TQ 55 NW 22 - Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, Near Sevenoaks

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Monument record TQ 55 NW 22 - Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, Near Sevenoaks

Summary

Anglo-Saxon cemetery probably discovered in 1839 when the Sevenoaks Turnpike road was diverted to the line of what is now the A21 trunk-road. No details of such early discoveries were recorded though the oral tradition of skeletons and weapons survived and was noted by Gordon Ward. Although its setting is typical of many pagan Saxon sites it is likely that the burials, all inhumations, were nominally Christian. Taking into account the multiple burials it is likely that about 200 people are buried here. Six small ditched barrows, 13-17 ft in diameter were found at the north west end of the cemetery. Grave-goods were produced by 69 graves but they were neither rich nor socially distinguished. The high proportion of unfurnished graves reflects the decline in the practice of depositing grave-goods with the dead in the later Saxon cemeteries. The site lies on top of thje scarp slope of the North Downs were it meets the Darent Valley, on the steep south-east facing slope. The bedrock is Upper Chalk. OD 105-130m.

Location

Grid reference	TQ 5057 5893 (point) FCE
Map sheet	TQ55NW
County	KENT
Civil Parish	DUNTON GREEN, SEVENOAKS, KENT
District	SEVENOAKS, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Andrew Richardson, 2000, Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent (Unpublished document). SKE29253.

<1> Arch Cant 70 1956 278-80 plan illusts (M Blumstein) (OS Card Reference). SKE35476.

<2> Arch Cant 73 1959 225-6 (A D Stoyel) (OS Card Reference). SKE35536.

<3> Letter (K D Hore 12 10 57) (OS Card Reference). SKE46050.

<4> F1 CFW 08.08.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42477.

<5> Arch Cant 79 1964 lix (OS Card Reference). SKE35674.

<6> Sevenoaks Essays 1931 97 (G Ward) (OS Card Reference). SKE49442.

<7> Excav in W Kent 1960-70 1973 164-214 illus (B Philp S Hawkes A Cox E Crowfoot & A Gibson) (OS Card Reference). SKE41682.

<8> Philp, B. J., 1964, Recent Excavations: Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, near Sevenoaks, Page 3 (Article in serial). SKE7788.

<9> Philp, P, 1967, The Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, KAR 9 1967 2-6 (B J Philp) (Article in serial). SKE8151.

<11> Sevenoaks Essays 1931 89-91 (G Ward) (OS Card Reference). SKE49441.

<12> Gaz of Early AS Burial Sites 1964 132 (A Meaney) (OS Card Reference). SKE43542.

<13> KAR 58 1978-80 178-88 fig 1-4 (B Philp & S C Hawkes) (OS Card Reference). SKE45373.

<14> BAR 82 Anglo Saxon Cemeteries 1980 86-8 94-5 100 (C Arnold) (OS Card Reference). SKE37569.

<15> Field report for monument TQ 55 NW 22 - August, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2812.

<17> Philp, B. J., 1967, Further Excavations at Polhill (Article in serial). SKE8152.

<18> BRIAN PHILP, 2002, The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, near Sevenoaks, Kent, 1964-1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE13566.

Sources/Archives (17)

--- SKE29253 Unpublished document: Andrew Richardson. 2000. Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent.
<1> SKE35476 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 70 1956 278-80 plan illusts (M Blumstein).
<2> SKE35536 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 73 1959 225-6 (A D Stoyel).
<3> SKE46050 OS Card Reference: Letter (K D Hore 12 10 57).
<4> SKE42477 OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 08.08.64.
<5> SKE35674 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 79 1964 lix.
<6> SKE49442 OS Card Reference: Sevenoaks Essays 1931 97 (G Ward).
<7> SKE41682 OS Card Reference: Excav in W Kent 1960-70 1973 164-214 illus (B Philp S Hawkes A Cox E Crowfoot & A Gibson).
<8> SKE7788 Article in serial: Philp, B. J.. 1964. Recent Excavations: Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, near Sevenoaks. Vol 1 Page 3. Page 3.
<9> SKE8151 Article in serial: Philp, P. 1967. The Saxon Cemetery at Polhill. 9 Pages 2 - 6. KAR 9 1967 2-6 (B J Philp).
<11> SKE49441 OS Card Reference: Sevenoaks Essays 1931 89-91 (G Ward).
<12> SKE43542 OS Card Reference: Gaz of Early AS Burial Sites 1964 132 (A Meaney).
<13> SKE45373 OS Card Reference: KAR 58 1978-80 178-88 fig 1-4 (B Philp & S C Hawkes).
<14> SKE37569 OS Card Reference: BAR 82 Anglo Saxon Cemeteries 1980 86-8 94-5 100 (C Arnold).
<15> SKE2812 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 55 NW 22 - August, 1964.
<17> SKE8152 Article in serial: Philp, B. J.. 1967. Further Excavations at Polhill. 10 Pages 2 - 4.
<18>XY SKE13566 Bibliographic reference: BRIAN PHILP. 2002. The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Polhill, near Sevenoaks, Kent, 1964-1986. [Mapped feature: #31520 Cemetery, ]

Finds (16)

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None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (7)

Intrusive Event: Excavation at Polhill Anglo- Saxon Cemetery (Ref: EI 14703) (EKE3785)
Intrusive Event: Excavation at Polhill Anglo-Saxon Cemetery (Ref: EI 14700) (EKE4685)
Intrusive Event: Excavation at Polhill Anglo-Saxon Cemetery (Ref: EI 14702) (EKE3784)
Intrusive Event: Excavation at Polhill Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, Polhill (EKE5758)
Intrusive Event: Excavation at Polhill Saxon Cemetery, Polhill (EKE5931)
Intrusive Event: Excavation of Saxon Cemetery POLHILL (Ref: EI 14701) (EKE3783)
Intrusive Event: POLHILL (Ref: EI 14689) (EKE3782)

Record last edited

Nov 22 2022 12:30PM