Roman settlement complex, Gun Hill, West Tilbury (EHER 1791)

Settlement complex with Bronze Age to Roman occupation including Pottery Kilns destroyed by gravel working in 1969-70

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Cropmark complex discovered in the late 1950's. Series of APs taken 1959-1968. Enclosures, trackways, pit-like cropmarks. Much of the area was quarried without archaeological observation and some cropmark features were quarried away in 1967-1968 (see EHER 1792). The major features were excavated in 1969-1970 before their destruction (for prehistoric features see EHER 1789 and 1790). In the late 1st century AD the mid 1st century enclosure (see EHER 1790) was mainly used for industrial purposes. Romano British pottery kilns were built in its backfilled enclosure ditches. Three kilns are known for certain but others were destroyed without record. The upper layers of the northern ditch were filled with kiln debris which spread down the eastern and western ditches and occurred in patches in the southern one. Shallow pits were excavated, they contained charcoal, ash and kiln debris. The major north-south ditch (see EHER 1790) was still visible in some form at least, as pits were dug along its length. No kilns were detected here. The enclosure kilns were of the updraught type with circular furnaces. Traces of fired clay floors were found, pierced with holes. There was probably a central pedestal for support. One kiln, in the north east corner, overlay a pit so the earliest kiln may not have survived. Much associated pottery was found with the kilns, mostly waste material. There was no evidence for 1st century domestic occupation. After the 1st century, however, the site reverted to agriculture. The remnants of the enclosure bank were levelled, by ploughing it seems. The plough soil over the gravel tip from bank levelling contained some 2nd-3rd century pottery and quern fragments. The major north-south ditch was still visible in some form. One of the prehistoric east-west ditches contained Roman pottery in an upper layer. On the edge of the plateau on which the major cropmarks lay, the east-west delimiting ditch may have been recut at this time. Another ditch in this area may be another cut on a different axis. Of the finds from the Roman phase of the site, the kiln pottery was divided into 4 fabrics on visual examination. Roman pottery found also included moratoria and Samian. Finds of sherds of South Spanish Amphorae could be pre or post Conquest. Animal bone was also found in Roman contexts. The pottery from the kilns copied late Belgic types, in inferior fabrics. A smooth black finish was intended, it seems, and possibly some slip-coated wares were attempted. <1> <2> Aerial Photograph references: <3>-<7> Maps of cropmarks in SMR and on OS plan card. <8> <9> <10> Other refs: <11> <12> in <11> <13> Two sketch plans of area and adjacent features in the record. <14> Additional reference. <15> More than three pottery kilns listed. <16> Three pottery kilns listed. <13> The enclosure at Gun Hill, Tilbury has been considered as a possible fortlet although the excavators suggested that it was a first century AD "military defence in the broadest sense of the term". <17>