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A Letter from the Rector
Dear All,
As November approaches, our thoughts instinctively turn to Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. We remember members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces, as well as civilians, who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and in subsequent military operations and peacekeeping missions.
Remembrance Sunday evolved from Armistice Day, which marked the end of fighting in the First World War at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month). During the Second World War, observances moved to Sundays to avoid disrupting wartime production.
After the Second World War, there was debate about whether ceremonies should return to 11 November. Many felt that doing so would place too much emphasis on the First World War at the expense of the Second. In 1946, the Archbishop of Westminster suggested that the second Sunday in November be named Remembrance Sunday, commemorating both wars. The Home Office approved the change in January 1946, and Remembrance Sunday was born. The principal national Remembrance ceremonies are held on this day each year.
Remembrance Sunday gives us an opportunity to reflect on the liberties and freedoms we enjoy today, secured through the sacrifices of so many people from across the Commonwealth.
Remembrance services bring us together to appreciate the peace and freedoms enjoyed in parts of the world today, freedoms built on the sacrifices of previous generations. Shared remembrance acknowledges our shared history, and engaging with local and national history is an important part of commemoration.
But why is it so important to mark this occasion every year? As fewer people who lived through those times remain with us, the wars are slipping from living memory. For many today, war is something that happens far away. We therefore have a duty to teach the truths of war and, above all, to remind future generations how fragile peace can be.
It is deeply sad that, this year, for the first time since Remembrance services began, Saltwood Church has not been invited to take part in our village ceremony. Many of you will know that this matter has been debated for several months. Despite an agreement being reached at a formal Parish Council meeting, that agreement has since been withdrawn.
From the meetings I attended, it appeared that the Parish Council objected to the use of the word of God in promoting peace. I was also deeply troubled by the way some members of our parish were treated during those discussions.
Over the past six years, I have shared my thoughts and encouragement about Remembrance Sunday. I have received emails, been stopped in the street and heard from many people who have thanked me for doing so. Attendance has grown year on year. This suggests that the decision does not reflect the wishes of our wider community, but rather the views of a few. Our Parish Council members are there to serve the parish, and I believe this decision fails to honour that responsibility.
Rev Barry
Diary: St Peter & St Paul, Saltwood
Our regular pattern of worship includes a service every Sunday at 10am. Usually this is Holy Communion (to which all are welcome, whether or not you choose to receive communion) with a Family Service on the fourth Sunday of each month. Other services of Holy Communion, including ‘Book of Common Prayer’ services at Saltwood and Pedlinge, are shown on the website calendar, along with all services and events for the month.
Bubble Church, for families with Toddlers, is held in the Lads’ Club at 10am on the first Sunday of the month; Sunday Club, for children aged 3 – 10 is held at 10am in the Lads’ Club, on the third Sundays in term time.
Some extra dates to note in your diary:-
Sunday 1st – 15.00 All Souls service of Commemoration for the departed
Monday 2nd – 14.00 Monday Chats in the Lads’ Club (and each following Monday) Tuesday 3rd – Our Rector’s day off (and each following Tuesday) Wednesday 4th – 10.00 – Toddler Group in the Lads’ Club(and each following Wednesday) Wednesday 4th – 14.00 – Afternoon Prayer Group at 34 Harpswood Lane
Thursday 5th – 18.00 – Bell Ringing Practice (and each following Thursday)
Thursday 5th – 19.00 Choir Practice (and each following Thursday) Friday 2nd – Carol Eastell’s day off (and each following Friday) Friday 2nd – 09.00 – Prayer Group in the Church (and each following Friday) Wednesday 18th – Cinema Club in the Lads’ Club
Thursday 19th – Defibrillator training in the church
Saturday 21st – Coffee Morning at Lympne
Saturday 21st – 15.45 – Messy Church in the Lads’ Club
Tuesday 24th – N.B. – last date for entries for the November magazine
Friday 27th – 19.00 – Hymn singing for all at Lympne church
Saturday 28th 0 08,00 – Men’s prayer breakfast in the Lads’ Club
Sunday 29th – 10,00 – benefice Service of Holy Communion at Saltwood
If you have any items for the December edition of the magazine, please forward to Beth Lewsey, by the 24th November
by email if possible, to: parishmagazine@saltwoodchurch.org
or deliver to 20 Castle Avenue. (Tel 01303 264577).
