| Summary : The remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb, known as Kit's Coty House. The visible remains comprise of three large sarsen uprights arranged in an H-plan, topped by a substantial capstone. This structure stands at the south-eastern 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 2.5 metres above the ground, and the capstone measures circa 4 metres by 2.7 metres. An 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 or enclosed by a sarsen kerb. While much of the original form of the monument is speculative, even less is known of the contents, as the chamber has 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 plough soil in the 1930s. A large sarsen recorded nearby by William 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 and the iron railings surrounding it (which were erected at the insistence of Lt General Pitt Rivers) are testament to early ideas about protecting such sites. |
More information : [TQ 7451 6083] Kits Coty House (Cromlech) [NR] (1)
Kit's Coty House [TI] Burial Chamber [NR] (2)
The origin and meaning of the strange name of Kits Coty House has puzzled antiquaries since the time of Lambarde. Some of the variations on the name include:
1570 Lambarde Citscotehouse
1586 Camden Keith Coty House
1631 Weever Keith or Kits Coty House
1659 Philipot Kits Cothouse
1754 Colebrooke Keith or Kits Coty House
1773 Grose Kits Cotys House
1793 Douglas Kitz Cotys House
1854 Wright Kits Coty House
1867 Fergusson Kits Cotty or Coity-House
The Kit element has been interpreted as Categern or Battle and Coty as Wood, Coits or Stones and Small Cottage. Colebrook in 1754 suggested that the name was derived from the use of the megalith as a shelter by a shepherd but he is the only authority and the conjectural shepherd must have lived c. 200 years before. To omit the final "house" from the name is to tamper with a name at least 400 years old.
[Author briefly discusses one or two of the supposed origins of the present name but concludes - "... the origin and meaning ... will everevade our question, not for lack of an answer but because there are too many."] (3)
Kits Coty House is a burial chamber which once stood at the end of a long barrow, the remains of which were in evidence at the beginning of the 18th century, and whose outline according to R. F. Jessup can still be seen from the air. There is an account of this monument which suggests the existence of a peristalith. Douglas dug within the interior but found nothing. The length of the barrow is difficult to determine. Stukeley's sketch represents it to be c. 100ft. long. However, at the N.W. end of the mound was a huge monolith called "The General's Tombstone" and in several accounts it is said to be 70-80 yards from the chamber. Stukeley shows it near the west end. (4-7)
The stone structure of Kits Coty House consists of three uprights, forming the letter H in plan, supporting a capstone. Dimensions: S.W. stone - 8ft. by 6ft. 2 inches by 1ft. 8 inches; N.E. stone - 7ft. by 6ft. 8 inches by 2ft.; middle stone - irregular, 6ft. 10 inches high; capstone - pentagonal, 12ft. 10 inches by 9ft. 3 inches by 2ft. (8)
There are many references to Kits Coty House in the Beale-Poste MSS. They tell us that "The General's Tombstone" was buried by a tenant in 1787. The accepted story of its end is that it was blown up in 1867 - perhaps it was dug up so that it could be finally destroyed. (9-10)
The mound of the long barrow can still be seen quite distinctly. Documentary evidence shows that it was much higher and indicates that there were chambers in the side of the mound. The plan therefore suggests that the remaining stones formed a "dummy" end portal and the barrow was a chambered long barrow of the false passage grave type. (11)
Minor excavations carried out at Kits Coty House in 1956 by writer and members of the Aylesford Society. The suggested length of the barrow is between 170 and 180ft. and the width, based on Stukeley's drawing, averages 44ft. "A clearer view of the barrow was obtained when the crop was harvested." Along the northern face of the barrow stones of the peristalith remain but are buried, one was removed in 1947. Some elongated depressions on this side seem to indicate the former existence of a ditch.
"A trial trench dug towards the south at right angles to the main axis of the barrow and almost halfway along its length revealed the possibility of a ditch in undisturbed chalk which was 12ft. 6 inches below the existing remains of the barrow". [It is not clear whether this trench was dug on the north or south side of the barrow. Account suggests that barrow was levelled into ditch to allow cultivation of field.]
The writer was informed by a ploughman that a huge stone still existed at the site of The General's Tombstone. It was partly excavated and measured 6ft. by 6ft. by 20 inches. The distance of 80 yards from the chamber is correct and it is 89ft. from the western hedge of the field. (12)
"... Fragments of rude pottery have I believe been discovered under Kits Coty House itself ..." [For other finds made in the same field see TQ 76 SW 5.] (13)
A long barrow orientated S.E.-N.W. with a megalithic structure at the S.E. end. The latter has been interpreted as a false portal but is probably the west end of a rectangular chamber. "The General's Tomb" may be the remains of a revetment or of a lateral chamber. (14)
Kits Coty House, the remains of a large chambered, long barrow, is situated on the spine of a W. spur of the main North Downs ridge at a height of 350ft. OD. The chamber, as described by V.C.H. (authority 8), is situated at the S.E. end of the barrow and now enclosed within iron railings. See GP/AO/59/6/6 - from E; 6/7 - from N.E.
The outline of the barrow, though much spread by cultivation (and possibly deliberate levelling), is still clearly discernible. It is an elongated oval in plan now measuring approximately 80 metres N.W.-S.E. by a maximum of 33 metres transversely with an average height of 0.7 metres. There is evidence of a flanking ditch on the S. The General's Tombstone is not now visible. The chamber (and presumably the mound) is a scheduled ancient monument.
Antiquity Model survey has been carried out. (15-16)
No change. (17)
[TQ 745 609] Kits Coty House. Only three large upright stones; capped by a fourth large stone, are all that remain of the chamber of a long barrow. The mound was derived from two flanking quarry ditches. A trial excavation in 1956 located the southern ditch and records it as having "been filled up with earth from the barrow to permit cultivation of the field". A measured survey by the Kent Unit in January 1981 showed the mound to be about 70 metres long and still about 1 metre high. The main axis is slightly south of east. (18-19)
Details of Pitt Rivers' attempts to have Kits Coty House protected by the state. (20)
Kits Coty. This megalithic burial chamber consists of three uprights and a massive capstone. The chamber was originally covered by a long barrow which existed and was recorded in the 18th century as almost 200ft. long. The chamber lay at the south east end of the mound. (21)
Additional bibliography. (22)
Paul Ashbee has in recent years published several articles discussing the Medway Megaliths, including Kit's Coty, with a particular emphasis on historical records and previous investigations, with detailed bibliographic references and numerous antiquarian illustrations and early photographs. (23-27)
The impressive Kit's Coty megalithic burial chamber comprises of three uprights and a massive capstone. (28)
A brief description. (29) |