[TR 03672579] St. Michael's Church [NR] (site of) (1) Hasted mentions the Church of St. Michael, New Romney, but Robertson thinks this an error. A piece of glebe land near Old Romney Church, but belonging to New Romney Vicarage, is called "St. Michael's Church Yard" on the Tithe Map "Why, or by whom it was so described, no one seems able to discover" (3). Erwood refers to "the alleged church of St. Michael, whose site is marked on the OS map", and then remarks "Robertson doubts its existence". (2-5) There is nothing to be seen at the OS published siting but in the SE corner of the field, at TR 03722571, a raised platform surrounded by a dry shallow ditch compares in size and general appearance with church sites on the marshes. Probing revealed some stone, mortar and tiles. Surveyed at 1:2500. (6) The chalk floor of a building was revealed in a trial trench on the possible site of St. Michaels Church. Nothing was found to indicate ecclesiastical use, but there may be a fuller excavation. (7) The feature at TR 03722571 no longer extant. (8) A partial clearance of a piece of raised ground at TR 03722571 disturbed some inhumation burials, and it was decided after consultation with the owner, that a limited excavation should be carried out by the Ashford Archaeological Society. Its purpose was to establish whether a building had occupied part of the area, and to see whether it was the site of St. Michael's Church, thought to be at TR 03722571. At the depth of twelve inches, a chalk floor was discovered, partically destroyed at the northern edge of a coffin burial. This appeared to be the south-east corner of a building, but there was no evidence of its purpose. Sherds of coarse pottery of the late C13th were found. The burials to the north of the raised area, were, with one exception in coffins. All were laid to approximately east-west, with the head to the west. (9)

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Hist of Kent 3 1790 529 530 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43960.

<3> Arch Cant 13 1880 249 (WAS Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34694.

<4> Arch Cant 37 1925 190-1 (FC Elliston Erwood) (OS Card Reference). SKE35048.

<5> Tithe Map New Romney c1840 (OS Card Reference). SKE50589.

<6> F1 CFW 21.03.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42677.

<7> Letters (J Bradshaw Ashford Arch Soc 19.1.69 and 15.3.69) (OS Card Reference). SKE46125.

<8> LS 25" Reviser Sept 1975 (OS Card Reference). SKE46204.

<9> Arch Cant 84 1969 235 (J Bradshaw) (OS Card Reference). SKE35784.

<10> Field report for monument TR 02 NW 7 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5048.