Exploring the legacy of Ethelburga – a community project focused on the Anglo-Saxon heritage of Lyminge, a village in the Elham Valley in East Kent.
What an absolutely super weekend we have all had! The weather was kind and there has been lots of fun for everyone. For many, the highlight was the encampment of Anglo-Saxon re-enactors on Tayne Field. Not only did we have two local groups, Ost Centingas and Haestingas, putting on a excellent joint show, but we … Continue reading The End of the Pathways to the Past Project – a grand finale
At the latest event in the Lyminge Anglo-Saxon Festival, a socially distanced audience in the Parish Church last night was treated to a superb talk on a matter very close to the hearts of those of us who live in Lyminge. Dr Andrew Richardson of Canterbury Archaeological Trust gave us an excellent run-through of what … Continue reading Kentish Royal Burials
We are delighted to unveil the first view of how Queen Ethelburga's church may have looked around 650 AD shortly after her death. This view has been wonderfully recreated for us by Dom Andrews, archaeological illustrator. We have based the view above on as much actual detail as we have, but inevitably in order to … Continue reading Re-creating Queen Ethelburga’s church
The dig in the church yard began just a year ago this month. Readers of this blog will be familiar with images of the Anglo-Saxon church that we uncovered, and that we are reasonably confident was built around the middle of the 7th Century. So this could be the church built by Ethelburga for the … Continue reading Visualising Ethelburga’s church
In 1885, workmen carrying out work in the chancel of St Mary and St Eanswythe, Folkestone, discovered a lead casket containing a collection of bones. At the time, it was thought that these could be the relics of St Eanswythe, patronal saint of Folkestone and niece of our own Queen Ethelburga in Lyminge. But there … Continue reading Eanswythe found!
Because of the bad weather over night, Day 29 was a wash-out so far as digging was concerned. We did however manage to get in our standard half day on Saturday, when we continued with excavating the burials in the chancel of the Anglo-Saxon church. At the moment, we have no reason to think these … Continue reading Day 30 – Round-up on a revelatory 5 weeks of digging
For the first dry site tour since the dig began, it was great to see 55 people crowding the viewing gallery to hear Gabor Thomas explain where we have got to so far. We are now half way through the dig and we have been thrilled at how much has come to light. We have … Continue reading Day 24 – Half way through the dig
It was a very hot day on site on Tuesday. Progress is now necessarily slower because we are hand-digging everything, but also it is hard work in the heat. We are taking down the ground level east of the apse and have encountered burials that may well be early and associated with the Anglo-Saxon church. … Continue reading Day 14 – Questions around the porch
