Volume 8 : 2005 – 2009

No 436 JULY 2007 Edited by Graham Javes
HADAS DIARY
Saturday 4 August, 2007, HADAS Outing to Sussex with June Porges & Stewart Wild. See below
Tuesday 9th October 2007, Denis Smith (lecturer, industrial archaeologist) Thomas Telford (1757­1834) 250th anniversary lecture.
Tuesday 13th November 2007, Martyn Barber (English Heritage Aerial Survey) Mata Hari’s glass eye and other tales: a history of archaeology and aerial photography.
Tuesday 8th January 2008, Kate Sutton (Museum of London) The work of a Finds Liaison Officer.
Tuesday 12th February 2008, Christopher Sparey-Green, BA, MIFA. The archaeology of Dorset: a time-torn landscape.
Tuesday 11th March 2008, Chloe Cockerill (Regional Development Manager) The work of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Tuesday 8th April 2008, Peter Davey (Bristol Tram Photograph Collection) Clifton Rocks Railway.
Tuesday 13th April 2008, tba.
Lectures start at 8.00 pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE. Buses 82, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, whilst Finchley Central station (Northern Line) is five to ten minutes walk
HADAS. Outing, to Sussex, Saturday 4 August June Porges & Stewart Wild
The itinerary and a booking form are enclosed in this mailing. Unfortunately, due to a technical error, the June Newsletter mentioned an outing to Fishbourne. It was realised that August 4, coincides with the finale of the Glorious Goodwood Festival, and the likely traffic congestion this will cause make it unwise to visit the Chichester area at this time. Thus, at short notice we had to come up with another itinerary, and postpone our visit to the Roman Villa at Fishbourne until a future occasion.
Our revised itinerary includes Worth Church, Pevensey Castle and the famous Battle of Hastings battlefield site at Battle. We hope that a large number of members will be able to join us, especially as this may be the only outing this summer.
Secretary’s Corner Denis Ross
The Society’s Annual General Meeting was held on 12 June 2007 at Avenue House with the President, Harvey Sheldon, in the Chair. 26 Members were present. The various Resolutions of the Notice of Meeting were duly passed including, in particular, approval of the Annual Report and Accounts.
The Officers elected for the current year are:
Chairman: Don Cooper
Vice-Chairman: Peter Pickering
Hon Treasurer: Jim Nelhams
Hon Secretary: Denis Ross
Hon Membership Secretary: Mary Rawitzer
The following were elected as 8 other members (the limit is 12) of the Society’s Committee:
Bill Bass, Stephen Brunning, Andrew Coulson, Eric Morgan, Dorothy Newbury, June Porges,
Andrew Selkirk, and Tim Wilkins.
The Meeting was followed by:
(a) A presentation by the President on the current digging and research at Syon House;
(b) A display and explanation by the Chairman of the Society’s activities over the past year; and
(c) A talk by Stewart Wild on his recent journey to Antarctica.
All the above were warmly received.
It was made clear at the meeting that if the Society is to maintain or increase its activity and progress, there is an urgent need for new and active recruits, at both Officer and Committee levels, as several existing members wish to retire by the end of the current year.
Volunteers please!
New Look for The London Archaeologist. Don Cooper
The London Archaeologist has been redesigned, and is now published in A4 size with full colour, whilst maintaining its four issues a year. The London Archaeologist is the Capital’s only dedicated archaeology magazine/newsletter and a must for those of us who take an interest in London’s archaeology. I am including a leaflet on the publication to give more details to potential readers —although the leaflets still have the old London Archaeologist’s logo.
The London Archaeologist is publishing a profile of HADAS in its next issue, so be sure to look out for that!
TRAMS OF NORTH-WEST LONDON: a report by Andy Simpson on the MAY LECTURE by DAVID BERGUER, with added information by Andy.
Now a curatorial volunteer at London’s Transport Museum, our speaker has a lifelong interest in transport, and has been working on the cataloguing of historic London Transport glass plate negatives.
The last tram in the immediate HADAS area ran on 5 March 1938, being replaced by trolleybuses. The last London tram of all ran in the Woolwich/Charlton areas of south London on 5 July 1952. Traditional ‘first generation’ trams still of course run in Blackpool, and since the 1990s second
generation light rapid transit systems have been introduced in such locations as Sheffield, Manchester, Croydon and Birmingham/Wolverhampton.
`Trams’ originated in sixteenth century German mines, running on wooden rails. Street tramways originated in Manhattan in 1832 and the in UK, at Birkenhead, in 1860, due to the work of the American, George Francis Train. Early motive power included horses, steam locomotives and cable traction, as used today in San Francisco, and formerly on Highgate Hill. Such types were more efficient than horse buses, but around ten horses were needed to keep one tram running and they literally ate the profits. A horse worked for about four hours at a time, and their working life was short, despite careful stabling and veterinary attention. Steam trams were produced by companies such as Merryweather, Falcon and Kitson.
The first London trams, drawn by horses, appeared in March 1861 on the Marble Arch — Bayswater Road route, introduced by the American, George Francis Train, followed by two other routes, but all had closed by mid 1862. There was a problem with the iron step-rail edges projecting above the road surface causing an obstruction to other traffic, and as a relatively well-off area there were few passengers from the well-off ‘carriage folk’, and jingoistic Londoners objected to the ‘Yankee Railroads’. The first trams in North London were those in Finsbury Park in 1871, being horse trams running to the Nag’s Head, and on to Archway in 1872. Steam trams appeared in Edmonton in 1885, being replaced by horse cars in 1891, and cable trams ran on Highgate Hill from 1884 to 1907.
London’s first electric trams ran in Alexandra Palace park from May 1898 to September 1899, being four German-built ‘toastrack’ cars running on a 600 yard line. The Tramways Act of 1870 governed tramway operation, laying down sometimes restrictive regulations such as the requirement for the tramway operator to ensure his tracks were 9ft 6 inches from the kerb, and having to maintain the roadway 18 inches either side of the tracks, so the nicely made-up tramway section, usually of better quality than the rest of the road surface, was naturally used by all the other road users too. There was a legal requirement for cheap workmen’s fares in the early morning, making public transport affordable for the working man, being cheaper than the horse buses. This was a tradition inherited by the trolleybuses, but not by the succeeding motorbuses.
The local authority could purchase company-owned tramways after 21 years, and at seven-year intervals thereafter, restricting the incentive for investment in ageing track and rolling stock. Trams had to have dedicated stopping places, but buses could stop anywhere until 1935 — a particular problem with the competing ‘pirate’ buses of the 1920s.
Local to Hendon was the Metropolitan Electric Tramways Co, (MET) with its extensive network of routes to Waltham Cross, High Barnet via Whetstone, Enfield, Edgware/Canons Park, Finchley, and Golders Green. Trams never ran in central London, nor did trolleybuses, only reaching the Embankment and Tottenham Court Road. The London County Council and the City of London did not want them in the central area. This was partly due to a prejudice against a working class form of transport. The London County Council (LCC) and smaller municipal operators such as Bexley, Walthamstow, East Ham, West Ham, Barking, Leyton, Ilford, Croydon and Erith also ran their own tramway systems, as did London United Tramways in the Kew Area and South Metropolitan Electric Tramways (SMET) around Wimbledon. There were around 200 London tram routes, with the bulk of lines opened 1903 — 1910.
The Cricklewood — Edgware line opened in December 1904, extending to Canons Park in October 1907. The Whetstone and Highgate Archway route opened to the public 8 June 1905, following a
formal opening the previous day, running from 5am to 11.47pm, and was extended in stages to High Barnet by 28 March 1907. MET cars met LCC cars at Archway, though through running between the two operators’s systems did not begin until 1909.The Middlesex County Council had the authority to run the trams, which were operated by the MET on their behalf Trams started running from Wood Green to Finchley in April 1909 and to Enfield in July 1909, Golders Green to North Finchley opened in December 1909, and Golders Green to Cricklewood in February 1910.
The early trams were impressive in size and appearance, bogie doubledeckers weighing some five tons and seating an average of 68 people, and had controllers at either end on which the driver `notched up’ to accelerate, plus other controls including warning gong and sand pedal to release sand from the sandboxes to improve grip on wet, slippery rails. The Metropolitan Police would not permit driver’s windscreens, as there was no safety glass in those days. Open top cars had wooden seats-although some cars originally had cushions in the lower saloons, they were removed due to carrying dirty, louse-ridden passengers.
in 1913, the central traction poles supporting the overhead through Finchley were replaced by traction poles either side of the road, helping to date photos, which have a value recording former street life, buildings and fashion as well as the trams themselves. At Tally Ho, Finchley, three routes converged. The coming of the trams encouraged development; tram services linked with the Hampstead Tube at Golders Green. During the First World War, women were employed for the first time on the trams, as conductresses (and in some places as drivers), but rapidly dismissed post-war when the troops returned home.
Photos used included a shot of Hendon tram depot and works at Annesley Avenue, Colindale, where Merit House stands today. Here the MET overhauled and built its own trams, such as the experimental car 318 – ‘Bluebell’ built there in 1927 with lightweight aluminium structure, and a distinctive pale blue colour scheme.
London’s first trolleybus ran on an experimental circuit there in September 1909. The LCC used the conduit system rather than overhead wires — a short stretch of conduit track can still be seen at the northern ramped entrance to the former Kingsway tram subway at Holborn. Older readers may remember the routine at the change pit where the overhead and conduit swapped over — there was one at Archway Tavern from 1914 so MET cars could run south, and LCC cars could reach Finchley and Whetstone.
One tram ran away down the hill at Archway, and three people were killed. Finsbury Park was notorious at rush hours, needing police to control the crowds. Competition from motorbuses, with their upholstered seats and, latterly, pneumatic rather than solid tyres, increased in the 1920s, so older open-top trams gained covered tops and improved seating to compete.
The Felthams — built by the Union Construction Co — were luxurious modem streamlined cars, with prototypes in service from 1929 and production cars from 1931. Popular with both crews and public and speedy, they couldn’t reach Barnet due to the closeness of the tracks beneath the railway bridge at the foot of Barnet Hill.
The London Passenger Transport Board took over the operation of the former company and municipal tramways in July 1933, inheriting some 316 trams from the MET and instituting a major trolleybus replacement programme instead of the trams, with the Edgware Road routes converting in August 1936. Trams still ran to Hendon Works for scrapping until October 1936. High Barnet, Finchley and Enfield lost their trams in March 1938, the last (single-deck) trams to Alexandra Palace having run the previous month, being known to all as ‘The Ally Pally Bang Bangs’.
November 1938 saw the virtual end of trams in NW London, due to their replacement by trolleybuses, the Edmonton and Wood Green routes being the last to convert All the older MET trams were scrapped —many at Hampstead Depot – (tram enthusiasts had selected one to purchase preservation, but could find nowhere to keep it), and others at Hendon and Walthamstow, and only the modem Felthams survived to be transferred to other routes — they ran ‘south of the river’ until sold to Leeds in 1951, where they ran until the Leeds system closed in November 1959. The Barnet and Edgware trolleybuses in turn succumbed to the motor bus in January 1962.
A horse tram and West Ham electric car can be seen at the refurbished London’s Transport Museum at Covent Garden hopefully reopening November 2007, and a Feltham and classic LCC `El’ at the LT Museums’ Acton Town depot, which has occasional public open days.
This was an excellent and informative talk, enjoyed by all — not just us tramway enthusiasts! (David Berguer is chairman of Friern Barnet and District Local History Society.)
Andy Simpson’s further reading list.
Barrie, J, North London’s Tramways 1938-1952, LRTA, 1968
Gibbs, T.A, The Metropolitdn Electric Tramways — A Short History, TLRS 1964
Harley, R J, Barnet and Finchley Tramways, Middleton Press, 1997
Harley, R J, Edgware and Willesden Tramways, Middleton Press, 1998
Jones, D, Enfield and Wood Green Tramways, Middleton Press, 1997
Jones, D, Hampstead and Highgate Tramways, Middleton Press, 1995
Kidner, R W, The London Tramcar 1861 — 1952, Oakwood Press, 1992
Smeeton, C S, The Metropolitan Electric Tramways, LRTA vol. 1, Origins to 1920, 1984, vol. 2,
1921 to 1933, 1986
Other Societies’ Events Eric Morgan
Sunday 1 July, 2.30pm, Heath & Hampstead Society, Burgh House, New End Square, NW3. How the Heath and Kenwood were saved from Development, a walk led by Thomas Radice, £2 donation. Optional visit to Hampstead Museum. Burgh House, 2.00pm. See June Newsletter for exhibitions.
Thursday 5 July, 7.00pm, Enfield Preservation Society. Heritage walk around Edmonton. Meet Millfield House, Silver St. Finish at Charity School, Church St.
Sunday 8 July, 11.00am-5.00pm, Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Rd, NW10/Ladbroke -Grove, W10. Open Day, tours, band, refreshments, stalls, including Willesden Local History Society.
Sunday 8 July, 12.00pm-4.00pm, Myddelton House Gardens, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield. Open Day hosted by London Wildlife Trust & Lee Valley Park. Refreshments, plant sale. £2.60. HADAS did resistivity survey here a few years ago.
Sunday 8 July, 2.00pm, Ancient & Modern East Barnet. Guided walk by Paul Baker, meet East Barnet Library, Brookhill Rd, £6.
Tuesday 10 July, 8.00pm, Amateur Geological Society, The Parlour, St Margaret’s Church, Victoria Ave, N3. Magnetism in the Solar System: a Journey from the Sun to the Centre of the Earth, speaker Prof. David Price (Birkbeck and UCL).
Saturday 14 July, 9.00pm, Barnet & District Local History Society. Coach outing to Jane Austin’s house at Chawton, Hants, to Gilbert White’s house at Selborne, and to the Oates’ Museum also at Selborne. Meet Odeon Cinema, Underhill. Returning from Selborne 5.00pm. Cost £23, including entrance fees. Apply to Pat Alison, 37 Ladbrooke Drive, Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 1QR (n 01707 858430), including your name, address and a contact phone number, together with a cheque payable to Barnet & District Local History Society.
Saturday 14 July, 2.00pm, The Battle of Barnet, a guided walk led by Paul Baker. Meet junction Great North Rd & Hadley Green Rd, £6.
Sunday 15 July, 11.30-4.00pm National Archaeology Day. Forty Hall. Enfield Archaeological Society & Enfield Museum Service. The event is planned to coincide with a weekend dig by EAS in the grounds, where HADAS has previously done resistivity surveying.
Wednesday 18 July 7.30pm ‘Willesden Local History- Society. Meet entrance to Willesden Junction station for 11/2 Mile guided walk of Willesden Junction area, including new; .Powerday Canal Wharf, former LNWR, Old Oak village and the newly modified All Souls church (Fr Michael Moorhead).
Wednesday 18 July, 8.00pm, Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, Jubilee Hall, junction Chase Side & Parsonage Lane, Enfield in World War I, talk by Graham Dalling.
Friday 20 July, 7.00pm COLAS, St Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3. The Archaeology of the Clay Tobacco Pipe, talk by Peter Hammond.
Saturday & Sunday 21 & 22 July, 11.30-4,00pm. National Archaeology Weekend, Archaeology at the Tower of London with COLAS. Venue: public path between The Tower & the River Thames. Lots to do: handle finds from London sites: bones, pots, shoes; learn about London’s past from past Londoners; try to be a London archaeologist; dress up as a Roman Londoner. Visit Tower Beach on the Thames foreshore, 12 noon-2.00pm Saturday, 12.30-2.30pm Sunday.
Saturday & Sunday 21 & 22 July, 11.00 4,30pm. Museum of London. National Archaeology Weekend, Home Sweet Home, Roman Style; how the Romans built their houses, with demonstrations of building crafts; what Roman Londoner’s wore, and Roman artefacts.
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Newsletter

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HADAS DIARY

Tuesday 12 June — Annual General Meeting

Sunday June 17th 2-5pm Come to the HADAS Get-Together: ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED to drinks, nibbles and chat on Sunday afternoon, 17th June. Our Chairman, Don Cooper will host the event which will be at Avenue House, East End Rd, where we usually meet for lectures. All recent new members will also be getting a personal invitation. We hope to find out more about what you all want and what ideas you have for us, as well as this being a chance just to get to know everyone – and each other. We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday 4 August —Outing to Fishbourne with June Porges & Stewart Wild We shall tour through the delightful Sussex countryside, with the possibility of a local dig in progress, visiting the Roman Fort of Anderitum (now better known as Pevensey Castle), and Battle (1066 and all that). Full details and booking form will accompany the July newsletter.

Lectures and the AGM take place at Avenue House, 17 East End Rd., Finchley N3 3QE. Fifteen minutes walk from Finchley Central tube station going south towards Golders Green, Gravel Hill junction. Limited parking. Events begin at 8 pm. Tea, coffee and biscuits 80p. Non-members £1.

Hadas Archaeological Work in June from Don Cooper

June is a busy month for the HADAS digging team. We are supporting the Institute of Archaeology’s widening participation team with their digs at Hendon School (11th to 15th June) and also at St. Mary’s (C of E) school also in Hendon (18th to 22’d June). These projects aim to provide training and experience in practical archaeology to the students while at the same time addressing real research questions on the area. The students will be trained in a range of archaeological techniques including excavation, recording, surveying and finds processing. This is the second year at Hendon School following up a successful week’s work last summer. The results of these digs will be published in a later newsletter.

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Our Wonderful English Language by Stewart Wild

Ever since I began to learn languages as a schoolboy I have always been fascinated by the mechanics of the English language and the origins of words. We all know that a considerable part of our vocabulary derives via modern European languages from Latin and Greek, yet few are aware of how many words and ideas have entered our language from classical Arabic. Most people know that many English words beginning al- are likely to have come from Arabic (usually via Spain where the Moors were dominant until the Reconquest in 1492). Examples are alchemy, alcohol, alcove, alembic, alfalfa, algebra, algorism, algorithm, Alhambra, alkali, almanac and the rare word almagest (great astronomical treatise of Ptolemy). There are many others, especially in science and astronomy. Azimuth is one, nadir and zenith two more. Assassin comes from a sect word meaning ‘hashish-eater’, harem from a word meaning ‘prohibited’, sherbet from a verb ‘to drink’, mohair from an adjective meaning `choice’ or ‘select’ and zero from Arabic gift (also our word cipher). Many are direct imports, increasing in number in proportion to the growth of Islam in the UK: mosque, minaret, imam, sheikh, emir, fatwa, intifada, jihad, madrassa or medersa, burnous and burqa. Others are less obvious, like magazine. This is a splendid word, with a variety of meanings: a store for arms, ammunition or provisions; a periodical publication containing articles by various writers; and an online forum for information and dialogue. The common thread here is the notion of “place where things are stored”, and the French word magasin, meaning shop or department store, comes from the same root, which is the Italian word magazzino. This in turn comes from the Arabic word makhazin, the plural of makhzan, meaning “storehouse”. Another fascinating word is gazette and its sibling gazetteer. Reaching us from the Italian gazzetta, this word for a newssheet or periodical publication has its origin in the 16th-century Venetian word gazett, meaning a small coin. This coin carried the image of a wise old owl, but this was mistaken for a magpie, in Italian, gazza, and the coin named accordingly. The gazett coin was the cost of buying a popular newssheet in Venice in those days, or at least what it cost to read it. Thus the coin gave its name to the periodical, achieving official importance in England when its first recorded use is in 1665: The Oxford Gazette. (The courts and government officials of London had moved to Oxford on account of the Plague.) Later this became The London Gazette, followed by The Edinburgh Gazette in 1695 and The Dublin Gazette in 1705. I am still trying to link gazza with an Arabic origin, but have not yet succeeded!

