the genius of those who collaborated with Isambard Brunel to bring his brain-child to fruition; the intrepid daring and boldness of our Victorian forbears. In these post-Brexit days and the hysteria about immigrants, I pondered the fact that Brunel was the son of an immigrant and how Isambard enriched and garnered with honours this land of Britain that his father had adopted. I believe there is a message, a lesson for us.

Hoorah!  For the “SS Great Britain” and for all that the “Britain” and the people associated with it, from its birth to its honourable retirement, stands for. An epic saga filled with heroes.

I heartily commend a visit to the “SS Great Britain”.

 

                                                                                                    SS Great Britain as she is today.

Clifton Suspension Bridge                                                                                       Sylvia Javes

Figure 6: The Clifton Suspension Bridge

The Clifton Suspension bridge is an elegant structure almost 75 metres above the Avon Gorge, between Clifton and Leigh Woods, Bristol. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who won a competition to design a bridge in 1830 at the age of 24. Work began, but the Bristol riots in 1831 caused investments to dry up. However, work resumed and by 1841 towers on the Leigh side were completed, but again money ran out and work was abandoned.

Brunel died in 1859, and it was decided to complete the bridge in his honour. Two engineers, John Hawkshaw, a railway and bridge engineer, and William Henry Barlow, who designed the St Pancras rail terminus, picked up the brief and completed it. The bridge finally opened in 1864.

Four wrought iron chains from Brunel’s Hungerford pedestrian bridge (demolished to make way for a rail bridge) were used, together with new ones for the uppermost layer. They built a more robust deck than Brunel had planned and there were other variations caused by the reuse of the existing chains. Its 214m span was the longest in Britain at the time.

The towers, 26.2 meters high, are in unadorned rough stone, rather than Brunel’s formal Egyptian style, complete with lions.

The bridge was constructed by workers working from a ‘traveller’ suspended on ropes, from which they joined individual links to make up the chains. The chains are anchored in tunnels 25 metres long at each end of the bridge. Suspension rods were hung from the links in the chains, girders hang from these to support the deck. The deck is almost a metre higher at the Clifton end than at Leigh Woods, but it appears horizontal.

The Bridge is a Grade 1 listed structure which still has around 99% of its original parts. When maintenance work takes place, care must be taken to replace parts like for like. It is maintained by the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust, a non-profit making charity. The Trust receives no financial assistance and all maintenance and operating costs must be covered by the toll, £1 for cars and motor cycles. Pedestrians, cycles and horses cross free of charge. About 11-12,000 vehicles cross every day.  There is a weight limit of 4 tons, which meant that our coach had to park on the Clifton side and we walked across to the visitor centre on the Leigh Woods side, enjoying the view along the gorge as we crossed.

 

BRISTOL MUSEUM and ART GALLERY                                                                     Jeffrey Lesser

It was with a depressing feeling of déjà vu that I entered the 1st floor of the Museum by the side entrance. The exhibits of glass cupboards stuffed with tableaux of stuffed animals and birds were very similar to those in the pre-War local museum of my childhood; they might have been taken over directly. My spirits were only slightly lifted by an irrelevant, but donated, fully furnished Gipsy caravan.

But my mood was instantly changed by going up to the top floor to the Ceramic section.  One could see why Bristol in the 18th century was a noted centre of production and many examples were displayed with appropriate explanations. Particularly of note were specimens of the famous Bristol blue glass. An explanation of soft and hard porcelain was given together with some beautiful Chinese and Persian pieces which had stimulated British production. There were also examples of modern design including those from the 1930s.

The Museum was formed from two neighbouring buildings on a steep hill so there was a half-floor difference of level on each of the floors – a source of confusion when following the ground plans of the three floors. But the French Art, Old Masters and Age of Enlightenment galleries were comprehensive, the French Impressionists being well represented. In contrast there was an 17th century 4X3 metres piece of English art; it was a representation of all the animals entering the Ark and was marked by the ping-pong bats and balls which had struck it when displayed in the hall of its aristocratic owner. It was noticeable that there were many art students attempting their own versions – some very idiosyncratic. Reluctantly it was time to hurry on, lingering to see one of the earliest experimental aircraft, suspended in the central hall; a Bristol Boxkite. It was accompanied by an equally experimental – it seemed – short film of the ‘plane in flight. One can only marvel at the bravery of its pilot.

