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paradox of an industrial decline coinciding with an apparently stable urban
condition is not easily resolved. The surmised economic problems of the
period (Young 1977a, 235-6) may have affected those with commercial
interests more severely than those whose wealth lay in property and agrarian
investments. No kiln sites in east Kent can be ascribed a post-Antonine date
except for the enigmatic site at Preston-near-Wingham (6.VII). Fulford
(1977b) has observed that urban potteries in Roman Britain are generally a
feature of the first two centuries of the province rather than of the later
years. On balance, it seems unlikely that a co-ordinated, nucleated industry
existed in the vicinity of third-century Canterbury, although individual
concerns may have functioned at the household industry or individual
workshop level (Chapter 6), each supplying a small but possibly quite
widespread market within east Kent.
IV. OTHER PRODUCTION SITES
1. Known Kilns
Publication of the four isolated kiln sites identified in Kent (5.1) is
either inadequate (Preston, Otford) or of an interim nature (Ash-cum-Ridley,
Eccles). They are discussed in the following chapter, and their wares
described in greater detail in the preceding one.
2. Sites suggested by Wasters
In addition to kilns and substantial dumps of wasters, a small number of
imperfect vessels has been published from occupation sites, including a
blistered late second- to early fourth-century jar/bowl from Hartlip (?)
(Noel Hume 1954,
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86 and fig. 3, no. 6; no. 194 here), and a warped late first- to early
second-century jar/bowl from West Wickham Fox Hill (Philp 1973, fig. 22, no.
159). To these vessels may be added the wasters from around the Medway
estuary published by Noel Hume (1954) and Monaghan (1982; 1983; 1987), the
possible kiln rejects from Cooling (Miles 1973; Pollard forthcoming, b;
noted by Swan 1984, 397-8), and an enigmatic group from Richborough
excavated by Bushe-Fox but not published.
The Richborough material comes from a box labelled 'Sec. 47
15'-19' b. datum "Kiln Waste" in Dover Castle (Department of
the Environment store). This section was cut across the face of the causeway
across the Claudian ditches (Area XVI: Bushe-Fox 1949). The pottery (the
range is illustrated by nos. 85-88 here) is in a coarse sandy wheel-thrown
ware, mostly grey but occasionally red to purple, with some differential
colouration of joining sherds. This, and the adhesion of pale green globules
of glassy vitrified clay on both surfaces and fractures, implies either
shattering (due to extremely high temperatures) in the kiln or secondary
firing. No pottery kiln has been recorded at Richborough, but the fact that
some sherds are buckled suggests that kiln waste may be represented.
Typologically, the vessels belong to the late first to early/mid-second
century.
3. Areas of Production suggested by Distribution
of Wares
The potential locations of certain household industries, defined thus by
the character of their wares, have been discussed elsewhere (Chapters 4;
6.III.2). The domestic site at Greenhithe
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