Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Roman pottery kiln and pottery working site later reused as a cremation cemetery discovered in 1848. Excavations uncovered the site in a field 200 yards of Higham Church. A variety of Roman pottery including large sepulchral urns containing burnt bones, domestic utensils, fragments of Samian, a portion of a quern, pieces of corroded iron and masses of a metallic substance mixed with clay, which was probably refuse from a potter's kiln, was found. The excavations exposed vast quantities of similar deposits covering at least four acres.

Monument Types

• CREMATION CEMETERY ( human remains, urns, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POTTERY KILN (pottery, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• QUERN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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On the 4th & 5th October 1848 we excavated in several places in a field within 200 yds. of Higham Church. We dug up a great variety of Roman pottery, (including large coarse sepulchral urns, containing burnt bones domestic utensils and fragments of Samian), a portion of a quern, pieces of much corroded iron, and masses of a metallic substance, mixed with clay, probably refuse from potters' kilns. The excavations exposed vast quantities of similar deposits, covering at least four acres, and although the most considerable quantity of sherds occurred within 1' of the surface, at a depth of 3' (where we were forced to stop by water) there was still a plentiful supply. The sherds suggest it was the site of a Roman pottery, while the urns, with burnt human bones, indicate a cemetery (TQ 77 SW 1003). It may have been used for both purposes: the old pottery ground having been deserted, would afford convenient pits for depositing the ashes of the dead, as in the instance recorded by Mathew [27:7] (1) [Area centred TQ 71817412] The excavations were on land in the possession of Mr. Styles: the road to Higham Ferry passes between it and the church. (2) [Add ref.] Found to the east of the road to the ferry (3). [TQ 71577410] Found on 4th October 1848. [Sited from photostat copy of sketch by A.H. Burkitt which shows a panoramic view of the area with nine places annotated as find spots of pottery etc. The central point of the area concerned occurs just west of the L-shaped building shown on the sketch and identifiable on OS 6']. (4) The present location of finds from this site was not ascertained. The area concerned is occupied by gardens (5). Noted as a probable Roman pottery kiln site (6). No further information (7). Additional index entries and relevant references from field reports (8-10). Site photographs (11-17).

<1> JBAA 4 1849 393-4 (AH Burkitt) (OS Card Reference). SKE44961.

<2> Arch Cant XI 1877 114-5 (C Roach Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE36445.

<3> VCH Kent III 1932 156 (OS Card Reference). SKE51184.

<4> Arch Gaz of Kent MS in progress Maidstone Mus (OS Card Reference). SKE36507.

<5> F1 EG 02-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42861.

<6> Arch Cant 78 1963 76 (BJ Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE35643.

<7> F2 FGA 26-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43333.

<8> The Pottery Kilns of Ro Brit 1984 401 (VG Swan) (OS Card Reference). SKE50474.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 77 SW 4 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4278.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 77 SW 4 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4279.

<11> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10998.

<12> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10997.

<13> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10996.

<14> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10995.

<15> 1953, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10994.

<16> 1953, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10993.

<17> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10999.

Sources and further reading

Related records