The ground floor is notable particularly for the section on Egypt, covering several periods with explanations of their developments. This, with the neighbouring display of Assyrian reliefs, seemed designed to stimulate the interest of children older than those for whom the nearby ‘Curiosity’ gallery was intended. I was interested to see this as it might have been similar to an 18th century ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’. But it was intended to whet the appetite of young children to ask “What” and “Why” and “When” by means of carefully designed interactive displays. From this approach, they could gain so much more from the otherwise static displays of geology and maps, metalwork and art, dinosaurs and sculpture that had tempted me.

After a stimulating afternoon, it was time regretfully to leave the Museum and literally go downhill towards the Cathedral and it’s Green.

Bristol Cathedral                                                                                                      by Peter Pickering

 

Figure 7: Bristol Cathedral

When we got down the hill from the art gallery, Bristol Cathedral appeared prominent across the grass, colourful flowers and water feature of College Green. The building is rather deceptive, in that the large nave, through which we entered, is much more recent than the eastern parts; it dates from the nineteenth century, and is the work of G E Street, architect of the Law Courts on the Strand.
Bristol was not built as a cathedral, but as an Augustinian abbey, and was made into a cathedral when the monasteries were dissolved; for three hundred years after that, there was no nave, but the heart of the church was the chancel. Archaeological investigations connected with the installation of underfloor heating may however reveal something about a mediaeval nave.
The earliest thing visible is a late Saxon carving of the ‘Harrowing of Hell’, though the cathedral as it stands contains no existing or known Saxon structure. There are however important Norman features, especially the remarkably complete chapter house, its walls covered with patterned arcades and geometrical forms. The Elder Lady Chapel is of the early thirteenth century, with carvings including one of a monkey dressed as a King and playing a pipe. But the chancel itself and the Lady Chapel behind it are from the beginning of the fourteenth century, in an innovative ‘Decorated’ architectural style.
Throughout the building are tombs and wall-monuments, perhaps most notably those to abbots, to the Berkeley family, and to eighteenth century citizens of Bristol, many of whom prospered from the slave trade.
A fascinating visit to a major building. It was salutary to learn that it was almost burnt down in 1831, in riots when the bishop voted against the Reform Bill.

 

Visiting Bristol                                                                                                                     Jim Nelhams

Our reconnaissance to Bristol for the trip proved an interesting exercise. How better than to use God’s Wonderful Railway as the GWR was known, and follow the route designed by Brunel. His grand plan was that you left London on his railway to Bristol, where you would board one of his ships to complete your journey to New York. So we started at Paddington without our marmalade sandwiches, but with time to visit Paddington’s statue on Platform 1 and his shop on Platform 11 before boarding our standard gauge train.

A bonus on reaching Brunel’s Temple  Meads station: Bristol busses accepted our London freedom passes for the ride to the city centre.

Our trips only provide a flavour of possible places to visit, during the Hadas trip we scheduled only four, but there are lots of other places, museums and churches worthy of interest. And a day trip by train is very straightforward.

Our return journey was by a different route (with work going on elsewhere), and included an unscheduled stop at Bradford on Avon for 5 passengers who had boarded the wrong train.

 

Other Societies’ Events                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    by Eric Morgan

Thursday, 16th December, 7.30pm, Camden History Society, Burgh House, New End Square, NW3 1LT. “Images of Camden Past and Present”. Talk by Gillian Tindall & Richard Landsdown. Visitors £1 with wine and mince pies from 7.00pm

Sunday, 18th December, 2.00pm, Jaywalks Enfield, Bush Hill Park, Meet Bush Hill Park Station, Queen Anne’s Place, Enfield. History guided walk lead by Joe Studman. Discover a conservation area with a surprising selection of historical associations. Cost £5 (Concessions £4). Lasts 90 minutes.