Rick Gibson An appreciation by Stewart Wild

News reaches HADAS of the sad and untimely death of Rick Gibson. Older members will remember Rick and his wife June, who lived in Hampstead Garden Suburb and who were active members of the Society in the 1970s and 80s. In recent years they sold their house in Erskine Hill and Rick moved to West Kensington. He was a Druid priest and was very knowledgeable about ancient Egypt and especially the pharoahs’ religious practices. For some years he led tours to Egypt for study purposes. He died on 3 March, as a result of lung disease (apparently asbestosis) which may have been attributed to work many years ago at the Post Office Research Establishment in Dollis Hill. Apart from being a very skilled electrician, he was also talented at the repair and maintenance of clock mechanisms and did the London Borough of Barnet a considerable favour some years ago by volunteering to clean and repair the clock of the War Memorial at the crossroads in Golders Green, which still keeps good time today in his memory. He was interred on 23 March in a woodland grave at Wrabness, Essex, after a simple tree-planting ceremony.

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CHURCH FARMHOUSE MUSEUM

An Exhibition on Hampstead Garden Suburb is running until 9 September. The spade with which Henrietta Barnett dug the first sod, the Bible used for the United services which were held in a workmen’s but in the early years, Henrietta’s sketch book with a talented watercolour of a landscape are some of the many items on view. There is an impressive map of the many famous people who have lived in the Suburb, such as Harold Wilson and Elizabeth Taylor. There are many photographs dating from pre 1914 of the building of the Suburb, the social life, jubilees, pageants, children and communal housing for Henrietta wanted all classes of people to live in friendship.

THE FAMOUS IN HIGH BARNET April lecture by Paul Baker Reviewed by Stephen Brunning

Paul Baker commenced his talk with a reference as to why High Barnet had attracted so many famous people over the centuries — the clean air and pleasant living conditions as opposed to the smoky, smelly City of London was one reason given. The biggest Saturday night in Barnet’s history occurred on April 13th 1471 when approximately 23000 troops gathered on Hadley Green to fight the Battle of Barnet the following day. Amongst them were three kings, the Yorkist Edward IV, Lancastrian Henry VI, and the future King Richard III, then known as the Duke of Gloucester aged just eighteen. The oldest standing pub in High Barnet — the Red Lion, probably paid host to Henry ‘VTII’s visit to Barnet in 1529. Samuel Pepys was known to have eaten cheesecakes here after a curative trip to the Physic Well near to Barnet Hospital. Charles Dickens and a friend lamed their horses during a madcap ride back to London following a boozy lunch at the Red Lion. Just around the corner from the Red Lion was a pub called the Crown — now demolished. It was here in 1611 that Arabella Stuart, cousin of James VI, stayed. Other pubs associated with famous people included Doctor Johnson eating at Ye Old Mitre Inn, and Prime Ministers Lord Melborne and Palmerston, as well as Sir Robert Peel frequenting the Green Man which still stands on the corner of High Street and St Albans Road. . The talk then moved onto churches, where Paul discussed famous architects involved with the building of Barnet’s places of worship. William Butterfield was responsible for extending the parish church of St John the Baptist, George Edmund Street renovated St Mary’s of Monken Hadley and St Mary’s of East Barnet before working himself to death in 1881 as the architect of the Royal Courts of Justice. Sir George Gilbert Scott built Christ Church on St Albans Road — location of some the scenes from EastEnders!!

The novelist Kingsley Amis lived at “Gladsmuir” in Monken Hadley between 1968 and 1976. It was rechristened “Lemmons” by Amis and “Gin-and-Lemons” by John Betjeman who was a regular drunken house-guest. Another famous resident of Monken Hadley was Spike Milligan. Paul told us of an amusing tale of where Spike kept a dirty cup on his mantelpiece for many months. When guests asked what the cup was doing there, Spike explained that Prince Charles had done the washing up last time he’d dined with him, and was going to make sure that he (Charles) washed it properly next time he visited!! Paul concluded his talk about political associations with Barnet. Robert Carr, now Lord Can of Hadley, lived at “Monkenholt” for many years. When he was Home Secretary during Ted Heath’s government in the early 1970’s, the Angry Brigade exploded a bomb in front of the house which was heard all over Barnet. Luckily Lord Carr and his wife were out that night. With grateful thanks to Paul Baker for providing the notes to write this report. I had forgotten to ask a member of the audience to do so! Incidentally, Paul leads a series of 8 dffercnt wall.-.- in High Barnet, including one of the Battle of Barnes For further information please telephone 020 8440 6805.

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HEROD, THE CRUELLEST DICTATOR?

Herod built Herodium, south of Jerusalem for his own burial place. Like Hitler, Mussolini and Saddam he was a constructor of great monuments He built the second Temple, the fortress of Masada and the port of Caesarea. He was guilty of the massacre of the innocents — the slaughter of all boys under the age of two in Bethlehem. The location of the burial was discovered in 2006 and excavation has only just started. The location is still being questioned by some archaeologists.

BONE CLUES

Advances in analysing human remains have enabled scientists to find how neolithic people at Wayland Smithy met their death. Three people were shot by arrows, two were dismembered by dogs or wolves. They lived between 3625 BC and 3590BC which may have been a time of increasing social tension and upheaval.

THE GLADIATOR EMPEROR

A mosaic discovered at the Villa dei Quintili, south of Rome and the home of the Emperor Commodus, depicts a gladiator named Montanus holding a trident alongside a referee who appears to be pronouncing him the victor over a prone opponent. Commodus, who was Emperor from AD 180 to192, loved sport and sometimes dressed up as a gladiator himself and fought in the arena, a practice that scandalised polite Roman society, which regarded such fighters as occupying the lowest rungs on the social ladder.

RAPA NUI DID NOT COMMIT GENOCIDE

A new theory on the fate of Easter Island, now known by its native name of Rapa Nui — meaning navel of the world — suggests that rats and outsiders, not the depredations of its native people, caused the depletion of the island’s resources and the shrinking of its human population. For two and a half centuries Easter Island has been famed for its moai statues, tall stone heads with elongated features that are found across the island. It has been alleged that the inhabitants destroyed the forest cover, depleting their food resources and shelter and eventually leaving themselves unable to build canoes. The recent book by Jared Diamond, Collapse, calls Rapa Nui “the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by over exploiting its own resources”. This has been called “ecocide”. Yet rats rather than people may have been the crucial factor on Rapa Nui according to the archaeologist Terry Hunt of the University of Hawaii. He notes that the Pacific rat, rattus exulans, arrived with the human settlers, possibly as a fast breeding source of protein for the voyagers. Dr Hunt believes that the impact of rats on the forests of Rapa Nui was devastating. He estimates that the rat population could have exceeded 3.1 million within a very short time following their introduction. They ate seedlings, nuts and birds eggs. Dr Hunt says “The documented population collapse of Rapa Nui occurred as a result of European contacts, with Old World diseases and slave trading”, adding to the damage by rats. It is not a case of ecocide.

TYRANNOSAURUS REX TASTES LIKE CHICKEN?

Researchers have isolated a protein from a 68 Million-year-old Tyrannosausus Rex that is very similar to one found in the 21 st-century chicken. The existence of prehistoric protein defies a long standing assumption that when an animal dies protein immediately begins to degrade and, in the case of fossils, is slowly replaced by mineral. The process was thought to be complete after one million years. Collagen tissue was removed from a fossilized thigh bone belonging to one of the giant predator dinosaurs. Analysis showed it was structurally similar to chicken protein, providing further evidence of the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds. As well as showing how this technique can confirm the evolutionary relationship between long extinct creatures, the feat has shown how tiny traces of protein might be detected to reveal cancer in the body and track its spread. In another study it was found that extracts of soft tissue in T rex bones reacted with antibodies to chicken collagen, further suggesting the presence of bird-like protein. Until today’s work, the oldest protein analysed by scientists was around 300,000 years old.

SILBURY HILL

Silbury Hill is the largest pre-historic man made structure in Europe. This summer English Heritage will spend £600,000, to preserve it. And in doing so may find out more about its construction and its original purpose. It was probably constructed 4,400 years ago. Earlier this year archaeologiqts found traces of a Roman settlement at the landmark. They say that it may have been a place of pilgrimage.

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OTHER SOCIETIES EVENTS from Eric Morgan

Saturday 2 June 7.30 pm CELEBRATING THE BICENTENARY OF THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE St. Paul’s Church, The Ridgeway NW7 BRITAIN & THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE Talk by Prof. Jim Walvin

Thursday 7 June 10.30 am Mill Hill Library, Hartley Ave., NW7 AMY JOHNSON-BARNET’S OWN AVIATION HEROINE Talk by David Keen (RAF Museum) with refr. 50p

Saturday 9-10 June OPEN GARDEN SQUARES WEEKEND incl, THE HILL GARDEN OFF NORTH END RD., Hampstead

Sunday 10 June 2.30 pm ENFIELD PRESERVATION SOCIETY Heritage Walk FORTY HILL & BULL’S CROSS Start from car park of Forty Hall

Monday 11 June 3 pm. Barnet Local History Society, Church House, Wood St. (opp. Museum)CHARLES I & PURITANISM IN 1630s talk by Dr Alan Thomson

Sunday 10 June- 16 September Hampstead Museum, Burgh House, New End Sq., NW3 CENTENARIES OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL, HAMPSTEAD TUBE& HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB EXHIBITION

Wednesday 13 June 8pm. Hornsey Historical Society Union Church Hall, Ferme Fark/Weston Park Rd. N8 THE HISTORY OF LONDON’S BLACK & ASIAN COMMUNITIES Talk by Cliff Pereira

Saturday 16-17 June GLADSTONBURY FESTIVAL Gladstone Park, Kendal Rd. NW2 Stalls incl. Willesden Local History Society

Thursday 21 June 7.30 pm Camden History Society 2nd floor Crowndale Centre, Eversholt St. NW1(nr. Mornington Cres. Station) THE HAMPSTEAD TUBE Talk by Roger Cline

Friday 15 June7pm. COLAS, St. Olaves Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3 SUGAR REFINING IN THE EAST END Talk by Tony Tucker £2

Sunday 24 June EAST FINCHLEY FESTIVAL Cherry Tree Wood (opp. the Station) N2. Lots of community stalls

Tuesday 26 June 7.30 pm.Enfield Preservatioin Society, Mount Carmel Centre, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel & St. George RC Church, London Rd., Enfield E.A. BOWLES OF MYDDLETON HOUSE Talk by Bryen Hewitt

Wednesday 27 June 8 pm. Friern barnet & District Local History Society, St. John’s Church Hall (by Whetstone Police Stn.) Friern Barnet Lane N20 THE SHOCKING HISTORY OF ADVERTISING Talk by David Bergner £2

Thursday 28 June 8 pm.Finchley Society, Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Rd. N3 THE STEPHENS COLLECTION Talk by Eileen Kenning £2

Saturdat 30 June -1 July East Barnet Festival, Oak Hill Park, Church Hill Rd.E. Barnet. Stalls/Farmers Market A GUIDED WALK IN OAKHILL PARK 2 pm.

Wednesday 20 June 8 pm. Islington Archaelogy & History Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper St. N1 BERTHOLD LUBETKIN – MASTER ARCHITECT – WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CLERKENWELL & FINSBURY Ta1k by John Allan

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HADAS DIARY

Forthcoming Lectures and Events.

Tuesday 10th April – Paul Baker (City of London Guide) — In the footsteps of the famous in High Barnet

Tuesday 8th May – David Berguer (Friern Barnet and District Local History Society Chairman and curatorial lecturer at London Transport Museum) Trams of North-West London.

Tuesday 12th June – Annual General Meeting.

Saturday 4th August – Outing (destination to be announced later) with June Porges and Stuart Wild.

As ever, lectures and the AGM take place at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE. Events begin at 8pm. Non-members £1. Tea, coffee and biscuits 80.p. Fifteen-minute walk from Finchley Central tube station. Turn left on exiting the station and go down the hill – East End Road is a turning on the left; several nearby bus routes; limited parking.

Volunteers urgently wanted by Don Cooper

For many years now HADAS has been running two one-day summer outings to places of archaeological interest as well as one long week-end away. Following the resignation of Jackie Brookes, who so ably ran the week-end away for a long time, we need volunteer/volunteers to organise this event. Although it is probably too late for this year, it would be a great shame if this annual event were no longer in the HADAS calendar. It typically attracts between 35 and 45 members who will otherwise be disappointed. Likewise, June, Stewart, Tessa and Sheila, with help from Dorothy as well as others, have been organising one-day outings for as long as anyone can remember!!! We need volunteers to take on these tasks and also perhaps to run more local (London) events. Do please seize these opportunities — we need your help. If you would like more details or would like to run an event please contact me (details at the end of this newsletter) or any one of the committee.

Resistivity Day by Bill Bass and Andy Simpson

In February at Avenue House HADAS was able to pay host to two members of the St. Albans Archaeological and Historical Society (Roger Miles and Bill Martin). They wished to field-test their home-built version of their new resistivity surveying equipment with HADAS’s CIA version for a ‘compare and contrast’. We laid out a grid over a known feature — a Victorian pond/fountain feature backfilled just after the war — the results being shown at the end, with the paler area of the pond showing up well against the darker, higher- resistance background This meant the rare sight, for HADAS, of two resistivity meters working on the same grid. We gained some useful insights from the St Albans team, including cable arrangement and use of new `surveyor’s chains’

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Reva Brown remembered

Members will be saddened to learn that Reva Brown died very suddenly in January. She was one of Dorothy’s loyal team of newsletter editors for many years. She had been Professor of Business Studies at Oxford Brookes Business School. Born in South Africa shortly after the outbreak of the second world war, she had a degree in English Literature from the University of Cape Town. Disenchanted with the emerging political climate, she and her partner chose to leave South Africa. After settling in Britain, she became a freelance journalist and lecturer in secretarial studies at Hendon College of Further Education. She studied for a post-graduate diploma in research methods then for no fewer than two MAs and a PhD for a thesis entitled “The Business of Knowledge and the Knowledge of Business.” Reva became a member of HADAS around 1974 when she bought and moved in to a flat in Hendon. She had a keen interest in history and in people, and so the archaeological society was ideally suited to her tastes. As well as the conversations with many of the members, including Dorothy Newbury, she particularly enjoyed the outings to places of interest, and brought her ten year old son along on many of the trips. The time spent on the coach was perfect for her as she could talk and knit while simultaneously enjoying the scenery. Reva and her son would enjoy packed lunches that she made specially fur the occasion. She went to a number of diverse locations including the Roman Baths at Bath, Canterbury Cathedral, and a village of recreated houses of various historical times. When she moved away in 1988, she missed the HADAS outings. In recent years, she visited her son in London (by now middle-aged), and the two again went on a couple of the HADAS days out, seeing a Roman villa being excavated and visiting a castle and museum. On these trips she forewent the packed lunches in favour of food prepared in commercial establishments which she ate with gusto.

Other deaths by Peter Pickering

Reva’s is not the only death I have to report. We send our condolences to our member Sigrid Padel on the recent death of her husband. And Martin Gladman, so long a bookseller in West Finchley and before that in Friern Barnet, died tragically in February.

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February Lecture by Tessa Smith

Avenue House was packed for the February lecture presented by Dr Andrew Gardner entitled “The End of Roman Britain.” What? When? HOW? Dr Gardner began with an amusing cartoon of the Roman Governor leaving British shores with the quip “Well, I’m off. Look out for the Angles, Jutes, Saxons, Scots, Picts, Danes and Normans.” Throughout his lecture Dr Gardner compared the changes that happened under Roman rule, with the continuity of Roman influence after they had left Britain, his goal being to try to see both sides of the story. Comparing evidence from the year A.D. 300 with that from A.D. 600, he touched on evidence from archaeology, religion, culture, politics and the military. Slides of central Canterbury in the 3rd century showed classical buildings in a prosperous, bustling area, whereas excavations of the 7th century showed a much smaller central area built within the 3rd century ruined buildings. At Cirencester the Forum changed its original use and became a high status residence with mosaic floors. Silchester basilica and Forum became centres for light industry over the centuries. Generally large Roman administered towns became smaller over the years. Making a case for continuity, Dr. Gardner highlighted Wroxeter, where bath house materials were reused for high status dwellings. In the countryside many Saxon houses reused Roman farm structures, e.g. Orton Hall farm in Cambridgeshire, and many Roman villas continued to be occupied when Roman troops had gone. Change in religious culture from 2nd century worship of Jupiter to the acknowledgement of Christianity in the 4th century is accepted, but whom did these changes actually affect? A fascinating fact offered by Dr Gardner was that the elite, the military and the traders in newly built Roman towns together made up only 10% of the whole population, the other 90% worked the land and had only limited contact with the Romans and their culture. Evidence for religious continuity came from Wasperton where a Romano-British cemetery continued in use into Anglo-Saxon times, and at Uley the Roman Temple continued in use as an early English church on the same site. Military buildings changed in their style and use over the decades, stone quarrying for the military stopped in the latter part of Roman occupation, at South Shields the Gateway was recommissioned and continued in use, but with a more perishable material than the previously used stone. At Housesteads the early 4th century small chalet style of buildings changed to the later Roman long garrison style and at Birdoswald the granary changed to domestic use as a hall. The Romans introduced sophisticated pottery, Samian ware, which influenced Romano-British styles, and production of which fluctuated between A.D. 50 and A.D 400. Imports of continental pottery stopped altogether around 400 and Roman coinage minted on the continent was also no longer imported after that time. How did people experience this change? Was it catastrophic? Cultural changes were shown by loss of literacy by A.D. 600-700. Written evidence had a strongly religious and political agenda, was often written far away in the Mediterranean area and often a great length of time after the event. Manuscripts had been copied many times and mistakes made. So how reliable was this source of information? Dr. Gardner’s lecture questioned continually. When did change occur? What was the pace of change? What is meant by Roman? Why was there a collapse of values? Why did change occur? Plenty to mull over as we travelled home via Watling Street.