Saltwood Church Pastoral Group
Caring for One Another
‘And let us look out for one another to provoke love and good works’ (Hebrews 10:24)
Our Pastoral Group meet monthly to seek ways of offering support to those who are going through difficult or challenging times. If you know someone you are concerned about, or if you have concerns yourself, please contact us. You will always find a friendly voice and a listening ear at the end of the line. Caring for others is at the heart of Christian life and you can help us by being our eyes and ears, letting us know of anyone who is in need.
Contacts: 01303 266454 01303 883243
A Prayer for the month of November
Dear Lord,
At this dark and dismal time, when the year is closing down and our lives get busier and the world more confusing, we can sometimes become discouraged and low in spirits.
Help us to adjust our perspective, to turn and look up, to focus afresh on You, to remember that Your name is above all names, above discouragement, above despair, above confusion.
Help us to be thankful for each day that You have made, recognising each one as a gift from You, to be treasured and lived fruitfully.
May we welcome Your powerful, healing light into our hearts and lives – Your light, which no darkness can dim. Help us to remember your words,
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Help us to follow you and walk in the light, this November and always. In your name,
Amen.
(Prayer By Daphne Kitching)
Intercessions for November
Today we pray especially for:
1 Those who live in Turnpike Hill, Britten Close and Spanton Crescent
2 Our SALT study groups
3 St Mary the Virgin Elham
4 Those who minister in our residential homes
5 Those who maintain our community
6 Those who live in Rectory Lane and Victoria Place
7 Sunday Club
8 Other, non-Anglican, churches in the local area
9 Our local GPs
10 Sarah, Archbishop of Canterbury
11 Those who live in Old London Road, Redbrooks Way, Summer Close and Sunny Bank
12 Those unable to attend church, thinking particularly of those known to you
13 The homeless, thinking particularly of those known to you
14 Brockhill Park Performing Arts College – staff and pupils
15 St Martin’s Cheriton, All Soul’s Cheriton and St Nicholas Newington
16 Those who live in Grange Road and School Road
17 Families attending Bubble Church and Messy Church
18 Those who seek Christ
19 Residential and nursing homes – their staff and residents
20 Our teams of Welcomers
21 Those who live in Castle Avenue, Lookers Lane and Quarry Road
22 Those who represent us – in parish, district and county councils and in Parliament
23 Those who help lead our worship
24 Those parts of the world suffering from natural disasters and all those seeking to relieve the suffering these cause
25 St Leonard’s Hythe, St Michael’s Anglican and Methodist Centre and Holy Cross Palmarsh
26 Those who live in Brockhill Road and Seaton Avenue
27 The armed forces and their families
28 The Folkestone Rainbow Centre
29 Those coping with debt and unemployment, thinking particularly of those known to you
30 Those who live in Blue House Lane, Sandy Lane and the A20, Saltwood
From the Parish Records
Our love and sympathy go to the family and friends of:
John Kirkwood, whose funeral is on 30th October
More Dates for your Diary
19th November: The defibrillator training has been rescheduled to take place on Thursday 19th November 2-4pm at the church.
This is a community event: all are welcome to come and learn this skill, or to refresh memories!
Special services and events in December
Sunday 6th at 3pm ‘Blue Christmas’ at Lympne
Sunday 13th at 4pm Lessons and Carols at Pedlinge
Saturday 19th at 6pm Carols at the Castle at Lympne
Sunday 20th at 3pm Lessons and carols at Saltwood
Thursday 24th 3pm Traditional Crib Service at Saltwood
Thursday 24th at 4pm Traditional Crib Service at Lympne
Thursday 24th at 11.30pm Midnight mass at Saltwood
Friday 25th at 8am Holy Communion at Saltwood
Friday 25th at 10a. Hooba family Christmas service at Saltwood
Sunday 27th at 11am Benefice service at Lympne
Warden’s Corner
From John Campbell: –
Warning Order – Repairs to the Lychgate
During November, Jason is hoping to carry out some much-needed repairs to the two crosses that normally sit on top of the lychgate. One cross needs repairing, while the other requires complete reconstruction. Unfortunately, the wooden housings in which they sit, at the top of the gable ends, have also become rotten and will need attention.
