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Sittingbourne youngsters dig to discover more about Rose Hill House

Young history enthusiasts got a chance to grab a trowel and delve into the rich past of Rose Hill House near Gore Court Cricket Club.

The archeological dig, run by the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS), invited youngsters to the woods to excavate the remains of a Georgian estate.

Over the weekend, more than 160 people joined Richard Emmett and the rest of the group to dig on the site, with finds such as an intact glass jar, vintage drinks bottles, and various tiles and household fixtures being discovered.

VIDEO: Some of the action on the first day

Volunteer Daniel Singer, 21, who has autism, was among those trying his hand at archaeology: “I’ve been working at the greenhouse so there’s a lot of shards of glass but I’m very happy about finding a whole jar.”

Richard Emmett, chairman of HRGS, said: “This is the second year of investigations into Rose Hill House, which was covered in distinctive mathematical tiles.

“It’s essential that young people learn about history and this was a significant property of that period.

The Rose Hill dig team, with some of their finds and a trench
The Rose Hill dig team, with some of their finds and a trench

“There is a lot to learn through an archeological dig that will stand them in good stead by teaching them to ask questions and helping them learn more.”

The main ambition of the dig was to find out more about the history of the house and to share it with the community.

Visitors to the Heritage Hub, in The Forum, can see some of the finds from the dig and a 3D printer helps to recreate broken items as they would have been.

Leah Canton, 12
Leah Canton, 12

People can share their stories and photos of the historical building at the hub, which is open from 10am to 4pm every from Tuesday to Saturday.

Rose Hill House was once owned by Frances Montrésor whose portrait still hangs in the US Department of State in Washington DC but was more recently lived in by Catherine Stocker, who died in 1973.

The group would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots, Swale council and Gore Court Cricket Club for their support.

Theresa Emmett with some of the finds
Theresa Emmett with some of the finds

The dig continues this weekend, with spaces open to those between 11 and 18, and up to 25 for people with additional needs.

The Rose Hill project is led by Swale Community & Voluntary Services in partnership with Sheppey Matters and Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS).

To book a space, contact Sandy Hammock at sandy.hammock@swalecvs.co.uk or on 01795 473828.

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