Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

An iron slag scatter found near Romden Bridge has been identified as probably relating to similar discoveries recorded in the area in 1912. Iron slag and pottery located in fields near Romden in 1912 was identified as Roman. In 1994 a large spread of iron slag was found in fields 200m to the east of Romden Bridge. A concentration of tap slag was centred on a low mound (suggested to be a ploughed away slag heap) and the spread covered some 200m. Some pieces of clay furnace lining and sherds of late 1st and early 2nd century pottery were also found near the mound during field walking.

Monument Types

• IRON WORKING SITE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds

• CERAMIC (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 200 AD)
• SLAG (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Iron slag and pottery located in fields nr Romden in 1912 identified as Roman (with some Md pottery). (1) Large spread of iron slag found in two fields 200m Eof Romden Bridge in 1994. The largest concentration of tap slag found was centred on a low mound (suggested to be a ploughed away slag heap) and the spread covered some 200m. Some pieces of clay furnace lining also found near the mound while field walking found some sherds of late 1st-early 2nd C pottery. (2)

Fieldwalking in 2008 by Smarden Local History Society found Roman pottery sherds of 1st-2nd century date. The extent of the pottery spread was determined, with the majority of the pottery being 'close to the centre of the dark soil area west of a ditch although a few sherds were found nearer to the road'. Industrial waste material included bloomery slag, furnace liing and roasted ore, and extends for 150m E-W. The roasted ore suggests other activities were taking place on site apart from just smelting. (3)

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Worsfold, W Basil 'Romden Place and its Restoration' Arch Cant 1931 p.82-3 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<2> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers Comm from Neil Aldridge to KCC 7/12/1995 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<3> Neil Aldridge, 2009, Letter from Neil Aldridge with details of sites from the Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group (Unpublished document). SKE16635.

Sources and further reading