Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A probable Roman settlement site with pottery, a pottery kiln and burials from Deerson Farm was discovered in 1872.

The site lies on a north facing slope. OD15-20m.

Monument Types

• CREMATION (CREMATION, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POTTERY KILN (POTTERY KILN, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (SETTLEMENT, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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TR23705981. Discovery of a Roman pottery kiln and cremation burials. At Preston, near Wingham, in 1872, in digging for gravel, an elegant urn with ornamented border was found, together with several Samian paterae, and large black urns with burnt bones. In the same field, on the Deerson Farm, a few years after, a large assemblage of pottery was found. There were portions of, fifteen or twenty vessels, buried about two feet from the surface in peaty charcoal, in a space of about 6 feet by 4. See illustration card no. 1. They had evidently been subjected to fire heat in the hole in which they were found, the gravel soil around and beneath being calcined by the heat. The sides of the excavation had been plastered with a similar clay to that composing the pots, and into it straw or grass had been introduced. The pottery was all of one character, being coarse blue ware. The pots were all buried bottom uppermost, and appeared as if one had been placed within the other. They were reduced to fragments. The peculiar colour of the pots found appears due to the presence of charcoal or carbonized material, and their having been partially burnt; (the most fiercely burnt were red in colour). Two apertures led down to the cavity facing east and west, which was somewhat in the shape of a soda-water bottle with a neck at each end. In one of the narrower portions a perfect vessel was found. (The excavator concluded that he had discovered an "undertaker's kiln"). (1) (The kiln appears to be of the horizontal draught type). In addition to the kiln found here a cemetery seems to have extended over a considerable area between Deerson Farm `and south-west of it' and Preston Court, particularly in gravel pits. Some of the pottery is of an unusual type. (2) (The site is listed in the Gazetteer of Romano British pottery kilns). (3) (Discovery of some cinerary urns and a small patera of Samian ware, outside of which is scratched the word SIINVNA `Senuna'. It is a vessel of the late Roman period). This find was made at Deerson farm. Roman remains have been discovered in other places in this neighbourhood. Some urns were dug up by a labourer at a spot called White Hill, overlooking the valley of the Little Stour. (4) A small square glass bottle and an earthenware vessel in form of a rabbit, once covered with yellow glaze. Both are of Roman (?) workmanship and were found some years ago in White's Hill gravel pit, near Preston-next-Wingham, Kent. (See illustration card no. 2). (5) Pottery from a gravel pit near Deerson Farm and other finds of burials between Preston Village and Deerson Farm (see illustration card no. 3). It would seem that the Deerson Cemetery was not a mere isolated one, but that the burials had been spread out along a considerable length of road. (A collection of pottery from these sites were brought together and drawn, see illustration cards nos. 4 and 5). (6) Additional bibliography. (7-9)

Description from record TR 26 SW 10 :
9 Deerson Farm, Nr Wingham. (TR 23705981). Geology : Hilltop, gravel/circum of record = gravel diggings, salvage excavation. Kiln Type : G1, oval, lined with straw tempered clay. Kiln Interior : No recorded evidence for internal structure. Oven-floor, flue : No recorded evidence for raised floor. Site Features : Vessels found stacked, superimposed upside-down in bottom of Kiln-chamber, burials nearby, "kiln bars and saggers" 'probably from same gravel site'. Pottery : "Course" blue-grey local-type cooking-pots and bowls with neck cordon. Date : 1st - 2nd century AD. (9)

<1> Arch Cant 12 1878 46-48 (G Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE34669.

<1> OS 6" 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48367.

<2> OS Rq Brit Map 1956 38 (OS Card Reference). SKE48434.

<2> VCH Kent 3 1932 131 163 (RF Jessup, MV Taylor, CFC Hawkes) (OS Card Reference). SKE51013.

<3> Arch Cant 20 1893 49-53 (map illust) (G Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE34819.

<3> The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain 1984 406 (VG Swan) (OS Card Reference). SKE50480.

<4> Arch Cant 12 1878 47-8 (illust) (G Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE34670.

<4> Arch vol 36-1 1855 181 (JY Akerman) (OS Card Reference). SKE36942.

<5> Arch Cant 12 1878 48 (C Roach Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE34671.

<5> PSA 2nd series vol 16 1895-7 247 illus. (OS Card Reference). SKE48824.

<6> Arch Cant 20 1893 48-53 (G Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE34818.

<6> V C H Kent 3 1932 131 (R F Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE50715.

<7> Arch Cant 36 1855 181 (J Y Akerman) (OS Card Reference). SKE35037.

<7> Early Fine Wares in Roman Britain BAR 57 1978 126 (P Arthur and G Marsh) (OS Card Reference). SKE41565.

<8> Oral F Jenkins, Hon Corr (OS Card Reference). SKE47923.

<8> VCH Kent 3 1932 131 (RF Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE51012.

<9> Ant 18 1944 52-55 (JNL Myres) (OS Card Reference). SKE33110.

<9> F1 AC 27.11.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41837.

<10> RCHM Supp Series 5 The Pottery kilns of Roman Britain 1984 Gaz 406 (V G Swan) (OS Card Reference). SKE48973.

<11> Field report for monument TR 26 SW 10 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5894.

Sources and further reading