<< Our Photo Pages >> Kit's Coty. - Burial Chamber or Dolmen in England in Kent

Submitted by vicky on Friday, 27 April 2012  Page Views: 47184

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Kit's Coty. Alternative Name: Kit's Coty House; Kits Coty House
Country: England County: Kent Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Nearest Town: Rochester  Nearest Village: Aylesford
Map Ref: TQ7448660856  Landranger Map Number: 178
Latitude: 51.320050N  Longitude: 0.502612E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 2 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

wildtalents would like to visit

GardenerA visited on 24th Dec 2023 - their rating: Amb: 3 Access: 4

NigelS visited on 19th Apr 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Brian_Eyes visited on 1st Jan 2016 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

markhewins visited on 21st Aug 2014 - their rating: Access: 4 Beaut. Very cute.

Majick123 visited on 1st Apr 2012 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Parking is a problem, but there is a Lay by about 300yds from the site, however access from there requires walking along the busy Rochester Road to Pilgrims way with no foot path. Once you are at the path (Signposted with Ancient Monument) the walk is up a steep path next to the field with the monument in it. The monument is now kept by English Heritage behind black iron railings, however this dose not take away from how impressive the site is. From this monument you can see where the Coldrum stones are and you can just immagine how it would have looked 3000 years ago when the tombs were complete and in all there former glory!! Th3y would have dominated the landscape!

SolarMegalith visited on 1st Jul 2008 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 4

MarbleArch visited on 1st Jun 1994 Nearly 30 years ago was my one and only visit to this magnificent monument and I don't remember it being surrounded by those unsightly, though probably necessary, railings. Either they have been installed since or the memory chooses to remove them.

Twistytwirly visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 3

froggyabbie visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

NickyD Bladup ScottHK DrewParsons TheCaptain Kwacker have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.67 Ambience: 4 Access: 3.63

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by enkidu41 : The H-shaped chamber of a 180' long chambered long barrow the mound of which has disappeared. The tallest upright is 8' and the huge capstone is 13' x 9'. TQ 745 609 (Vote or comment on this photo)
Kits Coty House, dated to between 4300 and 3000 BC, is one of the best known megaliths in Britain. It is accessed by a track at the junction of the Pilgrims Way and Rochester Road. There is no charge to view Kits Coty but the stones themselves are fenced off by a nasty iron railing to "protect" them from the public.

All that remains of Kits Coty are three large standing stones and a capstone making up part of the chamber of a long barrow. The mound is roughly 70 metres long and is still about 1 metre high. The main axis is slightly south of east.

It is thought that the mound was about 15 metres wide and was contained within a peristalith. Early prints show a large stone marking the west end: this was called the General's Tombstone and was blown up in 1867, allegedly because it made ploughing difficult.

Kits Coty is still much visited today, and many people come to celebrate the summer and winter solstices.

The above information was extracted from the now defunct site "Kent in Kaos". This is one of the Medway Megaliths.

For more information see the scheduling information at Historic England List ID 1012939 and Pastscape Monument No. 416421. The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for Kit’s Coty, Walderslade, Kent, which includes directions for finding this site, a drawing of Kit's Coty Burial Chamber, and background information. The Journal adds: "Although the monument dates back more than 4,000 years to the Neolithic age, the name is derived from a Dark Age prince called Catigern, son of Vortigern who, according to legend, died in a battle against the Saxons, under Hengest and Horsa, at or near Aylesford in 455 AD. 400 metres to the south, beside the Aylesford road, can be found another ancient monument called Little Kit’s Coty or “the Countless Stones” where there are a number of recumbant stones, which once formed a second burial chamber".

