Mission to England: reinvestigating the origins of St. Augustine’s Abbey

Kent Archaeological Society

Professor K.R. Dark PhD FSA FSA Scot FRHistS FRAI SFHEA, of Kings College London will explore the history of St Augustine Abbey

St Paul's Church, Canterbury

Although today dominated by the impressive ruins of its medieval abbey, St. Augustine’s Abbey – part of the Canterbury UNESCO Word Heritage site – was the base for the late sixth-century Papal mission to Kent, which led ultimately to the establishment the English Church. While pivotal in the later development of English religious and political life, culture and even architecture, most of what is published about the earliest phases of St. Augustine’s derives from early 20th-century excavations and little attention has been paid to what was at the site prior to the arrival of the missionaries in 597. Beginning in 2019, the ‘Mission to England’ project – established and directed by the speaker – seeks to employ 21st-century archaeological methods to enhance understanding of the origins and earliest development of the site, building on the contributions of all its earlier investigators. The first part of the project’s work, at the Chapel of St. Pancras, has already identified what may well be the earliest known ‘Anglo-Saxon’ church building in Britain – and the only one which may have been commissioned, consecrated and used by the leader of the Papal mission, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Biography: 
After several years digging as an amateur archaeologist in London, Ken Dark studied archaeology at the universities of York and Cambridge and taught in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge before moving to the University of Reading, where he became Professor of Archaeology and History. Having left Reading in 2021, he is currently attached to King’s College London. 
A specialist on the 1st millennium AD, Ken has been awarded honorary professorial titles from four overseas universities, written over 100 academic publications, including 14 books, and directed excavations and surveys in Britain and the eastern Mediterranean for over 30 years. A Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute, and a Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, he is the only person ever elected to all of these learned societies.

The event could be subject to a last minute cancellation due to matters beyond the control of Kent Archaeological Society. For further updates between mailings members and guests should consult the <a href="https://kentarchaeology.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Kent Archaeological Society</a> website or email Outreach@kentarchaeology.org.Ticket sales will close at 1700hrs on the 3rd of February 2023.E﻿&amp;OE.

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Mission to England: reinvestigating the origins of St. Augustine’s Abbey

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Mission to England: reinvestigating the origins of St. Augustine’s Abbey

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