Editing Isle of Thanet (section)

==History==
[[File:OldMapKent.jpg|thumb|alt=Map of Roman Kent|A general map showing late Roman Kent. The Isle of Thanet was then known as ''Tanatus'']]
[[File:Mappa Thaneti Insule.jpg|thumb|upright=1|alt=15th century map of Thanet|Adaptation of a 15th-century map of the Isle of Thanet, with north on the left: [[Thomas Elmham]], ''Historia Monasterii S Augustini Cantuariensis'']]
Archaeological evidence shows that the area now known as the Isle of Thanet was one of the major areas of [[Stone Age]] settlement. A large hoard of [[Bronze Age]] implements has been found at [[Minster-in-Thanet]]; and several [[Iron Age]] settlements have also come to light.{{sfn|Jessup|1966}}

[[Julius Caesar]] made [[Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain|two attempts to invade Britain]], in both 55 and 54&nbsp;BC. In 2017 archaeologists from the [[University of Leicester]] excavated a [[Castrum|Roman fort]] covering up to {{convert|49|acre|ha|0}} at [[Ebbsfleet, Thanet|Ebbsfleet]], and dated it to around 55–50&nbsp;BC. They further linked it to Caesar's [[Caesar's invasions of Britain|invasion of Britain]] in 54 BC, and suggested that the invading force arrived in nearby [[Pegwell Bay]].<ref>{{cite web|title=First evidence of Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain discovered in Kent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julius-caesar-invasion-britain-uk-site-evidence-first-discovered-kent-a8081056.html|website=The Independent|access-date=29 November 2017|date=28 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=First evidence for Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain discovered — University of Leicester|url=https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2017/november/first-evidence-for-julius-caesars-invasion-of-britain-discovered|website=www2.le.ac.uk|access-date=29 November 2017|language=en|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924191623/https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2017/november/first-evidence-for-julius-caesars-invasion-of-britain-discovered|url-status=dead}}</ref> Nearly a century later, in 43&nbsp;AD, [[Claudius]] sent four legions to Britain, where the Romans were to remain for the next 400&nbsp;years. During that time the port of [[Richborough]], on the opposite side of the [[Wantsum Channel]],  became one of the chief ports of [[Roman Britain]].

According to the eighth-century ecclesiastical historian [[Bede]], [[Vortigern]], [[King of the Britons]], was under attack from other tribes and called for assistance. Among those who came in 449 were the [[Jutes]] [[Hengist and Horsa]];{{sfn|Ingram|1823|pp=14–15}} Vortigern is said to have rewarded them with the Isle of Thanet in return for their services. As the following extract from the ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'' (first written sometime shortly after 833) testifies:
{{Blockquote|Then came three keels, driven into exile from Germany. In them were the brothers Horsa and Hengest ... Vortigern welcomed them, and handed over to them the island that in their language is called Thanet, in British Ruoihm.{{sfn|Lee Over|2005|p=21}}}}

This story, however, is possibly an example of non-historical [[Origin myth#Founding myth|founding myths]],{{sfn|Ayto|Crofton|2005}} though one constructed with political objectives in mind. It has been noted that Alfred's version of the Saxon Chronicles omitted the death of Horsa.{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=15}}{{efn|There are several versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which can differ in detail explaining also perhaps variation in secondary sources and Saxon spelling|name=ASC}} In reality, it appears to have been settled by [[Jutes]]{{efn| One of the more intriguing pieces of etymological evidence is [[Sarre, Kent|Sarre]], which sat on the southwest shore of the Isle and served as a transit point with mainland Kent. Its name might link the settlers with [[Saaremaa]] - the [[Estonia]]n island involved in the [[Amber Road|amber trade]] - and the [[Saarland]] in [[Germany]].{{cn|date=September 2024}}}} under [[Visigoths|Visigothic]] authority between 476-517 AD,{{sfn|Frassetto|2003}}{{sfn|Bachrach|1972}} though they may have been present earlier as [[Foederati]].{{sfn|Werthmann-Carroll|2020|loc=Volume 1, 1.1. Introduction}} These were followed by [[Ingaevones]] in the sixth century.<ref name = EPNS/>

Throughout this time the Isle remained an island. The Wantsum Channel allowed ships to sail between the mainland and the island in calm waters. The Saxon Chronicle recounts that in 1052 Earl Godwin after obtaining hostages and provisions from Sandwich sailed through the "Wantsume" towards "Northmuth" and "Lundene".{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=4}}{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=236}}{{efn|name=ASC}} Gradually this silted up,{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=4}} and the last ship sailed through the Channel in 1672.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/buildpage.php?id=771|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120527083431/http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/buildpage.php?id=771|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2012|title=Coast Protection at Reculver - Historical Background|publisher=Canterbury City Council|access-date=23 Sep 2012}}</ref>

