Monument record TQ 83 SE 1 - Bloomery, Rolvenden Layne, Rolvenden

Summary

An iron working site (bloomery) existed at Rolvenden Layne, Rolvenden. The field "Cinderbank", now pasture, has beds of ancient nondescript cinder beneath the turf, so compact that posts could not be driven through them. The southern boundary of "Cinderbank", abutting an old water-course, now a drain, contains much bloomery waste (slag), and a dark patch a few metres from the stream side, also contains slag and some ironstone.

Location

Grid reference TQ 856 308 (point) FCE
Map sheet TQ83SE
County KENT
District ASHFORD, KENT
Civil Parish ROLVENDEN, ASHFORD, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

[TQ 85553063] A bloomery existed at Rolvenden Layne at Lat 51 deg 2' 40" N., Long. 0 deg 38' 50" E. The field "cinderbank", now pasture, has beds of ancient amorphous type cinder beneath the turf, so compact as to prevent posts being driven through them. (1) Southern boundary of 'Cinderbank', abutting an old water-course, now a drain, contains much bloomery slag, and a dark patch at TQ 85553081, a few metres from the stream side, also contains slag and some ironstone. The site appears to have been small as there is no evidence of slag elsewhere. (a) (2) Centred TQ 855308. Cinderbank. (3) TQ 855303 Rolvenden, appears in a checklist of all known Wealden bloomery sites. (4)

Field observation in 2003 confirmed the presence of a surface deposit in the ploughsoil of iron slag, covering an area of 70m in diameter, straddling the modern field boundary. Two sherds of East Sussex ware were found, in addition to a few fragments of clay furnace lining. (9)


<1> Wealden Iron 1931 323 (E Straker) (OS Card Reference). SKE51299.

<2> G Newton Taylor, Upper Farm, Rolvenden. (OS Card Reference). SKE43453.

<3> F1 CFW 09.10.62 (OS Card Reference). SKE42487.

<4> Tenterden Tithe Map c.1840 (OS Card Reference). SKE49830.

<5> F2 ASP 11-JAN-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43099.

<6> Iron Ind of the Weald 1985 293 (H Cleere & D Crossley) (OS Card Reference). SKE44512.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 83 SE 1 - October, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4326.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 83 SE 1 - January, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4327.

<9> Neil Aldridge, 2009, Letter from Neil Aldridge with details of sites from the Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group (Unpublished document). SKE16635.

Sources/Archives (9)

  • <1> OS Card Reference: Wealden Iron 1931 323 (E Straker).
  • <2> OS Card Reference: G Newton Taylor, Upper Farm, Rolvenden..
  • <3> OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 09.10.62.
  • <4> OS Card Reference: Tenterden Tithe Map c.1840.
  • <5> OS Card Reference: F2 ASP 11-JAN-63.
  • <6> OS Card Reference: Iron Ind of the Weald 1985 293 (H Cleere & D Crossley).
  • <7>XY Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 83 SE 1 - October, 1962. [Mapped feature: #26881 bloomery, ]
  • <8> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 83 SE 1 - January, 1963.
  • <9> Unpublished document: Neil Aldridge. 2009. Letter from Neil Aldridge with details of sites from the Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group.

Finds (3)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Observation of surface deposit of iron slag, Rolvenden (EKE10887)

Record last edited

Aug 20 2021 5:42PM