Swanley Heritage No 3 - History to Roman Times (Update No1 23 November 2011)

This Blog examines life in the Swanley Hills area from earliest times. It examines the settings of Swanley Hills and environs. I shall try to link us to the life which our ancient relatives may have enjoyed (or not) at different times.

Swanley Hills lie on relatively high ground between two of the local south-to-north  tributaries of the Thames - the River Darenth (in the Darenth Valley (DV)) and the River Cray. Swanley has no surface rivers but there is some evidence of underground waters, ie at least two streams or rivers. One of these runs underground to join the River Darent towads Dartford. [ Note: To be confirmed from plans.] 

So far no pre-history has come to my attention. However, the name Swanley seems to mean "swine fields/clearing" or the like (ie in Anglo-Saxon). To me this is suggestive of the ancient or customary rights of common ("pannage" with "estovers" - both in the woodlands around). If pre-history settlements existed in the two valleys mentioned, it is possible that the area of Swanley was alloidal common lands. (See later post: Norman Era.)

Certainly, the western hills at Lulllingstone show evidence of Neolithic settlement and a similar settlement was uncovered east of Hextable (off Wested Lane) when the M25 was constructed (in the late 1970s) - it was reburied but is not beneath the motorway. [Note To be confirmed.]

Roman Times
The Cantii Tribe of Britons lived the high life in Kent before the two Roman Invasions - so the lands of Swanley may have been alloidal common land to them (no evidence). One might speculate that detachments of Ceasar's early invasion force roamed about Swanley chasing down escaping Cantii Britons, eg from the Battle of the Medway (say, 12 kilometres away). (No evidence.) [Ceasar did, however, write (a) that the Men of Kent were the best warriors of the Britons (and did not hang about in Kent Land after subduing them).]

So far, no Roman archaeology in Swanley itself as come to my attention. The Darenth Valley has a string of Roman villas about one to three kilometres apart. The Lullingstone Roman Villa (English Heritage) is the closest discovery near Swanley; it is nice to make-believe that it is possible that the area of Swanley was known to the Roman or Romano-Britons who lived at Lullingstone for 300 years or so. Perhaps Roman rambling groups or famillies walked the woodlands at Swanley! In the early days of the Romans settling the DV it is possible that Roman military patrols entered the hilly environs of present day Swanley to chase of poachers or worse (from their point of view)!

(a) Ceasar, Julius (c 47 BC)  The Conquest of Gaul, Penguin Books.