Note: Morris dancing at Kits Coty, Bluebell Hill and the Coldrum stones at dawn on May 1st.
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Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by SolarMegalith : Kit's Coty House - view from the SE (photo taken on July 2008). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by thecaptain : Apart from the fence, it looks fairly peaceful in this photo. But this of course has none of the horrible constant noise of the heavy lorries thundering past. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Sunlight though a gap at Kit's Coty. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Kit's Coty. This Original Artwork in a glass frame is £44.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 29 and a half cm x 17 and a half cm. A limited (to a 100) edition print in a 8" x 10" glass frame would be £19.99 + £2.90 postage, E-mail me at [email protected] if interested. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by DrewParsons : Photographed in February 2005 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by thecaptain : The sad remains of Kit's Coty House in its cage. Surely it deserves better. Seen here from the west.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Kit's Coty.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by SolarMegalith : Kit's Coty House - view from the north (photo taken on July 2008).

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by bec-zog : Kits Coty : Remains of burial chamber : Kent (6 comments)

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by NickyD : image Just the top of Kit''s Coty as I wanted to avoid having the railings in it! Image copyright: stonesearcher, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by helentemple : Taken back in January, really lovely atmosphere - apart from the noise coming from the motor way. Took a while to find but was definitely worth it, shame about the railings but it's in great condition.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Kit's Coty.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Majick123 : Not the best light, But this is what would have been the entrance to the tomb.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by coldrum : "Kit's Coty" Original Drawing by Charles J. Fox

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by trui :

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Postman : Looking out over the Medway valley

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Antonine : 2008

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by markhewins : Local stones. Lovely Kits Coty. Nice walk down the hill.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Kit's Coty.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Sunset at Kit's coty.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Bladup : Kit's coty.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by Sunny100 : Drawing/illustration of Kit's Coty burial chamber in Kent. Sometimes referred to as 'Kit's Coty House' where Catigern, the 5th century chieftain lived. He died in battle against the Saxons at Aylesford. However this site is Neolithic in date, its huge covering mound of earth long since gone. The horrid railings surrounding the chamber are there to protect it.

Kit's Coty.
Kit's Coty. submitted by trui :

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 460m S 190° Little Kit's Coty* Burial Chamber or Dolmen (TQ74426040)
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"Kit's Coty." | Login/Create an Account | 44 News and Comments
  
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Re: Kit's Coty. by Andy B on Tuesday, 18 March 2025
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Kit’s Coty House, located in an elevated position just
below the chalk escarpment, is a tall sarsen-built
chamber consisting of three orthostats in an H-shaped
arrangement with a pitched capstone. This is situated at
the east end of a plough-truncated long mound some
85m in length. Although this monument is widely
assumed to be the much-disturbed remnant of a Severn
Cotswold-style chambered tomb, the closest parallels
for the chamber are portal dolmens and related
monuments in western Britain.

The full scale and overall character of the monument
have been revealed through geophysical surveys and
excavations carried out since 2009. It is now clear that
the chamber is not positioned on the central axis of the
mound but is offset to the south, possibly representing
part of a pre-long mound structure. The long barrow
itself was built in at least two stages from east to west,
but there are also indications of a more complex series
of construction episodes including possible internal
stone settings positioned symmetrically in relation to the
ditches. The eastern primary phase of the south ditch,
dug in two phases in quick succession, forms a wide
terrace in the hill slope, while its counterpart to the
north is a wide shallow feature with gently-sloping
sides.

Together, these delineate a ‘short’ long barrow
which may have subsumed or elaborated the original
megalithic monument. Whether contemporary with the
chamber or not, the shallowness of the flanking ditches,
the lack of evidence for a revetment and the narrowness
of the internal area suggest the presence of a low mound
that is unlikely to have covered the chamber. A buried
soil (sampled by Mike Allen) and fragments of chalk
mound survive on the north side whereas the south side
is completely truncated by ploughing.
Source: prehistoricsociety.org/sites/prehistoricsociety.org/files/publications/past/past72.pdf
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Sunday, 21 May 2017
http://www.prehistoricsociety.org/files/PAST_72_LowRespdf.pdf
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Re: Kit's Coty by Hillsteph on Sunday, 13 November 2016
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Visit today 13/11/2016, l was at first non plussed by this site until the sunset, then it was transformed in the autumn light and it bevame stunning.
[ Reply to This ]