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Further Thoughts on the end of Roman Britain by Andy Simpson

Besides my notes of Dr Gardner’s lecture, I used the recent Osprey Fortress Series Publication ‘Rome’s Saxon Shore – Coastal Defences AD250-500’ Nic Fields 2006. ISBN 10 84603 094 3, ‘The Ending of Roman Britain’ b A S Esmonde Cleary (Batsford 1989 ISBN 0 7134 5275 7), The Decline and Fall of Roman Britain’ by Neil Faulkner (Tempus 2000 ISBN 0 7524 1944 7), and ‘Britain and the End of the Roman Empire’ by Ken Dark (Tempus 2000, ISBN 0 7524 2532 3) This is an endlessly fascinating period, featured in popular culture and theatre, right up to the recent Hollywood ‘King Arthur’ film with Keira Knightly. The Roman Empire is seen as the paragon of civilisation, with the common view of history that around A.D. 410 the Romans left the Britons to the tender mercies of the Saxons. Dr Gardner’s lecture looked at the Britain of around A.D. 300, problems of interpretation, different aspects of 4th-5th century archaeology, and comparing Roman Britain in A.D. 300 to the situation in post- Roman ‘Dark Age’ Britain in Al). 600. By A.D. 300, Britain had recently rejoined the Roman Empire after another rebellion by an usurper of the Imperial crown, Carausius (287-293). Under the Emperor Diocletian, the Diocese of Britain (Britannia) was divided into four provinces. These included Maxima Caesariensis covering the SE and Britannia Secunda covering the whole of Britannia north of the Humber. Southern Britain was prosperous, with classical buildings in towns such as Canterbury with its theatre. Fourth century Roman material culture saw widespread circulation of pottery and coinage. There was a settlement hierarchy of towns and a large population. The post- (or sub-) Roman period saw a ‘decline’ and the growth of small native British and incoming Saxon kingdoms and less political centralisation. Christianity was reintroduced to eastern England by St Augustine in 597 (in the native Celtic west it had never gone away). The Saxon incomers lived in smaller villages rather than towns, with new forms of material culture in metalwork, burial customs and other cultural changes, including the loss of much literacy in eastern areas, (in the west it was preserved by the Celtic church). This is unlike Gaul/Frankish kingdoms, where Roman law was carefully maintained for a long time by the new ‘Barbarian’ rulers. What continued and what changed? There are two sides to the story and a problem of lack of evidence, so ‘Dark Ages’ though not an academically popular term does have some relevance. What does the ‘dark earth’ found in many towns sealing Roman levels actually mean? Is it evidence of agriculture within the walls, or the decayed remains of timber buildings? Loss of evidence is a fundamental problem, with a likely change in the way people used things such as buildings. Pottery and coinage seem to have gone out of use in the early fifth century, (possibly by 430) — a relatively sudden loss of such evidence, with new fashions in architecture etc. coming in. Some changes can be traced back into the fourth century. There are problems with written sources such as the Notitia Dignitatum — a list of civil and military officials and units, dated c.395 — Britain always being rather marginal for classical writers more concerned with happenings around the Mediterranean, and with political and religious biases. Sixth century monastic British writer Gildas, for instance, had a strong religious agenda, and Bede had a seventh century political agenda in his writings — they and other writers were at some distance from the events’ they were recording which happened some 2-300 years earlier, like a modern writer recording the English Civil War, only with fewer primary sources. Sources such as the Notitia are usually medieval copies of earlier texts, leaving room for errors in transcription, especially in place names etc. What DO we mean by Roman? What had changed before the fifth century? And just WHO do we have evidence for? The material record is dominated by just 10% of the population. How do people experience change — was it a slow change over 20 years or more, or a catastrophic change? Did it happen at all? Few people in Roman Britain were actually FROM Rome, or even Italy. They were Roman because they lived in a Roman province, having a Roman identity, reinforced from the fourth century by a religious identity through the church — in the second century that identity was through worship of Jupiter ‘Best and Greatest’ and the other classical gods, and the cult of the Emperor. Different entity — same people. Culture — a Roman way of using artefacts. Roman citizenship was universal from the early third century, no longer earned through military service etc. How people lived — settlement patterns — living in a town — urban living being a key feature for `civilised’ living, especially in the Eastern Empire. Was Romanisation just a façade? Pace of change — archaeological evidence gives a better picture of long-term change. Historical evidence relates to events possibly not known to everyone in those pre mass-media days. Changes occurred throughout the Roman period. The political situation — the usurpation of Magnus Maximus, the esteemed Macsen Wledig of Welsh legend, in 383-388, was followed in 395 by the succession of the Emperors Honorius in the West and Arcadius in the East. In the late 390s/early 400s the Romano-Vandal Generalissimo Flavius Stilicho was involved in Britain, but may then have run down garrisons, abandoned forts and withdrawn troops to protect other parts of the Empire from Gothic attacks around 398. In 406 came the rapid series of usurpations of British troops led by Marcus, Gratian and Constantine III, the latter crossing to Gaul in 407 only to be killed by imperial forces at Arles in 411. Serious barbarian attacks on Britain in 408-09 seem to have led to revolts ‘of a popular nature’ against Constantine/Constantinus, and in 410 came the infamous rescript of Honorius telling the British civil administration — the civitates — to ‘look to their own defences’ as the Visigoths sacked Rome. In 440-450 came the supposed `Adventus Saxonum’ — 449, according to Bede — which Dr Gardner thinks doubtful. Towns — change and continuity. (`Town Life, or life in Towns? To quote my 1970s essay question) Fourth century towns were changing considerably, as evidenced, for instance, by the public buildings at Silchester, where there was metal working in the Basilica — perhaps the local military moving in to make equipment? At Cirencester, a provincial capital in the fourth century, where the excavations have been only part published, there may have been a high status residence for the provincial governor created from the basilica, which became a restricted access area for an authority figure rather than a publicly accessible structure. Fourth century town houses may have catered for a small but rich population involved in administration, with artisans working in the smaller towns/nucleated settlements springing up elsewhere, and bigger towns serving as ‘administrative villages’. Some towns were abandoned by the sixth century, but others may have been occupied by a reduced elite. The classic example of this, as revealed by the late Phil Barker’s excavations from the 1960s to 1990s, was Wroxeter in Shropshire. Rubble platforms over the part-demolished basilica seem to have supported multi¬storey timber buildings in classical style — a high status centre, possibly for the church rather than the state by the sixth century, leaving no obvious evidence other than patterns of stones and rubble. There are similar hints in other British towns, but British sites generally preserve little evidence of timber buildings. There were changes in the countryside too, e.g. in villas, whose occupation seems to have declined from the 350s, with hints such as human remains and rubble found in wells. Some of this could date to the ‘Barbarian Conspiracy’ of 367 — synchronised raids on Britain from north and south. Recent excavations and improved excavation techniques over the past 30 years in detecting features such as timber buildings like those of the Saxon period have found hints of continuity at villa sites such as Orton Hall Farm. Attempts have been made to extrapolate Roman estate boundaries from modern parish and other boundaries. What did the less well-off rural population do at this time? As for the Army — did it actually withdraw? There is conflicting evidence. In the fourth century at Housesteads fort up on Hadrian’s Wall barrack blocks were built in a new style as small individual structures — ‘chalets’ — perhaps even housing families. There was a change in the structure of the Army, with the old 5000 mail legions being replaced by smaller units of a different. nature. Building styles were different, with evidence of earth ramparts built over earlier stone defences at Housesteads and a decline in stone quarrying for building material. Later post-Roman occupation at Birdoswald on Hadrian’s Wall featured a timber hall over the levelled remains of the stone granaries, which was occupied into the fifth or sixth century. At South Shields, the dilapidated gateway (now reconstructed in full on site) was recommissioned and repaired in timber rather than stone, with a new timber lintel. All these could have been occupied by Roman soldiers or succeeding ‘war bands’. Material culture such as coinage and pottery is fundamental to archaeologists’ lives. Production of pottery and importation of coins ceased soon after 400, probably after the reign of Constantine, around 409 (as central authority was no longer bringing in cash from the continent to pay troops). The fourth century economy was highly monetised and dependant on coinage, but after around 409 there were no more coins imported and no local production of coinage. Why? There was however some continuity of metalwork such as the belt fittings worn by soldiers and officials as badges of authority, their styles often a mix of Germanic and Roman, given the number of Germanic troops in the late Roman army. Changes in religion saw pagan Anglo-Saxon styles of cremation burials replacing Christian inhumations in eastern Britain, where Christianity had become the state religion in the early fourth century. There is some evidence of religious continuity, such as at Uley in Gloucestershire, where the site remained important as a Christian Church was built over a pagan temple. As for language, although the British tongue died out in eastern Britain, some Romano-British place names survived. There is increasing recognition of such Celtic evidence, with less bias towards suivival in western Britain than previously thought. Latin survived as a scholarly language in western and northern Britain, being used by scholars such as Gildas, and returned post 597. In the west, inscriptions were made in both Latin and Irish Ogham script. As for religion and politics, there was change as new people arrived in eastern England. New kingdoms bore little resemblance to Roman provinces, though it is notable that Kent preserves the name of the pre-Roman Cantii tribe, and there is some other continuity. Spread of cultural attributes — compare the spread of American culture in Britain in the past 50 years. Burial practices changed from inhumation to urned cremations, but the idea of Rome survived on Saxon coins in the images used, in however debased a form, and influenced later English Kings. Existing Romano-British populations may have adopted Germanic cultural norms. Few people these days believe they were wiped out — more likely absorbed by intermarriage or moved to more marginal land. When did the changes occur? Roman Britain was not static. There were cyclical phases of pottery production and the culture, religion and politics of fourth century Britain were different from those of the second century. Coin use and ceramics production fluctuated. The late fourth century was more like the fifth century than the second, with smaller settlement patterns. Many changes took years — and who did such changes affect? The urban provincial and civic elite, the Army, and traders serving them — a small proportion, perhaps 10%, of a late Roman population of some three million, of whom the other 90% lived in the countryside. Of these majority, we know little of what they did and thought at the time, having often made limited use of Roman material culture, bartering goods, for which coinage was not essential once the Roman tax collectors were replaced perhaps by more local dues in kind. By the fourth century, the centralised state was battling regional trends towards independence as evidenced by the various usurpers, with archaeology partly confirming this with the growth of ‘unofficial’ small towns. Political authority collapsed rapidly because of longer term fragmentation. Cultural practices had their own patterns of change. The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons was a long-term process over decades in the fifth century, with the balance of power shifting from the native Britons to the Anglo Saxons in eastern Britain in the late fifth century, long after the collapse of the Roman administration. Formation of the succeeding English kingdoms took centuries. Resistance by the British was so stubborn that around 500 many migrants left Briton for their homeland or Gaul — Arthur? — but by around 550 the Saxon advance resumed into Wiltshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and beyond. How did Britons see themselves in the fourth century — as having a British, Roman or tribal identity? Who held power in the early fifth century — perhaps high-status individuals/kings descended from the Romano-British aristocracy or pretenders, perhaps with some sort of urban elite as evidenced by the visits of St Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, to St Albans in 429 and again a few years later. The sources record a few names such as the Romano-British king Vortigem who supposedly first invited in Saxon mercenaries in the mid fifth century. What was the scale and mechanism of the Anglo-Saxon migration — was it led by mercenaries or an active invasion? There is little evidence for sub-Roman political forms; taxation probably moved from coinage to in kind. `The End’ life goes on? Or ‘Barbarians at the gates’? Both probably true in part. To quote that great man Obi-Wan-Kenobi, ‘Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view’

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Re -enactments at the Royal Gunpowder Mills — Waltham Abbey by Stephen Brunning

Members may be interested to know that the Royal Gunpowder Mills is holding a series of weekend re-enactments between April and September 2007. For further information, call 01992 707 370, or see hyperlink “http://www.royalgunpowdermills.com”: The Royal Gunpowder Mills are open weekends, Wednesdays during the summer school break, and bank holidays from Saturday 28th April to Sunday 7th October between l lam to 5pm (last entry 3.30pm). Admission prices INCLUDE the above events: Adults £6, children £3.50 (5-16 years), under 5’s Free, concessions £5 (over 60 & students), family tickets £19 (2 adults and up to 3 children). Their address is Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey, Essex. For those who use Satellite Navigation, the Post Code is EN9 1JY!! Members may also be interested in the exhibition ‘Life and Death in Ancient Egypt’ at the Museum of St Albans until Sunday 10th June.

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The Last Hendon Farm: The archaeology and history of Church End Farm by Don Cooper

This review of our publication appeared in the winter number of London Archaeologist. The editor is grateful to Becky Wallower, the author of the review, -and Clive Orton, the editor of London Archaeologist, for permission to reprint it. It should inspire those members who have not bought The Last Hendon Farm to buy it (copies are available to members from Don Cooper (address at the end of this newsletter) at the concessionary price to members of £8) and those who are not subscribers to London Archaeologist to subscribe (£16 a year, from 8 Woodview Crescent, Hildenborough, Tonbridge Kent TN11 9HD.) “So what can be done with all those fading, incomplete, difficult to interpret and unpublished records that lurk in the archives of archaeological societies up and down Britain? This exemplary report from Hendon and District Archaeological Society (HADAS) offers a model of just how much can be extracted, and just how well it can be communicated. “Money helps of course. The generous use of photographs and historical images, the high production quality and some technical artefact analysis was made possible by a legacy from a HADAS member_ But the success of this volume is equally due to the innovative approach taken to get the archives analysed and written up. Local people enrolled on a course in post excavation analysis with Birkbeck College have researched the documentary evidence, unravelled the “bewildering array” of site records and written this account of one of Hendon’s three farms, under the tutelage and editorship of MoLAS post-med pottery specialist, Jacqui Pearce. “The problem was a familiar one: a large volume of excavation records, press cuttings, photographs, historical documents and artefacts resulting from the 1960s excavations by the fledgling archaeological society of two areas in the centre of Hendon. In search of Hendon’s Anglo Saxon origins, HADAS first investigated the site of Church End Farm before it was demolished to make way for Hendon Technical College. The second set of excavations, of Church Terrace is being studied by further Birkbeck post-excavation courses and will be the subject of a future volume from the society. “The students / authors clearly had some problems making firm conclusions from the available site records: the approach to recording was changed part way through the excavations making contexts difficult to identify, and a proportion of the artefactual evidence had gone missing in the intervening 40 years. Nevertheless, quite a reasonable job appears to have been made of cross referencing the various bits of documentation and relating it to artefacts. “Historical and archaeological background makes up the first part of the report, with Hendon and the farm being set in the context of London’s hinterland over 250 years. A key conclusion of the study group was the dating of the farm buildings. Whilst documentary evidence supports occupation only back to the mid 18th century, typology of the farmhouse construction, based on period watercolours and pre-demolition photos as well as the excavation evidence, indicates 17th century.- origins. “This was supported by the detailed study of the finds, the account Of which represents just over half the report. The description of typologies and dating is smoothly merged with discussion of the significance of particular types of pottery, clay pipes, tiles, bottles, coins or animal bone. Plenty of helpful background to each class of artefact is given without being too dry, so that quite a vibrant picture emerges of comfortably off occupants enjoying the fruits of their various labours. An unusual collection of bird, or sparrow, pots, for example, elicits a fascinating consideration of the form, the origins of the pots, where they might have been placed and what they were used for (either for collecting bird bounties or sparrow pie apparently). “The few quibbles with this volume are hardly substantial ones. The omission of a modern site plan in favour of a few historical maps makes it difficult to understand where the excavations took place and how the buildings related to each other and to neighbouring farms, church and pub. The writing by seven authors is inevitably a bit patchy. The chapter on future work doesn’t actually describe any. An index would have been good. This really is the gold standard though. It’s both a readable, well organised and interesting account of a site of local importance, and a benchmark for those with cupboards full of seemingly unmanageable archives.”

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Other Societies’ Events Compiled by Eric Morgan

Monday 2nd April 3 pm Barnet and District Local History Society. Church House, Wood Street (opposite Museum) Barnet. The Elephant Man’ talk by Dr Kate Thompson

Wednesday 4th April 8 pm Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society. Wealdstone Baptist Church Hall, High Street, Wealdstone. Some Middlesex Milestones Talk by John Donovan. Modest charge.

Thursday 5th April 8 pm Pinner Local History Society. Village Hall, Chapel Lane car park, Pinner Chiltern Open Air Museum Talk by Len Baker. visitors £1

Wednesday llth April 8 pm Hornsey Historical Society. Union Church Hall, Corner of Ferme Park Road Weston Park N8. The Workhouse in 19th century Middlesex Talk by Paul Carter.

Saturday 14th April 7.30 pm Celebrating the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade St Paul’s Church The Ridgeway NW7. John Newton, mentor to William Wilberforce talk by Mary Lynn Rouse.

Thursday 19th April 6.30 pm LAMAS Terrace Room, Museum of London150 London Wall EC2. The Old Welsh Bridge at Shrewsbury – a newly discovered fortified bridge Talk by Bruce Watson. Refreshments.

Friday 20th April 8 pm Enfield Archaeological Society Jubilee Hall Junction of Chase Side and Parsonage Lane, Enfield. Excavations and Fieldwork of the Society 2006 and AGM. Dr Martin Weare & Mike Dewbrey. £1

Saturday 21st April 2pm The Battle of Barnet Guided Walk. Meeting Junction of Great North Road and Hadley Green Road. Led by Paul Baker £6. Lasts 2 hours.

Wednesday 25th April 8pm Friern Barnet and District Local History Society St John’s Church Hall (next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane N20. Exhibitions in Great Britain Talk by Don Knight £2.

Thursday 26th April 8pm The Finchley Society Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Road N3 Talk by Robert WintOn (Hon. Sec.) Non-members admission £2

Sunday 29th April 2pm East Barnet Village Guided walk. Meet outside East Barnet Library, Brookhill Road Historical walk led by Paul Baker. £6

Sunday 29th April- 9th September Church Farm Museum Greyhound Hill, Hendon, NW4 Exhibition on Centenary of Life in Hampstead Garden Suburb from the early years to the present day.

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BARNET COLLEGE

Although no formal planning application has been lodged as yet, there are plans for the main building of Barnet College on Wood Street to be demolished and rebuilt. The nearby Grade 11 listed Tudor Hall, which fronts on to Wood Street and sits in a conservation area would be kept and there are plans to create a largc civic sciume with iandscaping and seating. The site stands near to the Parish Church and the old centre of Barnet and could be of archaeological potential. (More “Planning Matters “from Bill Bass on page 2)

HADAS DIARY – Forthcoming Lectures and Events in 2007

Tuesday 13th March – Eileen Bowlt (LAMAS Chairman) The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the early Days.

Tuesday 10 April 2007 – CHANGE OF LECTURE Stephen Bruning writes: “It is with regret that I have to announce that Denis Smith is unable to speak to us about Thomas Telford on 10th April as arranged due to family commitments. Denis is available later on in the year and the lecture will now take place in October 2007, still in the anniversary year of the civil engineer’s birth! As this newsletter went to press a replacement has not yet been found. However, it is hoped to have a new lecturer confirmed in time for the March edition. Please keep an eye on the HADAS website for up-to-the- minute information. . I will also send out an email to everyone on the discussion list as soon as someone is in place.

Tuesday 8th May David Berger (Frier Barnet and District Local History Society Chairman and curatorial lecturer at London’s Transport Museum) -Trams of North-West London.

As ever, lectures and the AGM take place at Avenue house, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE. Fronts begin at 8pm. Non-members £1. Tea, coffee and biscuits 70p. Fifteen-minute walk from Finchley central tube station. Turn left on exiting the station and go down the hill – East End Road is a turning on the left. There are also several nearby bus routes; limited parking.

A tribute to Adrian Gibson by Don Cooper

As a tribute to Adrian Gibson (the timber building expert), who died recently, the Essex Historic Buildings Group in conjunction with the Herts & Essex Architectural Research Society are holding a day school on Saturday 28th July 2007 at Cressing Temple Barns, Braintree, Essex. The cost is £20 with f7.50 extra for a ploughman’s lunch. Bookings should be made with Ian Greenfield, Yew Tree Cottage, Stanbrook, Thaxted, Essex CM6 2NL

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Adrian Gibson (MBE), lecturer, author and expert on timber-framed buildings, died on 16 March 2006. It was Adrian Gibson’s spade which found the Swanscombe skull, when he was working with John Wymer. He was also the author of Instructions in Archaeology (1963). a general introduction to British archaeology for amateurs, and in 1987 he became involved with the development programme for the superb Cressing Temple barns at Witham, Essex, a site of international importance.
PLANNING MATTERS – Edgware BILL BASS

Compass Archaeology has kindly sent us a report of an excavation they carried out on behalf of Thames Water in Edgware, below is a summary: “An archaeological watching brief took place in the area of Hale Lane and Farm Road, Edgware, between September and December 2006. This was carried out during groundwork for a Thames Water engineering scheme. Initial works involved stripping of turf, topsoil and some made ground within the site, followed by substantial excavation for an 8m-diameter water storage chamber. The site was considered to have potential for a range of archaeological remains, based on its proximity to Watling Street and associated finds spanning the prehistoric, Roman and Saxon periods. Archaeological observations of topsoil stripping across the site did not reveal any significant remains. Exposed deposits were either recent made ground associated with landscaping of the area, or an earlier and apparently truncated subsoil. Observations of subsequent excavation for the installation of the water storage chambers did not reveal any other archaeological features or deposits. However, the watching brief appears to confirm the geological record, in terms of alluvial deposits on the south-east side of the site. These were exposed below the subsoil, in the area excavated for the construction of the storage chambers. The deposits were about lm thick, overlying the natural London Clay, and reflected the proximity of Dean’s Brook just to the west of the site. However, the alluvium was quite sterile and no palaeo-environmental remains were found.” Thanks to Geoff Potter of Compass for keeping us informed.