The work will require scaffolding, which means that access through the lychgate may be a little awkward for a short while. If you’re feeling particularly sprightly, you can always hop over the wall! Otherwise, I suggest you use the gate into the churchyard and then come through the gap in the wall near the kitchen.
We don’t yet have firm dates for the work, but I thought it sensible to give everyone a little advance warning. Thank you for your patience while these necessary repairs are carried out.
A New Sit-on Mower for Saltwood Churchyard
As many of you will know from Barry’s recent newsletter, our faithful old sit-on mower has finally reached the end of its working life. Des had done a remarkable job keeping it going for so long. Fortunately, he has found and purchased a good second-hand replacement at what is probably the best time of year to buy one, as the grass-cutting season draws to a close.
The new mower cost £1,200. Although Des took the initiative in finding and purchasing it, we cannot expect him to cover the cost himself. Our churchyard is a beautiful and much-loved part of Saltwood, enjoyed by the whole village as well as by the church congregation. People walk through it, exercise their dogs, visit family graves and appreciate its peace and beauty.
We owe Des and Rita enormous thanks for the many hours they devote to maintaining the churchyard, as well as to the Wednesday Garden Gang for their invaluable and consistent help.
We are therefore inviting everyone who values and enjoys the churchyard, whether they attend church or not, to contribute towards the cost of the mower. If enough people give a little, we should soon reach the £1,200 target. Any surplus will be retained in the general funds, so this is a two-pronged effort: to cover the mower’s cost and support the church’s wider work and its timeless service to the village.
There are three ways to contribute:
By bank transfer directly to the Saltwood Churchyard bank account, using the details below. Please use Mower as the payment reference.
By cheque, payable to PCC of Saltwood Friends of Saltwood Churchyard. Please place it in an envelope marked Churchyard Mower and put it in the collection basket at a Sunday morning service.
By handing your cheque or cash directly to John Hall, Barry, or me.
⠀Saltwood Churchyard Bank Account
Account name – PCC of Saltwood Friends of Saltwood Churchyard
Sort code – 524142
Account number – 61710202
Payment Reference: Mower
Thank you for your generosity and for helping us maintain this beautiful and much-loved part of our village. Contributions of any size will be greatly appreciated.
Income Tax Considerations
Of course, any gift you give can be offset against your total income tax bill thereby reducing it. But the church can also reclaim the tax you would have paid at no cost to you.
If you are not a member of the Church congregation, we would be so grateful if you would be willing to allow us to reclaim income tax on your generous contribution. To do this please email the treasurer, John Hall, at johnhall.ba@outlook.com, telling him your name and address and confirming how much you donated (nothing is too small), and that you are a UK taxpayer.
Thank you so much.
A Reminder from Carol
The afternoon prayer group will meet at the home of penny Forsyth, 34 Harpswood Lane, at 2pm on Wednesday 4th November. Prayer is the bedrock of our Christian life, so do come and join us.
Prayer is also available after each 10am service; and we also have a Friday morning prayer group; a men’s prayer group; a time of prayer in each of our SALT groups, as well as prayer before and during our services. Do ask if you’d like to know more.
Quote
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. – Anon
We Need You!
Do you like arranging flowers?
Would you like to join the Church’s flower team? We would love to have you.
Do not worry about lack of experience. We can guide and being on a rota it is not too time consuming.
You don’t need to be a Church goer, you just need to love flowers.
We will be delighted to develop your new skills and enhance the church’s beauty.
If you are interested please contact:
Christina Ford on 07767 083381 or
Mary Hunter on 07941 626601
Notes from the Choir
Yet another half-term has gone by, doesn’t time fly, and now we are truly into the wet, dark and cold part of autumn, putting our clocks back tonight may give us an extra hour and lighter mornings but the evenings are so drear. So, we must cheer ourselves up with thoughts of lovely warm candlelit services which we have planned for Advent. First of all, we have our All-Souls Service on 1st November in the afternoon, where we remember our departed loved ones, this time the choir are to sing an anthem. Remembrance Sunday this year falls on 8th November and never fails to be the most poignant of all services. Last of all in November but by no means least, we shall be celebrating our Advent Evensong in the afternoon of the 29th. Please do come along to these services, they are so moving and peaceful, and when the church is full there is a definite feeling of being at peace with all.