May Day Morris Dancing 2015 by Anonymous on Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Kits Coty Morris dancing at dawn at the Stone 1st May 2015.

http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/public_html/html/events.html
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Rochester Sweeps Festival 2nd -4th May 2015


http://www.maidstoneandmedwaynews.co.uk/Chim-chimney-Rochester-prepares-35th-festival/story-26395122-detail/story.html
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Kit''s Coty. by Anonymous on Friday, 14 March 2014
is kits coty made by same people as poulnabrone dolmen in ireland
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Kit's Coty Morris dancing at dawn May 1st 2012 at the Kits Coty stones by coldrum on Friday, 27 April 2012
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Kits Coty Morris


http://www.ginga.dsl.pipex.com/mayday.htm
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Morris dancing, Blue Bell Hill carpark, 1st may 2012 dawn by coldrum on Friday, 27 April 2012
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Various Morris sides will be dancing at dawn along with the Jack in the Green at Bluebell Hill car park.

http://www.loosewomen.org.uk/site/index.php/programme/details/181-dancing-at-dawn

http://wolfsheadandvixen.wordpress.com/

http://wn.com/Blue_Bell_Hill

http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/medway-mid-kent-area/blue-bell-hill/

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Rochester Sweeps Festival Saturday, 5 May; Sunday, 6 May; Monday, 7 May 2012. by coldrum on Friday, 27 April 2012
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Rochester Sweeps Festival


Imagine a world 400 years ago where children were used as chimney sweeps. The pay was low, it was a dirty trade and there was little reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.

Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot behind and have some fun. The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year. Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.

Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony, a seven-foot character that they used to waken at dawn on Blue Bell Hill, Chatham. The Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their parade. When the Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 made it illegal to employ young boys to carry out the trade, the traditional procession gradually began to fade. The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.

The modern day Rochester Sweeps Festival is a colourful mix of music, dancing and entertainment with more than 60 Morris sides and entertainers celebrating throughout the three-day festival.

The festival was revived in 1981 by local businessman Gordon Newton, a keen historian. He decided it was time to bring it back and over the years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today – an extravaganza of traditional Britain.

Gordon researched the Sweeps’ tradition and organised a small parade, involving local Morris teams. In time, Medway Council took over organisation of the festival but Gordon remained actively involved. Today he is festival producer and plays melodeon for several Morris teams.

Doug Hudson is the festival’s music director, a role he has held for many years. Doug is lead singer with the Hot Rats and well known on the local and national folk scene. He was involved in a folk club at Medway Little Theatre in the 1970s and now arranges a programme for Medway Folk Cellar and Folk at the Brook, two local clubs whose performers can be found in the brochures for the Brook and Central Theatres and on the theatre booking website.

Through Gordon’s vision and hard work, Doug’s musical ability and the council’s help, the Rochester Sweeps Festival has become the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country.

The Sweeps Festival is special because the centre of Rochester truly opens its arms and embraces the three-day event. You don’t have to know much about Morris dancing to enjoy the festival because it has more than enough atmosphere to go round.

Saturday, 5 May; Sunday, 6 May; Monday, 7 May 2012.


http://www.whatsonmedway.co.uk/whats-on-search/rochester-sweeps-festival-p454521
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Rochester Sweeps Festival 2011 30 April, 1 and 2 May by coldrum on Tuesday, 26 April 2011
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Sweeps Festival

Medway Council celebrates this traditional, colourful and lively festival each year. Local chimney sweeps, Morris sides and folk groups froPhoto of Sweeps Festivalm all over the UK join in the fun.

Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot behind and have some fun. The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year. Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.

It takes a special kind of event to last more than a quarter of a century. Medway's Sweeps Festival, with its incredible selection of musical entertainment, an ever-expanding range of activities and worldwide popularity, goes from strength to strength each year.

This year's Sweep Festival is being held on 30 April, 1 and 2 May.

Festival highlights include:

* more than 50 Morris dancing sides;
* free music in pubs and bars;
* fun children’s activities;
* Jack-in-the-Green and much more.

