Monument record MLI52736 - Roman Industrial Activity, Market Rasen

Summary

Large amounts of industrial waste from the pottery industry found in the area of Linwood Road dating from the late 2nd century onwards.

Type and Period (8)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

In April 1964 (at TF 107 883) a plane crashed into a field in Linwood Road, disturbing pottery and kiln material. Sherds were gathered from the field by boys from the nearby De Aston School and in 1965 excavations were undertaken slightly north of the crash site prior to development on the site. The excavations yielded high amounts of pottery and wasters, including Samian ware. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}{7}{8} It has been purported that whole pots have been found in this area as early as 1939. {7} A field walking survey centred on TF 111 885 (located at TF 1096 8850 where there was a concentration of activity) produced pottery sherds dating to the 3rd-4th centuries as well as possible kiln or industrial waste. {9}{10} During further geophysical survey centred at approximately TF 111 885 (located at TF 1096 8850 where there was a concentration of activity) large amounts of Romano-British pottery sherds were observed on the sites surface mainly dating to the 3rd-4th centuries. {9}{10} Geophysical survey recorded the presence of possible pits, which may have been used for clay extraction. Also a boundary that was identified appeared to mark the change from activity to the west and inactivity to the east. {11} A scheme of trial trenching (located at TF 1096 8850 where there was a concentration of activity) identified many Romano-British features on this site, including pits, gullies and ditches, but there was no clear evidence of any structures, and no kilns or furnaces were found. Two postholes were found in the bases of two pits and it is thought that some of the gullies may possibly be structural in nature. Domestic presence on the site is as yet to be confirmed although pottery analysis does suggest that the domestic activity here may pre-date pottery production. Some of the pottery clearly was not made on the site (e.g. Samian and mortaria) suggesting a domestic element to the complex. Presumably the pottery in domestic use would have been the same as that was being manufactured on site, making the identification of domestic features problematic. A large quantity of pottery and wasters were found, as well as remains as kiln furniture, indicating the presence of kilns in the immediate vicinity. The pottery type most often found was a normal type of greyware, which may indicates that this was the type most commonly produced. The pottery dates from the mid 2nd century through to the 4th century. A quern stone was found and together with cereal grain and leaf imprints have been identified on kiln furniture, which could indicate agricultural activity here. It maybe that pottery production was being undertaken when there was little or no work to be done in the fields. It has also been suggested that some of the kiln furniture may have been made on a threshing floor. Finds of slag from iron smelting may suggest metalworking in the vicinity, perhaps further supplementing the pottery industry, although no furnaces have been found. The slag is unusual in that all the types that are present are those which usually form the minority of a Romano-British slag assemblage. {12}{13} Prior to the trial trenching at TF 1125 8870 geophysical survey was carried out, the trial trenches were then positioned over where potential anomalies were identified. The trenching revealed a series of ditches, pits and gullies (located in Area B at TF 1102 8861). From these ditches a large amount of pottery has been recovered, dating mainly from the 2nd to 3rd centuries. One notable sherd found is of a similar type to Parisian ware, and of a fairly fine fabric. Also recovered from the ditches and pits was some possible kiln furniture. However no domestic remains have been found anywhere on this site. This lack of domestic evidence is common with other findings in the Linwood Road area and further supports the hypotheses that domestic settlement must have not been situated here and this area was purely industrial. {14}{15}{16} During a watching brief at TF 1085 8867 several sherds of 2nd to mid 3rd century pottery sherds were recovered from just below the sites surface and from two ditches. {17}{18} An excavation at Linwood Road (TF 1096 8850) revealed more evidence for the Romano-British pottery industry in Market Rasen. The evidence demonstrated that the pottery industry lasted longer than previously thought, extending into the late third and fourth century. Clay extraction was concentrated to the west of the site close to Linwood Road, and possible settling tanks were identified over the whole excavated area. A well with a wooden structure to support its sides was recorded, and a third century pottery kiln was excavated in the eastern area of the site. The kiln flue was constructed of limestone blocks, and the interior was clay-lined and packed on the outside with lumps of clay. The oven, which lay to the north of the flue, had two distinct phases of construction. It was constructed of rectangular fired blocks of clay. There was a ledge around the back of the oven and a pedestal contructed from clay and rectangular fired clay blocks. This pedestal was thought to be one of a pair. The second phase of the oven was shorter, and was created by filling in the gap between the pedestal and the back wall, and the the top of the pedestal was re-lined with clay. The lining also covered the earlier ledge to produce a shelf at the back of the kiln. The oven was probably refloored at the same time. There is evidence to suggest that the fuel used in the kiln was heather, and not wood, which raises questions about the availability of wood in the locality, and how woodland may have been managed at that time. Grey wares and the finer Parisian wares were produced on the site, and wasters were found across the site. Hearths were recorded in the eastern part of the site. These hearths produced charred grain, which suggests that they were used for drying corn. One had post holes around it which may have been an aisled structure surrounding the hearth. Ditches were dug across the site in the second to fourth century which marked boundaries, perhaps initially for a field system with trackways between, and which also may have been used for drainage. It is thought that the area was possibly used for agriculture in the second century, and was subsequently used for pottery production in the third and fourth century. It is also thought that the nature of the archaeological remains in the most easterly part of the site may indicate that there was settlement in the vicinity further to the east. {19}{20} A full excavation was carried out at TF 1125 8870 in advance of residential development. Part of a significant pottery production centre was uncovered. The remains date mainly to the early-mid 2nd century, making this the earliest pottery production site in this area so far. Two pottery kilns were uncovered. Utilitarian greywares, including a large number of jars, were the main product produced at the site and several complete or nearly complete vessels were found in two large pits. These pits had previously been used for clay extraction prior to being filled with industrial waste, including many pots. A large number of cut features including pits, ditches, gullies and structural slots were also uncovered. It is thought that the structural slots represent buildings, possibly storage sheds or potters' workshops. There was no evidence of domestic use of these structures. A single sherd of mortaria also appeared to be locally produced, suggesting the possiblity of a specialised production area in the locality. There were also indications of metal working activities taking place in the vicinity: tap, smithing and smelting slag were recovered from residual contexts. {21}{22} Four trial trenches were excavated in 2008 during a field evaluation at land at Fairfield, Linwood Road, Market Rasen. Within Trench 1, a possible pit, a ditch and an elongated pit or linear were identified. All the features contained fragments of 2nd century pottery. The features were all sealed by a silty layer containing 3rd century pottery. Within Trench 2 were a possible ditch/elongated pit which contained late 2nd to 3rd century pottery. Trench 3 did not contain any archaeological features. Within Trench 4 were a ditch with a large amount of late Iron Age to early Roman pottery, animal bone and a cracked cobble which is possibly a pot boiler. A pit with over 400 mid 2nd century pottery sherds, fragments of kiln structure, two fragments of tap slag and animal bone was also revealed and a ditch with late 2nd to 3rd century pottery was uncovered in this trench.{23}{24} During an archaeological excavation in March 1999, a 50m x 50m area of intercutting pits filled with kiln waste was revealed, identified as evidence for clay extraction. Two features had been cut into these pits, both containing Roman pottery. To the east of the pits were another area of pits and linear features, dated by Roman pottery, along with a well, tentatively interpreted as an area of water management possibly relating to clay processing prior to firing. An area of pits and ditches, containing Roman pottery and burnt material probably relating to kiln activity, were found. Two small hearths and a number of postholes which may have been a drying shed were also located along with a kiln and pit. To the west of the site were more ditches and pits and two possible beam slots. {25}{26} Trial trenching at TF 1092 8829 in May-August 2017 revealed a widespread buried soil containing significant quantities of pottery, animal bone and iron slag. A pottery kiln structure was identified in the northwest corner of the site, close to the street frontage of Linwood Road. A further 135 fragments of fired clay, of which 67 were classed as 'kiln furniture', were recovered from across the site. 4133 sherds of pottery from a maximum of 3715 vessels were also recovered; most of these were miscellaneous grey wares and many were in fresh condition, showing evidence of firing faults. Evidence of iron production was also identified across the site, including significant quantities of furnace slag and heated iron stone. The slag fragments were generally large and unlikely to have been deposited far from the furnace sites. Much of the recovered industrial waste was found in the fills of pits likely dug for that specific purpose. A number of gullies were also noted across the site, either for drainage or to demarcate distinct zones for different industrial activities. {27}{28}