Our thanks as always go to Barry for the wonderful hymns, Berkeley, Tim, and Helen, our fabulous organists, without whom our services would indeed be bland, tuneless, and infinitely miserable!
Can I just say a quick thank you also to the refreshment teams: your coffee is just the best. So much appreciated.
Fran Dyer
Nov 1st – Commemoration Service
This year’s All Soul’s Commemoration Service for the recently bereaved will take place on Sunday 1st November at 3pm. Rev Barry is currently working with the choir to make this as special an occasion as possible in tribute to those we love but see no longer.
Saltwood Cinema Club
Will be showing
The Nonnas
on Wednesday 18th November
at 2pm in the Lads’ Club
Nonnas follows Joe, a grieving son who decides to honor his late mother by opening an Italian restaurant run entirely by grandmothers, each bringing their own unique recipes and personalities. This heartfelt, feel-good story blends comedy and warmth, celebrating food, family, and tradition.
Cost £5 per person to include tea and cake
All proceeds to the Lads’ Club Funds
Friends Of Kent Churches Ride & Stride 2026
We would like to thank all who sponsored us for this year’s event and help us raise £1120.00.
Seven ‘striders’ set off from Saltwood church, visiting another 4 or 5 churches in Hythe. The two of us then travelled by bus to Canterbury where we visited a further 7 churches.
Our striding for the event, as recorded on my “Fit Bit”, amounted to six and half miles. The event started at 10am in our Church and ended at 5.45pm when we arrived home.
Half the money raised is for Friends of Kent Churches and half, i.e. £560.00, is returned to our Treasurer for Saltwood Church funds.
So again, we thank all our sponsors
Joy & Derek Russill
Another Quote
Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.
– John F Kennedy
Continuing our new series of Saltwood history:-
POND LIFE
‘A PEEP AT THE LIFE OF A VILLAGE POND’
At a parish council meeting for the parish of Saltwood, held at 7:30 p.m. in the school on Monday 31st December 1894, Mr Fuller was voted into the Chair for the conduct of business. Thus, Saltwood Parish Council was born – and it wasn’t long before maintenance of the village pond reared its head.
With the formalities of office attended to, Mr Samuel Gower proposed that a letter be written to Mr Day, asking him ‘to attend to a defect in his drain, which visibly causes soap suds and “other matter” to flow back into the village pond’.
We may chuckle at the quaintness, but for our ancestors, village ponds served many useful purposes. Animals would drink from them, the blacksmith might take water for his forge, and when the steam-driven traction engine arrived, where else might the driver find a more ready source of water?
In September 1898, in an effort to show leadership, the Chairman moved ‘that the pond be cleaned out’. Mr Miller put forward an amendment ‘that the same be filled up’. Did he mean filled up with water, or filled in? We will never know, but either way, the amendment was not seconded. The Chairman’s proposal was carried, and Messrs Turner, Usher and Gower were appointed to supervise the work.
Ponds are prone to leaking and evaporation, and unless naturally fed, require ongoing maintenance and topping up. The following month, Mr G. Chittenden was paid £1.15/- for carting 12 loads of chalk to line the pond, and Mr C. Fuller was paid 12/- for royalty on the chalk. And there is nothing like the prospect of ongoing and mounting costs to prompt a parish council to sit up and take notice.
In June 1899 the question of Mr Samuel Gower taking water from the pond for his forge was raised. Mr Gower had built a house (now Clematis Villa) for himself with a yard and workshops behind. The ground floor housed the wheelwright with a carpenter’s workshop above. Steps led from the yard down to the pond.
Mr Usher proposed that the Clerk should write to Mr Gower asking that he agree to desist from taking the water on, or before Wednesday next, failing which, the council would take steps to assert its authority!
Mr Gower was not the only village tradesman to fall foul of the parish council. In April 1908 ‘Beaky’ Wood, the village dairyman, also found himself in trouble. His attention was called to ‘the nuisance caused by his cows wading in the village pond’. This set the scene for ongoing acrimony between the parish council and Mr Wood, over his encroachment on the village green.
