Monument record 8400/1 - Gretton Bloomery, a Romano-British Iron-Working Site

A Roman iron working site located 1.5km south west of Gretton Village. The site contains an ore roasting site and a tall shaft furnace. A long, low earthwork measuring 2m by 8m and 0.6m high contains much ore and slag and a hollow round earthwork is located to the south.

{1} An ore-roasting site with a number of channel hearths and a slag-tapping tall shaft furnace. There are several Romano-British iron production sites in the vicinity. Evidence suggests that there are more furnaces which remain unexcavated.

{2} Graded R(*): Regional (lesser 'National') importance (ie. Medium rating), but non-statutory protection is encouraged. Slag, tap present.

{3} Partially excavated c.1980, potentially important structures may survive in undisturbed areas. The site is believed to be an ore-roasting site, with one slag-tapping tall shaft furnace. There are thought to be several Romano-British iron production sites in the vicinity, and the number of ore roasting structures suggests more furnaces remain unexcavated. At the time of the field visit, overgrown pasture made inspection and identification difficult, but a long, low earthwork immediately south of the track amongst young trees (at SP89409242) contains much slag and ore. It is about 8m long x 2m wide x 0.6m high and may be a slag mound obscuring other remains. To its south a hollow round earthwork c.4m wide x 0.8m deep may represent associated remains.

<1> Crossley D., 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Iron and Steel Industries (Step 3, Appendix 3, Handlist of Assessed Sites), 1.3 p.35+43 (part checked) (Report). SNN106760.

<2> 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Bloomery Iron Industry (Provisional Step 2 Shortlist), (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN46996.

<3> Crossley D., 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Iron and Steel Industries (Site Assessments), 1.3 (part checked) (Report). SNN106761.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:19PM