Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Probable Roman salt extraction site indicated by finds of first century Roman pottery and briquetage in 1980. Excavation in 1991 revealed evidence of salt working and pottery, which suggested a late Iron Age/Roman date.

Monument Types

• SALTERN (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD (between) to 100 AD (between))
• SALT WORKS (SALT WORKS, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• BRIQUETAGE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 100 AD)
• FISH REMAINS (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 100 AD)
• PLANT MICRO REMAINS (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 100 AD)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 25 AD to 99 AD)
• BRIQUETAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• MAMMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Excavated 1990. Four trenches across the Saltney Court quarry.

Romano British Salt pan and salt working site with associated domestic pit. The salt working pan had been identified in the quarry section and during excavationit was not found to exist in any more extensive deposits. The conclusion being that it had been destroyed through quarrying activity. The associated pit was found to extend within the area of excavation and yeilded evidence for domestic activity in the form of 1st century pottery and fish bones.(1-2) Further excavated areas yeilded evidence for Briquetage.

The site as a whole has been interpreted as a site for the salting of fish for inland trade.

Description from record TR 01 NW 1 :
TR 013192. A permanent Roman site at Scotney Court, Lydd, existed "during at least the 1st century AD" and finds suggest a salt extraction industry. This previously unknown site was discovered in 1980 by Mr Jim Moody while stripping top-soil ahead of gravel extraction. "He noticed a scatter of potsherds on the surface of the gravel, some at least following a narrow strip (probably the fill of aditch) across the site. He was able to recover a selection of objects which he carefully stored for two years before meeting Brian Philp in July 1982 ...... and showing him the finds." Examination of the finds established that about 30 of the potsherds were grog-tempered ware from about 8 vessels. The remaining 10 sherds were of superior sandy-ware type from about 3 vessels. In addition there were four incomplete day stands and a clay bar fragment. The pottery and briquetage stands were almost exclusively 1st c. AD; mostly Claudio-Neronian. The stands and other briquetage, together with the site position, suggest a salt-extraction industry. The site is now a water-filled excavated gravel pit. (1)

<1> Kent Arch Rev 77 Autumn 1984 156-61 (B Philp & J Willson) illus (OS Card Reference). SKE45829.

<1> Barber, L, 1998, An early Romano-British salt-working site at Scotney Court (Article in serial). SKE16133.

<2> Romney Marsh Research Trust, 2010, Romney Marsh Research Trust Gazetteer 2010 (Unpublished document). SKE16034.

Sources and further reading