The pond was not without its share of drama. In August 1912 the Chairman informed the council that a child had been rescued from the pond by Mr E. Friend of Hythe. This was not the first time Mr Friend had been instrumental in saving life, and if members were willing, the Clerk would lay the facts before the Humane Society to see if they might offer him an award.
But there were also lighter moments to enjoy. At election time candidates would display their colours on tiny boats and sail them on the pond. There was sliding on the ice in the winter, and no child was considered a Saltwood boy or girl until they had fallen into the duck pond. The late Eric Gower (Samuel Gower’s grandson) confesses that he was ‘Christened’ while launching a toy cork boat that his ‘sailor’ brother had made for him. Standing on the wooden jetty he threw the boat into the water but forgot to let go. Soaked and fearing a scolding from his parents, he was relieved when they laughed and said, ‘Right, you’re a Saltwood boy now!’
1912 also saw mains water become available to top up the pond, and this came with a meter and a fixed charge. But as the summer of 1912 ebbed quietly away, there was no sign of the dark clouds that would gather over Europe and plunge the world into war. In blissful ignorance of the carnage that was less than two years away, the Chairman asked Mr Coleman if he would send two ducks and a drake from Grange Farm to the pond.
Sadly, as the 20th century rolled on the pond no longer had a useful role to play. Eventually, it was drained and filled in under the supervision of Saltwood’s very own Charles Frederick (Fred) Kesby.
Editor’s note: For those not as local as the author, the village pond was situated where the car park is now, beside the Castle Hotel, as shown in the above photograph.
From the Parish Magazine – NOVEMBER 2006
What was going on in the parish during November 20 years ago?
On Friday 3rd, a reception was held in the church to launch the new church website with a large screen presentation.
There was an advertisement for a coordinator to lead volunteers running Children’s workshops and holiday clubs.
Liz Pettersen, as head of Saltwood School was appealing for gifts for the ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoe boxes.
A book of daily intercessions was issued. (NB a monthly version is now included in every copy of this magazine.)
Bible Gem: The God of Dead Men
At this time of years, as we mark the Feast of All Souls and look ahead to Advent, our thoughts are of loved ones who have died, and then to the promise of Christ’s coming into the world as a baby. Both force us to consider what lies beyond this earthly life, and the Bible contains a remarkable answer hidden in a passage we may have read many times without noticing its significance.
Imagine standing before a burning bush in the wilderness and hearing the voice of God speaking from the flames! That was Moses’ extraordinary experience when God called him to lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt. But among all the remarkable things God said to Moses that day was a declaration of His identity, whose full significance would be revealed fifteen hundred years later. “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Exodus 3:6, NKJV)
There seems to be nothing immediately surprising about that statement. God was identifying Himself as the God who had made His covenant with Israel’s forefathers. But consider something. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had all been dead for centuries. Their bodies had long since returned to the dust. Yet God spoke of His relationship with them in the present tense. He was still their God.
Fifteen hundred years later, Jesus was confronted by the Sadducees, religious leaders who denied the resurrection of the dead. They had devised what they considered an unanswerable question. Suppose a woman married seven brothers in succession, each dying without children. When the dead were raised, whose wife would she be? They thought they had exposed the absurdity of believing in resurrection.
Jesus corrected their misunderstanding of life after the resurrection, explaining that marriage would no longer operate as it does in this world. But then He did something extraordinary. He took them back to Moses’ encounter with the burning bush, which of course they all knew, and He said to them: “But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (Matthew 22:31–32, NKJV)
Think about what Jesus had just done. He had uncovered a profound truth about life and death in words that generations of Israelites had read without recognising their significance. God had not said, “I was the God of Abraham.” He said, “I am.” Luke records an additional phrase in Jesus’ answer. “For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:38, NKJV)
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not merely figures from Israel’s distant history. Although their earthly lives had ended, they remained alive to God. Death had not brought their relationship with Him to an end.
And Jesus gives us an even more remarkable glimpse of life beyond the grave in Luke 16. He describes the deaths of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Both die, yet both remain alive and conscious. The rich man recognises Abraham, who had died nearly two thousand years earlier. They speak to one another. The rich man remembers his earthly life and is concerned for his five brothers who are still living. These are recognisable people, retaining their identities and communicating with one another long after physical death.