In 597 [[Augustine of Canterbury]] is said, by [[Bede]],{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=28}} to have landed with 40&nbsp;men at Ebbsfleet, in the parish of [[Minster-in-Thanet]], before founding Britain's second [[Christianity|Christian]] monastery in [[Canterbury]] (the first was founded fifty years earlier by [[Columba]] on [[Eileach an Naoimh]] in the [[Hebrides]]): a cross marks the spot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.historic-kent.co.uk/vill_r.html |title=Notes on Ramsgate:''Historic Kent'' |access-date=29 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929141803/http://www.historic-kent.co.uk/vill_r.html |archive-date=29 September 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
[[Isidore of Seville]] wrote c.615-30 A.D. of the Isle of Thanet: <blockquote>"Tanatos insula Oceani freto Gallico, a Brittania aestuario tenui separata, frumentariis campis et gleba uberi. Dicta autem Tanatos a morte serpentum, quos dum ipsa nesciat, asportata inde terra quoquo gentium vecta sit, angues ilico perimit"<ref>{{Cite web |title=LacusCurtius • Isidore's Etymologies — Book 14 |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Isidore/14*.html#6 |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=penelope.uchicago.edu}}</ref></blockquote>Which translates as: <blockquote>"Thanet is an island in the Ocean in the Gallic (i.e. English) channel, separated from Britannia by a narrow estuary, with fruitful fields and rich soil. It is named Thanet (Tanatos) from the death of serpents (cf.“death”)"{{snf|Barney|Lewis|Beach|Berghof|2006}}</blockquote>Following the raids on the [[Isle of Sheppey]] commencing in 832,{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=89}} Thanet became a regular target for [[Viking]] attacks, its vulnerable coastal monasteries providing convenient targets for the invaders.{{sfn|Wright|1975|p=54}} In 851 and again in 854, the Vikings overwintered in Thanet{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=15}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Forte|first1=Angelo|last2=Oram|first2=Richard D.|last3=Pedersen|first3=Frederik|title=Viking Empires|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_vEd859jvk0C|year=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-82992-2}}</ref> and continued their raids in spring.{{sfn|Wright|1975|p=54}} In 853 there was a battle in Thanet against the Vikings and both Elcherel the leader of the men from Kent, and Huda the leader of the men from Surrey were killed.{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=94}}{{efn|It is not known if mass graves from Saxon times of men, women and children discovered near the [[North Foreland]] are related to the 853 battle or other atrocities}}

Thanet's monasteries were subsequently used by the Danes as feasting halls or general headquarters.{{sfn|Wright|1975|p=54}}

In 865, the [[Great Heathen Army]] encamped in Thanet and was promised by the people of Kent [[danegeld]] in exchange for peace. Regardless, the Vikings did not abide by this agreement and proceeded to rampage across eastern Kent.{{sfn|Wright|1975|p=54}}{{sfn|Ingram|1823}} Some time between 978 and 989 (sources differ) raiders entirely destroyed [[Minster in Thanet Priory|Minster Abbey]] by arson together with those sheltering in the abbey.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=16}}

In 969, [[Edgar, King of England|King Edgar]] ordered all of Thanet to be plundered.{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=158}}

In 980, Thanet was over run by the Vikings.{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=165}}

In 1047, those in Thanet successfully resisted a Viking raid of 25 ships that had plundered elsewhere including Sandwich.{{sfn|Ingram|1823|p=218}}

The 1085 survey of the [[Domesday Book]] revealed that Thanet had as tenants-in-chief the See of Canterbury and the Abbey of St Augustine, separated into the abbey-manors of St. Mildred's (larger) and Monocatune (Monkton, Monks-town).{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=16}} Households of 239 [[villein]]s, 71 others and 3 knights were mentioned.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=17}} The land of these two abbey-manors was separated by a strip of land called a balk and known as Cursus Cerve or St Mildred’s Lynch.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|pp=15, 133}} It is documented on an early map of Thanet and is associated with the hind symbol used in Thanet and the path of a hind that defined the land assigned to St. Mildred's in the [[ Kentish Royal Legend]].<ref name=MappaThanetiInsule />

By 1334–1335 Thanet had the highest population density in Kent according to King [[Edward III of England|Edward III's]] lay [[subsidy roll]]s.  Margate is mentioned in 1349, in a dispute about the land of Westgate Manor.<ref>Plea rolls of the court of Common Pleas; CP 40/357; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/E3/CP40no357/bCP40no357dorses/IMG_7802.htm ; line 3</ref> Thanet acted as a granary for [[Calais]], whose governor for Edward III {{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=20}} was so assigned to administer. Edward III also required local fortifications to be constructed where boats and ships could land.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=21}} Documents towards the end of that century refer to turreted walls beneath the cliffs needing maintenance. [[Coastal erosion]] has long since destroyed these structures.

Counted households had increased to 532 when reported during the reign of [[Elizabeth I]].{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=18}}

The first [[Earl of Thanet]] was created in 1628.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=22}}

By 1807 the island roads were deemed to be good infrastructure for the time without turnpikes although one was soon established at Ramsgate.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=11}} The wheat crop was excellent helped with sea weed fertiliser processes.{{sfn|Brayley|1817|p=11}}