NHER 6273 (Monument record) - Roman kiln and pottery finds

South of railway bridge over coast road, 90 feet OD.
In 1857, the finding of Roman pottery in a chalkpit near the eastern boundary of the parish led to the excavation of the site by W. Bolding. 1.2m (4 feet) down he found a circular pit, flat at the bottom and 1.5m (5 feet) in diameter with the edge formed of broken sherds cemented with brickearth. In the centre was a circular table 60cm (2 feet) wide 'on which the pottery was placed, as well as on the surrounding flue, which was fed by a lateral furnace hole.' The ware from this pottery kiln was a dull blue colour.

The diameters of the bottoms of vessels varied from 3.8cm to 25 to 30cm (1 1/2 inches to 10 to 12 inches). Only two or three pieces out of fifty had any decoration; a foliated pattern below the rim. Others had fingernail ornamentation.
(S1) plates, plan, sections, (S2), (S3), (S4), (S5).
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

The 'table' referred to above sounds like a central pedestal to support either a perforated floor or which pots would be place to be fired or radiating kiln bars for the same purpose.
D. Gurney (NLA).
10 October 2007.