Nor is this some distant future existence following the resurrection. The rich man’s brothers are still alive on earth. Jesus is describing what happens after death and before the resurrection. And remember His promise to the dying criminal beside Him. “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43, NKJV)
There is still a glorious resurrection to come, when those who belong to Christ will receive their resurrected and glorified bodies. But in the meantime, those who have died believing Jesus is Lord are alive, recognisable and in Heaven.
So, as we remember those who have died, particularly those we have lost recently, take heart. If they believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God, they have not ceased to exist, nor are they lying unconscious somewhere awaiting the resurrection. They are alive with the Lord, and you will be reunited with them, whether through your own departure into glory or when Christ returns, whichever comes first.
That is the wonderful assurance of the Gospel, and Paul expresses it beautifully when he writes, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, NKJV)
John Campbell
Folkestone Choral Society
From the Editor
Earlier this year I entered the Saltwood Parsh Magazine into a competition for church mags. As expected, no prize for us – especially as we are not professionally printed, but more of an online version. Along with some tips for improvement, I received the following feedback:
‘A clearly Christian magazine! Refreshing to see pastoral and prayerful articles that are often absent in church magazines. Content appropriate for the intended audience. Consistent body font and good margins. Nice ‘airy’ feel.
Overall, some interesting, well written content.’
So, a big thank you to all my contributors!!
St. Stephen’s Church, Lympne
Services and Events in November
Sunday 1st 11am Holy Communion
Sunday 8th 10.45 Remembrance at the War memorial, followed by an all-age service in the church
Sunday 15th 11am Holy Communion
Saturday 21st 10.30 Coffee Morning
Sunday 22nd 11 am Morning Worship
Friday 27th 7pm Hymn Singing for all
Sunday 29th 1oam benefice Service of Holy Communion at Saltwood (No service at Lympne)
Regular Events:
Mondays 12:-30-1pm (every other week) – Prayer Meeting
Mondays 5pm (every other week) – Home Group – Speak to Valerie or Rachel
Mondays 19:30-21:30 – Bell ringing Practice (each week)
Friday mornings (every other week) – Home Group – Speak to Monica or Peter
Saturday mornings 10:30 – 12:30 Eco group working churchyard (when dry)
Lympne Fellowship
LYMPNE FELLOWSHIP
At our October AGM our Chair, Jill Page, stepped down after a number of years in the role. A massive thank you to her for all her hard work and we are grateful that she intends to continue as a committee member. Sue Gibson also stepped down from the committee after, again, a number of years and a big thank you to her also, as well as to the rest of the committee who have worked hard through the year to provide a varied and very enjoyable programme of events. We were also delighted to welcome Jenny Addis to the role of committee member. Unfortunately there were no nominations for a new Chair so the committee will now continue to share these duties. Following the short AGM there was plenty of time to socialise and catch up with each other.
Our next meeting on Thursday 12 November will be our Seasonal Craft Making once again led by Rosemarie Hoad.
Lympne Fellowship normally meets at 1.15pm in the Harry Margary Hall on the 2nd Thursday of
the month with a programme of interesting and informative talks and activities.
For further information about our group, please contact Jill Page on 07846 819693.
Lympne Church Coffee Morning
SATURDAY 21st November
10.30am – 12.30pm
Join us over coffee, cake & savoury bakes
Explore the churchyard and enjoy the fabulous view
Enjoy meeting friends, old and new
(Well-behaved dogs welcome)
Proceeds to the maintenance of the church plus a donation to this month’s nominated charity:
HOME FARM TRUST (Lympne Place)
SHAL: Studying History and Archaeology in Lympne
Talk and Presentation by Shay Collyer: ‘Castle Hill, Folkestone’.
Castle Hill, Folkestone overlooks junction 13, where the M20 ends. It is a scheduled monument and one of several notable hills in the area, including Sugarloaf Hill and Round Hill. The hills are formed from chalk laid down during the Late Cretaceous period, beginning around 100 million years ago, when sea levels were considerably higher than today. Castle Hill was known as Caesar’s Camp, and is still sometimes called that. In 1878, Augustus Lane Fox, later known as General Pitt-Rivers, showed that it was the site of a Norman castle, with an inner ringwork and an outer bailey, not a Roman fort. His dig has been claimed as the first scientific excavation of a medieval site in Britain. The castle was probably built between the 1070s and the 1130s. It was approached by a defended causeway, which incorporated a Bronze Age bowl barrow, far older than the castle itself. Historic England notes the barrow shows no evidence of serious disturbance.
