A LOCAL HISTORIAN LOOKS AT HARTLIP - No. 7

The oldest building, or what remains of it under the ground, is Hartlip's well known Roman Villa. It was first discovered about 1733, for when Hasted wrote he said it was found about fifty years previous in a field called Danefield, belonging to Meresborough farm. The remains then discovered were on ground level and some person must have made a partial excavation, as Hasted records the objects discovered. The search was not after knowledge, he states, but in the hopes as usual of finding hidden treasure. A large quantity of earth was removed from the east end of the building to about a depth of three feet and the building was found from that point to become, gradually deeper, to the west for some sixty feet. Some of the walls which were built of flints were plastered and at ground level had been tiled. Many tiles were scattered around and at the west end several bushels of wheat were discovered, part of which had been parched and scorched by fire and some burnt to ashes.

No record of any further work on the villa was done until William Bland excavated the site in 1845. The results of this work were published in a book which is now unobtainable but they indicate the extensive nature of the buildings uncovered. The exact make-up of the buildings has never been defined, but it appears that in the buildings were a bath, sleeping rooms, stables, outhouses and some sort of assembly room.

A tremendous number of oyster shells were found; also the bones of such animals as sheep, hog and horse. Some remarkable finds of pottery and glass were made. Most of the villa objects were presented to Maidstone Museum.

R.A.B.

ROUND THE SOCIETIES

Guide Company

By the time this is in print 21 members of the Company will be in Denmark - our second adventure abroad! We are in touch with a Danish Company who have asked us to visit them.

The highlights are a day in Copenhagen ending with dinner in the Tivoli Gardens and a firework display, a visit to the Royal Palace in Frederiksborg, Hans Andersen's birthplace Odense, and, of course, we shall see Hamlet's Castle in Elsinore. We are to be very near the sea, and hope to be able to swim often, if the weather is kind. In fact this is all we need to ensure a really wonderful time!

E.T.