MEMBERS’ NEWS

Dorothy Newbury reported in the February 2007 Newsletter that John Enderby was not well. (He was one of HADAS’s founder members and for many years Principal of Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute). Dorothy is happy to report that John Enderby has now left hospital and is at home in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, and would no doubt still be glad to hear from any of you who remember him. RESERVE NEWSLETTER EDITORS Dorothy Newbury would be very glad of offers from people who would be willing to be put on a list of reserve Newsletter editors. The job would involves receiving items in the post until about the middle of the month, and then in about five to ten days editing them and typing them up on to A4 paper, allowing space at the top of the first page for the HADAS logo and edition details. (A computer definitely simplifies the job!) Anyone who is interested please phone Dorothy on 020 8203 0950

Page 3

MORE ABOUT LETTER BOXES AND BARNET by Jim Nelhams

Although Jo and I had been aware of different types of letter boxes, our interest was heightened when Jo started a project with her school class based on the decade of the 1930s – a decade in which there were three monarchs: George V, Edward VIII and George VI. This triggered the question – “Were there any Edward VIII letter boxes?” Shortly afterwards, I became aware of the work on letter boxes started for HADAS by Bill Firth, and found his files in the Garden Room. Bill had joined the Letter Box Study Group, and I have since joined. I am hoping to have access to the LBSG database to compile a list of all the boxes in the Borough of Barnet. So far, 15 of the postcodes in the borough have been surveyed, and I am looking at the remaining two: HA8 and EN4, both of which cross borough boundaries. If anybody is interested in LBSG or post boxes in general, I would be happy to talk to them. A few points of local interest: • an old print of men playing football in Barnet market in the late 18th century also shows a Post Office on Barnet Hill next to what used to be the “Red Lion” and is now called “The Venue”. • a blue plaque on a house on Hadley Common marks the house where Anthony Trollope and his mother Fanny lived. His sister died during their stay in the house, and is buried in the churchyard at Monken Hadley. • Roland Hill lived at “Bruce Castle”, which is now a museum. The museum includes several post boxes, including a rare “airmail” box. • our borough has several unusual boxes including an “anonymous” box – one with Victoria’s cipher, in Cyprus Road, and a box incorporating a stamp machine in Totteridge. • the first “lamp box”, one attached to a post, was installed in 1895 just north of Avenue House in Lichfield Grove. Places to visit: Bruce Castle Museum, Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London N17 8NU Tel: 020 8808 8772 The British Postal museum and Archive (BPMA) Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X ODL. Tel: +44 (0)20 7239 2570 Prehistoric Village found at Stonehenge The village found at Durrington Walls near Stonehenge was part of a much larger religious complex. “Stonehenge isn’t a monument in isolation,” said Mike Parker Pearson of the Riverside Project, an initiative run by six English Universities and partially funded by the National Geographic Society. “It is one of a pair – one in wood and one in stone.” He.added that the dates for the village are “exactly the same time in radiocarbon terms, as for the “building of the sarsens.” (Radio carbon dated to 2600-2500 BC).The six houses so far excavated had clay floors and wooden walls, and there are outlines in the floor of fireplaces and furniture. This might have been accommodation for the builders of the monument

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OTHER SOCIETIES’ LECTURES AND EVENTS by Eric Morgan

Thursday 1 March, 1030 am Mill Hill Library, Hartley Avenue, NW7 – William Wilberforce – the Local Connection. Talk by Michael Works. Coffee 50p.

Sunday 4 March, 2.30 pm. Heath & Hampstead Society, Burgh house, New End Square, NW3. Artefacts of the East Heath. Walk led by Michael Welbank. Donation: £2. Lasts 2 hours. With apologies to anyone who expected this walk last month – unfortunately it was changed.

Friday 9 March, 8.15 pm – Celebrating the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. St Paul’s Church, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, NW7: William Wilberforce, the Parliamentarian and his contribution to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. Talk by Andrew Dismore, MP. Free. As Detailed in February Newsletter.

Monday 12 March, 3pm. Barnet and District Local History Society, Church house, Wood St (opposite Museum), Barnet. The Rise and Fall of New Southgate. Talk by Colin Barrett.

Wednesday 14 March, 8pm. Mill Hill Historical Society, Harwood Hall, Union Church, The Broadway, NW7. 19th Century Great Ormond Street Hospital. Talk by Dr Andrea Tanner.

Wednesday 14 March, 8pm. Harrow and Hillingdon Geological Society, Cavendish Pavilion, Field End Road, Eastcote – Mining in Antiquity. Talk by Dr Paul Craddock. Visitors: £2 donation.

Thursday 15 March, 6.30 pm. LAMAS, Terrace Room, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2. Hooke and the Early Royal Society. Talk by Joanna Corden (Archivist). Refreshments from 6pm. PLEASE NOTE NEW VENUE. Saturday 17 March 2007, 1 lam-5.10pm. LAMAS 44th Annual Conference of London Archaeologists: Wilberforce Lecture Theatre, Museum in Docklands, West India Quay, E14. (For details please see February Newsletter). HADAS hope to have a stand here. Morning session 11 am-1.10 pm: Recent Work. Afternoon 2.20-5.10pm – Archaeology of East End.

Wednesday 28 March, 8pm. Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, St John’s Church Hall (next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane, N20. Grandma’s London. Talk by John Neal. Cost £2. Refreshments 7.45pm and after. Thursday 29 March, 8pm, Finchley Society, Drawing Room, Avenue house, East End Road, N8. Public Houses Before the Railway Age, talk by Graham Javes (HADAS member) Non-members’ admission: £2.

Thanks to Bill Bass, Stephen Brunning, Don Cooper, Eric Morgan, Dorothy Newbury and Stewart Wilde.

newsletter

page 1 Time Team & HADAS Diary

NEW SERIES OF TIME TEAM That time-honoured feature of winter Sunday evenings is back-the new series of Time Team. Channel 4, around 5.30pm (times and transmission order may vary); Series started 14 January. See www.channel4.com/history/timeteam.

4 February The Druids’ Last Stand Anglesey

11 February Sharpe’s Redoubt Shorncliffe, Folkstone

18 February A Port and Stilton Stilton, Cambridgeshire

25 February A Tale of Two Villages Wicken, Milton Keynes

4 March No stone Unturned Warburton, Cheshire

11 March The Domesday Mill Dotton, Devon

18 March The Cheyne Gang Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire

25 March Road to The Relics Godstone, Surrey

1 April The Abbey Habit Poulton, Cheshire

8 April In The Shadow of the Tor Bodmin Moor, Cornwall

HADAS DIARY-Forthcoming lectures Tues 13 February Lecture by Dr Andrew Gardner, lecturer in the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at Institute of Archaeology, UCL; The End of Roman Britain-what ended, when, and how?

Tues 13 March Lecture by Eileen Bowlt – LAMAS Chairman; The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the early days

Tues 10 April Lecture by Denis Smith-Lecturer on Industrial Archaeology; Thomas Telford (1757-1834) 250th Anniversary Lecture

Tues 8 May Lecture; by David Berguer- Friern Barnet and District Local History Society Chairman, and curatorial volunteer at London’s Transport Museum – Trams of North-West London

As ever, lectures take place at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Lectures begin at 8pm. Non-members £1; tea/coffee & biccies 70p. 15-minute walk from Finchley Central tube station; several nearby bus routes; limited parking. TRANSPORT CORNER

Coming up on 3/4March 2007 is the first of the year’s open days at the London’s Transport Museum Depot at Acton Town, with the entrance right opposite Acton Town tube station on the Piccadilly/District Line-both easy interchanges from the Northern Line. Highly recommended. Lots of local stuff! Open 11.00-17.00 both days, admission £6.95 (concessions £4.95, accompanied children under 16 free). See www.ltmuseum.co.uk the theme for the weekend is London’s Transport in Miniature, with working model layouts and trade stands. Herewith a few pictures your ed. took last year to whet your appetites! Buses, trolleybuses, trams, tube stock, station signs, and much else, including a streamlined Feltham tram of the type that ran to Whetstone until 1938, as we will doubtless hear in the May lecture! The main museum at Covent Garden reopens to the public this autumn, after extensive refurbishment.

Page 2

EXHIBITION AT CHURCH FARMHOUSE MUSEUM

Latest exhibition at Church Farmhouse Museum on Greyhound Hill in Hendon is titled ‘Winterlude- Toys and More…’ and runs until 1 April 2007. Open Mon-Thurs 10am – 1pm and 2-5pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm and 2-5.30pm; Sundays 2-5.30pm. Admission free.

THE PAST FROM ABOVE; BILL BASS

This is the last chance to see this exhibition-‘a journey over the world’s greatest archaeological sites’- which ends at the British Museum on February 11th. It includes 100 aerial photographs taken by Swiss photographer Georg Gerster of historical landscapes and archaeological sites from around the world. Added to this are objects from the BM’s permanent collection relevant to the photographs and cultures. The exhibition is arranged by continent, starting with Africa (Olduvai Gorge) then moving through Asia, Australia, the Americas, then finishing at Europe with a specially commissioned photograph of the BM in its London setting. It’s a rich suite of aerial photographs showing the colour, texture and extent of fascinating sites and their settings, with accompanying relevant artifacts. Entrance £5.00, concessions £4.00. www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/thepastfromabove

MAGNUS MAGNUSSON

HADAS members will have noted with regret the passing of Magnus Magnusson in January 2007, aged 77. A Scottish-raised Oxford graduate of Icelandic descent, and for many years host of the BBC Quiz ‘Mastermind’ with his catchphrase ‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish’ he was the firm but fair quizmaster for those under the spotlight in that famous black chair. He was also a scholar of Icelandic and Old Norse literature. Of course for those of us of a certain age, he will also be remembered as the presenter of the 1970s BBC2 Archaeology programme ‘Chronicle’. Who could forget that distinctive music as the title unfurled manuscript like across the screen? He was rector of the University of Edinburgh 1975 – 1978, and later chaired Scottish National Heritage.

HADAS IN DEVON AND CORNWALL

In these dark days of mid winter, a reminder of warmer (mostly) and drier (usually) times on our most excellent summer 2006 trip to the Eden Project nestling in its former quarry, the atmospherically derelict Bodmin Jail, the rather splendid Forde Abbey (with very free-range chickens), Seaton narrow gauge Tramway, and examining prehistoric cists and alignments on a very rainy and misty Dartmoor, followed by the highly entertaining ‘Murder Mystery’ evening at the Two Bridges Hotel. Spot the location at Okehampton NOT on the HADAS Itinery…is that a ‘Hampshire’ DMU on the old LSWR I see before me?? – and of course the famous Brunel Royal Albert railway bridge crossing the River Tamar at Saltash.

Page 3

JOHN ENDERBY

Dorothy recently had a phone call from Mrs Enderby, to tell her that John, one of our founder members, and for many years Principal of Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute, is ill in hospital. They moved to Fontmell Magna, Dorset several years ago, and we had a delightful day trip there a few summers ago. I am sure he would like to hear from any of you who remember him who would like to write, and we all wish him a speedy recovery.

MORE TRANSPORT

Some readers will be aware of the excellent magazine London Railway Record, available from such venues as London’s Transport Museum, Motorbooks of Leicester Square, and the Ian Allan shop at Lower Marsh, Waterloo. The January 2007 issue features a nine-page illustrated article by John Butcher on ‘The Hendon Factory Branch’. This was the short-lived Midland Railway/Grahame White company branch off the Bedford-St Pancras line that left the main line at Silkstream Junction, Colindale, crossed the German Prisoner-of-War built Aerodrome Road into the Hendon ‘London Aerodrome’ airfield, ran right around the airfield boundary, and terminated in a fan of sidings on Edgware Road just north of the former Tramway Depot on the Hyde. Travellers could even book tickets to the small halt ‘ Hendon (Factory Platform)’ just inside the camp on Aerodrome Road The line opened in August 1918, closing in early 1921, though the tracks survived in situ to c.1930, requiring a bridge in the Northern Line embankment still visible in Montrose Park, and even today a small engine shed also survives in Montrose Park.

LAMAS CONFERENCE 2007

A reminder about the LAMAS Conference of London Archaeologists, that many members go to. This year it is at the Museum in Docklands 17 March11am – 5.15pm-This is due to the redevelopment of the MoL’s lecture theatre. Because of the change in venue, places are restricted and the cost is £7 for LAMAS members. £9 for non-members. Early booking is advised.’ Details and booking. Jon Cotton, Early Dept MoL, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN

RESISTIVITY DAY BILL BASS On Sunday February 18th, 10.30am, at the Garden Room of Avenue House there will be an informal meeting between members of the St Albans archaeology group (part of SAHAAS) to compare and contrast our different resistivity surveying equipment and methods. St Albans use their own self-built machines, where we use the manufactured CIA system. We have in the past surveyed an area of the Gardens, which we can use as a fixed reference point to test results. If time and the personnel are available we may also show the use of GPS equipment and how this can be tied in with a resistivity survey.

HERTFORD LODGE, EAST END ROAD, FINCHLEY.

Anyone wishing to live practically ‘over the shop’ for HADAS lectures and Garden Room activities can now buy an apartment on the adjacent refurbished Hertford Lodge site-new build and refurbished 2/3 bedroom apartments priced £525,000 – £875,000…

Page 4 William Wilberforce

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE PETER KEELEY

We are celebrating the bicentenary of the passing of Wilberforce’s’ Bill to abolish the transatlantic Slave trade by organising a series of free lectures to which all HADAS Members are invited. When Wilberforce retired from parliament in 1825 he chose to live in Mill Hill, which was at that time in open country. He bought a house at the top of Highwood Hill with 140Acres and a number of tied cottages. Because times were hard he immediately reduced the rents for his tenants. Throughout his life he used his Christian principles to guide him and is still an enduring influence often quoted by American Presidents when they come to office. However by the time he came to Mill hill he was not in good health and found the 7-mile journey to Hendon Church, even in a carriage difficult for him and the other Mill Hill residents. He therefore decided to build a Church at Mill Hill St Paul’s Church was built in 1830, the land being given by Sir Charles Flower who owned Belmont House. It cost £3527.4.0 a quite considerable sum in those days, most of it paid for by Wilberforce, who by this time was short of money. In October we hope to open the New Wilberforce Community Center having excavated below the church Crypt and replaced the floor of the church to double the floor area. The first free talk to which all members and their friends are invited is on Friday 9th March at 8.15pm by Andrew Dismore M P for Hendon, “William Wilberforce the Parliamentarian and his contribution to the slave trade Act. It will be held at St Paul’s’ Church Hall in the Ridgeway Mill Hill where there is ample parking.

Why is the US gallon smaller than the British one? STEWART J WILD

British visitors to the United States who rent a car soon find out that the gallon of gasoline in US filling stations is not the same as the gallon back home, in fact it’s considerably smaller. Why is this? The difference dates from before the American Revolution when our British colonies in the New World used weights and measures supposedly equivalent to those used in England. But the system of standard weights and measures wasn’t well established in Britain in the 18th century and the standard copies taken to the colonies differed from place to place. Thus the US bushel and gallon, and their subdivisions, often differed from the corresponding British units, causing many arguments between traders. The colonies eventually adopted the British wine gallon of 231 cubic inches as standard, but England at the time was using not only the wine gallon as a standard but, confusingly, also the ale gallon of 282 cubic inches. In 1824 Parliament established the British Imperial gallon as 277.42 cubic inches (the volume occupied by 10lbs of distilled water at room temperature) and decreed its use throughout the Empire. Of course the Americans took no notice and thus the American gallon remained at 231 cubic inches, nearly 17 per cent smaller. To confuse things even further, the American fluid ounce is slightly /larger/ than the British one because the US pint (one-eighth of a US gallon) is divided into 16 fluid ounces. In Britain, the pint, although larger, is equivalent to 20 fluid ounces.

HADAS IN THE NEWS

HADAS got some good coverage recently in the local free weekly newspaper, the Barnet Press, 4 January edition –‘Digging in the dirt reaps new rewards for archaeologists’ with colour photos of Chairman Don Cooper and Publicity Officer Tim Wilkins spread over two pages! The Birkbeck post-excavation course, publications and fieldwork were mentioned.

Page 5 British Postbox design & use

BRITISH POST BOX DESIGN AND USE- A review of the January Lecture by Jo Nelhams.

A New Year and a lecture that was perhaps a little out of the normal remit for HADAS, as we ventured into Industrial Archaeology. Stephen Knight introduced himself as the Curator of the Colne Valley Postal History Museum which, as he said, is a rather rand name for his back garden! He proceeded to deliver a very entertaining lecture packed with information of postal history.

The earliest days of the development of the Royal Mail was in the mid 17th century where service post offices were housed in inns. However, Paris was many years ahead of London in having posting boxes on the streets, as they appeared in 1653.

The oldest post office letterbox still in existence in England was believed to have been in a wall in Wakefield, and is dated 1809. It is now in the city Museum.

In 1840, when uniform Penny Postage and postage stamps were introduced, Roland Hill proposed roadside posting boxes. Anthony Trollope, the author, who lived for a short time in Barnet, had another life as a surveyor’s clerk at the Post Office, and was appointed as the Western District Surveyor. Roadside posting boxes were introduced to the Channel Islands as part of his scheme for improving the islands’ postal services, and mainland pillar boxes were introduced in 1852. In 1854, Roland Hill, the newly appointed Secretary of the Post Office informed the Treasury that the experiment had been a success.

Stephen took us on a tour in pictures of numerous shapes, sizes, colours, changes of decoration and design of post boxes throughout the British Isles. I am sure that many of the audience were surprised at the diversity of designs that can be seen from the very ornate to the rather plain.

The first boxes in London were rectangular in shape and stood about 5 feet tall, with a posting aperture designed to prevent urchins from stealing the mail.

Ciphers distinguish the monarchs in shoes reign the post boxes were erected. There are numerous Victorian boxes to be seen around London and around the country, many of which are quite ornate. The ‘Penfold’ was hexagonal in shape and made in the 1860s and 1870s. In Malvern, there are early fluted boxes (1857) that are still in use.

Edward VII has a very ornate cipher, where George V is quite plain, with no ‘V’. Although Edward VIII was not crowned, there are about 150 letterboxes that survive. There is one in Elliot Road, Hendon, East Finchley High Road, and Wagon Road in Hadley Wood.

George VI had a relatively short reign and wartime restricted the number of new boxes. The crowns change and Elizabeth II boxes have St Edward’s Crown with E II R, except in Scotland where the design was changed to use the Scottish Crown, as the population rebelled because the Queen is Elizabeth 1st of Scotland.

