NHER 3382 (Monument record) - Roman iron smelting and smithing site, Wicken Quarry

1958 to 1959.
Excavation of Roman ironworking site.
See (S1).

1966.
Roman coin found.

1978.
Roman sherds and flints.

1998.
Evaluation revealed Roman slag, medieval/post medieval finds.
Finds in NCM and KLM.
See full list in file.
See also (S2).
E. Rose (NLA) 18 January 1999.

September 2007. ALSF NHER Enhancement Sun-Unit D.
The gradiometer survey and NAU evaluation at this location are now recorded as NHER 34086. A second evaluation by APS on the same site is recorded as NHER 38183.
1958 to 1959. Excavation.
The site represents a 2nd century iron smelting site which is of unique type as far as this country is concerned. Iron has been smelted in shaft furnaces with the aid of an induced draft using nodular carbonate ores obtained locally. At one stage the blooms produced by these furnaces were worked-up on site, as shown by the existence of smithing hearths and deposits of hammerscale.
After the site went out of use the working hollow was backfilled with slag and was used for dumping rubbish. As yet we do not know know how many other similar sites there are the area. There are probably several, and at least one in the area of scattered slag to the west of the excavated area.
Information from (S1).
M. Dennis (NLA), 26 September 2007.