Monument record 7169/1/1 - Late Saxon iron working site, Cendry Holme

Known as Cendry Holme on a mid 16th century map. A magnetometry survey highlighted furnaces and areas of roasting. Trenching over the features revealed the remains of a smelting furnace and an ore roasting pit. Charcoal from beneath the slag mound was radiocarbon dated to AD 890-1030.

{1} Grass field marked with Site 1 on plan. Slag was found in most areas disturbed by rabbits. A section of furnace was visible in a rabbit hole. There is considerable uneveness over the central area of the field. A mound, possibly a slag heap was noted with large hollow behind, possibly a quarry pit. This could be quite an important site if everything is as it appears to be, a relatively undisturbed smelting site. This field is known as Cendry Holme on the C16th map of Fineshade.

{2} Magnetic survey of the site was most successful, demonstrating a single, well-defined iron works. This could be interpreted as containing all the elements of processing iron ores to iron. The results of the survey were interpreted as follows:
I. Up to six possible furnaces (annotated a,b,d,e,h and j on the published read-out).
II. Linear anomalies possibly representing run-offf channels or ditches of uncertain use (annotated c).
III. A halo around the site probably created by spreads of slag waste (annotated f and k).
IV. A possible structural feature in the south-east of the site (annotated g).
V. Possible ore-roasting areas (annotated d and h).
Subsequent test pits were opened to test the validity of the geophysical survey:
The linear features (annotated c) were confirmed as a ditch which contained very little slag and may have been a later feature unrelated to the smelting site.
The possible furnace/ore roasting hearth (annotated d) was confirmed as an ore roasting hearth.
The possible structure (annotated g) was not confirmed by test pitting.
The 'halo' was established to be slag waste spread to a depth of at least 250mm.
The central furnace (identified as e) on the magnetometer survey was excavated as it had been exposed by rabbit burrows. Only the lower 250mm of the furnace survived, this comprising a circular bowl 300mm in diameter, with waste from its last firing still in situ, including a single run of tap slag within the aperture. The furnace had been inserted into an earlier rectangular clay and stone lined pit at least 0.5m wide x 1.35m long. The furnace was protected and backfilled without further interference.
A further test pit 4m south of the furnace revealed tap slag, furnace refuse overlying iron fines. Charcoal taken from the horizon between the fines and slag subsequently gave a C14 date of AD 890-1030.

{4} Known as Cendry Holme on a mid 16th century map, this site lies on a knoll in a permanent pasture field. Trenching over the features revealed by the magnetometry survey revealed the remains of a smelting furnace.

<1> BELLAMY B., 1999, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN50329.

<2> Bellamy B.; Jackson D.; Johnston G., 2000-01, Early Iron Smelting in the Rockingham Forest Area: A Survey of the Evidence, p.117-120 (checked) (Article). SNN103947.

<3> CHALLANDS A., The Magnetometer Survey at Cendry Holme, Fineshade, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN106449.

<4> Horne B. (Editor), 2001, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (31), p. 39 (Newsletter). SNN112958.

Record last edited

Oct 3 2023 12:48PM