Stratigraphic and structural evidence
The overburden consisted of a gravelly topsoil beneath which the kiln and a number of other small, apparently unconnected, features were cut into the natural gravel. Linear plough marks crossed the site from north to south.
Four phases were identified relating to the construction and use of the kiln.
Phase 1: Kiln construction
The kiln consisted of a circular, clay lined pit with a vented floor supported by a substantial, free-standing central pedestal. Sherds of mortaria and pieces of tile had been used in the construction of the walls, floor and pedestal. The bottom of the fire chamber beneath the vented floor was lined with clay which extended southwards along the length of the flue for a length of 0.80m into a large oval stokehole. Much of the flue wall had been removed by later disturbance, but at its south end part of the original arch survived. Sufficient of the kiln survived for the type and method of reconstruction to be determined. This, together with a comparison with other types of kilns, will form part of the programme of post-excavation work.
Phases 2 and 3: Kiln use and abandonment
A series of deposits in the lower kiln chamber represented debris left behind when the fire chamber was raked out after each firing. Other sandy deposits appeared to have accumulated after the kiln had gone out of use. The surviving part of the upper chamber was filled with a mixture of collapsed wall and a sandy silt which had washed or blown into the disused kiln.
Further deposits pertaining to the use and abandonment of the kiln were identified within the flue and stokehole. At the southern end, of the stokehole the primary layer appeared to be the result of trampling and this was overlain with a charcoal-rich layer representing the use and raking out of the fire chamber. Subsequent deposits contained less charcoal and probably accumulated after the use of the kiln. The fills of both the fire chamber and the stokehole contained large amounts of pottery and closer analysis of the sequence may indicate whether or not different pottery types were related to different phases of the kiln.
Phase 4: Post-kiln and modern phases
The modern pipe trench which had cut through the east side of the kiln was fully excavated. A considerable amount of redeposited pottery was recovered from its fill. Other recent features included a small pit, a posthole and a large disturbed area, none of which were excavated.
Unphased features
In the absence of finds and stratigraphic relationships a number of features remained unphased. These included a pit, a shallow linear feature, two shallow pits and a post hole. It is hoped that further analysis of the positions of these features and the pottery found in them will allow relationships with the kiln to be suggested.
The Artefacts
Pottery
A total of 1553 sherds (46.370kg) of Romano-British pottery was recovered from the site. The assessment of this material showed that it had the potential to contribute to a number of the research aims summarised above.
The largest single group of pottery was mortaria, representing 77.35% (by weight) of the assemblage. Slightly less than half of this material consisted of rimsherds, with forty-five bearing stamps. As in the first kiln the ‘trademark’ potters stamp was the commonest (nineteen sherds). One stamp, that of Nivalis, appeared to be a completely new type.
Oxidised pottery was the second most common type, representing 15.65 % (by weight) of the total. Handle, body and base sherds were the most common fragments, with the commonest identifiable form being that of cup necked flagons, dating to the 2nd century AD, contemporary with the mortaria.
Grey, reduced, wares were the third element of the assemblage, representing 7.00% (by weight) of the total. The majority of identifiable sherds were from medium mouthed jars.
Other finds
Other finds included kiln construction debris; fired clay, fused and melted mortaria and reused roof tiles. The interpretative potential of this is limited, but analysis will help determine whether the same clays were used in the construction of the kiln as were used to make the pots. A few fragments of animal bone were found in the kiln fill. These appear to represent domestic refuse which accumulated after the abandonment of the kiln.
All of the three iron artefacts were shown by x-ray to be nails. They did not appear to have been directly associated with the construction of the kiln and may have been attached to wood used in the firing or dumped in after the kiln went out of use.
Environmental data
Little charred plant material was recovered from the environmental samples. This suggested that the kiln was well-aerated and combustion was efficient. After assessment it was decided that only three samples would be further analysed. These contained fragments of charcoal identifiable to species level and thus may indicate the types of wood used as fuel for the firing of the kiln.
Archaeomagnetic dating
Strong intensities of natural remnant magnetism were measured in the kiln wall, floor and pedestal. Following corrections to take account of local factors, two date ranges were identified: 160 - 225 AD and 270 - 300 AD. The ambiguity arose because of a narrow loop in the archaeomagnetic curve during the late Roman period.
