Monument record MDO6791 - Roman salt-boiling hearths, Carter's Tile Works, Hamworthy, Poole

Two probable 1st or 2nd century AD kilns, originally thought to be pottery kilns but later reinterpreted as salt-boiling hearths. The kilns were associated with Roman coarseware and fineware pottery and briquetage.

The remains of two Romano-British kilns, ovens, or hearths were excavated in September and October 1949, under the supervision of H P Smith. The kilns were found at a depth of about 2 feet and charcoal, briquetage and pottery was found adjacent. The pottery included countersunk-handled black burnished ware vessels, white ware flagons etc of probable 1st century date. The excavator originally described the features as pottery kilns and identified a quantity of kiln debris including three complete kiln-rests and several fragments of saggers. The associated finds suggested the kilns had gone out of use by the 3rd century AD. <1>

The material was reinterpreted by R A H Farrar who identified the kiln furniture as briquetage and suggested that the kilns were for salt boiling rather than for pottery production. <2>

Sited by the excavator at SZ 00259045. <3>

<1> Farrar, R A H (ed), 1949, Archaeological Notes, 1949; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 66 (Article in serial). SWX9303.

<2> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 07-DEC-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<3> Swan, V G, 1984, The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain, 258 (Monograph). SWX2878.

<3.1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 603-4 (Monograph). SDO150.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB75/02905 (Index). SDO14738.

RB OVEN BASES - SALTING?

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458272 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 10 2024 9:50AM