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Site Name:
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Bardown |
OS Reference:
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TQ 6630 2930
Click here to view on Where's The Path |
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Parish:
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Ticehurst |
Former Parish:
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Hundred:
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District:
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Rother |
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County:
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East Sussex |
River Basin:
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Medway |
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Site Type:
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Bloomery, Administrative Centre |
Period:
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Roman |
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Century:
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03, 02 |
Geology:
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Ashdown Beds |
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Geology notes:
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Adjacent Wadhurst Clay
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Earliest known date:
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Latest known date:
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Dating evidence:
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Pottery dating mainly from c.AD 120-250 but smaller amounts of earlier and later Roman pottery were present; imported types suggest trade in iron to sources in north and east Kent and the near continent. Coins date from Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) to Caracalla (AD 198-217)
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Site Description:
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The settlement covers about 3ha, on the south bank of the River Limden. It is divided into two areas, the western half being devoted to ironmaking activities and the eastern being residential. A dump of refuse (tap slag, cinder, furnace debris, domestic waste, etc.) extends for about 100m along the south bank of the Limden stream. There is evidence of ore-digging on the north bank of the stream and in innumerable pits within 3km radius of the settlement. It appears to have been founded in the first half of the second century and to have continued for about 100 years. The buildings excavated (which included a standard military-style barrack block) were timber-framed. Ironmaking was carried out at the settlement itself throughout the second century but was discontinued after about AD 200, the industrial buildings being dismantled or abandoned and covered with a deep layer of domestic rubbish. Of the 28 CLBR stamped tiles found on the site, 24 were found in this layer. After about AD 200, ironmaking appears to have been continued at a series of satellite sites, 2-3km from the main settlement and connected with it by slag-metalled roads. So far seven such sites have been tentatively identified, of which one, Holbeanwood (q.v.) has been excavated. The settlement appears to have been abandoned and possibly dismantled in the first half of the third century. There was no evidence for destruction by burning in the last phase, although several buildings seem to have been destroyed by fire in earlier phases. There was slight evidence of casual reoccupation in later third century. No smelting furnaces were located during the excavations. However, two pit-type ore-roasting furnaces and a possible charcoal-burning hearth were discovered.
In addition to iron production, pottery was made at Bardown and supplied to the site at Westhawk Farm, Kingsnorth, near Ashford (q.v.).
A geophysical survey of the site c.2011 revealed evidence of an area of intense magnetic responses to the north-east of where Cleere had excavated indicating the probable presence of the bloomery furnaces he had been unable to locate (Hodgkinson & McLaughlin, 2011).
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Scheduled Monument Number:
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1473350 |
HER Reference:
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MES2473 (ANA) |
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Bay Height (m.):
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Bay Length (m.):
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Classis Britannica tiles:
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Yes |
Samian pottery:
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Yes |
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Cylindrical slag plugs:
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Yes |
Two-finery forge:
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No |
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Excavation?:
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Yes |
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Excavation Details:
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see Cleere, H. (1970)
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Description of site vegetation:
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Slag Heap Area (m. sq) :
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Slag heap grade (Hodgkinson 1999):
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3 |
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Persons Involved in Discovery:
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Julia Odell and Eden Dickson (1909)
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References:
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Hodgkinson, J. S.. (1999) Romano-British iron production in the Sussex and Kent Weald: a review of current data. Historical Metallurgy. 33, no. 2. pp. 68-72
(for this site see page(s) 70)
Ascherson, C. N.. (1949) Roman pottery from Ticehurst. Sussex Notes and Queries. 12. 6 & 7. pp. 161-3
Cleere, H. F.. (1963) A note on Roman bloomery tuyeres. Sussex Archaeological Collections. 101. pp. 48-53
(for this site see page(s) 49-50)
Brodribb, A. G.. (1969) Stamped tiles of the 'Classis Britannica'. Sussex Archaeological Collections. 107. pp. 102-125
Cleere, H. F.. (1971) Cyclical operations at Roman bloomeries. Bulletin of the Historical Metallurgy Group. 5, 2. pp. 74-75
Haverfield, F.. (1916) Notes and Queries No. 2, Roman remains from Ticehurst. Sussex Archaeological Collections. 58. pp. 195
Lyne, M. A. B. (2010) The Roman pottery from the excavations at Bardown, Wadhurst from 1958 to 1969 by Henry Cleere. Unpublished (deposited in the Sussex Archaeological Society library, Barbican House, Lewes). Littlehampton
Hodgkinson, R. and McLaughlin, T.. (2011) An investigation into Bardown and its environs. Independent Historical Research Group (unpublished)
Straker, E. (1931) Wealden Iron. Bell. London
(for this site see page(s) 296)
Cleere, H. F.. (1970) The Romano-British industrial site at Bardown, Wadhurst. Sussex Archaeological Society. Lewes
Cleere, H. F. and Crossley, D. W.. (1995) The iron industry of the Weald. Merton Priory Press. Cardiff
(for this site see page(s) 303-4)
Cleere, H. F.. (1974) The Roman Iron Industry of the Weald and its Connexions with the Classis Britannica. Archaeological Journal. 131. pp. 171-199
(for this site see page(s) 190)
Hodson, L. J. & Odell, J. A.. (1925) Ticehurst. Courier. Tunbridge Wells
(for this site see page(s) 27-8)
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Persons with known connections to this site:
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Documents:
(click to download)
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Images:
(click on a thumbnail to view)
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