Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

These are two of a group of five earth mounds on the Harty marshes. These mounds are thought to be the remains of medieval salt workings. Post medieval pottery, including one salt glazed sherd, have been foound on the site. The monument overall also includes a hollow and a small mound.

Monument Types

• SALT WORKS (date conjectural, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

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One of a group of three salt-working mounds on the Harty Marshes. Published 25" Survey correct. [For salt-working on Sheppey see TQ 97 SW 6]. (1) Three mounds poss saltworks. Mounds at TR 01886793 01976807 and 02266816. (2) Isles of Sheppey and Harty: The salt water creeks of these isles contain a large number of mounds similar to those excavated at Seasalter (TR 06 SE 6). They represent the remains of medieval salt working. (3) Centred TR 037678: group of four salt-working mounds on Harty Marshes. Published 25" survey revised. [For salt-working on Sheppey see TQ 97 SW 6] (1) (TR 03576786) Medieval Saltworks (NR) Isles of Sheppey and Harty: The salt water creeks of these isles contain a large number of mounds similar to those excavated at Seasalter (TR 06 SE 6). They represent the remains of medieval salt working. (3) Finds of PM pottery from the W. most mound during RCHME site inspection 1994, (TR 0352 6771). A salt-glazed piece appears to relate to the salt-making activity and came from a rabbit burrow, which also contained a stack of tiles. Other sherds and a fragment of briquetage were located in a dark horizon on the N. side of the mound. (4). RCHME survey carried out in 1994 describes 5 mounds and a further 2 previously unrecorded features just to the east: an oval hollow and a very small mound (11). Description and context with the regional salt-working industry (12). Photographs (13-14).

<1> F1 CFW 05-SEP-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42444.

<2> OS 1:10000 1984 (OS Card Reference). SKE48170.

<3> Arch Cant 80 (1965) 279. (OS Card Reference). SKE35683.

<4> Field report for monument TR 06 NW 13 - September, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5253.

<5> RCHME: Sheppey salt-working mounds, Isle of Sheppey, Kent (Collection). SKE6557.

<6> Harty Marshes, salt mounds 1-5/survey (Graphic material). SKE6407.

<7> Harty Marshes salt mounds 1, 3 and 5/profiles (Graphic material). SKE6408.

<8> Harty Marshes salt mounds 1-5/survey (Graphic material). SKE6409.

<9> Harty Marshes salt mounds/report (Bibliographic reference). SKE6410.

<10> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers comm. J. Kenny (RCHME) to KCC, 3/11/94 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<11> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England, 1994, Saltworking Mounds In The Harty Marshes, Isle Of Sheppey (Monograph). SWX6973.

<12> Topping, P & Swan, V G, 1995, Early salt-working sites in the Thames estuary (Article in monograph). SWX9354.

<13> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9595.

<14> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9596.

Sources and further reading