Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group (FSARG)
Proposals for 2011

The following decisions were made at the FSARG Evaluation and Planning Meeting on 25th November 2010:

That rather than charge into another new project, we should give ourselves time to finish off the last two years work, and prepare for publication. At the same time, we should, as far as possible, carry out desk top and non invasive investigations in a number of new areas so that intelligent decisions can be made in November 2011 about the next direction. Thus this year's programme falls into three parts:
 

1.  Finishing off Understanding Ospringe

Although we carried out a lot of very productive work on the west side of the Westbrook valley and along the Street (the A2/Watling Street) the eastern side of the valley was only looked at in passing.  As a result, at present, we have evidence for prehistoric settlement in a chain along the east side of the valley but do not know whether or not this is true of the eastern side (which is steeper and has much less depth of brick earth and other Quaternary deposits).  The eastern side of the valley, then, needs investigation focussed on the prehistoric.  Field time allocated:  two/three weeks, probably Easter and summer

2.   Finishing off Davington Mysteries

We ran out of time investigating the site of the 'Lost Manor' in Stephens Close and a possible large Iron Age ditch (K74A). Some more carefully sited and meticulously carried out excavation close to this should shed light on this.  It is essential that sufficient time be given to these investigations. If it is possible to get the loan of a magnetometer, we would like to re-survey some of the more interesting parts of the Cricket Pitch and maybe even the Priory grounds. Field time allocated:  one week, probably early summer

3.  New Areas.

The following possibilities were discussed

• Field walking the Sheldwich Roman villa site
• Foraging in Bysing Wood and along the crest line of that ridge.
• Field walking at Oare on the site of the possible Romano-British residential site
• Carrying out an assessment of the archaeological potential of the Brents
• Carrying out an assessment of the potential of the Thorne Quay area.

We will have to be flexible and opportunistic about this: much depends on permissions and/or on desk top findings.  Field time allocated:  two weeks, maybe across weekends.

Work on the Lithics Catalogue and the Prehistoric Pottery Reference Collection will be prioritised within the finds section.

More details when permissions have been sorted.