Sweeps Festival concerts
Eliza Carthy and Band with special guest Martin Carthy

Saturday, 30 April, 7.30pm

Musician, singer, producer, curator, multi-prize winner, scion of a UK folk royal family, Eliza is one of the UK’s pre-eminent modern musicians. She is well known for not just her 20 years performing folk, but her numerous innovative boundary-crossing projects and collaborations. Special guest Martin Carthy has been one of folk music's greatest innovators. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. Tickets: £18
Show of Hands

Sunday, 1 May, 7.30pm

After a busy 2010 touring major concert venues, churches and Cathedrals, hot property band Show of Hands - 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards double winners - come to the Sweeps Festival, showing just why they have been showered with accolades. Tickets: £18

Gigs take place in Rochester Castle Gardens marquee.

Buy tickets online for the concerts or phone 01634 338338.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/leisureandculture/events/sweepsfestival.aspx
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Morris Dancing BlueBell Hill Picnic area 1st May 2010, 5.32am by coldrum on Friday, 30 April 2010
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5.32am (Dawn) Bluebell Hill Picnic Area
Jack-in-the-Green Awakening Ceremony
Dance teams and sweeps bring Jack to life at the crack of Dawn. Everybody is invited to this traditional welcome of May Day.

http://www.myspace.com/sweepsfestival
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Re: Sweeps Festival Rochester, 1st-3rd May 2010 by coldrum on Friday, 30 April 2010
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Rochester Sweeps Festival 2010

The History

Imagine a world 400 years ago where children were used as chimney sweeps. There was little pay, it was a dirty trade and there was little reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.

Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday. It was the one time of year that the sweeps could leave the soot behind and have some fun. The Sweeps holiday was traditionally held on 1 May. Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.

Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony. Jack was a seven-foot character who they used to awaken at dawn on Bluebell Hill, Chatham. Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their parade. In 1868 the Climbing Boys’ Act made it illegal to employ young boys to carry out the trade, so the traditional procession gradually began to fade. The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.

Local businessman Gordon Newton, a keen historian, revived the festival in 1981. He decided it was time to bring it back and over the years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today – an extravaganza of traditional Britain.

Gordon researched the sweeps tradition and organised a parade, involving local Morris teams. Today he is festival producer and plays melodeon for several Morris teams. Meanwhile Doug Hudson is the festival’s music director, a role he has held for many years. Doug is well known on the local and national folk scene.

He was involved in a folk club at Medway Little Theatre in the 1970’s and now arranges a programme for Medway Folk Cellar and Folk at the Brook, two local clubs. He is also lead singer with the Hot Rats. Through Gordon’s vision and hard work, Doug’s musical ability and Medway Council’s assistance with organisation, Rochester’s Sweeps Festival is in its 30th year and is the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country.



Festival Highlights

Festival Concerts
Rochester Castle Gardens
Concert Marquee




Friday 30 April
8pm Medway Rocks
Lupen Crook, The Lovedays, The Flowing
Some of Medway’s leading music makers take the stage in a special concert celebrating the diverse and innovative local music scene.
Tickets £6 see box office for booking details



Saturday 1 May
8pm Bellowhead
Wild, joyous, perverse, bold, crazed, full-blooded, intricate, fearless, funny, epic and mostly BIG. The mighty 11-piece Bellowhead are quite possibly, the best thing to have happened to English music for a very long time. Blending folk, jazz, classical, rock, disco and world music influences with English Music Hall and cabaret, they are Kurt Weill, Arcade Fire, Lotte Lenya and Tom Waits, all rolled into one. Between them, the 11 musicians play more than 20 instruments and six of them sing. The horn section includes a helicon, reeds and a bass clarinet. There's a frying pan amidst the percussion, and a cello in the strings. Add to that melodeon, fiddle and vocals and you have a heady brew that defies categorization. Voted ‘Best Live Act of the Year’ at this year’s BBC Folk Awards. LUPEN CROOK will open.
Tickets £20 see box office for booking details