Thursday, 5th January, 10.30am, Pinner Local History Society, Village Hall, Chapel Lane Car Park, Pinner, “Cassiobury – The ancient seat of the Earls of Essex”. Talk by Paul Rabbitts on the untold story of the estate and family behind the Watford Park. Visitors £3

Monday, 9th January, 3pm, Barnet Museum and local history society, Church House, Wood Street, Barnet (opp. Museum). “The B to Z of street furniture”. Talk by Rob Kayne. Visitors £2

Wednesday, 11th January, 2.30pm, Mill Hill Historical Society, Trinity Church, The Broadway, NW7 “Fair shares for all – rationing in Britain during and after the 2nd World War”. Talk by David Evans.

Wednesday, 11th January, 7.45pm, Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, cnr Ferne Park Rd/Weston Park, N8 9PX. “Hornsey in WWI”. Talk by Nick Allaway. Visitors £2 Refreshments & Sales% information from 7.00.

Thursday, 12th January, 8.00pm, Historical Association (Hampstead and N W London Branch), Fellowship House,136a Willifield Way NW11 6YD (off Finchley Road in Temple Fortune). “Why was there no Socialism in America?”. Talk by Professor Lawrence Goodman.

Monday, 16th January, 8.00pm, Enfield Society, Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane, Enfield, EN2 0AJ. “Alms of Enfield and Edmonton between 1930’s and 1970’s”. Presented by Film London incl. Edmonton & Enfield charter days, Joint Meeting with Edmonton Hundred Historical Society.

Thursday, 19th January, 7.30pm, Camden History Society, at Camden local studies and & archive centre, 32-38 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8PY. “Twenty extraordinary Buildings on Primrose Hill”. Talk by Martin Sheppard. Visitors £1. (For further details visit www.camdenhistorysociety.org

Friday, 20th January, 7.00pm, COLAS, St. Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB. “Creating the Museum of London’s –Fire! Fire! Exhibition”. Talk by Meriel Jeater (MoLA). Visitors £2, Refreshments after.

Friday, 20th January, 7.30pm. Wembley History Society, English Martyr’s Hall, Chalkhill Road, Wembley, HA9 9EW9 (top of Blackbird Hill, adj. to the church). “From fire to fountain – Film and Television at Wembley Park”. Talk by Philip Grant (Brent Archives) commemorating over 100 Years of cinema and TV programmes made at Wembley, as its last TV studio closes. Visitors £3

Wednesday, 25th January, 7.45pm Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, North Middlesex Golf Club, The Manor House, Friern Barnet Lane, N20 0NL. “New Southgate”. Talk by Colin Barratt. Visitors £2, Refreshments including bar.

Acknowledgements:   Thanks to our contributors: Eric Morgan, Peter Pickering, Vicki Baldwin, Jeffrey Lesser, Sylvia Javes, Jim Nelhams, Kevin McSherry

Number-568-July-2018

By | Latest Newsletter, News, Volume 10: 2015 - 2019‎ | No Comments

Number 568 July 2018 Edited by Mary Rawitzer

HADAS DIARY – PROGRAMME 2018

Monday 17th to Friday 21st September 2018: Trip to East Anglia is full. There is a waiting list.

Tuesday 9th October 2018: Unrolling Egyptian Mummies in Victorian London by Gabriel
Moshenska, Senior Lecturer in Public Archaeology, UCL

Tuesday 13th November 2018: The Rose – Shakespeare’s Secret Playhouse – a film made by
Suzanne Marie Taylor, Anthony Lewis and Siegffried Loew-Walker. The documentary film will be
introduced by one of the filmmakers, Anthony Lewis. The film’s highlight is HADAS member
Suzanne Marie Taylor’s interview with one of the world’s greatest and most respected actors – Ian
McKellen, who speaks about his own personal experience during the 1989 Save the Rose Campaign
when the Rose was partially excavated by the Museum of London. The film was premiered at
Canada House on February 2nd 2017.

