As the Director of Canterbury Archaeological Trust, Paul has overseen numerous archaeological excavations both in this country and abroad. In addition to his main interest in the archaeology of Kent, he is an expert in classical Libyan civilisation, having worked in the country over several decades. More recently, he has expanded his overseas interests to northern Iraq, investigating the region’s prehistory. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge regarding Canterbury’s archaeology and history, and his passion for the subject has inspired professionals and amateurs alike, which was recognised in 2017 when he was awarded an MBE
Event details
During this tour of the Canterbury’s St Thomas’ or Eastbridge Hospital, Paul Bennett will offer participants a master class in how to look for clues to understand how this building developed from c.1200 until the end of the Middle Ages. Furthermore, during his time as Director of Canterbury Archaeological Trust he oversaw several building surveys and other archaeological work at this iconic medieval stone building.
This latest volume in Canterbury Archaeological Trust's Occasional Paper series describes discoveries along the route of the Whitfield-Eastry by-pass. An extensive programme of fieldwalking and evaluation investigated a number of sites: two sites were subject to full excavation.
In the Foreword, Barry Cunliffe writes: "The publication of the excavation of the multi-period settlement site at Highstead near Chislet is a matter for celebration. Highstead, with its long sequence of occupation spanning the first millennium B.C. and early first millennium A.D.
The widening of the road between the Monkton and Mount Pleasant roundabouts on the A253 led to the archaeological investigation of a 3km long strip of land between July 1994 and February 1995. Prehistoric discoveries included Neolithic inhumations and pits, well-preserved Beaker graves and ten ring-ditches of late Neolithic and Bronze Age date.