British letterboxes were exported to many colonies of the former Empire, and can be seen worldwide. Often it is the enthusiastic amateurs who are the driving force in preserving some of our history and heritage. Stephen is a member of the Letter Box Study Group, a dedicated group of people who are instrumental in promoting awareness in this interesting area of industrial archaeology.

Page 6 What’s on

OTHER SOCIETIES’ LECTURES & EVENTS ERIC MORGAN

Sunday 4 February 10.30am HEATH & HAMPSTEAD SOCIETY Burgh House, New End Square, NW3 Artefacts of the East Heath Walk led by Michael Welbank Donation £2. Lasts two hours.

Sunday 4 February, 2pm IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FAMOUS Guided walk-meet at High Barnet Tube Station. Led by Paul Baker (City of London Guide) Costs £5. Lasts two hours.

Thursday 8 February 6.15pm LAMAS Terrace Room, Museum of London 150, London Wall, EC2 – AGM and Presidential Address, followed by 17th Century Palaces-Talk. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DAY. Refreshments 5.30pm

Thursday 8 February FRIENDS OF CRICKLEWOOD LIBRARY Cricklewood Library, Olive Road, NW2 – Brondesbury and other Parts Talk by Len Snow.

Monday 12 February 3pm BARNET & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Church House, Wood St (Opposite Museum), Barnet Wars of the Roses-The Two Kings Talk by Alan Smith

Wednesday 14 February 8pm MILL HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY Harwood Hall, Union Church, The Broadway, NW7 –Industrial Archaeology in and Around Mill Hill – Preceded by AGM

Thursday 22 February, 2.30pm FINCHLEY SOCIETY Drawing Room, Avenue House, East End Road, N3 –Finchley Common Part 2-After Enclosure Hugh Petrie

Wednesday 28 February 8pm FRIERN BARNET & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY St John’s Church Hall (Next to Whetstone Police Station) Friern Barnet Lane, N20-Unknown Whetstone John Heathfield £2 Refreshments 7.45 pm and after meeting.

Thanks as ever to this month’s contributors; Bill Bass; Peter Keeley; Eric Morgan; Jo Nelhams; Dorothy Newbury, Stewart Wild.

Newsletter

HADAS Diary 2007

The winter lecture series takes place at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Nearest tube Finchley Central. Lectures start promptly at 8 pm – non-members £l, Coffee or tea 70p.

Tues. 9th January lecture by Stephen King – Curator of the Colne Valley Postal Museum, Essex: British Post Box Design & Use – the first 150 years

Tues. 13th February lecture by Dr Andrew Gardner – Lecturer in the Archaeology of thw Roman Empire at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL: The End of Roman London

Tues. l3th March lecture by Eileen Bowlt – LAMAS chairman: The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the early days

Tues. 10th April lecture by Denis Smith – Lecturer on Industrial Archaeology: Thomas Telford (1757-1834) 250th Anniversary lecture

Tues. 8th” May lecture: TBA

Excavation at St Andrew’s Old Church Kingsbury by Andy Agate

Excavation report on a site where HADAS members helped, Andy also gave a talk to HADAS on the same site in May 2006 Following a programme of previously reported topographical survey at St Andrew’s Old Church, Kingsbury six test pits were excavated during the summer of 2006. The excavation took place between the 4th and 30th June 2006 and the archive from the excavation will be placed at the Museum of London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC). The site code is ODL06. The work was undertaken by students from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology and by volunteers from HADAS. It was generously funded by the Churches Conservation Trust. The test pits (TPs) aimed to investigate broad questions about the site, primarily concerning the character and date of the earthwork which is thought to surround it, and the origin and development of the church. The earthwork The aim of TPs 1 and 2 was to assess the character of the earthwork and to record any dating evidence. The evidence from the two test pits strongly suggests that there is no continuous earthwork around the site. Previous excavations in the 1970s suggested that there was a ditch to the south of the church; however the current excavation found no evidence for an earthwork bank and the shallow ditch which was found is interpreted as a drainage ditch for the ‘holloway’ (Old Church Lane) revealed by the topographical survey. In addition the few pottery finds from TP1 are all post medieval in date. TP2 established the extent of the original graveyard on its eastern side. Two burials (not excavated), were revealed within the first metre of the TP at its western end. TP2 extended a further five metres east and no further burials were found. A sequence of deposits was revealed which suggest that building materials, especially roof tiles, were dumped outside the churchyard at various times. The pottery finds were few and all post medieval in date. Once again no bank feature was observed. Since the limit of the early graveyard was established it is clear that if an earthwork existed it would have been located in this area. It has previously been suggested, in the Victoria County History, that the eastern `earthwork’ was created by the up-cast from gravel quarrying to the east of the church and this may be the case. It is, however, possible that any earlier feature was destroyed when the eastern graveyard extension was laid out in the 1930s. Considering the evidence from the two test pits and the topographical survey together it appears that the impression that the church sat inside an earthwork was created by three factors,

1.The natural topography – the site is on the edge of a natural spur of land.

2.The creation of a holloway – accessing the church via Old Church Lane created a holloway (with a drainage gully), creating the impression of an earthwork

3.Gravel extraction and dumping – creating the impression of an earthwork to the east of the church.

It remains possible that 18th century antiquarian William Stukeley did observe a continuous earthwork which has not survived (and the map evidence is clear that the church was in an enclosure – although not necessarily an earthwork), however, based on the new evidence it would appear that the alternative interpretation, outlined above, is likely. In and around the church – test pits 3-5 Test pits 3 and 4 were excavated against the external walls of the church whilst TPS was inside the church overlapping TP4. The aim of each was to record the sequence and method of construction of the foundations, to look for any evidence for the development of the church over time and to recover any dating evidence. TP3 straddled the join between the nave and chancel on the south wall. The architectural evidence and some watercolours of the church suggest that the nave and chancel were built at different times. Interestingly, no break in the foundations or the wall was observed. Indeed, the construction of the foundation and the wall was similar to that seen in TP 4 on the north side of the church; a foundation trench, filled with compacted pebbles and stones, on top of which a similar layer is differentiated only by some mortar flecks. Above this is the lowest level of flints – the main wall of the church. In TP3 the flints were bedded in brown sand, with little evidence of mortar, whilst In TP4 the flints were bonded in a yellow sandy mortar. The different bonding methods appear to be the only differences in the construction method. From this evidence it is not possible to say conclusively that the nave and chancel represent different phases of building, indeed the absence of any clear evidence of a break in the wall at this crucial juncture is highly suggestive that the building is of one phase. TPS was located inside the church and uncovered part of a vaulted brick structure – most likely a tomb. This may belong to the four Sidebottom brothers who drowned in the Brent reservoir on 14th August 1835 and who are commemorated on a plaque on the north wall. The pottery finds from TP3 and particularly TP4 are more revealing. Although once again few they are from undisturbed deposits and provide crucial dating evidence. In TP3 a single sherd of Roman pottery was recovered. This badly worn sherd probably entered the backfill of the foundation trench during the construction of the chancel. Aside from the Roman material used to build the church, Roman finds are not uncommon in Kingsbury. In TP4 five sherds of early medieval flint-tempered London ware (EMFL), dated to 970 -1100 were recovered, once again from the backfill of the foundation trench for the church. Interpreting the pottery evidence from TP4 is difficult; as the pottery is of one type it suggests one phase of (probably domestic) occupation. Thus the pottery may be interpreted as a phase of domestic occupation prior to the construction of the church. On this interpretation the sherds would have already been in the ground for a period of time prior to the excavation of the foundation trench. However, the good condition of the pottery suggests that the sherds entered the ground freshly broken. This would link them directly with the construction phase of the building, making them perhaps broken and discarded vessels belonging to the workmen. On this interpretation the latest date for the construction of the foundations lies around 1100. Stretching this point further, a late 11th-century construction date raises the possibility that this building, or at least the foundation, is contemporary with a Domesday Book entry for Kingsbury which records a priest. In TP6, which cut across the main pathway to the church, the ground was much disturbed by burials and a gas pipe. Numerous sherds of domestic wares, mostly within an 18th-century date range, were recovered. Residual finds from this TP include a further sherd of EMFL and two sherds of south Hertfordshire-type greyware (SHER – dated 1170-1350) demonstrating that domestic wares have found their way onto this site over a broad date-range. The recent work at St Andrew’s Old Church has shown that investigating a site such as this requires a combination of different approaches. The historical evidence, topographical evidence and the excavated evidence compliment one another. The archaeological evidence shows that the earthwork around the church, historically recorded by Stukeley, is not a deliberate and continuous man-made feature. However, as discussed above, the topographical evidence supports an alternative explanation. The wider topographical survey suggests that the site occupies a significant location in the landscape, whilst the excavated dating evidence provides the first primary evidence of a late 11th-century origin for St Andrew’s Old Church.

A tale of two counties by Celia Gould

Question: What is the link between two streets in Hendon and a Victorian church in Wiltshire? Answer: Rundell and Neeld.

Joseph Neeld was born in 1789 to a family resident in the borough of Hendon. His father was a solicitor and ‘perpetual president’ of Clement’s Inn in the Strand. In 1827 Joseph had the great good fortune to inherit £900,000 – equivalent of over £40 million at today’s values – from his great-uncle Philip Rundell, of the London silversmithing and jewellery firm of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, a handsome reward indeed for having looked after the old man during the last 14 years of his life.The following year Neeld purchased the Grittleton estate in Wiltshire from Col. Joseph Houlton, and also became MP for Chippenham, retaining the parliamentary seat until his death in 1756. In 1830 he contracted a disastrous marriage with Lady Caroline Ashley-Cooper, eldest daughter of the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury. After a high profile separation in 1832, which was somewhat of a cause-celebre at the time, Joseph Neeld seems to have devoted himself to the management and expansion of his estate and a series of huilding activities.Neeld engaged the services of James Thomson, a little known 32-year-old architect, and former pupil of J B Papworth who had been responsible for much Regency style building in Brighton, Cheltenham and Tunbridge Wells. Neeld’s projects included the rebuilding of Grittleton House, unfinished at the time of his death, together with farmhouses, schools, almshouses and a cheese market in Clippenham. It is known that Thomson’s theories about `the picturesque tradition’ not infrequently conflicted with Neeld’s functional and utilitarian ideas. In 1846/47 Neeld and Thomson collaborated in the replacement of the decayed medieval church at Leigh Delamere – today alas best known as the site of a service station on the M4 motorway – with a church designed by Thomson. The result was the extraordinary, now Grade II* listed, church of St Margaret of Antioch. The plan of the old church was retained with the addition of a north aisle for the Neeld family and a vestry leading off this aisle, but a number of medieval features were altered. The most striking external feature of the new church is the bell turret, and there is a contemporary statue of St Margaret of Antioch in the niche above the south porch entrance.Inside can be found contemporary stained glass, an impressive organ and a number of stone fittings.The climax of the building is the east wall, dominated by the imposing painted stone reredos. There are also a number of monuments from the old church. Now pastorally redundant and in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust, St Margaret’s is open to visitors and a guidebook can be purchased at the church or by post from the London office of The Churches Conservation Trust (1 West Smithfield, London EC1A 9EE) at a cost of £1.50, plus 50p postage and packing for mail order. So, when you next walk through Neeld Crescent or Rundell Crescent in Hendon, spare a thought for the riches of Philip Rundell and the works of his beneficiary Joseph Neeld in the Wiltshire countryside.

Vintage Stonehenge by Peter Keeley

I was tidying my bookshelves and found my copy of Stonehenge To-day and Yesterday by Frank Stevens (1924 HMSO price 6 old pence Net) It is a very well written guide and good value being illustrated and having 90 pages dealing not only with the Henge but also all the Salisbury Plain Barrows. I thought your readers would be interested in the item under the heading of the Slaughter Stone, a horizontal Sarsen which was carefully excavated by a Mr Cunnington of Devises in 1801 but nothing very definite resulted. It was again thoroughly investigated by Col Hanley and Mr Newell in 1920. They concluded that the original builders had intended to bury the stone in a hole roughly dug in the soil to cover it at ground level. Unluckily the hole was not quite long enough to allow the soil to cover it so the stone rests on the sloping chalk at either end with a l0inch void under. In the rubbish beneath the stone was found a sealed bottle of port wine considerately inserted there by Mr Cunnington for the benefit of future excavators. It is not recorded who drank it or what condition it was in after 119 years but perhaps the Society should start a fund to lay down suitable vintages for those who re-excavate our sites in the future? Editor – not sure about wine, there are a few beers I could think of… …..

Christmas Cancelled!

Unfortunately the HADAS Xmas Dinner was called off at the last minute as it appears Harrow Museum have run into financial problems and may have to close. Bad luck to the organisers and better luck next time.

South MIMMS Castle by Brian Warren (The November HADAS lecture report)

Introduction

Matilda granted a second charter (25th – lst August 1141) to Geoffrey de Mandeville II, which entitled him, `to maintain that castle which he has built upon the river Lea and to found another wheresoever he wishes on his own land’. Derek Renn suggested the castle on the Lea was probably near Bow Bridge, since all other known castles on the river were of an earlier foundation. Whilst that castle was on the eastern flank of De Mandeville’s estates, it would not be unnatural to erect the other castle on the western extremity of his lands. In this case it would have been a strategic position placed near the Abbot of St Albans’ lands and across an early trackway. As R.H.C. Davis wrote, “What castles did was to block particular roads, crossroads or river crossings”. The castle was built but one can state it was most likely the one referred to in the charter (1141). The construction of a castle must have had an enormous repercussion on the local inhabitants. The feeding, clothing and housing of the extra workers and soldiers must have disrupted the local life of South Mimms. Following Geoffrey II’s arrest at St Albams (Michaelmas 1143) he was allowed to go free after surrendering all his lands. He set up his headquarters on an island in Ramsey Abbey, which was approached by a narrow causeway. In August 1144 he was struck on the head by an arrow and died an unabsolved excommunicant for his treatment of the monks of Ramsey Abbey. His body was refused a Christian burial, his earldom abolished, his lands and offices forfeited and his family disinherited.

The Castle – its discovery

It remained undiscovered for nearly 800 years, until the autumn of 1918, when G. F. Cruikshank and A. F. Major, while they were investigating the course of Grimm’s Dyke came upon the castle, subsequently making reports to the Earthworks Committee of the Congress of Archaeological Societies in 1919 and 1920. Nothing happened until 1931 when C. Lee Davis and his son, of the Mill Hill Historical Society re¬discovered it. An article appeared in `The Times’ in February 1933 and by July a South Mymms Excavation Committee had been established and an appeal made for funds. Once again nothing resulted.

The Castle – Dr. J. Kent’s excavation 1960-1967

Dr. Kent, with the assistance of numerous volunteer helpers, carried out the most extensive excavations on the site so far. These were undertaken for a fortnight each year and also at weekends. The results were summarised by him in, `The Story of Potters Bar and South Mimms’, published in 1966, and in the Barnet and District Local History Society’s bulletin, No. 15 published in November 1968. Dr. Kent’s excavations were primarily concerned with the Motte, though he did extend two trenches across the Motte ditch and excavated into the western inner bailey, where a curved wall of a pre-castle building was discovered. The extensive excavations on the Motte established the existence within it of flint footings for an almost square timber tower, which was estimated at six foot square at a height of 69 feet. It has been suggested that the tower could have been like the Navestock Parish Church tower, in Essex. As a result of Dr. Kent’s excavations a pre-castle phase is known to have existed, also the discovery of 14th century pottery indicates a later period of use.

The Castle- South Mimms to Roestock Green Motorway 1977 (the A1M)

The construction of the motorway across the supposed Outer Bailey of the castle provided another opportunity to observe the site. A line in a 1934 aerial photograph had led to the suggestion that it was the boundary of the outer bailey. As a result of the 1977 observations it is now known that the presumed boundary was of geological origin. However, that line could have been utilised as a field boundary, so therefore the problem of whether there was an Outer Bailey is still an open question. The most important result of the 1977 observations is that it proved the existence of human occupation much longer than had previously been known. The castle site was used from Mesolithic times through Belgic and Iron Age periods. Pottery dating from 1150 to 1325 was discovered, which was comparable with that found at Northolt. This is not the end of the South Mimms castle saga but only another brief phase of enlightenment in uncovering the mysteries of the past. As Dr. Kent wrote in 1968, “There is need for much work on the castle. Virtually nothing is yet known of the Bailey, its building or defences, and the pre-castle phase of the site requires further elucidation.

Update on the excavation at Victors Way, High Barnet

The site was dug by AOC Sept-Oct 2005, HADAS visited the dig which was reported in the Jan 06 Newsletter. This update is from The London Archaeologist roundup 2005. Three separate medieval properties were identified, the plots divided by a series of ditches and a path of compacted gravel. Different uses of the plots were evidenced by the numerous rubbish pits and deep ditches in two of them, and the remains of tree bowls and garden features in the other. They are provisionally dated to the 12th – 15th centuries. Was a large square structure made entirely of flint, it is undated. Above these were 17th and 18th century features, including a brick built drainage system and a path separating properties. These may relate to previous properties of the 17th to 18 century Mitre Stables which would have lined the main High Street. A capped well or water tank, probably dating to the 18th century was also found, its depth has yet to be established but water was present at over 3 metres deep.

Avenue House/Garden Room

The sorting of the West Heath archive project is nearing completion. With the listing and cataloguing of site note books/registers, paperwork, photos, slides and charts etc. Hopefully we can negotiate with the LAARC to deposit the finds and archive with them early in the New Year (2007).

Request for speakers from Barbara Walding

We run coffee mornings at Friern Barnet and Chipping Barnet Libraries, at the moment we are looking for groups and societies who would be willing to come and speak at coffee mornings in 2007. Unfortunately we are not able to offer payment but would ensure your coffee cup was bottomless! Friern Barnet coffee mornings take place monthly on a Wednesday between 10.30-11.30am, Chipping Barnet coffee take place weekly on a Monday between 10.30-11.30am. I look forward to hearing from you. Barbara Walding Friern Barnet Library, 0208 368 2680

Cutting Comments

College Farm Saved/Barnet & Potters Bar Times

After a 34 year battle the future of College Farm in Finchley appears to be assured as it was recently purchased by a charitable trust recently. The College Farm Trust had spent nine years trying to buy the Grade II-listed community farm, in Fitzalan Road, which dates back to the 14th century. The current farm buildings were built on the site in 1883 when it was used for milk production by Express Dairy. The farm has been used as a store by HADAS over the years and we have conducted experimental archaeology there.

Register Office, Wood Street, Barnet – Listed/Barnet Residents Association

This fine looking building has been Listed as Grade II by English Heritage. The citation notes that “29 Wood Street is a handsome, well-preserved early 20th century (1915) municipal building in a restrained English Baroque style. The interior survives well, retaining its plan form, staircase, most joinery and restrained but pleasing civic rooms in the neo-Baroque style. Although most of the grand Town Halls of the former LCC Boroughs survived and are now listed, smaller suburban town halls have fared less well, with many demolished or converted to other uses”.

