Randall Manor Dig 2009

From 4 to 26 July 2009, volunteers and local schools, led by Kent County Council archaeologists, spent a fourth year excavating Randall Manor, in Shorne Woods Country Park. The park is just north of the A2 between Rochester and Gravesend.

The Manor of Randall was occupied for over a hundred years by the de Cobham family.

The community-based project has been uncovering the foundations of this 13th century Manor, that was slowly lost within the woods.

Although nothing survives above ground, the Manor sits on a rectangular platform, with a series of fish ponds running along one side.

The project started in 2006, as a one week dig. In 2008, staff were on site for three weeks and the 2008 blog can be read online. You can download an aerial view of the site and also watch a video about the 2008 excavations at Randall Manor on Kent TV.

So far, archaeologists have looked at the kitchen building, complete with massive stone hearth, the bakery, the store buildings and the fish ponds. In 2009, they hoped to understand more about the main building of the Manor, where the Lord would have lived.

During the dig, they regularly updated the Randall Manor Blog 2009, allowing people to join them as they unravelled the mysteries of this 700 year old site!

Followers were able to hear from the frontline as diggers shared their experiences and pictures were published of their discoveries.

The dig ran daily until 26 July and on 18 and 19 July, a special event called Archaeology in the Park ran at the park, with medieval re-enactors, canons, crafts and lots of free activities for children on the Sunday.

More details of the 2010 Festival of British Archaeology at Shorne Wood Country Park will be posted on this website when available.