Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Large amounts of Belgic and Roman pottery have been identified on the salt marsh east of Nor Marsh. Possible kiln site (see also TQ 86 NW 57 and TQ 86 NW 31).

Summary from record TQ 86 NW 57:

Romano-British and Iron Age pottery observed on the salt marsh to the east of Nor Marsh in 1965. A kiln was also identified at this time. The pottery included local bead-rimmed cooking pots and Belgic vessels and these are now Maidstone Museum. Possibly indicative of a nearby Iron Age/Roman settlement.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• POTTERY KILN (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds

• BRIQUETAGE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Sherds of Belgic and S.E. 'B' ware (a) in Maidstone Museum (Acc. No. 127/1965) were found on saltings east of Nor Marsh in November 1965 by Mr T. Apps, Victoria Cottage, Bloors Lane, Rainham. Mr Apps, who indicated the position of the find on the O.S. 25' at TQ 8185 6952, said there is a stratum of broken pottery some 30ft. long, and up to 3ft. thick, about 3ft. down the side of a creek, and the tides have washed out further large quantities of sherds and deposited them along the lower reaches of the same creek. The large quantities of pottery suggest a kiln site to be in the area, (poss. TQ 86 NW 57) which can be approached only by boat. (1) Additional bibliography. (2) May correlate with C1-2 site noted by Upchurch Arch Group at TQ 813 695 and TQ 816 695 (now TQ 86 NW 1003 eastern site & TQ 86 NW 1004 western site). Fragments of fire bars and evaporation vessels found at this site (prob C1) (3). Additional references (4-6). For site in context with others in inter-tidal zone, see (7).

Description from record TQ 86 NW 57:
[TQ 8185 6952] Roman pottery kiln on saltings east of Nor Marsh observed in area of tidal erosion by T. Apps in 1965. Local bead-rimmed cooking pots and `Belgic' related vessels observed in 1m thick deposit over 10m long. Could be nearby a late IA or RB site. Finds are in Maidstone Museum. (1)

<1> D Kelly Asst Curator Maidstone Museum (OS Card Reference). SKE39556.

<2> Information Mr L R A Grove Curator Maidstone Museum (OS Card Reference). SKE44456.

<3> F1 ASP 01-SEP-66 (OS Card Reference). SKE41879.

<4> BAR 10 Stamp and Roulette Decorated Pottery of the La Tene Period in Eastern England a study in Geom (OS Card Reference). SKE37464.

<5> Field report for monument TQ 86 NW 42 - September, 1966 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4584.

<6> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Upchurch Arch Group Nor Marsh sites 23 and 28 (comm to KCC 1992) (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<7> Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, 1994, Inter-tidal archaeology in Kent, p20 (Unpublished document). SWX9353.

<8> The Pottery Kilns of Ro Brit 1984 140 No.3.399 (microfiche) (VG Swan) (OS Card Reference). SKE50471.

Sources and further reading