Monument record 1080/0/17 - Roman Middlewich - West of King Street (Bestwick site J)

Site J - On the west side of King Street in open fields. Area of industrial activity occupied from mid-late Flavian to mid 4th century. In late 2nd and 3rd centuries area was occupied by working yards containing iron working furnaces. Also a system of ditches running N-S and E-W - probably boundary markers, as well as drainage ditches. Iron working furnaces were of three forms - simple clay-lined bowl furnace in which iron blooms were reheated before forging; circular low-fired clay discs, l.5m in diameter; and rectangular clay furnace with a small hearth at one side. The slag from the site indicates forging and scaling activities and a few egs of smelting slag indicate the presence of iron smelting furnaces nearby. Nails and an iron spade blade were made on the site.In the late 3rd and early 4th century an open-sided workshop based on six large post holes was erected. Occupation of the mid 4th century was represented by coarse pottery and a coin. Many cattle bones indicate the close connection between the settlement and the rural farming communities and fragments of briquetage in the 2nd century deposits indicate the proximity of salt kilns. The site is only 8m from that of the brine kiln found in 1960 (RN:-1080/3) (1). Heaps of iron slag were found to the west (2). Depth of stratigraphy c.2.5 ft. Roman levels start c.9 ins below ground surface (6).

<1> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 2/29-30 Bestwick J D 1974 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

<2> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 3/49 Bestwick J D 1975 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, Various, CBA Group 5 Archaeological Newsletter, 21/8 Bestwick J D 1973 (Newsletter). SCH547.

<4> Council for British Archaeology, Various, CBA Group 5 Archaeological Newsletter, 22/10 Bestwick J D 1973 (Newsletter). SCH547.

<5> Council for British Archaeology, Various, CBA Group 5 Archaeological Newsletter, 23/9 Bestwick J D 1974 (Newsletter). SCH547.

<6> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Stubbs D A 1986 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

<7> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.421 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.