Record Details
| NHER Number: | 5730 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Roman kiln and pottery sherds, Two Mile Bottom |
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Summary
In 1892 a pottery kiln was discovered at this location. The entrance to the combustion chamber survived as two upright pillars of hardened clay with an arch joining the pillars. The interior of the kiln contained potsherds, animal bones, fired and unfired clay, some with thumb and finger impressions, some with grass and straw impressions. The form of the kiln and the type of pottery suggest a Roman date for the feature.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TL 8511 8689 |
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| Map Sheet: | TL88NE |
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| Parish: | THETFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
1892. Excavation to west of manure works by railway cutting, 6.1m (20ft) above river and 6.1m (20ft) from river bank.
The kiln was probably built in a hole to case its walls as pottery sherds were found from 30cm (1ft) to 2.4m (8ft) below the modern ground surface. At a depth of 2.1m (7ft) were two upright pillars of hardened clay, and (S2) adds that he thought he remembered an arch joining the pillars. This structure forms the flue from the stokehole to the combustion chamber.
The kiln was circular, measuring 1.68m (5ft 6in) in diameter and 5.1m (16ft 8in) in circumference, with a wall of clay marl 69cm (2ft 3in) high and 15cm (6 inches) thick. The flue in side was 51cm (1ft 8in) wide with pillars 76cm (2ft 6in) high and 61cm (2 feet) wide. The floor was of chalk marl approximately 7.6cm (3 inches) thick.
The interior of the kiln contained potsherds, animal bones, fired and unfired clay, some with thumb and finger impressions, some with grass and straw impressions (about 1.3-2.5cm (0.5-1.0in) thick). Pottery included one complete lid and a base. Sherds varied in colour, thickness and decoration, the commonest being yellow (?unfired) and over 0.6cm (0.25in) thick; black and grey wares were also common. Some charcoal was present.
This account is drawn from (S1), which in turn is based upon (S2) and (S3). The site is marked on (S4) and (S5)
R. R. Clarke (NCM).
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POTTERY KILN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POTTERY WORKS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Associated Finds
- ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 88 NE 1. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Thetford. |
| --- | Monograph: Swan, V. G.. 1984. The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain. Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Supplementary Series. 5. |
| <S1> | Article in Serial: Frere, S. S. and Clarke, R. R. 1945. The Romano-British Village at Needham, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXVIII Pt IV 187-216. pp 213-215. |
| <S2> | Publication: Clarke, W.G.. Unknown. Manuscript note. |
| <S3> | Unpublished Document: Watson, A.Q.. Unknown. Notes on excavation of Roman kiln at Two Mile Bottom. 2. |
| <S4> | Publication: Fox, C. 1923. The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region: a topographical study of the Bronze, Early Iron, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon Ages, with an introductory note on the Neolithic Age. Map IV. |
| <S5> | Monograph: Grimes, W. F. 1930. Holt, Denbighshire: the Works-Depot of the Twentieth Legion at Castle Lyons. Y Cymmrodor. Vol XLI. pp 75-6; No 107. |
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