Canterbury Museums and Galleries

Canterbury City Council, Commercial & Cultural Development
The Beaney, 18 Hight Street
Canterbury
CT1 2RA

01227862132
Website: https://canterburymuseums.co.uk

Parent Organisation:
Funded by:

Local Authority

YLM Entry Submitted: Yes
Comments:

Canterbury Museums and Galleries comprising The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, 18 High St, Canterbury CT1 2BD and The Canterbury Roman Museum, 11A Longmarket, Butchery Ln, Canterbury CT1 2JR.

The Museum receives its material from Canterbury Archaeological Trust. It has no disposal policy specific to Human remains due to the small number of finds it has in its collection.

Canterbury Museums and Galleries has a policy of not displaying ancient human remains.

How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance, pre-Christian or in other way Pagan?:

● Cremations: 17 Roman Cremations all placed in funerary jars/urns. One of these may be Belgic in type/series, therefore late Iron Age in date. British.
● Mummies: Within the collection there is an Ancient Egyptian mummified head.
● Inhumation burials from around Canterbury:
○ Pit burials excavated at Cakebread Robey, 1980. 4 individual skeletons.
○ 2 skeletons from Anglos-Saxon graves, excavated from Eastry in 1967.
○ 2 graves excavated from London Road & Whitehall.
○ 4 graves excavated from Barham Downs 1968 Area IV.
○ Roman inhumation excavated from Bridge 1956.
● Remaining human remains listed by box location:
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box A1
■ Inhumation human remains from Whitehall Road 1956.
■ Human bone, Bequest from Brent. cancm:2297
■ Complete fragmented Anglo-Saxon Skull, excavated from Priory Hill Downs Saxon in 1887. cancm:6660
■ Skull and long bone fragments, excavated from Bradborne in 1955. cancm:6661
■ MDB 70
■ Fragments of Iron Age human skeletal remains.
■ Anglo Saxon human remains excavated from Elham 1960.
■ 2 skulls “Dr Martin’s Collection”.
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box B1
■ Human remains from Frere sites CXIII RIV (06) / LX XIV LIII L.15 CXXVI cremations I & II/CXXXII SV (017) CXXBIV – other = 2 skulls Whitstable & 2 skulls unknown
■ Human remains from Ospringe 5B1II.
■ Human remains from Alkham & 2 Lyminge 5B1ii
■ Human remains 5 Skulls, 3 Jawbones, 1 skull presented by W H Bennett July 11.06
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box B1
■ Human remains: skull from stonar, skull from Shatterling, bones from Barham Down 1971, skull from Riding Gate Inn, arm bones from Canterbury, long bone from Crundale churchyard 1959.
■ Remains from Bridge prior 1976. cancm:10001.
■ Human remains consisting of long bones and a bone spoon. Excavated rear of Old Stag Inn, Seasalte.
■ 2 inhumation burials: skeleton of foot and hobnails BC73 39 VN; Burial 2 Baby fragmentary. Excavated at New Street.
■ Human remains excavated from Westgate on Sea 1960.
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box C1
■ Human remains excavated from Bridge Hill 1956/42 5Ciii.
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box C2
■ Roman human remains, site reference: BS 5C2 ii
■ Human remains, excavated from Bridge hill 1956.
■ CAT BS 5C2 iv RL/P 77 Human remains excavated from Rosemary Lane car park
○ MAGS, Small finds Store, Box C3
■ Crushed bone in brick earth TR553/163. Excavated in Bridge.
■ Human remains in the upper grave, excavated from Bekesbourne.
■ Human remains excavated from Bekesbourne 1959.

Total: 71

How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?:

With the exception of a few of the remains; all have been discovered in the 20th Century.. Excavation work carried out by Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Some of the human remains are accessioned using ADLIB with information regarding location and date of excavation, all are listed.

Where there are ancestors in store, is there a history of use?:

Where there are ancestors in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?

The mummified head is currently undergoing scientific analysis at the University of Kent.

Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?:No

What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?:

All of Canterbury Museums and Galleries information and objects are available upon request (where available) for the public to request.

Does the museum have ancestors (human remains) on display?:No

Does the museum hold any iconic ancestors, ie. complete skeletons with a well documented story, or those considered of national or local importance, and are these on display?:

No

Has the museum used or considered using replicas in displays? If not, why not and what would you find useful in moving to these? If you have, what response did these receive?:

Time and financial restraints.

Documents:
https://www.honour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/formidable/2/YLM-Questionnaire-2020-v2-Canterbury.docx

1 February, 2021