Sunday 2 May
7.30pm Cara Dillon

Cara Dillon has a rare talent that you only come across a handful times in your whole life. Her staggeringly beautiful voice has the ability to reach inside the soul of a song and imbue material with not only profound sweetness but also poignancy and depth. Her album ‘Hill of Thieves’ was voted ‘Best Album’ at this year’s BBC Folk Awards. Harmony group HEX will provide the support.
Tickets £18 see box office for booking details


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Re: Morris dancing at Kits Coty and Blue Bell Hill, 1st May 2010 by coldrum on Friday, 30 April 2010
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Kits Coty Morris will be dancing at the Stones on Saturday 1st May 2010 at dawn, 5.32am.

http://www.avwl27.dsl.pipex.com/morris2.shtml
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Morris dancing at Kits Coty and Blue Bell Hill, 1st May 2009 by coldrum on Sunday, 26 April 2009
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Kits Coty Morris dancing at Kits Coty, 1st May 2009

Kits Coty Morris dancing at dawn at Kits Coty, about 5.32 am.

http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/index2.html

http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/mayday.htm

Morris dancing at Blue Bell Hill picnic site, dawn 1st May, 5.32am.
The traditional Jack-in-the-Green Awakening Ceremony takes place at the Blue Bell Hill picnic area. Dance teams and sweeps will bring Jack to life at the crack of dawn. Everybody is invited to this traditional welcome of May Day.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/leisure/events/sweepsfestival/57134/57529.htm

http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/explore-kent/parks-and-open-spaces/blue-bell-hill-picnic-site.htm
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Re: Kits Coty by coldrum on Monday, 13 April 2009
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Sweeps Festival 2009:

http://www.medway.gov.uk/sweepsfestival
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Re: Kits Coty by coldrum on Wednesday, 23 July 2008
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The following is from the Pastscape site:

"The remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb. The visible remains comprise three large sarsen uprights arranged in an H-plan, topped by a substantial capstone. This structure stands at the southeastern end of a mound orientated southeast-northwest and now most clearly visible on air photographs due to prolonged erosion by ploughing. The tallest of the upright stones stands circa 8 feet above the ground, and the capstone measures circa 13 feet by 9 feet. Ordnance Survey field investigation in 1959 recorded the mound as being of elongated oval plan and measuring circa 80 metres long and up to 33 metres across, with an average height of circa 0.7 metres. The flanking ditches can be seen on air photographs as cropmarks. Minor excavation in the late 18th century proved fruitless. Trial trenching of the mound in 1956 confirmed suspicions that the mound had been revetted by a sarsen kerb. While much of the original form of the monument is speculative, even less is known of the contents, the chamber having been open since at least the late 16th century. There are vague mentions of "rude pottery" and some worn sherds said to be Neolithic or Beaker were found in the surrounding ploughsoil in the 1930s. A large sarsen recorded nearby by Stukeley in the 1720s, and known as The General's Tombstone, may have derived from Kit's Coty House. The chamber (but not the mound) was one of the first Scheduled Ancient Monuments, the iron railings surrounding it (erected at the insistence of Lt General Pitt Rivers) testament to early ideas about protecting such sites".

https://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=416421
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Kits Coty by coldrum on Wednesday, 23 July 2008
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http://morganbd.blogspot.com/2008/05/couplea-weeks-ago-i-was-re-visiting.html
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Images by coldrum on Tuesday, 22 July 2008
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Some images of Kits Coty on Medway Megaliths Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=15827919159&success#/group.php?gid=16912265058
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The Aylesford Megalithic Cluster by coldrum on Tuesday, 29 April 2008
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http://www.aylesfordpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/default.cfm?pid=2368
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Rochester Sweeps Festival 1st-5th May 2008 by coldrum on Sunday, 27 April 2008
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Thursday, 1 May, 5.32am

The traditional Jack-in-the-Green Awakening Ceremony takes place at the Blue Bell Hill picnic area. Dance teams and sweeps will bring Jack to life at the crack of dawn. Everybody is invited to this traditional welcome of May Day.

