Information for record number MWA302:
Site of Roman pottery kilns 400m south-west of White House, Hartshill

Summary The site of several Roman pottery kilns used for the manufacture of pottery, and possibly specialising in mortaria. They were situated 600m east of Snow Hill Recreation Ground.
What Is It?  
Type: Pottery Kiln, Kiln
Period: Unknown
Where Is It?  
Parish: Hartshill
District: North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 33 93
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

 
Source Number  

1 1959: A kiln producing hammer-head mortaria and other coarse ware was trenched at Hartshill. Information from M and B Stanley.
2 1960: A small pottery kiln, 0.9m in diameter, with a central pedestal of clay and stone, was excavated in advance of quarrying. The pottery included numbers of carinated vessels, plates and a mortaria stamped with name VITALIS 4 (date cAD100-120).
3 Excavation by Ministry of Public Buildings and Works after a magnetometer survey indicated 18 kilns. All were either circular or oval and of up draught type. The kilns ranged from early 2nd century to 4th century in date with a marked emphasis on production of mortaria. Various names of potters occur and a clay name-die of MOSSIVS was found.
4 Interim report for 1961.
5 1961: Excavation revealed a further fourteen kilns specialising in production of mortaria. One kiln was producing colour-coated and painted wares. It is now clear that the kilns were confined to the top and slopes of the hill. No traces of buildings were found.
6 Interim report for 1962
7 Interim report for 1960
8 Preliminary report , 1960.
9 Photocopied information.
10 Correspondence from 1959.
11 Extracts from West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet (WMANS) reports on the Excavations.
12 Noted. 1 kiln trenched following magnetometer survey; 32 excavated - producing coarse-wares and mortaria.
13 Ancient Monuments Laboratory report on the Petrology of Mortaria from Mancetter-Hartshill Romano-British kilns. It is unclear exactly which kiln site in the Mancetter-Hartshill area the samples were taken from. However, the conclusion is that the mortaria inclusions are probably from stone from the Mancetter-Hartshill area.
14
15 The pottery kilns are recorded in national gazetteers of the monument type for the Roman period. These have classified and described the kilns which have been excavated at various dates between 1960 and 1961 by B and M Stanley, as well as K F Hartley. This was an extensive site, with some phasing identifiable such as kiln 8 being earlier than kiln 7, with kiln 5a post-dating kiln 5 and kiln 2a probably pre-dating kiln 2. These kilns were generally small near circular clay lined hollows below the ground level and probably solid clay vent-holed oven floors or clay bars. There was a range of preservation of the features of the kilns such as oven floor supports. These had a range of forms as central and circular, as well as sub-rectangular, as well as in a different kiln pilasters around the circumference of the oven chamber. In kiln 28 a pair of two parallel, elongated D-shaped, clay pedestals were revealed, whilst in kiln 8 these were small roughly circular clay pedestals arranged in a triangle. Another type of pedestal was the cotton reel form in kiln 12 stone cheeks were revealed at kiln 2 for the exit of the flue. A range of pottery was produced and fired in these kilns notably including mortaria. The pottery recovered dates the site to between the late 1st century and to the mid-4th century.
16 The site at Hartshill was involved in the early development of archaeomagnetism dating carried out in Britain.
17 The kilns at Hartshill are referred to a brief chapter on the Mancetter-Hartshill industry where the similarities of the kilns, the wares produced and stamped sherds indicate connections between the two sites.
18 It has proved possible to differentiate the mortaria produced in Warwickshire in the Mancetter-Hartshill industry to the Nene Valley produced wares. This has been establised by Inductively Coupled Plasma work with the Cerium and Barium (to the Upper Nene products) and the Lithium and Potassium Oxide levels (to the Lower Nene products).
 
