Medieval pottery kiln at Crows Cross, Braintree Corner (EHER 6842)

Medieval pottery kiln, oval in plan with a single flue, was excavated at Braintree Corner, Sible Hedingham in 1937. The pottery fabrics included a fine micaceous slightly sandy fabric and grey coarsewares. Production took place from the late 12th century until the late 13th century. Some of the finds are present in Colchester Castle Museum.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: June 1950. Field visit. A medieval pear-shaped kiln with clay walls and a single fire-hole was excavated in 1937. It was found 3ft deep in laying a drain beside N. Ripper's house at Sible Hedingham <1>. Finds included a storage jar and late 13th century sherds and wasters which are in the Colchester Castle Museum. Site pointed out by N. Ripper to F1 at TL 78703275 <1>. About 2 cwt of pottery was found during the excavation, including enough of a large storage jar to enable it to be reconstructed. It is typically 13th century and probably of the later part of that century. Workmen apparently also found pottery when they dug out foundations a few metres east of the kiln site. <2> - <5> The kiln measured 6' 3" x 4' 4" with a central support 4' 2" x 10-12". The hard burnt clay sides were less than 1" thick, were best preserved on the southern side (no trace of a floor there). The central support was made with "great balls of clay, which had been partly burnt in position and then lutes together and burnt again". The latest kiln lining was scarcely burnt (possibly evidence of alterations or repairs). The floor was almost flat, not specially level, of burnt earth and clay. It was covered with charcoal and ash, in turn covered by black sooty soil and pottery. "The entrance had been nearly blocked by a heap of chalky boulder clay" over this layer. Few pieces of kiln structure were found. "The stoke hole was approached by a shallow shelving trench. On either side of the opening the fired walls curved away, becoming less burnt, the outermost parts hardly burnt at all". Section in <6> shows the kiln cut into gravel. Plan in this source also (both presumably traced from 1937 drawings). Four photos in Colchester Museum records, according to <6>. <6> - <12> June 2020. Watching brief. A watching brief monitored groundworks on the site of Crows Cross. Only the remains of mid 20th century frogged brickwork were discovered. The brickwork likely represented the remains of the septic tank that was added during the construction of the 20th century house. <13> See also: <14> <15> NRHE data transfer: A pottery industry centred on the Sible Hedingham area has been documented from the 13th century until the 19th century. Excavations have located several medieval pottery kilns which were in production from the late 12th century however as yet, little is known of the post-medieval kilns. <16> <17>