Overview

Well known for its later gunpowder industry and the famous Shepherd Neame brewery, Faversham's earlier medieval history also reveals it to have been an important religious and administrative centre. The town archives possess an unusually complete set of medieval-onwards town charters and other documents including a Magna Carta. Using archaeological and historical evidence set in an ever-changing physical and social context, the authors argue that there is a great deal more to this small town on the north Kent coast than is obvious at first glance. There is a wealth of evidence for prehistoric settlement with the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age being particularly well represented archaeologically and Roman remains indicate a very prosperous phase up to around the AD 270s, followed by drastic changes. Abundant evidence for ironworking is described. The book charts the rise of the town from Pagan Jutish origins through the medieval period, centred originally around the establishment of an Abbey and other religious houses but developing as a trading port and wealthy market town. Supporting evidence is drawn from a variety of archaeological sources (Victorian antiquarians, modern excavations, various voluntary and community archaeology groups) and historical documents. The authors present the story of Faversham in a vivid and accessible narrative that reveals a new history of this ancient Kentish market town.

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9781911188353

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Patricia Reid has worked in community archaeology for the last twenty-three years and in 2004 founded the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group (FSARG). She has written numerous reports on the archaeological projects undertaken by FSARG in Faversham and contributed papers on community archaeology to several publications such as Current Archaeology and London Archaeology. Michael Frohnsdorff has carried out a considerable amount of research into medieval Faversham, with special attention paid to the history of the Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Michael has researched, lectured, and published on Saxon as well as Medieval Faversham Duncan Harrington is a freelance research historian and compiles the Kent Records, New Series, for the Kent Archaeological Society. With the late Patricia Hyde, he produced several important books on the history of Faversham including Faversham Oyster Fishery and The Early Town Books of Faversham. He is currently engaged in publishing the Faversham Abbey Leiger Book.

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