OLD KENT STONES AND BONES
THE COFFIN STONE
Map Ref: TQ 740606
Just one field over from The Countless Stones heading west we find The Coffin Stone. This huge recumbent monolith that measures around fourteen feet in length, now lies partially buried in the middle of the field that once was within spitting distance of an ancient medieval chapel dedicated to St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. In company with a couple of other small sarsens, the stone is easily seen through the hedgerow during winter from The Pilgrims Way, which borders the field to the north.
During the wintertime before any crop is sown is usually the best time visit the monument. One of the reasons being that although there's a footpath that crosses the field, it unfortunately doesn't quite lead to the stone. You should be aware that once you come off that path you are in fact trespassing...Therefore you should always seek the permission of the farmer before attempting to visit it!
This huge hermetic stone that nowadays has another small sarsen that was pitched upon its back in recent times, lies half-buried in what once was the grounds of Tottingham manor. No longer in existence but nowadays represented by an old farmhouse, Tottingham Manor was of considerable antiquity and was even mentioned in the Domesday Book. The manor used to be surrounded by a deep moat that was supplied by five natural springs and to some extent these springs still exist. It's also known that the principal spring at one time was completely enclosed by a stone circle that was especially devoted to the old pagan custom of water-worship.
"Tottingham Springs" Photo © GT
The stone wasn't always lying amongst a field of crops, for this was once natural wooded acreage that the pilgrims found to be a veritable haven on their way to Canterbury. Here they rested in idyllic surroundings just beside The Pilgrims Way...bathing in the sacred springs and worshipping at the altar of St. Stephen before continuing their journey to the Cistercian Abbey at Boxley, which was another two or three miles to the east.
The purpose of The Coffin Stone isn't really understood...The outline of a surrounding mound can still be seen, but does that mean the stone was once part of a chambered barrow? It could be that this large sarsen was placed in an upright position originally as an obelisk. The Druids used to set up stones like that in honour of "Tot", the ancient "God of Journeys"...What's interesting about that is that we just happen to find this particular monument lying in a field that's long been known as "Tot Field" of "Tottingham Manor"! Surely there has to be some kind of connection here?
THE TOTTINGHAM BOUNDARY STONE
At the entrance to Tottingham Farm along the Aylesford Rd. stands a fine old upright stone. No doubt placed there in recent times, it sort of acts as a boundary stone as well as a useful headlight reflector for the turn-off, along this dark and unlit stretch!
Its original origin isn't known and we can only speculate that it might've been at some time a member of the nearby stone circle that surrounded the spring, or the like. Quite a few of the stones that made up the circle though were cast into the pond that's formed by the spring, and one or two of them can still be seen today.
© G.Tucker 2005-6
End Notes
Bibliography Williams Coles Finch, In Kentish Pilgrim Land, Daniel, 1925