Lectures start at 7.45 for 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley
N3 3QE. Buses 13, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes’ walk from Finchley
Central Station (Northern Line). Tea/coffee and biscuits follow the talk. .
———————————————————————————————————————————-
Annual General Meeting. Jo Nelhams (Hon. Secretary)
The AGM was held on Tuesday June 12th at 7.30 pm. It was attended by 39 members with apologies
from another 16 members.
The Constitution stipulates that the President should be appointed every 5 years and Harvey Sheldon
has accepted to continue for a further 5-year period for HADAS.
The officers remain unchanged as Chairman: Don Cooper, Vice Chairman: Peter Pickering,
Treasurer: Jim Nelhams, Secretary: Jo Nelhams, Membership Secretary: Stephen Brunning. Seven
Committee members were willing to continue to serve: Bill Bass, Roger Chapman, Robin Densem,
Melvyn Dresner, Eric Morgan, Andrew Selkirk and Sue Willetts.

Vicki Baldwin was thanked for her service on the HADAS Committee. Vicki is moving to Cornwall
shortly and will be missed on the Committee and as a regular with the Sunday morning group and as
a digger. We wish her well.

Unfortunately we had no more volunteers willing to give time to being on the Committee – more
members are very much needed.

The Treasurer gave notice that he will retire from his office at the AGM in 2019 after 15 years, so
please give this some serious thought and let the Committee know if you could be interested.
The AGM was followed by a presentation by Jacqui Pearce, a follow-up from last year’s AGM
presentation on the work of HADAS’s Finds Group. It was very detailed and extremely informative
as the finds had a story to tell about the changes in people’s domestic lives through time. Those not
at the AGM missed a treat! A more detailed account will appear separately.

Thank you to all the members who came along to the meeting.

HADAS has a vacancy

As mentioned in the AGM report above, Jim Nelhams, who has been Honorary Treasurer of HADAS
for the last 14 years, has said that he will not be seeking re-election to that post at the 2019 AGM.
The Honorary Treasurer is one of the most important officers of the society. Jim has kindly offered
to shadow his replacement and explain the ins and outs of the Treasurer’s task.

If you would like to be considered for this honorary post please get in touch with either Jim or Don –
contact details at the back of this newsletter.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Membership Subscriptions Stephen Brunning (Membership Secretary)

Subscriptions for 2018/19 were due on 1st April. Many thanks to everyone who has already paid.
If you intend to renew, but have not yet done so, please send a cheque by 1st September to my
NEW ADDRESS as stated on the back page of this Newsletter. The old address in Mill Hill quoted
on the renewal form that was sent out in March should be ignored. Many thanks, Stephen.
________________________________________________________________________________
We have all been inundated with privacy policies recently. You will be pleased to know that
HADAS has one too and we publish it as follows:

The Hendon and District Archaeology Society (HADAS) personal data policy

May 2018

HADAS is committed to protecting your personal information, it’s your information, it’s personal
and we respect that. Our privacy policy gives you detailed information on when and why we collect
your personal information, how we use it and how we keep it secure.

Who we are and what we do:

The Hendon and District Archaeology Society (HADAS) is a registered charity in England and
Wales (charity no. 269949). Our web site is www.hadas.org.uk . Our purpose is the advancement of
archaeological and historical research and education for the public benefit with particular reference
to the archaeology and history of the London Borough of Barnet. Our members help us to achieve
this by paying an annual subscription which we use to further our purpose.

The personal data we hold and how we collect it

We collect personal data when a new member completes the information on the membership form.
This includes the member’s name, address, phone number, email address and payment details,
including any Gift Aid declaration as well as stated archaeological skills. If during membership a
member tells us of any changes, we will hold the new details in place of the old ones.