Friday, 2 May, 8.45–11pm

* Ye Arrow – a pre-festival music session.
* Prince of Wales, Strood – Sur Les Docks.
* Good Intent – singaround session with Simon Barlow.
* King's Head (pool room) – Singaround with Bob and Kathy Drage.
* Man of Kent alehouse - The Groanbox Boys.
* Gordon Hotel - a pre-festival music session.



Saturday, 3 May

* 10.45am
Guildhall Museum forecourt, High Street - the Mayor of Medway will officially open the festival. This will be followed by a dance showcase.
* 11am–4.30pm
City Wall Wine Bar, stage - music hosted by Pigs Ear, accompanied by guests.
* 12.30-1.30pm
Castle Gardens concert marquee - music from The Dawgs.
* 12.30-2.30pm
The Crown Inn - The Dealers.
The Eagle Tavern - JD and the Longfellows.
Gordon House Hotel - Truckstop Honeymoon.
Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel (Rochester Bar) - Longstone.
Two Brewers - Norcsalordie.
Prince of Wales, Strood - Phoenix.
Expectations - Junk and Disorderly.
Man of Kent alehouse - Prague Castle Orchestra.
King's Head - Skinners Rats.
Good Intent - singaround session with John Barden.
Ye Arrow - Ian Petrie Band.
* 1–1.20pm
Boley Hill Stage - McManigan Academy of Irish Dancers.
* 1.30-2pm
Boley Hill Stage - The Fabulous Fezheads.
* 2.15pm
Medway Visitor Information Centre - guided walking tour of Rochester led by the City of Rochester Society. The tour will last for about 90minutes and is free. Donations to the society are welcome.
* 3–5pm
Medway Visitor Information Centre - The Folk Factor - search for a folk star. Now in its third year, we are pleased to be holding this competition again in 2008. Singers, duos and bands are invited to come forward for a five-minute performance in front of a panel of judges: Joe Stead (singer, ex-folk agent and record company owner), Richard Bridge (folk singer), Avril Cameron (folk singer and folk club organiser). The winner will receive a day’s recording at Ranscombe Studios in Rochester, a slot on Simon’s folk programme and a concert appearance at Broadstairs Folk week in August. Register for your five-minute acoustic spot at [email protected] or phone 01843 868757.
* 3-5pm
Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel (Rochester Bar) - Chris Taylor (Irish music session).
Gordon House Hotel - McManigan Academy of Irish Dancers (until 3.30pm).
* 3–7pm
King's Head (pool room) - singaround with Bob and Kathy Drage.
Expectations - Roy Golding.
* 4-6pm
The Crown Inn - The Groanbox Boys.
Eagle Tavern - Norcsalordie.
* 4.15-5pm
Boley Hill Stage - Prague Castle Orchestra.
* 8.45–11pm
King's Head - Selchie.
Gordon House Hotel - Wheeler Street and The Fabulous Fezheads.
Expectations - Truckstop Honeymoon.
Ye Arrow - JD and the Longfellows.
Man of Kent alehouse - Sur Les Docks.
Prince of Wales, Strood - Bishop Gundulf.
Good Intent - singaround session with John Barden (bar) plus music session with PJ (garden).
Two Brewers - Phoenix.
* 10pm-1am
The Corn Exchange - Festival Ceilidh with The Climax Ceilidh Band. Tickets are £6.

Sunday, 4 May

* 11am–4.30pm
C

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Wolfs Head and Vixen at Bluebell Hill, 1st May at dawn by coldrum on Sunday, 27 April 2008
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01 May 2008, 05:30 05:30 AM - Waking the Jack-in-the-Green at 5:32am Sunrise. Rochester Sweeps Festival
Blue Bell Hill car park then High Street (11am-ish), Rochester, Kent, - Free

