Monument record RKS 010 - Gardenhouse Field, Pound Field. (Rom)

Large Rom site extending over two fields, Gardenhouse and Pound, S of The Street and W of Gardenhouse Lane, excavated by B Brown in 1946. Excavation revealed oval, updraught pedestal kiln on Gardenhouse Field, (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), with building remains to the N close to the hedge between the two fields.
Clay kiln plates were found and the kiln was re-opened in September 1953 for geophysical tests by Cambridge Museum. The rectangular building, circa 18 x 32 feet had a beaten sand floor and flint wall footings with post holes 3 feet apart. A large patch of puddled white clay was found in one corner of the room and this led Brown to suppose that the site of the potter's wheel had been within the building, which he afterwards called the Potter's Shed. Brown had been recording finds made on the fields since the early 1930's and relates that 2 complete pots had been found in one of the many sandpits on Pound Field by workmen prior to 1935. His field plan M137 shows site of hearth or furnace and a long narrow ditch filled with black earth near which tile fragments, Samian ware and coins had been found - all on Pound Field. A conglomerate quern had been ploughed out on Pound Field in 1945. The whole of Pound Field seems to have been disturbed due to the many pit workings over this area over a long period. Artefacts from the 1946 excavation included "much Samian and painted ware", part of an amphora rim, an iron chisel with a splayed blade and a bronze pin. Coins included Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161), Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180)(both from Gardenhouse Field), Carausius (AD 287- 293)(Pound Field), Constantine I (AD 307-337)(Gardenhouse), Delmatius (AD 335-337)(Pound), Constantine II (AD 337-340)(Gardenhouse), Theodosius (AD 379-395)(Gardenhouse)(S1-S3)(R1).
1979: Building application at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), c.100m SE of known site approved, site visited 12 May 1980, foundations already completed and soil removed. No finds noted (S4).
198606: During initial earth moving (estate road and sewers) on further building development, Rom illegible bronze coin found metal detecting by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) and further finds by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) from field under development include grey ware and bronze Constantinian coin Gloria Exercitus with two standards (AD 330-5) in possible kiln black soil area (see 19860624) for this feature (S5). 19860624: Site visited and black soil area noted above located on edge of road. Represented Rom feature with black fill and kiln debris, reputedly extending further originally. Large burnt clay fragments on adjacent spoil heap. Section of black fill excavated. Finds from two features included Nene Valley ware, red colour coat, ? Castor box, grey wares (640 grms) and thin baked clay with vegetable impressions of `domeplate' type. Further sherds on surface (S7).
198609; 198611: Further metal detecting etc., by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) located further grey micaceous wares and five C3-mid C4 coins (listed), mainly from area of 1986 excavation and further 3 bronze coins listed also one Rom sherd found on site visit (S6).