Monument record 3065/0/5 - Romano-British Iron Working Site

A shaft furnace, hearth and a ditch were discovered during ironstone quarrying.

{1} A clay shaft of furnace had survived in situ. The adjacent slag pit was 1.95m long up to 0.45m wide and 0.25m deep. A channel hearth was 18m to the east of the furnace. Other channel hearths were found around:- 1) two channel hearths 165m SSE of the furnace. 2) 380m from the grid reference quoted (west) was a channel hearth and slag pit? Of a furnace. The site is on a limestone plateau and no ironstone has recently been found in the immediate vicinity. Within 2m of the furnace was a ditch - not excavated. Non ironworking activity in the area?

{2} Roman iron-working. A shaft furnace, hearth and a ditch were discovered during ironstone quarrying. Further evidence of iron-working has been noted 380m to the west.

{3} Figs.6,7. Black patches of soil marks often associated with slag patches, have been recorded as part of a continuing survey of soil marks in the county.

<1> JACKSON D.A., 1979, Roman Iron Working at Bulwick and Gretton, 14/36-7 (checked) (Article). SNN40133.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.199 Site 13 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> FOARD G.R., 1982, CHARCOAL BURNING AND IRON PRODUCTION IN NORTHAMTONSHIRE: THE SOIL-MARK EVIDENCE, p. 28-31 (Article). SNN71346.

Record last edited

Feb 23 2022 12:51PM