Monument record 5360/0/0 - Roman lime kiln built into rampart

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Full Description

{1} Section through castle rampart. Buried soil under rampart. Core of rampart comprises very clean (freshly quarried from immediately north?) Blisworth limestone rubble overlain by more disturbed horizons containing Roman pottery. Interpreted as possibly being of Iron Age origin with later reuse? Photos.

{2} A trench was excavated through the castle bank. At 0.60m below the existing turf was a curving wall which proved to be the inner edge of a lime kiln. The kiln was circular, stone-built structure about 3m wide and 2m deep internally with a splayed entrance to the east, the floor of which extended at least 6m beyond the firing chamber pot. A sample of charcoal was collected from between well stratified lime deposits, representing one or two firings, radiocarbon dating of which provided a likely terminus post quem of AD125-225. Only the base pot or firing chamber of the kiln has survived, the form suggesting a 'flare' kiln where the load of limestone was supported either on a wooden framework or by corbelling the load of limestone on a ledge above the pot.
Since the Roman lime kiln had been built into an already existing structure, the site is thought to have started life as a late Bronze Age or early Iron ring work.

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Location

Grid reference SP 9716 9767 (point)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Other Statuses/References

  • None recorded

Record last edited

Jan 10 2023 11:49AM

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