Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Romano-British kiln site, site A

Monument Types

• DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD)
• KILN (pottery, Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD)
• SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD)

Full description

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[`A':TQ 86556955] R.B. Kiln (1). Large area of burnt bricks and clay found in January 1962 by G. Davis: also fire-bars, two pots, wasters and spindle-whorl. The pots are retained by Davis (2). The site of the kiln is indicated by a low mound of red earth, kiln debris and wasters on the foreshore. Both fine `Upchurch' ware and coarse gritty ware are represented (3)

In 1964, I. Jackson and G. Davies cut through the R.B. briquetage floor at TQ 86556955 showing it to have been laid on a layer of loose clay and rubbish, which sealed a deposit of bones and pottery resting on a layer of peaty silt. Evidence from soil samples suggests that the lowest layer was probably a filled in pond. I.A.`C' pottery found in the rubbish suggests a small settlement of that date existed hereabouts. Two ditches, 2ft. deep and 3ft. and 4ft. wide respectively, were excavated on the foreshore below this site. In the latter ditch, pottery of not later than mid-2nd century date was found including a complete wide mouthed pot decorated with phallic symbols. A hut of oak post and woven board construction was also found near this ditch. Excavations are to be continued here and the results published in Arch Cant. All finds are in the possession of G. Davies (4-16).

A briquetage floor at Milfordhope covered an area approximately 70ft. x 40ft. The surrounding and overlying clay had been eroded by the sea so as to leave a weed-covered platform standing some 5 inches above the mud flats. A section cut through the briquetage showed it to be roughly 12 inches thick, resting on a 3 inch bed of charcoal. Numerous pits have been examined in the marshes. Two found at Milfordhope contained pottery dating from c.50-120 AD and were probably refuse tips from nearby kilns. Additional bibliography (17-20). For site in context with others in inter-tidal zone, see (21). Site photographs (22-24).

<1> VCH Kent 3 1932 132-3 (OS Card Reference). SKE51017.

<2> Maidstone Museum 6" (D Kelly Arch Asst) (OS Card Reference). SKE46366.

<3> PSA 2nd ser 7 1876-8 292 (CH Woodruff) (OS Card Reference). SKE48798.

<4> G Davis 17 Drakes Close Upchurch (OS Card Reference). SKE43450.

<5> F1 CFW 25-JUN-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42761.

<6> F2 AC 10-AUG-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43053.

<7> Oral I Jackson 63 Woodlands Road Gillingham (OS Card Reference). SKE47930.

<8> Oral G Davies 17 Drakes Close Upchurch (OS Card Reference). SKE47924.

<9> F3 CFW 17-NOV-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43385.

<10> Arch Cant 68 1954 74-5 figs 82-4 (I Noel Hume) (OS Card Reference). SKE35439.

<11> Pottery Kilns of Ro Britain RCHME Supplementary Series 5 1984 411-3 (VG Swan) (OS Card Reference). SKE48566.

<12> Arch Cant 22 1897 liii (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34849.

<13> Arch Cant 24 1900 lix (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34872.

<14> Collectanea Cantiana 1893 79 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39223.

<15> Collectanea Antiqua 6 1868 184 (C Roach Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE39201.

<16> OS 6" 1906-38 (OS Card Reference). SKE48316.

<17> Field report for monument TQ 86 NE 1 - June, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4520.

<18> Field report for monument TQ 86 NE 1 - August, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4521.

<19> Field report for monument TQ 86 NE 1 - November, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4522.

<20> Hume, I. N., 1954, Romano-British potteries on the Upchurch Marshes (Article in serial). SWX9389.

<21> Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, 1994, Inter-tidal archaeology in Kent, p 27 (Unpublished document). SWX9353.

<22> 1997, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11259.

<23> 1997, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11261.

<24> 1997, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11262.

Sources and further reading