We hold members’ personal data for the following purposes:
 To keep a record of our members’ subscriptions paid and other payments for trips and events
 To claim Gift Aid on subscriptions and donations
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 To inform members about events, lectures and other activities

We do not share information with other members (other than the Committee), or with other
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Aid and the newsletter printer for names, postal addresses and email addresses). Our newsletters are
deposited with the British Library.

Access to your personal information

You can request to see, amend or delete the current personal information that HADAS holds about
you. We cannot delete archived information. If you ask us to delete all the current personal
information that HADAS holds then we will not be able to provide you with the benefits of
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How we protect your information

Members’ information is stored on virus-checked computers and files are exchanged via Dropbox.

How long will we hold your personal information?

If you ask us to delete your details, resign, or your membership subscription remains unpaid for 12
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in the future (unless you contact us to ask us to resume contact with you.

We keep records (Gift Aid) as long as required to comply with statutory requirements. In most cases
this will be for 6 years from the end of the tax year you resigned.

The Silver Caesars at Waddesdon Manor Audrey Hooson

On display at a Waddesdon Manor until July 22nd is ‘The Silver Caesars: A Renaissance Mystery’.
Known as the Aldobrandini Tazze, these twelve Renaissance standing cups each consist of an
intricately engraved dish showing a very selective version of the important events in the lives of each
Caesar, derived from the work of Roman historian Suetonius (written in the early second century
AD). Each has a statuette of the Caesar in the centre and a later added foot.

For those interested in the work of Renaissance goldsmiths the exhibition is important. However the
detailed engraved scenes are fascinating in themselves and also for the not always flattering
depictions of the Caesars.

The mystery is where they were made and for whom, as well as their history since then. There is a
very good booklet with excellent photographs to help with the stories.

The exhibition finishes on July 22nd, so there is still time to get there.
For more details see: https://www.waddesdon.org.uk/whats-on/

Barnet Medieval Festival Don Cooper

HADAS had a stall at the Barnet Medieval Festival which took place at Barnet’s Rugby Football
ground in Byng Road on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June 2018. The weather was sunny and hot for
the two days.


Re-enactors of the Battle of Barnet and the 2nd Battle of St Albans were out in force and re-fought
the battles with great gusto on both days to the enjoyment of the huge crowd.
There was a lot of interest in HADAS and the event certainly brought HADAS to local people’s
attention, who may not have heard of us before. Thanks to all who manned the stall and helped in
any way.

Abbey Road, Barking, Archaeological Excavation Robin Densem

Your correspondent went to visit the public open day in June 2018, having seen this publicity poster:

There were perhaps twenty visitors on site when I arrived around 11.30am. I was delighted to see Jo
and Jim Nelhams there. We joined a group of perhaps seven other visitors, including people from
other archaeological societies, while other parties were simultaneously being shown around the site.
We were conducted around the excavations by one of five or so Thames Valley Archaeological
Services (TVAS) archaeologists who were on site. TVAS is a commercial archaeological company
that has been commissioned to carry out the archaeological investigation of the site, in advance of its
redevelopment.
The historical background is that: “Barking Abbey was founded by Erkenwald, later Bishop of
London, in about AD 666 on a site possibly between the River Roding and its western tributary, the
Back River. It was dedicated to St Mary and St Ethelburga. In about AD 870 it was destroyed by the
Danes and not restored until about AD 965. Following its restoration it became one of the greatest
nunneries of England, the Abbess having precedence over all the other abbesses. The present ruins
date to the 12th century, when the abbey was rebuilt. Further alterations and rebuilding were
carried out in the early to mid 13th century. In 1377, the Abbey estate was devastated by floods, from
which it never fully recovered. The Abbey was suppressed in 1539, during the Dissolution of the
Monasteries, and dismantled in 1541.” (Historic England Barking Abbey: List Summary Entry
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1003581 accessed 16th June 2018).


As it was the week-end, no archaeological excavation work was actually being carried out. Gravel
paths bounded by site fencing had been laid out to enable safe and easy access (the gravel paths had
been laid over areas where archaeological excavation had been concluded).

