Early 16th c. pottery kiln found May 1969 when the farmer ploughed a low mound. Excavated by David Kelly, Arch. Asst Maidstone Museum who indicated the exact find-site at TQ 83183948. Finds in Maidstone Museum include jugs, bowls, storage jars with lowerbungholes and jars with lids, dishes. Some glazing is evident on all. To be published. (1) TQ 83183948. An early Tudor pottery kiln at Hareplain, Biddenden was discovered in May 1969 when B. Stent of Brissenden ploughed a slight mound in one of his fields, revealing an area of burnt soil and a massof potsherds. Most of the Kiln must have been destroyed even before the last ploughing. Excavation revealed that the oven floor remained,about 4 inches thick, as did the base of the oven wall or lining alongthe north east and south west sides, with an opening at both ends of the kiln. No trace of the flues survived but both to the north west and south east of the kiln the natural clay was burnt in patches (see plan). The kiln could either have been of the double flue up draught or horizontal through-draught type. The former seems to be the most probable. Some 20 ft north west of the kiln was a large pit filled with wood ash, potsherds, including some from wasters, and fragemts ofthe clay kiln cover. A circular hole, to the south of the south east flue may have been a large post-hole. Although no vessel was in a complete state, detailed analysis of the 259 identified suggest that the kiln may be dated to the first quarterof the 16th century. Pottery comparable with the products of the Hareplain kiln has been found at Pivington (TQ 94 NW 7), Lamb's Cross, Chart Sutton (TQ 74 NE 19), and at Aydhurst (TQ 74 SE 7). (2)

<1> F1 CFW 07.11.69 (OS Card Reference). SKE42463.

<2> Arch Cant 87 1972 159-76 (D B Kelly) (OS Card Reference). SKE35882.

<3> Field report for monument TQ 83 NW 9 - November, 1969 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4324.