Sources

Source No: 17
Source Type: Article in monograph
Title: Current Research in Romano-British Coarse Pottery: The Kilns at Mancetter and Hartshill, Warwickshire
Author/originator: K F Hartley
Date: 1973
Page Number: 143-147
Volume/Sheet: 10
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: Preliminary report on Romano British pottery kilns excavated at Hartshill
Author/originator:
Date: 1960
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 13
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: A Note on the Petrology of Mortaria from Mancetter-Hartshill, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Williams, D
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 191/87
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Journal of Roman Studies: Roman Britain in 1960
Author/originator: Unknown
Date: 1961
Page Number: 157-198
Volume/Sheet: 51
   
Source No: 18
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Journal of Archaeological Science: Made in the Nene Valley? Identifying the origins of mortaria using ICP analysis
Author/originator: S Paynter, L Rollo and E McSloy
Date: 2009
Page Number: 1390-1399
Volume/Sheet: 36:7
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Journal of Roman Studies: Roman Britain in 1960
Author/originator: Unknown
Date: 1961
Page Number: 157-198
Volume/Sheet: 5
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Journal of Roman Studies: Roman Britain in 1959
Author/originator: Unknown
Date: 1960
Page Number: 210-242
Volume/Sheet: 50
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Journal of Roman Studies: Roman Britain in 1961
Author/originator: Unknown
Date: 1962
Page Number: 160-199
Volume/Sheet: 52
   
Source No: 16
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Archaeometry: Archaeological Dating Evidence for Romano-British Pottery Kilns
Author/originator: B R Hartley, M J Aitken, G H Weaver and K F Hartley
Date: 1962
Page Number: 1-24
Volume/Sheet: 5
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Hartshill
Author/originator: G. Webster, University of Birmingham.
Date: 1959
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 11
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: RB pottery and kilns, Hartshill
Author/originator:
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: Pottery Kilns at Hartshill
Author/originator: Hartley K
Date: 1960
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: Hartshill
Author/originator:
Date: 1962
Page Number: 168
Volume/Sheet: 52
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Hartley K
Date: 1961
Page Number: 5
Volume/Sheet: 4
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Hartley K
Date: 1960
Page Number: 4-5
Volume/Sheet: 3
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Stanley M and B
Date: 1960
Page Number: 4
Volume/Sheet: 3
   
Source No: 15
Source Type: Internet Data
Title: The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain
Author/originator: Vivien G Swan & Andrew Peachey
Date: 2014
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 14
Source Type: Monograph
Title: The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain
Author/originator: Vivien G Swan
Date: 1984
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 12
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Roman Mancetter (notes and site gazetteer)
Author/originator: Scott K?
Date: 1983?
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source WMANS West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, a publication that was produced each year, this later became West Midlands Archaeology. The West Midlands Arcaheological News Sheet contains reports about archaeological work that was carried out in the West Midlands region in the previous year. It includes information about sites dating from the Prehistoric to the Post Medieval periods. It was produced the Department of Extramural Studies at Birmingham University. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Magnetometer Survey A magnetometer survey measures the earth's magnetic field and the effects that structures in the ground may have on it. For example, walls, pits and trenches might display different levels of magnetism than the surrounding ground. These differences can affect the readings taken during the survey. Once the readings have been recorded they are plotted out to produce a plan of features that exist below the ground. See also geophysical survey. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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monument HOLLOW * A hollow, concave formation or place, which has sometimes been dug out. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument PUBLIC BUILDING * A building or group of buildings owned and operated by a governing body and often occupied by a government agency. Use specific type of building where known. back
monument OVEN * A brick, stone or iron receptacle for baking bread or other food in. back
monument KILN * A furnace or oven for burning, baking or drying. Use specific type where known. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument FLUE * A passageway, duct or pipe use for the conveyance of heat, gasses, smoke or air. back
monument PEDESTAL * A concrete, cylindrical pedestal on which a spigot mortar was mounted. The pedestal is often the only evidence for a Spigot Mortar emplacement to survive. back
monument POTTERY KILN * A structure, composed of oven and hovel, used for the firing of pottery ware. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument HAMMER * A machine in which a heavy block of metal is used for beating, breaking or driving something. back
monument RECREATION GROUND * A public ground with facilities for games and other activities. back
monument LABORATORY * A group of buildings or rooms equipped with apparatus for scientific experiments or other research, testing and investigations. back
monument WORKS * Usually a complex of buildings for the processing of raw materials. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record