The large 1.28ha (3.16 acres) site is proposed for redevelopment for housing, to provide blocks of
apartments. The former buildings of a late 20th century retail park (Abbey Retail Park) had been
demolished, and an archaeological evaluation (trial trenching) had been carried out on site by TVAS
in September 2015 (Hull G 2016 Abbey Retail Park (South), Abbey Road, Barking, London Borough
of Barking and Dagenham: An Archaeological Evaluation. Thames Valley Archaeological Services
report http://tvas.co.uk/reports/pdf/ARE15-191evreport.pdf ) (accessed 16th June 2018).
Our archaeologist explained that there had been a history of previous archaeological work by other
organisations on the site, and this had not been published in any detail. An interim report by Ken
MacGowan on the 1980s/1990s fieldwork on Barking Abbey was published in Current Archaeology
magazine no. 149 (1996).


Planning consent for a residential development has been granted with archaeological planning
conditions for archaeological excavation in advance of redevelopment, including a requirement for
public access and engagement, hence the open day. The archaeological work is being carried out as
commercial archaeology, so is part of the planning and redevelopment process. The present work is
subsequent to the initial evaluation and is an archaeological excavation to achieve ‘preservation by
record’. There are some fifteen archaeologists working on the site (on weekdays). The
archaeological excavation is to last for several more months.


Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide was one of the TVAS site staff and had been a
professional archaeologist for around ten years and clearly enjoyed giving site tours. He said that
parties of schoolchildren had been visiting the site during the past week. (I think it is much easier to
achieve public access and engagement within commercial archaeology when this is required through
the planning process, as is the case for this site).

The site lies immediately west of and outside the scheduled extent of Barking Abbey that lies on the
opposite, east side, of Abbey Road – part of the abbey remains are laid out in the public park there.
The site lies to the east of and close to the present course of the River Roding.
From what I gathered (foolishly without making written notes at the time), the earliest deposits on
the site were natural sand and gravel overlain by alluvium (waterlain material) into which some
prehistoric features, pits and animal enclosures, had been cut. These prehistoric features hadn’t been
recorded in the previous archaeological work on site and so are ‘new’.
There had been some flooding over these prehistoric features in later prehistoric times and the
overlying alluvium developed into a palaeo-soil into which Saxon features had been cut. No Roman
features have been found, so far, but Saxon hearths found on the site contained re-used Roman tile,
so there had been Roman activity in the vicinity. This is emphasised by the past discovery of some
Roman tombstones from elsewhere in Barking.


A major discovery on site was a silted up former branch of the River Roding, running north-south
within the site, near its western boundary. Both sides of the ancient watercourse had been exposed
and were revetted with timber posts and planks. The timbers would in due course be subject to
dendrochronological dating, and Saxon dates are expected. The timbers appear to represent a dock
and/or quay and would have served the abbey and its outer precinct within which it lay. It was
explained the course of the north-south River Roding has been migrating westwards over time, as its
former courses have silted up. It still flows today, immediately west of the site.

A north-south stone wall near and within the eastern boundary of the site was the western wall of the
inner precinct of the medieval abbey. The stone inner precinct wall had enclosed the medieval
abbey church and the ‘core’ abbey building, including the abbey church and cloisters, which lay
immediately east of the site, on the other side of Abbey Road. These remains lay within the modern
Abbey Park where a medieval monastic church, St Margaret’s Barking, still stands within the park
and where other monastic structural remains are displayed.

Most of the redevelopment site was outside but immediately west of and adjacent to the (inner)
abbey precinct. So the site, lying in the outer precinct in the medieval period, would still have been
under the control of the abbey and could be expected to contain industrial and other nonecclesiastical
abbey functions. The branch of the River Roding that has been found on the site would
doubtless have serviced the abbey and its activities. Importantly, it seems possible that the Saxon
abbey church had stood on the visited site.


Finds included prehistoric pottery and struck flints, Saxon pottery and loom weights, and a rare metal
object thought to have been used as an incense burner.

The excavation will run for several more months. It is intended that a publication will be generated,
to include the results of previous archaeological investigations on the site.

