NHER 5108 (Monument record) - Late Saxon pottery kiln and medieval settlement, Langhale

1970. Excavation
Pottery kiln cut into by ditch dug in March 1969 along field boundary and Kiln about 45m (148ft) north of southern boundary of field.
Excavartion carried out K. Wade for M.P.B.W stripped by machine in a 40ft area down to the natural subsoil. A Saxon-Norman pottery-kiln was recorded it contained Thetford-ware cooking pot and no other features were contemporary with the kiln. There were however timber slots, post-holes and ditches from the 11th to the early 14th century. Upper limit of existing structure about 45cm (18") to 61cm (2ft) from surface of field. Kiln base at around 1.2m (4ft) depth from surface. Eastern edge of kiln possibly 0.6m (2ft) from field boundary with wood. Thetford ware included wasters. Half a mile south-west of this site, a large scatter of late Saxon and medieval pottery has been suggested to indicate the site of the deserted village of Langhale.
Kiln seen by E.B. Green (NCM) and W.F. Milligan (NCM).
Impossible to determine shape and orientation of kiln, as apparently ditch just cut into firing chamber. No sign of floor just baking of clay surrounds. Chamber filled with broken vessels. Flint deposit about 5cm (2") of carbonised material in base.
See (S2) for further information.
E.B. Green (NCM) amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 22 May 2013.

1971.
Excavations by K.R. Wade (SAU) on medieval kiln site producing mainly Thetford-type ware.
See (S1).

August to September 1999. Metal detecting.
Medieval unusually shaped pilgirm's ampulla.
See description in file.
K. Hinds (NLA), 23 February 2000.

1999 to 2002. Metal detecting.
Much detecting over three years in area of arable adjacent to kiln site has failed to locate any medieval or earlier material.
Probably valid negative evidence.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 8 October 2002.

(S1) also describes the excavation of a Late Saxon/early medieval structure that post-dates the kiln and three medieval ditches. The construction of the building has been dated to the late 12th century at the latest.
The Late Saxon and early medieval settlement of Langhale appears to have been quite dispersed, and concentrations of pottery have also been found near Moat Farm and Bethel Farm, see NHER 10454 and 10144. NHER 10144 is also the possible site of the medieval parish church of St Christopher. An earthwork ditch runs parallel to the road from the fields west of Langhale House to the kiln site. The ditch has been interpreted as a probable common boundary, and has been dated to the late 11th or early 12th century.
See (S1) for more details.
S. Spooner (NLA) 21 April 2006