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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 67 SW 1800
Type of record:Monument
Name:Malting oven discovered at Northfleet Roman Villa

Summary

The Northfleet malting oven, which dated after c AD 350 is one of a number of features which provide evidence for malting and brewing at Nrothfleet villa which seems to have been undertaken on a very large scale.

Grid Reference:TQ 6159 7410
Map Sheet:TQ67SW
Parish:SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT

Monument Types

  • OVEN (Roman - 350 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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The Northfleet malting oven, which dated after c AD 350 and was one of the latest structures in the villa complex and represented a significant technological advance for maltsters. The structure was
used to generate moisture to encourage germination. Heated subsequently, it dried the grain to arrest germination and allowed greater control of temperature, permitting variation of flavour. The rectangular structure measured 4 m by 3 m. The external wall was built with ragstone and occasional flint and chalk. An internal wall was built parallel to the north side to create a flue 3.50 m long and up to 0.50 m wide. This was also ragstone-built. A stoke-pit, almost 2 m in diameter, joined the flue at its east end. Ashy deposits that formed on the floor of the structure accumulated during its use. The primary fill in the main chamber contained an extraordinarily rich assemblage of germinated grain, detached embryos, and sprouts, which must have resulted from malting. (1)


<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2010, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. The Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval Landscape (Monograph). SKE31245.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Monograph: Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture. 2010. Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. The Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval Landscape.