Other groups were being conducted around the site as our tour ended, and as I was leaving the site
yet more visitors were coming in. It was great to be able to visit the site and see the excavations and
the finds, and to see the enthusiasm of the archaeologists on site.

Modern commercial archaeology (ie that funded by developers as part of the planning process) is the
successor to the former voluntary and/or publicly funded and perhaps erratic ‘rescue archaeology’.
Rescue archaeology had been carried out in England from the middle of the twentieth century by
locally based amateurs and then with again locally based professional groups (‘units’) through to the
formalisation of commercial archaeology in 1990, with the publication of Department of the
Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance 16 (PPG16) that year that came out in the wake of the
Rose Theatre and other site controversies in 1989.

The continuing preservation and investigation of the historic environment depends upon
archaeology and heritage continuing to be written into the local plans of local planning authorities
such as Barking and Dagenham, and the work of planning archaeologists such as those in the
Historic England Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service who are the nominated
archaeological advisors to most London Boroughs. An essential element is the Historic England
Greater London Historic Environment Record which collects and makes sites and monuments
information for Greater London available – no mean task!

OTHER SOCIETIES’ EVENTS compiled by Eric Morgan

Tuesday 10th July 7.45 pm. Amateur Geological Society, Finchley Baptist Church Hall, East End Rd,
N3 3QL (opp. Avenue House): New Zealand Geology. Talk by Ros Mercer (Essex Rock Society.)

Monday 16th July, 8.50 am. Mill Hill Historical Society Coach Trip to Oxford. Morning explore
city pm: Blue Badge Guide walking tour. Cost £36 (members £34). Coach pick-up also 9am Hartley
Hall, Mill Hill Broadway NW7. Leave for home 5pm. To book: send cheque & sae to Julia Haynes
38 Marion Rd, Mill Hill, NW7 4AN (tel: 020 906 0563, e-mail: haynes.julia@yahoo.co.uk) or book
on-line: www.millhill-hs.org.uk.

Friday 20th July, 7 pm. COLAS , St Olave’s Hall, Mark Lane, EC3R 7BB. Civil War London. David
Flintham talks on the dramatic 1640’s, both civil and military. Visitors £3, light refreshments after.

Saturday 21st July, 11am-3pm. Enfield Archaeological Society. Open Day: Excavation, Elsyng
Palace, Forty Hall. At 1.30 & 2.30 talk by Mike Dewbrey on the latest finds. Limited places.
Book: www.enfieldpresents.co.uk or tel: 020 8807 6680. £3. See June Newsletter for more details.

Saturday 21st July, 1.30-3.30 Barnet 1471 Battlefields Society, St. John the Baptist Church, junction
High St/Wood St, Barnet EN5 4BW. Putting the Battle of Bosworth into the Landscape. Talk by
Richard Mackinder. Non-members £5. Refreshments.

Friday 27th July, 10am. Enfield Museum. Dugdale Centre, 1st Floor, 39 London Rd, Enfield EN12
6DS. Archives in Focus: Family History Sources for Enfield. Talk, John Clark (Local Studies).
£3. Advance booking advised: www.dugdalecentre.co.uk .

Sunday 29th July, 2pm. Enfield Society. Heritage Walk. Starting Southgate Station, travelling to
Southgate Green via side roads & footpaths. Free, but limited places. Book in advance, sending
details & sae to Heritage Walks, The Enfield Soc., Jubilee Hall, 2 Parsonage Lane, Enfield EN2 0AJ.

Tuesday 7th August. Camden History Society. Coach trip to Sandham Memorial Chapel & The
Vyne. (Stanley Spencer paintings/a Tudor house). Cost £35, or £25 NT members. Includes talk at
chapel. Price of mid-morning refreshments not included. Pick up: 8.30 Marks & Spencers, Camden
High St; 8.45 Waterstones, Hampstead High St; 9 am Swiss Cottage, outside Library. Send sae &
cheque for Camden History Society to Jean Archer, 91 Fitzjohn’s Ave, London NW3 6NX.
Enquiries: 020 7435 5490.