Note this IS at 05:32 Sunrise. Get there by about 5am as it will be crowded. Don’t worry about the fact that its still dark, there is much to see and experience, bring a hip flask filled with dubious alcoholic contents and you will be made most welcome. (If you believe this gig to be a prank, look it up elsewhere on the net. Don’t miss out, as its the whole point of the Festival!) The Festival will then continue in Rochester from about 10am in the High Street The one weekend where Rochester comes alive to the sound of Morris Dancing and the pubs full of folk music. Recommended pubs; The Man of Kent and The Good Intent both in John St, (near the primary school). Rochester, not in the High Street melee so its where many of the Morris Dancers go to put their aching feet up for half an hour. Come along and meet some.


http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bandprofile.listAllShows&friendid=53568743&n=Wolf's+Head+%26+Vixen+Morris
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Dancing at Kits Coty,1st May, at dawn by coldrum on Sunday, 27 April 2008
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KITS COTY MORRIS

May 1 (Thursday)


Kits Coty Stones (TQ 745608)


DAWN 05:32 AM

http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/index2.html

Will also be appearing at the Rochester Sweeps Festival


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Morris Dancing on Bluebell Hill, dawn, 1st May by coldrum on Sunday, 27 April 2008
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There will be Morris dancing and the Jack in the Green on Bluebell hill on 1st May at dawn.

"Thursday, 1 May, 5.32am

The traditional Jack-in-the-Green Awakening Ceremony takes place at the Blue Bell Hill picnic area. Dance teams and sweeps will bring Jack to life at the crack of dawn. Everybody is invited to this traditional welcome of May Day."

From Medway Council website.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/leisure/events/sweepsfestival/57134/57529.htm
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1st May 2008 Dancing at Kits Coty by coldrum on Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/index2.html
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1st May 2008 Blue Bell Hill by coldrum on Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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Bit of information here:

http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bandprofile.listAllShows&friendid=53568743&n=Wolf's+Head+%26+Vixen+Morris
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Rochester Sweeps Festival 2008 by coldrum on Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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Saturday, May 3, 2008 - Monday, May 5, 2008

Rochester City Centre
Medway Visitor Information Centre
Rochester, England ME1 1LX
01634 843666
Fax: 01634 847891
Email: [email protected]

The Rochester Sweeps Festival is the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country

Medway Council recreates this traditional, colourful and lively festival each year. Local chimney sweeps, morris sides and folk groups from all over the UK join in the fun.

It takes a special kind of event to last more than a quarter of a century. Medway's Sweeps Festival, with its incredible selection of morris sides, entertainers, an ever-expanding range of activities and worldwide popularity, goes from strength to strength each year.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/leisure/events/sweepsfestival/23362.htm

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Re: May Day at The Stones by coldrum on Friday, 13 July 2007
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Another Morris side that might be able to help, based in Medway:

Wolfs Head and Vixen:

http://www.freewebs.com/wolfsheadandvixen/
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Re: May Day at The Stones by coldrum on Thursday, 12 July 2007
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http://www.morrisman.f2s.com/sides.htm
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May Day at The Stones by Anonymous on Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Usually Kits Coty Morris dance by Kits Coty on May Day.

There site is here:
http://www.pamelasmusic.co.uk/kitscoty/kitscoty...

Not quite true, in fact. (although there is a link from that site...)

Actually, the official site is here...

Kits Coty Morris
http://www.kitscotymorris.dsl.pipex.com/

Hope this helps anyone!

Ron (Kits Coty Morris)
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English Heritage link by coldrum on Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.193
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Links by coldrum on Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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http://www.pamelasmusic.co.uk/kitscoty/kitscoty.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit's_Coty_House

http://www.mucusart.co.uk/kitscoty.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/medway-megaliths

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medway_megaliths

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-587X(194603)57%3A1%3C36%3ANOTFAL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9

http://www.medwaycropcircle.co.uk/index.htm



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The Grave of Catigern by coldrum on Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Legend concerning Kits Coty.

