Record Details

NHER Number:5695
Type of record:Monument
Name:Post medieval brick kilns, gun flint

Summary

This is the site of a post medieval brick kiln. The remains of at least one or more kiln structure have been recorded and samples of vitrified brick and clay have been recovered. A long flint blade, thought to be a gun flint, was also recovered from this site.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 8056 8905
Map Sheet:TL88NW
Parish:WEETING WITH BROOMHILL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

'Old kiln' (Ordnance Survey).
Marked as brick kiln on (S1). Semicircle of bricks forming a foundation remains, plus large numbers of bricks, burnt plum red, in a heap they have deep hourglass frogs. One brick covered in silver-maroon vitrification, set into drips: another two had been joined by mortar, but this had transmuted into a meringue-like substance. Both these samples given to Bridewell Museum.
Visited by E. Rose (NAU), 27 July 1977.

Occupant of Broomhill Cottage telephoned 5 August 1977 to say he had found the kiln itself nearby, hidden in undergrowth: the roof had collapsed but the front wall with entrances was intact.

This visited by E. Rose 10 August 1977.
Massive kiln site marked by Ordnance Survey - previous find was only a few yards to northeast, but two hidden from each other by bushes. Rectangular, centre collapsed in masses of bricks, with iron tie bars protruding: trees around 30 - 40 years old growing from centre. West wall survives under earth: two pointed stoking-passages open in it, into what appears to be a brick-lined stoking pit. Bricks orange red, long and thin - some more than others, resembling those used in the doorway of Broomhill Cottage, (which is not on Faden).
Various frogs. No similarity at all to the previous finds - so is that the site of an earlier kiln? Or perhaps the vitrified rakings from inside? Brick from kiln also given to NCM as sample. In the pile of earth in the stoking pit, obviously having been used to excavate the stokehole recently, was a long flint blade. A. K. Gregory (NAU), is of the opinion that it is a badly-struck gunflint blade.
E. Rose.

21 June 1979. Field Visit.
Ruins of kiln observed by J. J. Wymer during visit to adjacent Botany Bay site (NHER 5643). The bricks remaining around it were noted as being "...a fine, deep red and 2½" thick". Information from (S2), which also includes a sketch plan of the site drawn during this visit.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 May 2013.

23 June 1999. Site visit.
Kiln continuing to deteriorate, but trees on rim to be removed by Forest Enterprise in due course.
D. Gurney (NLA), 24 June 1999.

Monument Types

  • BRICK KILN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • GUNFLINT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Fiche: Exists.
<S1>Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.
<S2>Unpublished Document: Wymer, J. J. Journal. No 7. p 29.

Related records - none

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