Wednesday 8th August, 3.30 pm. LAMAS. Visit Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College,
Greenwich. The conservation project will be nearly complete, allowing close-up access to the
ceiling, plus guided tour of paintings at 4pm. £12.50 (£10 members). Book (places limited).
Information/booking: Jane Sidells jane.sidells@btinternet.com.

Saturday 11th to Wednesday 15th & Saturday 25th to Wednesday 29th August. Copped Hall Trust
Archaeological Project: Field Schools 2018. Continuing investigation into the development of a
grand Tudor House, Copped Hall, near Epping, Essex. Two 5-day field schools. Suitable for people
already familiar with the basic techniques of archaeological excavation & recording seeking to
develop their skills. £100 (WEAG members £50). Also 14/15th, 18/19th & 21st/22nd July: Taster
Weekends. Also Sunday 26th August, 11am-4pm: Open Day. For more details and tickets:
www.coppedhalltrust.org.uk and www.ticketsource.co.uk/coppedhallevents.

Tuesday 14th August, 1-1.30pm. Museum of Enfield. Dugdale Centre, 1st Floor, 39 London Rd,
Enfield EN12 6DS. Boys & Girls Come Out to Play: Chase Farm School tapestry & cup remnant.
Talk, Joe Studman on the care of orphaned or deserted children in Victorian Enfield. Free.
Refreshments.

Tuesday 14th August, 7.45 pm. Amateur Geological Society (see 10th July above for address).
Members Evening. Short talks by members. Displays, photos, specimens, field trip reports.

Thursday 16th August, 10.20am for 10.30 start. Mill Hill Historical Society. Walking Tour of
Hampstead: art & architecture in Hampstead & Belsize Park. Anne-Marie Craven (Blue Badge
Guide). £12 (£10 members). Meet Hampstead Tube. Book by Wed. August 8th. Booking details as
for Society’s 16th July coach trip above.

Sunday 19th August, 3.15-4pm. Forty Hall Estate, Forty Hill, Enfield EN2 9HA. Hidden Treasures:
a guided tour of Forty Hall portraits. Led by Joe Studman. The stories behind the paintings of the
people who lived at the Hall. £5. To book see Enfield Archaeological Soc. 21st July details above.

Thursday 23rd August, 6.30pm. LAMAS. Cannon Street Area for Foreshore Walk. Led by Eliott
Wragg (Thames Discovery Programme) to explore the history and features of the foreshore near
Cannon St. £12.50 (£10 members). Meet Cousin Lane Stairs, nr Banker pub, adjacent Cannon St
railway station. Booking required, details as LAMAS Wed. 8th August above.
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With many thanks to this month’s contributors:
Stephen Brunning, Don Cooper, Robin Densem, Audrey Hooson, Jo Nelhams

Hendon and District Archaeological Society
Chairman Don Cooper 59, Potters Road, Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8440 4350)
e-mail: chairman@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Secretary Jo Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: secretary@hadas.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Jim Nelhams 61 Potters Road Barnet EN5 5HS (020 8449 7076)
e-mail: treasurer@hadas.org.uk
Membership Sec. Stephen Brunning 22 Goodwin Ct, 52 Church Hill Rd,
East Barnet EN4 8FH mob: 07534 646852 e-mail: membership@hadas.org.uk
Join the HADAS email discussion group via the website at: www.hadas.org.uk
————————————————————————————————————————-
The August 2018 Newsletter Editor will be:
JIM NELHAMS
Tel. 020 8449 7076
61 Potters Road
Barnet RN5 5HS
e-mail: jim_nelhams@hotmail.com
Copy to him by Wednesday August 18th please.
The August 2018 Newsletter Editor will be:
JIM NELHAMS
Tel. 020 8449 7076
61 Potters Road
Barnet RN5 5HS
e-mail: jim_nelhams@hotmail.com
Copy to him by Wednesday July 18th please