RCL17r10 A photographic survey of bordered inscription graffiti at Rochester Cathedral Part 1: report text D. Graham and J. H.

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1 Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Homepage: RCL17r10 A photographic survey of bordered inscription graffiti at Rochester Cathedral Part 1: report text Abstract: Archive report on a photographic survey of bordered inscription graffiti from Rochester Cathedral. To cite this report: Scott, J. H. (2017) A photographic survey of bordered inscription graffiti at Rochester Cathedral, Rochester Cathedral Research Guild archive report RCL17r10. DOI: To link to this article: Published online: 14 th October 2017 General Queries: jacob.scott@rochestercathedralresearchguild.org Produced by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester Cathedral. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Any views and opinions expressed in this work are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Dean and Chapter.

2 1 Contents (table 1) Section Title Page 2 Background 1 3 Field methodology 1 4 Post-processing 1 5 Data delivery, reporting and archiving (inc. table 2) 1 6 Index of records (table 3) 2 7 Bibliography 4 8 Acknowledgements 4 2 Background 2.1 In 2016 and 2017 a photographic survey was conducted of medieval and post-medieval graffiti at Rochester Cathedral by the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild, a site particularly rich in surviving early examples of both. The archive reports of these surveys were divided into categories, largely based on interpretations proposed or detailed by Champion (2015) such as medieval ship graffiti, pilgrim s crosses and compass-drawn designs. Similar reports covering categories identified as post-medieval are planned for the coming months. This report details pictorial and symbolic graffiti within the cathedral which does not easily fall into these categories. 2.2 Some of the symbols presented here may be as-yet unidentified merchant s marks or heraldic symbols. These will likely be moved to a separate report if defined categories with common characteristics can be identified. 2.3 Much erosion has occurred to the graffiti so here we have photographed and digitally traced the inscribed images to serve as a record of their current state. Further images undoubtedly remain unidentified so future raking light surveys may well add to these records. 3 Field methodology 3.1 Photographs have been taken with a Canon EOS 100D with kit lens at 18mm. Raking light has been used to illuminate all records. 4 Post-processing 4.1 Photographs have been rectified to remove barrel lens distortion using GIMP image-editing software v (Filters/Lens Distortion/Main -10%). Traces have been produced using Microsoft Paint. 5 Data delivery, reporting and archiving 5.1 Report will be published in PDF format on the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild website at A link for internet download of image files and raw counterparts will be provided for purposes of academic research, subject to Chapter approval, upon request to jacob.scott@rochestercathedralresearchguild.org. 5.3 A PDF version of this final report will be provided to the Dean and Chapter for their records. 5.4 Digital copies of the report, photographs and tracings will be provided to Kent Historic Environment Record. Rochester Cathedral Research Guild archive report RCL17r10 Page 1 of 4

3 5.5 Version history (table 2) Version Date Alterations By 01 14th October 2017 Published online J. H. Scott 6 Index of records (table 3) Exterior Single-line bordered initials 135 Exterior Single-line bordered initials 130 Exterior Single-line bordered initials Double line border in clear imitation of plaque surrounding 'MS NEW YORK 1939' Single line border surrounding 'E Nicholls (?). Possibly includes the date Single-line bordered name and date Single line border surrounding 'E WATTS 1956' Single line border surrounding 'S. Frisby 1893 J. FITZJOHN R. Frisby 1893' measured from font base Image also contains inscribed initials Single line border surrounding stylised letters 'I F' Single line border surrounding sideways VV symbol Simple house surrounding a VV symbol followed by a B, likely associated with another VV symbol immediately below Single line border surrounding 'AG 1864(?)' Single line border surrounding 'P P' Single line border surrounding 'WF '87' with a cross Single line border surrounding '_S' Decorative border surrounding 'IL' 018 with date and VV Single line border surrounding 'HM' Single line border surrounding 'MS' Single line border surrounding VV symbol and letter H - WH? Decorative border surrounding stylised letters 'II' and likely associated with the initials IW immediately below "IW" (VV) Rochester Cathedral Research Guild archive report RCL17r10 Page 2 of 4

4 Simple house border surrounding initials 'TS' "1678" Single line border surrounding 'KATE WILL' Heart Symbol with Names Single line border surrounding 'W H 1731' Single-line oval surround 'R. Cook' Single-line oval surround 'C. Hall R H' Single line border surrounding stylised A and letter T Single line border surrounding 'JOHN ', possibly medieval Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Lozenge possibly with initials Triangular bordered name with interesting script and plaque Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered Name Memorial is partially obscured, may be related to the "G+C 1417" inscription VV in a box Single-line bordered initials Decorative 'house' with initials, dated Single-line bordered initials and Date Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered Initial Simple 'house' with initials Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered Letter Single-line bordered initials, dated Simple 'house' with initials Triangular bordered initials Decorated 'houses' with initials, dated Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials 101 Rochester Cathedral Research Guild archive report RCL17r10 Page 3 of 4

5 070 Lozenge with initials Simple 'house' with initials, dated Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials 079 Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials 081 Single-line bordered Name 082 Single-line bordered initials 083 Triangular bordered initials, dated Single-line bordered initials 085 Single-line bordered initials 086 Single-line bordered initials 087 Single-line bordered initials, dated Simple 'house' with flag and initials 089 Single-line bordered initials 090 Single-line bordered initials 091 Single-line bordered initials Single-line bordered initials 094 Single-line bordered initials, dated Single-line bordered initials 096 Decorated 'house' with initials 097 Simple 'house' with initials 098 Simple 'house' with initials Single-line bordered initials 7 Bibliography Champion, M. (2015) Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of Britain s Churches. London: Ebury Publishing. 8 Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Graham Keevill for his supervision and Alan Minnerthey for graphic design. Rochester Cathedral Research Guild archive report RCL17r10 Page 4 of 4