Sources/Archives (28)

  •  Index: SMR FILE. MARKET RASEN. TF 18 NW:G,1978, TMA.
  •  Article in Serial: J.B. Whitwell (ed.). 1966. 'Archaeological Notes, 1964 and 1965' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. VOL 1 P 46.
  •  Graphic Material: SAMUELS J. 1980. PARISH FILE. MARKET RASEN. -.
  •  Report: PARISH FILE. MARKET RASEN. R-B POTTERY KILN SITE.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: J.B. Whitwell. 1992. Roman Lincolnshire. pp.107-09.
  •  Artefact: 1963. CITY AND COUNTY MUSEUM COLLECTION 1963. 1963; LM.35.63.
  •  Correspondence: 1968. PARISH FILE. MARKET RASEN.
  •  Graphic Material: 1967. PARISH FILE. MARKET RASEN.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Jan 1998. Land off Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LRM97.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Jan 1998. Land off Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LCNCC:301.97.
  •  Report: Oxford Archaeotechnics. Jan 1998. Land east of Linwood Road, Market Rasen.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Mar 1998. Phase II-Land east of Linwood Road , Market Rasen. LRM97.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Mar 1998. Phase II - Land east of Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LCNCC: 301.97.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2001. Land east of Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LRMR01.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2001. Land east of Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LCNCC:2001.206.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Geophysics. June 2001. Land east of Linwood Road, Market Rasen. MRLR01.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2002. Land next to Petriburg, Linwood Road, Market Rasen. LRMP01.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2002. Land next to Petriburg, Linwood Road.. LCNCC:2001.243.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2005. Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Archaeological Excavations and Watching Brief. MRL99.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2005. Linwood Road, Market Rasen Archaeological Excavations and Watching Brief. LCNCC 96.99.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2007. Linwood Road, Market Rasen: Archaeological Excavation and Earthworks Survey Report. LRM05.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2007. Linwood Road, Market Rasen: Archaeological Excavation and Earthworks Survey Report. LCNCC 2007.191.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Fairfield, Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. FMR08.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Fairfield, Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. LCNCC 2008.138.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2001. Archaeological Investigation at Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. MRL99.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2001. Archaeological Investigation at Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. -.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2019. Land to the East of Linwood Road, Market Rasen: Archaeological Evaluation Report. PCAS Site Code: LWME 17.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2017. Land to the East of Linwood Road, Market Rasen: Archaeological Evaluation Report. LCNCC: 2017.95.

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Grid reference Centred TF 1087 8849 (519m by 608m) Estimated from sources
Civil Parish MARKET RASEN, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Apr 22 2024 2:51PM

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