Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Roman pottery kiln, sherds and burials were found at Bromhey Farm during an excavation by the landowner in 1932. The burials included three skeletons, one of which was female. The pottery assemblage was composed of Samian, Upchurch or Higham ware and terra-cotta loomweights and was dated to the late 1st/early 2nd century.

Monument Types

• BURIAL (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD)
• POTTERY KILN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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(1-3) Recent excavation by F. Mugeridge, on his land at Cooling has produced quantities of pottery, a Roman Kiln and skeletons. The graves had been cut through the layer of burnt clay and pottery debris surrounding the kiln which therefore was in disuse before the earliest burial, seemingly about the beginning of the 2nd c. A.D. (4) Samian from the kiln, which is a fine updraught type - is dated A.D. 90-120 [see TQ 77 SW 4 for re-use of a kiln site as a cemetery.]
(4-5) Mugeridge accompanied me over the area. The kiln and burial which he found in 1932 were at TQ 7651 7653: there were three skeletons (one a female). He has retained all the finds which include Samian, Upchurch or Higham ware and terra-cotta loomweights. (6-9). Additional references (10-13). For site in context with others in inter-tidal zone, see (14). Photographs (15-23).

This feature is recorded in the English Heritage Historic Area Assessment for Cooling Parish. The report states: "Human occupation in Cooling dates back to at least the Romano-British period…On the evocatively named Whalebone Marsh to the north east of the village, excavations were carried out in the 1930s, 1960s and 1970s revealing several Roman pottery kilns and a salt-production site in use from the 1st to 3rd centuries". (25)

<1> Maidstone Mus. 6' (Anon) (OS Card Reference). SKE46338.

<2> Letter (R.F. Jessup 24.6.1928) (OS Card Reference). SKE46072.

<3> Arch. Gazetteer Kent Mss. (Maidstone Mus.) (OS Card Reference). SKE37144.

<4> Arch. Cant. 42.1930 XLViii (OS Card Reference). SKE37004.

<5> Arch. Cant. 45, 1933 Xliii (E.F. Cobb) (OS Card Reference). SKE37006.

<6> Kent A.R.,10,1967,5-6 (A.Miles & M.J.E.Syddell). (OS Card Reference). SKE45707.

<7> F3 ASP 25-NOV-69 (OS Card Reference). SKE43376.

<8> KAR 22 1970/71 38 (Miles and Syddell) (OS Card Reference). SKE45263.

<9> Arch Cant 85 1970 187-8 (OS Card Reference). SKE35809.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 77 NE 4 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4200.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 77 NE 4 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4201.

<12> Field report for monument TQ 77 NE 4 - November, 1969 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4202.

<13> KILN SITE (PKR ARCHIVE) (Photograph). SKE367.

<14> Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, 1994, Inter-tidal archaeology in Kent, p 28 (Unpublished document). SWX9353.

<15> KILN (Photograph). SKE372.

<16> KILN (POTTERY NO.2) EXCAVATED BY MR MUGERIDGE IN 1920'S. POTTERY SHOWN PROB. INCLUDES SOME VESSELS F (Photograph). SKE370.

<17> POTTERY FROM KILN (ARCHIVE) (Photograph). SKE2.

<18> KILN,POTTERY WITH SKULL (Photograph). SKE371.

<19> POTTERY (KILN) NO.1 (ANOTHER SITE AT TQ 7651 7673) NOT CLEAR IF NO'S 1-6 REFER TO KILNS OR ORIGINAL (Photograph). SKE4.

<20> KILN 4 (POTTERY NO.3) Personae: UNKNOWN PERSONS (Photograph). SKE6.

<21> (POTTERY) KILN NO.4 Personae: UNKNOWN PERSONS (Photograph). SKE5.

<22> KILN (Photograph). SKE517.

<23> ROMAN REMAINS FROM FOUR GRAVES Types: BURIAL (Photograph). SKE368.

<24> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9549.

<25> historic england, 2014, Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: Cooling Parish. Research Report 51-2014. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31592.

Sources and further reading