Some of Pitt-Rivers’ finds are in Folkestone Museum, although the majority, including a Norman-period iron arrowhead, are in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. Finds scattered across the site included numerous medieval pottery sherds, two Norman cooking pots, iron knives, a piece of a spindle whorl, horseshoe fragments and nails. Among them were a fragment of a flute or whistle carved from a bird’s bone, pieces of gilt copper, one decorated with a quatrefoil, and a carved chalk head of a man. The head is badly battered, but our speaker believes it sports a large moustache. As moustaches came in and out of fashion and were favoured by some groups but not others, she suggested that the head might be Anglo-Saxon rather than Norman. A well was also discovered within the inner ringwork, recorded as being over 29 metres deep.
Two silver pennies of King Stephen are recorded from the hill, one found by Pitt-Rivers in 1878. Stephen reigned from 1135 to 1154. His struggle with his cousin, Empress Matilda, is known as the Anarchy. The coins may help to date the construction of the castle, although they cannot establish it precisely.
In 1972-73, fourteen coins, mostly Roman but including an Iron Age coin, were found on nearby Sugarloaf Hill, suggesting Roman activity in the area. A small fourth-century Roman coin found on Castle Hill’s Norman ramparts was probably moved there during their construction.
In 1988-9, during construction of the Channel Tunnel terminal, archaeologists from Canterbury Archaeological Trust dug a trench on the south-west side of the hill ahead of siting a waypoint, or survey point. They found scattered Neolithic Peterborough Ware, along with worked flints. Pitt-Rivers had already found Neolithic pottery on the hill in 1878. The trench also revealed a possible Neolithic ditch. Our speaker suggested it might have formed part of a larger Neolithic monument, perhaps used for gatherings, ceremonies or other communal activities. Its precise purpose, however, remains unknown. Perhaps one day the hill will reveal more of its secrets.
Next talk: – 17th November 2026 – Andrew Richardson – Talk on the Saxon Sword.
If you would like to become a member of SHAL please email our Chair Rosemary Stutchbury at r.stutchbury1@gmail.com
President Christine Farquhar welcomed thirty-eight members to the October meeting. Hostesses Evelyn F, Carol K, Mary W and Sue C were thanked as were raffle organisers Diane and Cynthia and Ros G on the sales table. Kate D was thanked for the flowers. The record of the September meeting was approved and signed.
The treasurer gave a short financial report.
The Federation AGM will be on April 7th at Kent College in Canterbury.
Christmas Lunch. Our Christmas lunch is on December 3rd at Etchinghill Hill Golf Club The cost is £30.00, and payment can be made by BACs payment or cash by the November meeting. The menu is on the website.
Subgroups. The subgroups met in October. Please see website for details.
Our charity for this year is Rising Sun Kent which helps women and children seeking refuge from domestic abuse and we will be collecting items from toiletries to basic household goods at the November meeting. Rising Sun is also having their sponsored walk/swim/cycle or run event.
After coffee and cakes, we settled down to make various crafts led by some of our very talented crafters as follows; Kay H – wall hanging, Julie A- gift envelope, Julie B and
Jackie V – decorating shells, Kate D – sewn flowers, Jo S- sock pumpkin and Mandy E- iris paper folding. This was a very enjoyable and productive session and, of course, there are photos on the website. Wendy R gave a vote of thanks which was endorsed by the members.
The next meeting will be on November 13th. Please see Dawn Neale’s Fashion email of September 29th for details.
Margaret Alcock
Finishing with a Smile
A pious man, who had reached the age of 105, suddenly stopped going to church. Alarmed by the old fellow’s absence after so many years of faithful attendance, the minister went to see him.
He found him in excellent health, so the minister asked, “How come after all these years we don’t see you at services anymore?”
The old man lowered his voice. “When I got to be 90, I expected God to take me any day. But then I got to be 95, then 100, then 105. So, I figured that God is very busy and must’ve forgotten about me, and now I don’t want to remind Him!”