http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artgra/kitcoit.htm
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Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Kit's Coty in May 2007, after we finally located the monument off the North Downs Way
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Re: Kit's Coty by coldrum on Friday, 24 March 2006
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My brother and his partner used to run the Kent in Kaos site but with two children it got a bit much to keep it going.
They still have the pictures (which he took) and all the information which i got from the library from him (i work in a library so that was handy) so if i ask him nicely i'm sure i could put some of his pics and info on here.
Unfortunatly the one site that had info on the Medway Megaliths with plans is also defunct.
This site has some info:
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Northdowns/article.asp?PageId=3&ArticleId=7

Also this book,The Medway Megaliths by Brian Philp is very good,with plans,history and archaeology.
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Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 08 February 2006
Thank you for posting this info, people like you help keep our local history alive!!!
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Re: Kit's Coty by Andy B on Saturday, 27 November 2004
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More on this cluster of sites from the Bexley Archaeological Group:

http://www.bag.org.uk/apr99/medway2.htm
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Re: Kit's Coty by TheCaptain on Monday, 30 August 2004
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Having best part of a day to travel back to Bristol from Essex, I thought I'd go the long way round the M25, and stop off at the half a dozen or so megalithic sites in this part of Kent. I had tried to find this many years ago while travelling to Dover, but with no detailed map of the area, had failed to find it. This time, I thought I'd spend the £6 on an OS map, but getting hold of one proved problematical in the local area! Having got the map, I set about visiting the sites, on a very humid and showery August monday afternoon. It turns out I was in exactly the right place all those years ago, and I parked in exactly the same spot, and walked down the same footpath as before, but which now has a sign on it.

Perhaps the undergrowth was too much before, perhaps I gave up too easily, but this time round, it was easy to find the remains of Kits Coty House. But it was all very disappointing. The stones themselves are a lovely dolmen still with its capstone in place, but nothing else seems to remain of the barrow or any other surrounding stones. And the poor thing is all caged in, yet despite this, the stones are covered in graffiti, both ancient and modern, and bits of the stoned have been broken off, and lie scattered on the ground below.

But the worst thing is the feeling of the place. Its seems very unloved and uncared for, and the noise and vibrations from countless heavy lorries thundering past, struggling to get up the hill just a few yards away, destroy any atmosphere the place should have. I suppose we just have to be grateful theres anything left at all, with all the roads, quarrying, housing and industry there is in the surrounding area.

visited Monday August 23rd 2004
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Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Saturday, 02 August 2003
A businessman has bought the Kits Coty farm and applied for planning permission to build intensive poultry rearing sheds in the field where the monument is located. There is a lot of local resistance to the application as Kits Coty is much loved and the poultry sheds would desecrate the site. Although the deadline for objections passed on June 20th, 2003, it can't do any harm to send an e-mail to the planning technician at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. His name and e-mail are:

Fred Austin

[email protected]
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    Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 03 September 2003
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    Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 03 September 2003
    The person who has brought the land with the Kit's Coty monument on is actually a very respected free ranged poultry farmer, who i'm sure would be more than happy to answer any concerns the public have over the future of the land in regards to the planning application and the new change of ownership.
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      Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Wednesday, 08 October 2003
      So what is his Name & address
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    Re: Kit's Coty by Anonymous on Monday, 05 January 2004
    I know the people who are planning to farm these fields. They are aware of peoples concerns for this monument and don't wish to harm the site. The field in which it is situated is large and the chicken houses will be well away from Kits Coty.

    These are extremely friendly people and will manage the land on which the monument is based. Thus helping to protect it. access will also be improved in the long run.

    If people are worried about the aesthetics of the site, they should visit a free range chicken farm. They consist of a few wooden barns widly dispersed and surrounded by grass in which chickens run freely. They will not 'desecrate' the site in any way. In most cases they blend pleasingly into the greenery.
    I would not use the word intensive to describe this type of farming. Few chickens venture from the sheds, and they are extreamly quite. if not silent.
    perhaps it would be better to pull down the unsightly houses already surrounding the fields.
    People making allegations against this farmer should at least be willing to leave their name so that they can stand up and be counted and so their claims are not brought into question.

    I agree that Kit's Coty should be preserved, and it will be.

    Zoe Arnold.
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