It’s All in the Game by Stewart J Wild

I was looking into the origins of London street names and thought members might be interested in a connection I found between St James’s and Brent Cross. It’s the history behind The Mall and Pall Mall; both get their name from an ancient game, /pallo a maglial or /pallamaglial, a sort of aerial croquet, that was very popular in Italy in the 16th century. /Pallamaglia/, or mallet-ball, from /pallo/ ‘ball’ and /mall eus/ ‘mallet’, involved hammering a boxwood ball towards, and then through, a large iron ring suspended high above the ground. In France it was known as /palle-maille/ which crossed the Channel into English as pall-mall, although some say it reached London via Scotland. To keep casualties to a minimum, a long grass alley bordered by trees was required, and this came to be called a ‘mall’. The name was first recorded in 1650 as Pall Mall Walk, although this thoroughfare actually dates back to at least 1222, when it was recorded as Spittelstrete (Hospital Street) since it led to St James’s Hospital, founded in the 12th century as a leper hospital for young women on the site now occupied by St James’s Palace. Samuel Pepys in his Diary mentions watching the Duke of York playing the game in 1661. Pall Mall was clearly the place for society to mingle, and incidentally was the first area in London to get public street lighting by the new-fangled gas lamps in June 1807. After the Restoration, because of the dust and the traffic, Charles II ordered the construction of a replacement mall in the adjacent royal park; this has become the processional avenue we know as The Mall. For a while in the 1660s the new road of Pall Mall was briefly known as Catherine Street to honour the king’s wife, but the familiar name prevailed even though the game had moved into the park. The fact that the king’s mistress, former actress Nell Gwynne, was by 1671 living in a house on the south side may have had something to do with it. Pall Mall has continued to be a fashionable area and is still favoured by gentlemen’s clubs and top-name companies. Would that today’s shopping malls were as elegant.

Other Societies’ Events by Eric Morgan

Thurs 4 Jan: 10.30am, Mill Hill Library, Hantley Avenue, NW7. The Bothy – Finchley’s Forgotten Castle by Mollie Harris. Talk with coffee and biscuits, 50p.

Thurs 4 Jan: 8pm, Pinner Local History Society, Village Hall, Chapel Lane Car Park, Pinner. The Highway Men on Hounslow Heath by Andrea Cameron. Visitors £2.

Mon 8 Jan: 3pm, Barnet & Local History Society, Church House, Wood St, Barnet, (opposite museum). East Barnet & New Barnet -A History by Graham Javes (HADAS member).

Weds 10 Jan: 8.OOpm, Mill Hill Historical Society, Harwood Hall, Union Church, The Broadway, NW7. Bizarre Barnet by Gerrard Roots (Curator of Church Farmhouse Museum & HADAS member).

Weds 10 Jan: 7.45pm, Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, Corner of Ferme Park Rd/Weston Park, N8. Early Television Revealed by Jacob o ‘Callaghan.

Weds 17 Jan: 6.30pm, LAMAS, Terrace Room, Museum of London.Diving into History – Nautical Archaeology What’s in it for us? By Jan Barefoot Weds 17 Jan: 7.30pm,Willesden Local History Society, Scout House, High Rd, (corner of Strode Rd) NW 10. Newspaper Adverts by Brent Archivists

Fri 19 Jan: 7pm, City of London Archaeological Society, St Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane, EC3. Life & Death in the Jordan Valley – What burials can tell us by Jack Green

Fri 19 Jan: 7.30pm, Wembley History Society, St Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Lane, Kingsbury, NW9. London Underground, Past & Present by Geoff Donald. Refreshments

Sun 21 Jan: 11.00am, Barnet Pubs, Guided Walk by Paul Baker, meet at High Barnet Tube. £5.00 (lasts 2hrs)

Weds 24 Jan: 7.45pm, Friern Barnet & District Local History Society, St John’s Church Hall (next to Whetstone police station), Friern Barnet Lane, N20. The Great North Road by Harry Glutck. Sun 28 Jan: 2.00pm, Historical High Barnet, Guided Walk by Paul Baker, meet at Barnet College. £5.00 (lasts 2hrs)

Tues 30 Jan: 10.30am, Enfield Preservation Society, Jubilee Hall, Junction of Chase side/Parsonage Lane, Enfield. The Hidden hall by Peter Lawrence.

Thurs 1 Feb: 10.30am, Mill Hill Library, Hartley Avenue, NW7. History of Photography & Its Uses. 50p.

Newsletter

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As it is that holiday season again, we take the opportunity to wish all our readers a happy holiday and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

HADAS Diary

Tues. 12th December 2006 HADAS CHRISTMAS DINNER This will take place at Headstone Manor in Harrow, Middlesex, a very important 14th century Manor House. The cost is £29 per person and includes a free coach ride. So do come and take the opportunity to meet old friends and new members. IMPORTANT – Note the change in coach pick-up times as follows: Barnet at 5.00pm, Finchley 5.20, Golders Green at 5.35 and Hendon at 5.50.

Tues. 9th January 2007, 8pm Lecture by Stephen Knight – Curator of the Colne Valley Postal Museum, Essex: British Post Box Design & Use – the first 150 years.

Tues. 13th February 2007, 8pm Lecture by Dr Andrew Gardner – Lecturer in the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London: The End of Roman Britain

Tues. 13th March 2007, 8pm Lecture by Eileen Bowlt – LAMAS chairman. The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the early days.

Tues. 10th April 2007, Denis Smith – Lecturer on Industrial Archaeology. Title TBA. Tues. 8th May 2007, TBA

The winter lecture series takes place in the Drawing Room at Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley N3 3QE. Lectures start promptly at 8pm – non-members £1, Coffee or tea 70p.

HADAS wins commendation at British Archaeology Awards by Tim Wilkins

Members will be pleased to hear that HADAS received a commendation at the prestigious British Archaeological Awards (BAA), for its latest publication “The Last Hendon Farm” The biennial BAAs, held in Birmingham on the 6th November 2006, are the most prestigious awards in British archaeology. Since their foundation in 1976, they have grown to encompass 12 awards covering all aspects of British archaeology.

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HADAS was a finalist in the section for the Pitt-Rivers Award for the best project by a volunteer organisation. In presenting this category, the BAA said “We are delighted to report that we had an excellent set of submissions, sixteen entries in total. The overall quality of the work is the highest for many years and a tribute to the voluntary sector. We are particularly impressed where groups are training their own members to study and write their own reports”.

This last comment is especially relevant to HADAS, where the book is the first major product of the HADAS course on post-excavation analysis, run as a joint venture with Birkbeck College, University of London. Late breaking news: At the SCOLA (the Standing Committee on London Archaeology) archaeological awards ceremony on 14th November at the Society of Antiquaries at Burlington House, which looks at professional and amateur publications on London archaeology over the last two years, out of the seventeen entrants, HADAS’s “The Last Hendon Farm” was among the four finally short-listed. In the event, “Sutton House” a joint publication by English Heritage & the National Trust was deemed the winner and “Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate” by the Museum of London Archaeological Service (MoLAS) was second. The other short-listed book with HADAS’s was another MoLAS book “Old London Bridge”. The HADAS book was the only “amateur” publication among these illustrious professionals – quite an achievement!!

Editor’s comment: For those of you who would like a copy or maybe give one as a present, they are on sale to members at a special price of £8 each (plus postage if necessary). To order please contact Don Cooper (details below) Personal Note by Don Cooper As I will have been chairman of the society for four years next June, I feel it is time to hand over the reins to some new blood. This early notice is to give members time to consider whether they would like to stand for this important position. Do contact me if you require further details.

RETURN TO PINNER HILL GOLF CLUB by Don Cooper

Site code PGC05 Grid reference NGR TQ 1097/9154

No – we weren’t playing golf, but as many of you will remember, we conducted a resistivity survey there in July 2004 (see Newsletter no. 401 August 2004) and excavated a small area in May 2005 (see Newsletter no. 412 July 2005). We returned in June 2006 to continue our investigations by excavation of an adjacent area (see report below.) It is worth, however, trying to piece together the documentary and other sources for the probable 1650s mansion at Pinner Hill and its residents. From our point of view, the story starts with another dry summer (1990). Ken Kirkman, Vice-President of the Pinner Local History Society (PLHS), and, at that time also a golfer, noticed parch marks on ground near where he had long suspected the lost Pinner Hill mansion might have been. He and members of the PLHS contacted the Museum of London; and Jon Cotton and colleagues examined and mapped the parch marks, a copy of which, by Pat Clarke, is reproduced here (Fig. 2). The scale of the parch marks was then compared by Pat Clarke (personal communication) with the footprint of other Middlesex houses from around that time including, Boston Manor (built in 1622/3, 15 hearths), Swakeleys (1629/38, 18 hearths), Forty Hall (1629/32, 15 hearths), Cromwell House (c. 1630, 10 hearths), York House

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(c. 1690, 15 hearths), Tottenham Priory (c. 1620), and Sutton House, Hackney (c. 1520, 11 hearths?). The footprint of the parch marks at Pinner Hill fits well with these measurements. John Hawtrey of Pinner Hill House was assessed for 14 hearths in 1662 (Druett, 1980). Then our resistivity survey confirmed many of the parch marks and this, in turn, led to our first small excavation in 2005. The results of that excavation produced standing walls of Tudor brick, that matched the parch marks, and a couple of sherds of pottery (one sherd of Frechen ware (1550 – 1700) and one sherd of Post-Medieval redware (1650 – 1800). One further piece of evidence provided by Pat Clarke, is that the Messeder map of 1759 shows a house in “approximately the correct location and outline”. The present Pinner Hill house (the club house of the golf course) is not a candidate for the 1650s mansion. On the basis of its architecture, it is dated by the Victoria Country History as late eighteenth century, and Sir Nicholas Pevsner calls it “Georgian” (Clarke, 1980). There is circumstantial evidence that it was built in about 1785, when owned by Lady Jane Brydges, as there is a reference to a large amount of brick-making on the site by Bodimeade of Harrow Weald as well as a tangential reference in a will (Ken Kirkman, personal communication). So if we have found the site of the house, what of its builder and subsequent residents? Sir Christopher Clitherow (1570 – 1642) appears to have been responsible for building the original Pinner Hill House sometime between 1629 and 1640 (Clarke, 1980). He was the son of a wealthy city merchant (Ware, 1955) and a remarkable man who held many prominent positions in the society of his time. He was admitted to the East India Company in 1601, and became its Governor in 1638 (Ware, 1955). He was also a signatory to the Second Virginia Charter of 23rd May 1609. He was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers on 26th April 1618, even though he had been fined for refusing to serve as either Sheriff or Warden of the said Worshipful Company (Glover, 1991). In 1625 he was Sheriff of London and Middlesex (his predecessor having died of plague!), and he was M.P. for the City of London in 1627 (Ware, 1955). He was elected Lord Mayor of London for 1635, and subsequently knighted (Ware, 1955). Incidentally, Isaac Walton, he of The Compleat Angler, served as his “bachelor in foins” during his mayoralty (Glover, 1991). In 1929, Colonel J. B. Stacey Clitherow (I presume a descendent) presented a portrait of Sir Christopher to the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers (Glover, 1991). He was President of Christ’s Hospital in 1637 (Clarke, 2004), where his portrait hung in the boardroom (Ware, 1955). He was married twice; first to Catherine, daughter of Thomas Rowland, and then to Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Cambell (Ware, 1955). Sir Thomas Cambell was another Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers, and a Lord Mayor of London in 1610 (Glover, 1991). The number of children Sir Christopher and Mary had is uncertain, but the word “many” comes to mind, probably six sons and four daughters, if the memorial in St Andrew Undershaft is to be believed! Sir Christopher died on 2nd November 1642 and is buried in St. Andrew Undershaft in Leadenhall Street. In his will he refers to his “house at Pinner”, the contents of which he left to his wife (Clarke, 1980). Besides Pinner Hill House, he had estates in Essex and Hertfordshire (Ware, 1955). Sir Christopher was very successful during very difficult political times and managed to pass on considerable wealth to wife and sons. After the Clitherows and their descendents, there is a continuous line of ownership of Pinner Hill House right down to the present day (Clarke, 1980). It would be nice to think that we have found the house that Sir Christopher built, and I would have thought that he is worthy of a blue plaque or at least a golf-hole named after him!!

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THE 2006 PINNER HILL (Site code PGC05) EXCAVATION By Bill Bass

Images and figs not yet included

For the 2006 dig it was decided to open up a trench across the edge of a large circular depression which is a feature of the parch-mark and survey area. The depression was thought to be the result of fill compacting into a possible cellar, but this needed confirmation.

A possible entrance to the cellar is shown on the parch-mark survey (see Fig. 2). Floor levels at the ground appear not to have survived so it was thought that an excavation of the cellar could provide evidence of a floor and possible further dating evidence from the style of the floor and finds contained in the cellar.

An initial trench of 3x1m was opened up north-south across the edge and the body of the depression. Beneath the turf the red brick began to appear on the west side of the trench, it appeared (in plan) to be the end of a wall (2F1) with a moulded or curved edge on one side and a rebate (?) on the other, north side, (see Fig.1). A start was made on excavating the presumed infill of the cellar; this consisted of a brick, tile, mortar and rubble demolition layer [203]. This fill was excavated to a depth of 0.70cm but with no sign of a floor.

In the meantime, the trench was extended to the east with a 1x1m block to pick-up the opposing door edge. This was duly found (2F2) revealing a gap of 1.25m between the wall (doorway?) edges, this brickwork also showed signs of a shaped or moulded corner but not as defined or well-shaped as the western edge. Also shown in the extension was part of a north-south wall (wall of the cellar) which had an untidy butt joint with the doorway edge.

Photo showing the moulded door edge (2F2), nearest the top ranging pole.

The above excavation confirms the parch-mark survey with two sides of an entrance doorway – the two sides may not match-up exactly and the brickwork is of varying quality and workmanship but it is near enough. The entrance/door with its inner moulded wall would lead into a cellar or similar structure; unfortunately there was not enough time to excavate fully down to the cellar floor level. Finds There were only a small amount of finds from this dig and these were similar in style and date to the 2005 excavation.

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Bibliography. Clarke, Patricia, A. 1980. The Story of Pinner Hill. Pinner Local History Society: A Pinner Miscellany. Vol. VI. P8-18.

Clarke, Patricia, A. 2004. A History of Pinner. Chichester, West Sussex: Phillimore Press.

Druett,Walter, W. (3rd ed.) 1980. Pinner through the Ages. London: Ringstead Press.

Glover, Elizabeth. 1991. A History of the Ironmonger’s Company. London: Worshipful Company of Ironmongers.

Ware, Edwin, M. 1955. Pinner in the Vale. London: Pinner Local History Society.

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Hendon School Archaeology Project By Gabe Moshenska

A blue plaque on the front wall of Hendon School highlights its historical importance as the site of Hendon House, the sixteenth century residence of John Norden, cartographer to Elizabeth the First. For a week in June a group of pupils at Hendon School took part in an archaeology project, run by UCL Institute of Archaeology Widening Participation and supported by HADAS, to find out more about the history of the site and about archaeology in general.

By consulting maps and historical sources we were able to establish that Hendon House itself was buried beneath the houses to the west of the school gates, well away from the area where we could dig. Nevertheless, a resistivity survey of the playing field showed some promising linear features, which we set out to investigate.

The UCL/HADAS dig team, together with a group of sixteen school students, opened two small trenches on the playing field: trench one, a 2m x 6m to the south; and trench two, a 1.5m x 8m to the west. The school kids with their shiny new trowels quickly got the hang of digging, and within a short time were mattocking like professionals. They also brought their own distinctly teenage flavour to the project: there was great excitement whenever a worm was discovered, and one or two students showed a remarkable ability to send text messages while trowelling.

Trench one reached natural clay relatively quickly, but produced a large amount of smelting slag, as well as iron ore and malachite (copper ore). There was also an unusual hemispheric hand-held grindstone, which we speculated might have been used to grind up the ores for smelting. While it is difficult to date this material precisely it is likely to be post-medieval, based on the pieces of glazed tile found in the same contexts.

Trench two was placed to cut across a linear feature that was visible both on the geophysics and later as a parch-mark on the grass. This proved to be a collapsed wall, largely made of brick and mortar rubble, which made it hard to define the sides clearly until we had gone down quite far. However, when cleaned up it proved to be on the same alignment as a wall on an Eighteenth Century map. Interestingly, trench two also produced a respectable quantity of Roman brick and tile fragments, which correspond to similar finds on sites further along Brent Street.

The interest, excitement and commitment demonstrated by the school students to the archaeological work is every bit as important as the actual findings, if not more. In these respects the project was a success all round: many of the students, who were each allocated one afternoon on site, came back every day, sometimes after school, (with their teachers’ permission) to keep digging. Hopefully this enthusiasm, nurtured by teaching sessions before and after the dig, will lead some of the students to follow their interest in archaeology either at university or with HADAS. The school is considering another dig next summer; meanwhile UCL Institute of Archaeology is forging links with other schools in the borough. Watch this space!

The Hendon School Archaeology Project was instigated by Maria Phelan of Hendon School, together with Sarah Dhanjal and Jenny Stripe of UCL Institute of Archaeology Widening Participation. Thanks to the volunteer excavation team from UCL, and to Jim Nelhams and Andrew Coulson of HADAS, who are to be commended for their courage in the face of hordes of teenagers.

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What’s on By Eric Morgan

Wednesday, 6th December at 8pm, Islington Archaeology and History Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1, a lecture entitled “Cornucopia of Islington oddities – artefacts and facts” by Michael Marland & Peter Powell.

Wednesday, 13th December at 6.30pm, LAMAS, The Learning Centre, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2, a lecture entitled “New finds from Roman London” by Angela Wardle of MoLSS.

Wednesday, 13th December at 8pm, Mill Hill Historical Society, Harwood Hall, Union Church, The Broadway, NW7, a lecture entitled “ Stagecoach journey from London to York in 1820” by Hugh Granger.

Wednesday, 13th December at 8pm, Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, corner Ferme Park Road/Weston Park, N8 a lecture entitled “George Orwell’s North London” by Peter Powell.

Thursday, 14th December at 7.30pm, Camden History Society, Burgh House, New End Square, NW3, a lecture entitled “London Statues of the famous and forgotten” by Susan Jenkinson

Friday, 15th December at 8pm, Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall, junction of Chaseside/Parsonage Lane, Enfield, a lecture entitled “Romania’s Heritage – Medieval Towns and Castles of Transylvania and Painted Churches of Moldavia” by Stephen Gilburt.

Monday, 18th December at 8.15pm, Ruislip, Northwood & Eastcote Local History Society, St. Martin’s Church Hall, Ruislip, a lecture entitled “Stanmore History – Bentley Priory and the 1632 Brick Church” by Frederick Hicks.

Thanks to our contributors: Bill Bass, Eric Morgan, Gabe Moshenska, Tim Wilkins

Newsletter

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A Happy New Year to all our Jewish members.

HADAS goes West by Don Cooper

The HADAS “long” weekend in Devon & Cornwall took place between 30th August and 3rd of September. It was a most successful trip and enjoyed by all. I won’t spoil the full report (which will appear with a future newsletter) by revealing all the details, however I would like to record mine and everybody’s warm congratulations and thanks to Jackie Brookes for her brilliant organisation (as usual) from the programme booklet, the good food and accommodation to the surprise dinner and much else besides holiday — thank you Jackie.

HADAS Diary

Lectures starting A reminder that the winter season on Lectures start on Tuesday 10th October at Avenue House

Tuesday, 10th October 2006, Nadia Durrani – assistant editor, Current Archaeology. The Queen of Sheba

Tuesday, 14th November 2006, Barry Taylor & Steve Ellwood of English Heritage. The sites and monuments records for Barnet

Tuesday, 9th January 2007, Stephen Knight – Curator of the Colne Valley Postal Museum, Essex. British Post Box Design & Use – the first 150 years

Tuesday, 13th February 2007, Dr Andrew Gardner – Lecturer in the Archaeology of the Roman Empire, Institute of Archaeology, UCL. The end of Roman Britain

Tuesday, 13th March 2006, Eileen Bowlt – LAMAS Chairman. The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the early days

Tuesday, 10th April 2007, Denis Smith – Lecturer on Industrial Archaeology. Title TBA

Tuesday, 8th May 2007. TBA

Lectures start at 8.00pm in the Drawing Room, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, N3 3QE. Buses 82, 143, 326 & 460 pass close by, and it is five to ten minutes walk from Finchley Central Station (Northern Line).

