NHER 60744 (Monument record) - Post-medieval brick clamp kiln, possible quarry pit, and medieval to post-medieval field boundaries

April 2013. Geophysical Survey.
A detailed magnetometer survey was carried out over four fields prior to proposed development.

Three positive linear anomalies were identified as former field boundaries. The northernmost was located in the northeast field, extending from the north-east corner on a north-north-east alignment into the southeast field, and corresponds to a cropmark recorded under NHER 54630. This feature appears to end just before meeting a second ditch that bisects the southeast field in a north-northeast direction. The third feature bisects the southwest field from east to west but does not quite meet the ditch in the adjacent field. None of these ditches or boundaries are depicted on the tithe map of 1840 (S1) or the First Edition Ordnance Survey map (S2), but they broadly respect the 19th century to modern field layout. It has therefore been suggested that they may be of medieval or post-medieval date.

Four thermo-remnant anomalies were also identified. Three of these were clustered along the eastern edge of the northwest field, within the confines of a pronounced hollow. It has been suggested that the hollow may represent a small area of former quarrying and the anomalies represent fired clay such as brick rubble or burnt soil within the back-fill. The fourth feature is located within the southwest field and could be attributed to a wide range of causes, including the presence of a former kiln, but remains extremely tentative without further investigation.

A former farm house is depicted on the 1840 Tithe map (S1), and an area of magnetic noise in this vicinity may indicate the presence of demolition rubble, but it may be completely caused by modern hardcore observed during the survey.

All other magnetic responses have been interpreted as the results of a modern track, modern field drains, and telegraph poles.

See (S3) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 15 April 2015.


July 2013. Excavation. Centred TM 19660 99805.
A small area, totalling 50.5 square metres, was excavated in order to investigate a potential kiln feature identified during a geophysical survey in April 2013.

The excavation revealed a rectangular area of heat-affected soil measuring 4.5m by 3.25m. This was shown to be a shallow pit with a flat base containing frequent brick fragments, charcoal flecks, and burnt flint fragments, suggesting that the feature is the base of a brick clamp. A striping effect was visible on the upper surface of the fill, possibly indicating the location of the brick stacks.

An environmental sample taken from the fill contained charred wood, coal, and flakes of brick as well as small quantities of charred plant remains, suggesting that the kiln was fired with wood and coal. The brick recovered from the fill was handmade with flinty inclusions and had been fired unevenly. It could not be closely dated, and therefore could potentially have been made any time from the 13th century to the late 19th century, but it most likely dates to the later post-medieval period. No kilns or associated infrastructure is depicted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map (S2) and therefore the kiln likely pre-dates the late 19th century. The feature may be contemporary with the stoneware recovered from the subsoil, indicating a date from the 17th century onwards. The possible extraction pits located approximately 200m to the north of this feature identified during the geophysical survey may be contemporaneous with the kiln, supplying it with clay.

Two sherds of pottery were recovered from the subsoil:
1 small sherd of late Romano-British greyware
1 sherd of 17th to 18th century salt-glazed stoneware.
Fragments of iron nails and a 19th century heel iron (used to protect the heels of wooden clogs and shoes) were recovered from the topsoil.

See report (S4) for further information.
H. Hamilton (HES), 11 May 2015.