Photo by William Laing © University of Reading
LYMINGE ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT – Dr Lyminge, Kent, is known as the location of an Anglo-Saxon double monastery established in the 7th century. Archaeologists from the University of Reading, led by Dr Gabor Thomas, have been excavating within the village since 2008, locating the 8th and 9th-century monastic settlement. In 2010 we discovered the pre- Christian precursor settlement dating to the 6-7th centuries, represented by postbuilt structures and sunken-featured buildings containing a wealth of high-status material culture, including the first example of a plough coulter from Early Anglo-Saxon England. The project received funding from the AHRC in 2012 to continue the campaign of excavations for a further three years; this work is targeting
14 Love Archaeology Magazine
Alexandra Knox (University of Reading) Tayne Field, a large open site in the heart of the village occupying a low spur overlooking a fresh-water spring. Our inaugural campaign of excavation surpassed all expectations by revealing the ground-plan of a massive timber assembly hall of a type found at Cowdery’s Down, Yeavering and other early Anglo-Saxon royal centres. We can provisionally date the hall to the late 6th-early 7th century as datable artefacts were found within its wall trenches, and radiocarbon dating will enable us to see if this is might be one of the earliest ‘Great Halls’ in Anglo-Saxon England. This phase of the project is delivered in collaboration with project partners Kent Archaeological Society and Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Find out more at www.lymingearchaeology.org