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Congratulations by Jim Nelhams

Congratulations to Denis and Shifra Ross who have just celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. The exotic location chosen to celebrate the occasion was the coach taking HADAS members on their extended trip to Devon. At a dinner on the last evening of the trip, the happy couple generously provided wine for each table, which was much appreciated. Don Cooper read a specially commissioned ode, which follows. Jackie Brookes, resourceful as ever, arranged for the Hotel to provide a celebratory cake. For Denis and Shifra

For Denis and Shifra a rhyme,

And sadly, there isn’t the time

To list their good features

And all they could teach us

Their effect on us all is sublime

The Committee of HADAS are fearing

When through our procedures, he’s steering,

So we have our play

When he’s looking away

And our whispered remarks he’s not hearing.

Long ago, Denis met young Miss Miller,

And she was quite clearly a thriller.

I would bet that she still

Can give Denis a thrill,

And at Christmas, a great stocking filler.

It’s now fifty years since they wed,

And their children are clearly well-bred.

But this story will run.

They’re on year fifty one.

There’s an awful lot more to be said.

Their occasion was marked with no fuss.

They spent most of it sat on a bus.

And the date that you seek —

It was Wednesday this week,

And we’re honoured — they spent it with us.

It would certainly be a mistake

If this chance we omitted to take

So we’ll give them our cheers,

Wish them many more years,

And we’ll do it with drink and with cake.

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Barnet Local Studies Centre — You can help. by Jim Nelhams

While working on the dig at Hendon School earlier this year, I consulted the archives held at Barnet Local Studies Centre at Mill Hill, and very fruitful this proved. In the archives was a map dated 1749 showing the site of our dig, and also three contemporary sketches of Hendon House, the subject of the project at the school. How lucky we are to have the resource of the archive available to us. With ever increasing pressures on council budgets, it seems important that people should not only know about the Centre, but should use it. This is particularly important to HADAS since the results of some of our past research are stored there and made available to the public. The following brief report from Yasmine Webb at the Centre mentions a project to create a computer database from the records compiled by HADAS members in the 1970s by transcribing the gravestones at St Mary’s Church in Hendon. These records are currently on paper, supplemented by a partial card index, and searching them is not at the moment an easy task. How helpful it would he to the Centre if the information was transcribed to a computer and made available to the public through the Archive’s internet pages. More than that, the transcription would secure the information which exists only because of the many hours spent by HADAS members, since only one copy of the paperwork exists. I have started discussions to find the best way forward with this project, but clearly it will need helpers to undertake some of the work, which will have to be done at the Centre. So I would be pleased to hear from anybody who is prepared to help with this valuable work. As you will read, there are also a number of other tasks where volunteer help would be very welcome at Mill Hill. If this interests you, please contact me or talk directly to Yasmine.

People & Places: Heritage & Local Studies by Yasmine Webb

Another round of the successful BBC series of “Who do you think you are” started this September. It gives a high profile to researching Family History, drawing more people to the, doors of the Barnet Local Studies Centre_ Though many people researching genealogy use the Centre, there is a lot more in the collection of interest in exploring the development of the Borough. The Collection holds the records of the former authorities of Hendon, Finchley, and The Barnets that makes up 60% of the holdings. The phenomenal growth of the Borough and absorption into Metropolitan London required an ever-increasing organisation of services and conformance to regulations. Council records and those of their predecessors the Parish Vestries are fascinating insight into local politics and personalities. Some of these records date back to the 18th Century. Hendon particularly since the 17th Century provided countryseats for the wealthy. Another influence of change was the matrix of communication systems that breached the Northern Heights that once nestled in rural tranquillity. There was little uniformity of development, diverse influences advanced the development of different areas, for example the Green Belt encircling Totteridge, the density of housing and small industries along the Edgware Road, the Arts and Crafts village of Hampstead Garden and dormitory development at the end of the railway lines, all contribute to the story of this vibrant Borough of contrasts. The collection documents and provides records for research that includes photographs dating from 1900, maps from the 18th Century, newspapers from 1870s, publications, deeds from the 17th Century and manuscripts.

We are responding more to remote enquiries by email and producing digital formats, but a lot of work is still to be done. Volunteers are welcome at the centre. Projects include the creation of a database for recording the gravestones of St. Mary’s Hendon transcribed by HADAS in the 1970s, scanning and conversion to OCR (Optical Character Recognition) documents of old publications. Indexing deeds, identifying and indexing photographs, listing names of local recruits to the Armed Services in 1941 are some intended projects. We have a presence on the Barnet Council’s web page with a brief list of holdings and pocket histories of the Borough are currently being developed on this page with many links and illustrations at www.barnet.gov.uk/archives Visitors are also welcome, for only by research is new evidence unearthed from our sources. Yasmine Webb Local Studies Collection Manager

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The Origins of the Humble Potato by Stewart Wild

Knowing very little about botany, I have always been fascinated by the extraordinary fact that the ubiquitous and versatile potato (a vegetable – Solanum tuberosum) is in the same Solanaceae family as the tomato (a fruit — Lycopersicum esculentum), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and also the nightshade plants which include the poisonous deadly nightshade (aka belladonna Atropa belladonna) whose leaves contain the alkaloids atropine, hyoscine and belladonnine. I decided to do a little research and found that recent archaeology in South America has cast some light on this enigma. It was in the poor soil of the high Andes of Ecuador in South America that the white potato was first cultivated around 7,000 years ago. It was a valuable crop because not only was it highly nutritious, rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, but it thrived even at high altitude. It could also be eaten raw. It is thought that it was the Incas in the twelfth century who discovered that it could be freeze-dried at altitude, and then would last for years, providing security against famine. This early form of potato crisp was known as chuno. Around 1537 the invading Spanish mercenaries first encountered than and it was mentioned in 1540 in Pedro de Cieza’s Chronicles of Peru. But it was not until 1565 that the patata (from native batata) first arrived in Spain, imported by the explorer Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. Legend has it that it was Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) who introduced the potato to the British Isles, planting it at his estate in Ireland and offering it at the court of Elizabeth I, although Sir John Hawkins may have beaten him to it some twenty years earlier. At this time its main use was as an ornamental plant. Records in France first mention the potato in 1593, and the botanist Gerard, who received some tubers from Virginia, introduced it to the Low Countries in 1597. However, potatoes didn’t really catch on in Europe, perhaps because the stems, leaves and green tubers are unpleasant, indeed poisonous, and the plant acquired an evil reputation, being blamed for a variety of maladies including sterility, syphilis, scrofula and leprosy. In the meantime, it was the unrelated sweet, or Spanish, potato (Ipomoea batatas) that flourished in England, introduced from Castile in the sixteenth century and believed by many, allegedly including Henry VIII, to be an aphrodisiac. The sweet potato was also native to the Americas, but is a member of the Convolvulaceae family, related to the lovely blue morning glory (Ipomoea piapurea) and the convolvulus that gardeners hate (bindweed). The poor Irish, however, repressed by Cromwell, found the white potato nutritious and easy to cultivate_ They used a short three-pronged fork, called a spud (from Danish spyd, a short spear), to turn the earth, and by a sort of verbal osmosis the tool gave its name to the tuber. Spuds were soon their staple diet, a reliance which alas meant that they suffered terribly from 1845 onwards when a potato fungus ravaged the land and caused widespread famine. In five years the Irish population, which had doubled between 1750 and 1790, was halved due to starvation and emigration. Meanwhile, in France, the potato had been popularised by the clever agronomist, pharmacist, author and epicure Antoine-Augustin Parmentier (1737-1813), who wrote theses on the uses of vegetables and especially potato flour, and gave his name to a number of potato dishes still enjoyed today. In 1787, a turbulent year, he started cultivating an acre of potato plants near Paris. The field was closely guarded by soldiers of the Garde Francaise, but purposely left unguarded at the end of the day, thus astutely encouraging the starving population to dig them up by night. By the early 1800s the potato had become a staple food. Although potatoes were widely grown and eaten in the United States, it was the remarkable and talented Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) who is credited with introducing chips (French fries) to the continent when he returned in 1789 after spending four years as that country’s ambassador in Paris. It was nearly another hundred years Ire chips appeared in. Britain, apparently first in Lancashire, spurred on as cheap cooking oil became widely available for the first time. By 1853 the Dictionary of American English on Historical Principles recorded such bizarre products as potato custard, potato chowder, potato pone (a type of bread), potato pudding and even potato coffee. That same year saw the invention of potato crisps (US, chips), by an Adirondack Indian chef named George Crum at the Moon Lake House hotel, a resort in Saratoga Springs, upstate New York, in response to a difficult customer. As the customer was the redoubtable millionaire Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877), who kept complaining that his French fries were “too thick”, Crum sliced the potatoes wafer-thin, plunged the pieces into boiling fat, and had his waitress wife deliver the heavily salted plateful to the Commodore. His verdict: “Thin enough and more than good enough.” They became known as “Crum’s Saratoga Chips”. Word spread, and the new product was first produced commercially in Ohio in the 1890s and sold in barrels. The first purpose-built factory for the production of chips (crisps) was established by A. A Walter and Company in 1925 in Albany, New York. Individual bags with salt sachets were introduced in Britain in the 1930s, invented by Mr Smith of Smiths Crisps fame who, my father informed me many years ago, started his company with the gratuity he received on leaving the RAF. Pringles, incidentally, made from reconstituted potato granules, were introduced much later, by Procter and Gamble in 1969. These days there are hundreds of varieties of potato grown, varying according to climate, soil, and eventual use. Perhaps the best known, in England at least, is the versatile King Edward, named in 1905 by a Lincolnshire farmer who developed this versatile hybrid and wrote to Buckingham Palace seeking leave to name his variety after the reigning monarch, King Edward VII. Permission was granted, and a century later, the farmer’s descendants continue the tradition today.

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Postscript on Leicester

During the coach journey to Leicester, Denis Ross made a request to his captive audience — he wanted a Limerick where the first line was “There was a young lady from Leicester.” Here are two of the entries

There was a young lady from Leicester

Who knew how to fill a siesta.

For actions illicit

She had to solicit.

I’ve her number for any requestor.

There was a young lady from Leicester

Who claimed Denis was one who impressed her.

But she wasn’t telling

How he was excelling.

She’s concerned that the police might arrest her.

Obviously impressed by the results, Denis issued a further challenge on our way to Devon. This time, the first line was to be “There was a young lady from Bodmin” More of that next month, but entries have not been closed — there is still time for you to submit your version.

A plea for help

Audrey Hooson, who lives at Oakleigh Park, would welcome a lift to and from the lectures at Avenue House. If anyone can help, could they please call Audrey or let Jim Nelhams (phone number on back page) know. Are there other members who don’t come to our lectures because of lack of transport. If so, it does seem a shame. Perhaps we can help. If you would like a lift, or can offer one, please contact Jim, and he will see if we can match resources

Edward Elgar’s outings

In 1912, Elgar was living in Hampstead. At the weekends, he made the most of the steam train service to visit places on the outskirts of London. And when he returned to his home, suitably inspired, he sometimes wrote a short piece of music. Thus came into being a set of 5 unaccompanied part-songs, and three of these (Opus 71, 72 and 73) have after the last line of music the place he had just visited. They show — Mill Hill, Totteridge and Monken Hadley. Sadly, those steam trains were replaced by the Northern Line. And perhaps if HADAS had existed then, we could have persuaded him to join.

Battle of Barnet — Help needed by Andrew Coulson

HADAS will shortly be providing practical support to the Battle of Barnet Working Group. The Group have recently obtained permission for a survey on private ground to the north of Barnet, and surveys using resistivity equipment and our metal detector are planned. Our new GPS equipment will also be useful. This will likely be followed by some field walking. These useful activities are also nice social events, and a good way to meet and share the work with other members. And if we are successful in finally identifying the battle site, that will be a real achievement for thise involved. Your society needs you — so let Andrew Coulson know if you would like to help. His email is andrew.coulson@londonarchaeology.org.uk

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Other Societies’ Events Compiled by Eric Morgan

Sunday 1st October — 2pm. The Battle of Barnet Guided walk. Meet at junction of Great. North Road and Hadley Green Road. Led by Paul Baker (City of London Guide). Cost £5. Lasts 2 hours.

Friday 6th October — 1 to 2pm. Museum of London, -150 London Wall EC2. Bakerloo and Piccadilly Lines Centenary. Talk by Oliver Green.

Saturday 7th October — 2 to 4pm. Harrow Museum, Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow. HANDS ON. Opportunity to handle objects from the Museum’s collection. Free! Also 2:30 — 3:30pm Guided tours of the Museum. From Reception in the Tithe Barn. £2.50

Sunday 8th October — 2pm. BARNET CHURCHES. Guiding walking around some of the churches of High Barnet and Monken Hadley. Meet outside Barnet College, Wood Street. Led by Paul Baker Cost £5.

Sunday 8th October — 2:30pm. London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, Kings Cross, N1. Guided Water Tower tow path walk from Museum to top of water point at St Pancras via Regents Park Canal. Monday 9th October – 3pm. Barnet and District Local History Society, Church House, Wood Street (opposite Barnet College). The last King of England Talk by Val Johnson

Wednesday 11th October – 6:30pm. LAMAS Learning Centre, Museum of London, London Wall EC2. ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY— First annual joint lecture with London Natural History Society. Refreshments at 6pm.

Wednesday 11th October — 8pm. Hornsey Historical Society, Union Church Hall, corner of Ferme Park Road and Weston Park, N8. The History and the Restoration of St Mary’s Hornsey Church Tower. Talk by friends of Hornsey Church Tower.

Saturday 14th October — 3:30 to 4:30pm. Harrow Museum, Headstone Manor, Pinner View, North Harrow .Behind the scenes — Tour from Reception in the Tithe Barn of new archive stores of Local History Collection. £2.50.

Sunday 15th October — 2pm. Priests, Pomp and Paupers. Guided historical walk through High Barnet. Meet outside Barnet College, Wood Street. Led by Paul Baker. Cost £5.

Wednesday 18th October — 7:30pm. Willesden Local History Society, Scout House, High Road corner Strode Road, NW 10. History of Willesden general Hospital — talk by Len Snow (Society President and author of a book on the history of the hospital).

Wednesday 18th October — 8pm. Islington Archaeology and History Society, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, Nl. Urbs and Suburbs. Harley Sherlock

Thursday 19th October — 7:30pm. Camden History Society, Gospel Oak Methodist Church, Agincourt Road near Fleet Road, NW3. Launching Gospel Oak. Talk by research group on book of the history of its streets.

Friday 20th October — 7pm. COLAS, St Olave’s Parish hall, Mark Lane, EC3. The Black Death in London. Talk by Barney Sloane, English Heritage.

Friday 20th October — 8pm. Enfield Archaeological Society, Jubilee Hall, junction of Chase Side/Parsonage Lane, Enfield. King Arthur, alive, well and in person. Talk by Tim Harper. Visitors – £1. Refreshments and info at 7:30pm.

Friday 20th October — 7:30pm. Wembley History Society, St Andrews Church Hall, Church Lane, Kingsbury, NW9. A History of Wembley Football Club, and remembering the World Cup at Wembley. Talk by Terry Lomas — with music and songs.

Monday 23rd October — Saturday 4th November. Harrow and Hillingdon Geological Society. Exhibition at Gayton Road Library, Harrow.

Wednesday 25th October – 8pm. Finchley Society, Drawing Room, Avenue House. Bizarre Barnet. (Jean Scott Memorial Lecture.) Given by Gerard Roots — HADAS member and curator Church Farm Museum.

Friday/Saturday 27/28th October — 10am to 4pm. LAARC, Mortimer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Road, Nl. Ritual Superstitions of Past Londoners. Talk to specialists and handle objects.

Saturday 28th October — 10am to 4pm. Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, Jubilee Hall, junction of Chase Side/Parsonage Lane, Enfield. Local History Research — Past, Present and Future. Day conference. Contact Pat Keeble, 15 Onslow Gardens, N21 1DY

Wednesday 1st November — 8pm. Stanmore and Harrow Historical Society, Wealdstone Baptist Church, High Street, Wealdstone. Old Houses of Eastcote. Talk by Mrs Eileen Bowlt (LAMAS Chairman and HADAS lecturer in March 2007). Modest Charge.

Newsletter

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HADAS DIARY — Forthcoming Events and Lectures in 2006/7

Wednesday 30th August — Sunday September 2nd: Annual HADAS Long Weekend Devon and Cornwall, staying at Plymouth University. Now fully booked, with a small waiting list. For more information phone Jackie Brookes

Tuesday 10th October: Nadia Durrani Assistant Editor Current Archaeology The Queen of Sheba

Tuesday 14th November: Barry Taylor and Steve Ellwood (both of English Heritage) “The Sites and Monuments Records for Barnet”

December: Christmas Dinner Date and time to be announced

Tuesday 9th January 2007: Stephen Knight (Curator, Colne Valley Postal Museum, Essex) “British Post Box Design and Use — The First 150 Years”

Tuesday 13th February: Dr Andrew Gardner (Lecturer, Archaeology of the Roman Empire, Institute of Archaeology) “The End of Roman Britain”

Tuesday 13th March: Eileen Bowlt (Chairman, LAMAS) “The London & Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in the Early Days”

Tuesday 10th April: Dennis Smith (Lecturer & Industrial Archaeologist) — title to be announced

Lectures take place at 8pm at Avenue House, 17 East End Rd. Finchley N3 3QE. 15-min walk, Finchley Central tube station. Buses 82, 143, 260, 326 & 460 pass close by. Parking very limited directly outside, plentiful nearby (Non-members £1, tea, coffee, biscuits 70p)

Membership Matters by Mary Rawitzer

This will be the last Newsletter sent to the few people who have not paid their 2006/7 subscriptions, due last April. Those we think this will effect will find a note in with this newsletter, just to make sure that no subscription went astray. If you have any concerns, please contact me (see Membership Secretary details on the back page)

Barry Reilly remembered

With regret we have to inform the Society of the death of Barry Reilly. Barry, a HADAS member for many years, collapsed and died suddenly from heart failure at a family event on Saturday 5th August. Barry was a friendly, easy-going member who keenly participated in lecture meetings, outings and excavation. His profession was as a graphic and commercial artist in which capacity he helped design displays for HADAS exhibitions as well lending his drawing and photography skills to this Newsletter. In recent years Barry was a partner to Jean Bayne, a fellow HADAS member, and our sympathy goes to her and to her family. His passing was a great shock and he will be very badly missed by everyone who knew him

More Course Information: 1066 and All That

WEA are running a course “Archaeology: Medieval England (1066 to 1485)” in Mill Hill on Friday mornings, from 10am to 12 noon, beginning on 29th September. The course will examine the development of mediaeval England by studying themes such as royalty, fortifications, architecture, churches and monasteries, and urban and rural settlement. Further details are in WEA booklets (under Mill Hill & Edgware Branch) available in local libraries or from Peter Nicholson

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First Code of Practice on Responsible Metal Detecting by Peter Pickering

An historic agreement on a first code of practice for metal detecting in England and Wales has been agreed by all the key archaeological bodies, metal detecting and landowners’ organisations. This is the first time that these bodies have joined together to define responsible metal detecting and provide a clear and unambiguous definition of what constitutes good practice. The signatories are the National Council of Metal Detecting, the Federation of Independent Detectorists, the Country Land and Business Association, the National Farmers Union, the Council of British Archaeology, English Heritage, National Museums and Galleries of Wales, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, The British Museum, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Society of Museum Archaeologists and the Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. The agreement is voluntary, but has the full endorsement of the signatories and all parties are committed to ensuring their members abide by the advice set out in the document. The agreement covers three aspects of metal detecting. The first section, Before you go metal-detecting, states you must obtain permission to search from the landowner, adhere to laws concerning protected sites, join an official metal-detecting club and follow conservation advice. Whilst you are detecting states that find-spots should be recorded as accurately as possible, that ground disturbance should be minimal and that the Country Code should be respected. Finally, it offers advice on procedures after you have been detecting. Any and all finds should be reported to the landowner and the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Detectorists must abide by the provisions of the Treasure Act and must seek expert help if they find something large or made from an unusual material, and they must call the police if they discover any human remains. Dr Mike Heyworth, Director, British Council for Archaeology, commented: “This Code represents a major step forward. It builds on earlier efforts to provide guidance to all users of metal detectors. It emphasises the positive contributions that responsible metal detectorists can make to the study of the past through the knowledge we can obtain from finds and their archaeological contexts. The Code also serves to emphasis the distinction between responsible metal detectorists and the minority of irresponsible individuals who use their equipment for personal gain”. The Code is available on-line at http://www.finds.org.uk/documents/CofPl.pdf

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Hadley Woods clay pipe bowls — an update A Message from Stephen Brunning

As Graham Javes mentioned in the July newsletter, I was hoping to compile a full report of the 100 clay pipes found at Hadley Woods. Unfortunately, as some readers will know, I broke my arm whilst on holiday. My arm is healing quite nicely, but it will take longer than usual to be back to normal as the bone was badly broken in two places. It has therefore not been possible to complete the report. To all those people expecting to read the article in August’s newsletter, my sincere apologies. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind wishes on my recovery.

LAMAS CONFERENCE: Excavations at Springhead, Kent Andy Simpson

Andy was asked to write up two among many excellent papers presented at the 43rd Annual Conference of London Archaeologists on March 25th this year. His first report appeared in the last Newsletter (No. 425, August 2006). His second, on the review by Phil Andrews of the substantial Wessex Archaeology excavations at Springhead, Kent, follows. Located on Watling St, south-east of London, the excavation between 2000 and 2003 studied lkm of the Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, on the route of work on the new Channel Tunnel rail link line which involved an entire hillside being dug away. Around 10 hectares of land was stripped and excavated, with every square metre of the site archaeologically metal-detected and the overburden stripped off in spits, before being dug out for the new rail line. Other areas were quarried out and backfilled prior to being covered in new housing. The Ebbsfleet is now just a tiny stream; originally spring-fed it became almost dry when pumping for water extraction started in the 1930s with further drying when local quarries began pumping in 1937. But it was navigable into the Roman period, and part of the Roman waterfront was found and the Roman riverbed revealed, in places having been consolidated by a flint layer, with likely evidence of Roman canalisation. In 1799 a large walled Roman cemetery had been uncovered in this area, with stone and lead coffins containing items such as gold arm rings; some of these finds are now in the British Museum. Then archaeological excavations in the 1950s found a major group of Roman Temples, now preserved within a scheduled ancient monument area. These most recent excavations greatly widened the spread of sites with evidence of activity from the Palaeolithic through to the Medieval periods. There was pre-Roman activity around the springs, including Middle Bronze Age features, and Neolithic and Bronze Age remains were located further down the valley. The Romans had levelled out an earlier burnt mound as part of a road and then there was also evidence of 5th-6th C Saxon occupation of the area, with brooches and Visigothic pottery. Late Iron Age activity included a processional way and a 150m long ditch enclosing the end of the spring site, with more Iron Age features outside the ditch, as well as at the previously discovered temple complex. Late Iron Age settlement was also found, on the south side of the current A2 road, with pits containing broken pottery. The earliest Roman activity focussed on the springs too and it is possible that a temporary early Roman supply base, strategically placed alongside Watling St, underlies the later temple complex. Early Roman deposits alongside the road included cremation burials, one of which was boxed. This early toad was covered by one metre of Roman deposits, on top of which was a sanctuary sequence, the central building possibly being of timber with a stone-footed facade and wall, perhaps a portico. There were lines and groups of pits containing pottery and animal bone. After two phases of timber building, it was replaced by a stone-based structure with cobble-filled foundation trenches and traces of monumental stonework, now displayed at Springhead Nurseries. Several clay-lined circular structures were found, possibly ovens, but no portholes. The northern line of the sanctuary was marked by very deep pits, one with nine dog skeletons buried in it. Others contained a clay slab with a pot placed on top. At the base of one large pit was the skeleton of a large dog and a human skull, and 11 dogs, a pig, and a calf 4.5m down, suggesting a `ritual shaft’ similar to examples found at other Roman sites. Large terraces possible feasting terraces — were also found, in which were 4-5 human neonate burials. One part of the site yielded over 230 brooches, mostly of Colchester type of lst-2nd C date. The spring- head may have functioned as a healing centre, with five or six temples nearby. In the second area dug another temple was found, west of the Ebbsfleet road junction, with 4th-5th C coins — very late — with ragstone steps, tiled porch, traces of wall painting on inner walls, a huge post hole,possibly for some sort of totem, over 35 neonate burials, sometimes in a pot — on one occasion, two in one pot. These temples are to be preserved in situ. Other discoveries included the vestigial remains of a bath house with tiled floor, an aisled barn building, a bakery/smithy with in situ pots and hearths, a Roman sunken-featured building and evidence of lead working, giving a picture of a patchwork of small craftsmen’s workshops providing pilgrims with souvenirs and votive offerings as they approached the sacred sanctuary or passed along Watling St, with settlement and 10 or 11 temples flanking both sides of that road, but with no identified town houses. Public cemeteries have been found, including one which was also of late date, and there was the odd prone burial in a ditch. Over 112,000 Roman period pottery sherds were recovered, of which few were finewares and only 4% Samian. Following the site work there came a two-year lull until post-excavation work could be started in 2005. This is scheduled to run for 2 years and has yet to be completed so that we will still have to wait 2 — 3 years for publication of this exciting site.

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REPORT ON OUTING TO LEICESTER

HADAS’ second day trip of 2006, on Saturday July 22nd, was to Leicester. Three of the participants have compiled a report on the day:

Part 1 Sheila Woodward

We had another wet start for the day, but a trouble-free journey to Leicester where coffee awaited us at the Holiday Inn. Our 10 minute walk to the Vine St excavation was a trifle damp and a sudden downpour as we reached the site kept us huddled under the temporary entry-shelter. After that we had sunshine as we toured the site under the expert guidance of Tim Higgins, the site director, and his 3 site supervisors. And what an impressive site it is. Multi-period and therefore complex, the Roman levels now revealed are of particular interest. Central to the site are the remains of a large and substantial apsidal building (the size of the foundations suggests 2 storeys) opening onto a pebbled courtyard. Rooms on either side of the apse had hypocaust heating. From the apse there would have been a good view, across the court¬yard and down to the main gateway, of anyone entering or leaving the building. Was this just the palatial home of a wealthy citizen, or was it the residence of a high official with business to transact perhaps a magistrate or an army officer? Roman Leicester (RATAE CORIELTAUVORUM) was on the Fosse Way and of strategic importance. It was one of the 14 tribal capitals set up by the Romans to administer the territory they had conquered. Finds in rooms adjacent to the courtyard have included a copper coin hoard (Constantine period) in a wooden box, only the nails of which survived, and a large, roughly shaped, lead ingot. Remains of slate roofing may indicate that the coins and ingot were placed in some sort of “safe”. This site is in the northeast quarter of the Roman town, away from both the administrative centre of the basilica and forum and the social centre of the public baths, making the location of the courtyard house the more surprising. Earlier Roman buildings on this site had been of wood, as were those on adjacent insulars. Later in the Roman period the small rooms around the courtyard house became shops and workrooms, linked by a narrow corridor. On the edge of the site a baths complex has been partially excavated to reveal a hypocaust and plunge pool. Finds of Roman pottery have not been plentiful and the dating of various phases of occupation has not been easy. It has been further complicated by the re-use of earlier building material. One recent find has caused some amusement: a typical Roman “curse”, but the aggrieved was so unsure of his victim, or so misanthropic, that he has included 14 names in his malediction! Above the Roman levels on which we tended to concentrate the site also revealed later occupation levels: not much evidence of the Vikings or the Mercians, but a few traces of mediaeval Leicester, especially in rubbish pits, and the excavators are still hoping to find the remains of St Michael’s Church, which sur¬vived the sack of Leicester by Henry II in 1173, but soon afterwards disappeared “due to depopulation” Later problems have included Victorian burials associated with the Methodist Chapel for which re-burial had to be arranged. The wholesale modernisation of Leicester continues and is gathering pace. Its hosiery and boot and shoe industry have disappeared almost completely, together with their buildings and the homes of their workers. Excavation ahead of each redevelopment phase has so far been possible. By October this year a shopping mall and office complex will cover the fascinating site we had visited.

Part 2: JEWRY WALL MUSEUM by Tessa Smith

The east wall of the Roman Civic Bath is called Jewry Wall and is one of the largest examples of a Roman masonry building left in Britain. The reason that it survived when most of Roman Leicester was destroyed may have been that for a time it formed the west wall of a Saxon church. The origin of the name Jewry Wall is entirely unknown as there is no evidence of a Jewish quarter with which the name might be associated. Viewed from the large modern windows of the museum this is a powerful and impressive structure and it overlooks the foundations of the rest of the baths. While we were there a thunderstorm swept into the area, adding to the drama of the setting. The museum is a long, low, grey concrete slab built in the “brutal” style of the 60’s. However, the inside feels quite open, with windows along the whole of one side of the building. The exhibits are displayed chronologically and spaciously, Neolithic hand-axes and flints, Bronze Age and Iron Age daggers and spears, and the Welby Cup, a masterpiece of late Bronze Age metalwork. The Roman gallery is really exciting, displaying some enormous-sized finds. One area depicting a very large Roman room displays not only the Blue Boar Lane wall paintings and a ten foot square of painted wall plaster from the Norfolk Street Roman Villa, but also magnificent Roman mosaic pavements. The Peacock mosaic is particularly attractive. It was made about 150 AD and the feathers of the central peacock motif are highlighted by the use of twinkling blue glass. For many years, for one penny, it could be viewed in the basement of a corset shop. As well as statue heads, and examples of columns from the forum, a large milestone from Thurmaston, originally set up by the Fosse Way and found 200 years ago, is important because it gives the Roman name for Leicester, RATAE xxxxx (Ratae Corieltauvorum), for the very first time. Smaller items are fascinating too. A fragment of red pottery inscribed as a love token between Verecunda the actress and Lucius the gladiator, and the Mountsonal bucket clasp, which shows how Iron Age decorative techniques survived into Roman times, are two examples. A display of cremations and burials is always popular and this one included a collection of beautifully decorated urns, a skeleton body and a small, deep “leaden cist” containing calcined bones. A modern aspect of the museum is a photographic display of “chance finds”, a late Bronze Age spearhead, early Bronze Age Beaker ornaments and the glowing red Anglo-Saxon pendant from Sapcote. One section of this display was devoted to the Code of Practice for responsible metal detecting [Page 2 of this Newsletter has more details of the Code]. Some “hands-on” activities were toyed with by our members, having fun with the computers and digging for finds. I was invited behind the scenes and saw the roller racking units holding a huge number of items, many waiting to be researched. I loved the trays of tile fragments from Leicester Abbey, hand-painted with “King and Queen” portraits. A favourite of the student who showed me round was a tiny tablet that she was researching showing Cuneiform writing, in a Babylonian trade language. Then the very rare Egyptian mummy of PENPI, an official of the priesthood of the god Amon Ra, dating from 700-600 BC. Finally, and right up-to-date, was a copy of the Leicester Mercury dated January 24th 2006: HUGE GRAVE SITE FOUND. THE DISCOVERY OF SKELETONS OF 1300 PEOPLE IN A MEDIEVAL CEMETERY BY RICHARD BUCKLEY. THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND OUTSIDE LONDON. The museum is attempting to get finding in order to keep the work going and was collecting signatures and remarks from the public to back up its case. HADAS was happy to help. However, the property developers have invaded Leicester and roadworks, cranes and building sites cover the area. Tim Higgins’s archaeological dig finally comes to an end in October. Then the builders take over.

Part 3:Leicester Cathedral by Micky Watkins

LEICESTER CATHEDRAL This is a surprise cathedral. There is no cathedral green, just an entry from a small lane. There is no vast space and lengthy aisle, indeed this cathedral is as wide as it is long. St Martin’s was just a parish church until 1927 when it was made a cathedral, and then only after a bitter struggle, in Trollopian style, with the supporters of St Margaret’s down the road. Canon Payne for St Margaret’s was determined to win, but Archdeacon Macnutt triumphed and the Bishop’s throne was built in St. Martin’s. The architecture is mainly Early English, but most of the church was rebuilt in that style by Raphael Brandon in the 19th century. He added a very tall spire which can be seen from the town square. Inside is a beautiful screen, hand carved and painted in black and gold. The magnificent South Aisle was built by the Corpus Christi Guild and the roof is painted gold, red and green and held up by grotesque carvings, almost life size. A small chapel to the north of the altar has numerous grave stones for members of the Herrick family and the chapel has been renovated in memory of Robert Herrick by the American branch of the family. “Cherry ripe” and “Gather ye rosebuds” are among the poet’s popular lyrics. There is a rather quaint little memorial, carved into black marble — James Andrewe Anagram Reede I was a man There is also a memorial slab to King Richard III, killed in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth which took place near Leicester. Another interesting feature of the Cathedral is the font: hexagonal with eight heads sculpted in stone round it. These distinctive heads are crying out for identification, but as this Cathedral has no guide book they must remain anonymous. THE GUILDHALL This is a medieval building which we all found delightful. Built round a courtyard, the rooms are panelled or have plasterwork and timbers. The Great Hall was built for the Corpus Christi Guild in 1343, but in tilt 16Lin centuiy it became the property of Leicester Corporation and for rriany centuries it was used as a court room. We saw the cells below, where the unfortunate prisoners were kept. The Town Library, kept in an upper room, is the third oldest public library in the country and the ancient leather- bound volumes can still be consulted by appointment. The Mayor’s Parlour is a beautiful room with a fine fireplace and painted overmantel. The whole day was very interesting and enjoyable and we all felt grateful to Tessa and Sheila for organising it.

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The Minoan Palace of Zakros by Fran Martell

Every year I try to return to the island of Crete, a place I have fallen in love with, always in May/June when it is not yet too hot. This time of year also coincides with the anniversary of the battle of Crete when many memorial services are held and this year 1 was fortunate to be present at the very moving ceremony at the Souda Bay cemetery, attended by some of the veterans. On our latest trip we drove to the far eastern end of the island to revisit the village of Kato Zakros with its Minoan Palace complex, and to walk the gorge there. The day after our arrival, we caught the local bus to Ano Zakros, the village at the top of the gorge, and walked the “Valley of the Dead”, the name given the gorge due to the caves high in the cliff walls, used as tombs by the Minoans among others. When we finally emerged at the bottom of the gorge, having taken rather longer than the two hours my guidebook suggested, the route back to Kato Zakros village took us directly past the palace site. But, feeling a little footsore, and badly in need of a beer, I decided to leave my visit until the next day. Refreshed the next morning, I retraced my steps back up the red dirt road, armed with a large bottle of water and my camera. The original excavations were carried out in the early 1900s, at the same time as many of the other Minoan sites, by David Hogarth, but he found very little and the site was abandoned. However, in 1961 the Cretan archaeologist Nikolaos Platon began digging, and within a very short space of time, discovered the predicted palace very near to where Hogarth’s trenches had finished. During the period between the two digs, the site had been for the most part forgotten, so there had been no looting. Platon found storerooms with huge pithoi still in situ and the religious treasury contained a huge number of artefacts. In total, more than 10,000 items have been found, and the excavations still continue. These finds are all in the Iraklion and Sitia museums. Only the palace from the second period, (1600 — 1450 BC), has been unearthed. An earlier one, of around 1900 BC, will probably never be found as this end of the island is gradually sinking and the entire complex may be under water. The ground is often swampy, especially early in the year, and terrapins live in the ancient wells and cistern. The area of the site is approximately 10,000 square metres, and as well as being the royal residence, it housed the administrative, commercial and religious centre for the whole area. Finds such as elephant tusks from Syria and many items from Cyprus, Egypt and other areas are evidence that this must have been a major trading port. The present day entrance to the site is from the south. However, the original approach would have been made along the road from the harbour to the east. These harbour installations have not been explored as these too are now under water, but a section of the road itself has now been reconstructed. Although it is marked as the exit this is where I would recommend visitors to start and then climb to the buildings in the upper town from where you can clearly discern all the areas which make up the palace complex – a great vantage point from which to orientate yourself before you begin a detailed visit. The Palace itself was quite a small one; the central court measures approximately 30 metres x 12 metres, or roughly l/3 the size of the one at Knossos. There is an area of workshops and to the south-east the main cistern and well which still flows with drinkable water today. The light well to the west, was where one of the most important finds was made, the Peak Sanctuary Rhyton, a stone vase showing a peak sanctuary with wild goats. The central shrine, now under a canopy, is similar to the one at Gournia. There is a lustral basin and next to it the Treasury, adjacent to the palace archive where hundreds of Linear A tablets were found, only a few of which survived clearly, due to water damage. The palace kitchen area was positively identified by the large number of pots, utensils and animal bones found strewn around. As far as I know, there are no organised tours to the Zakros site so if, like me, you would like to have a Minoan Palace complex virtually to yourself, it is well worth the effort of making your own way there if you ever plan a holiday in Crete.

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Other Societies’ September Events by Eric Morgan

5th (Tuesday) &7th (Thursday) & 12th Tuesdays Da Vinci Code? Discover the true history of the Templars (Mike Howgate, City of London Guide) leads 11/2 hr tour of Temple Church & area.Amateur Geological Society. Meet Temple Tube. £5 (Also August 31) 2pm 6th Wed. The Blue Plaques of London (Howard Spencer) Stanmore & Harrow Historical Soc., Wealdstone Baptist Church Hall, Wealdstone High St 8pm 9th Sat. Enfield Town Show Local archaeol. & preservation societies among many 10th Sun. other stallholders. Enfield Town Park, Cecil Rd 12 – 6pm

10th Sun. Garden Party, the Bothy, Avenue House: fund-raising for the Bothy’s planned restoration 3 – 5pm

10th Sun. London’s Local — Discover London’s Local History through some exciting artefacts from LAARC. Museum of London 12.30 – 4.30pm

11th Mon. Grandma’s London (John Neal) Barnet & District Local History Soc.Church House, Wood St (opp. Barnet Museum) 3pm

15th Friday Finds from the foreshore (Hazel Forsyth, MOL) COLAS, St Olave’s Parish Hall, Mark Lane EC3 (foreshore finds in Natl. Arch. Week, July) 7pm

15th Friday Enfield Palace Exchange — The Archaeology (Jon Butler, PCA) Enfield Archaeology Soc. Jubilee Hall, junction Chase Side/Parsonage Lane 8pm