HER 267 - Roman Tile Kilns, Ashtead Common

Roman tile kilns (1st-2nd Century AD), clay pits and associated finds were found on Ashtead Common. A survey of features has recorded three areas of clay working, two of which can be assigned to the Roman period. The largest Roman clay pit was found to have two, or probably three, peripheral areas of brick firing. One of these was examined and is almost certainly the remains of a clamp kiln associated with the clay pit by a paved ramp.

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Archaeological History

Activity	Person & Organisation	Dates
field survey	Currie, C K CKCA	1998-12-01
Description Survey of the archaeological and historic landscape of the Commons by C Currie of CKC Archaeology for Surrey County Council and the Corporation of London undertaken with reference to them being proposed as Areas of Historic Landscape Value. In the north of Ashtead Common a number of earthworks and other features surround the site of a Roman villa. The villa is a rare type of corridor villa, with considerable evidence that it adjoined a large scale tile manufactory. Extensive areas of quarries and spoil heaps demonstrate the extent of industrial activity on the site in the Roman period. Nearby are further earthworks associated with a large undated ditched enclosure, and a 17th century medicinal well. There are also a large number of ancient pollarded oaks on the common. They are a rare survival of an ancient land management type that was mainly superseded in other parts of England in the post-medieval period by overgrazing. Epsom Common has few surviving historic features. The site of Old Wells, a 17th century mineral spring for which Epsom is strongly associated, is covered in housing. Those features that do remain, such as the Stew Ponds, have been much altered, and the historic character of the farmland to the south-west of Ashtead Common has been affected by the evolution of temporary features associated with the pasturing of horses. Location Surrey, Mole Valley, Ashtead, Grid Reference TQ 178 602 Associated Sources Title Author Type More info CKC Archaeology Currie, C K document more... Reference An evaluation of the archaeological and historic landscape of Ashtead and Epsom Commons in Surrey Volume 1: text reports and appendices Reference 28/02/99 Reference Volume 1: text reports and appendices Reference Volume 1 of 2 Holding Location Surrey SMR 1 part
field survey	Currie, C K CKCA	1998-12-01
Description Survey of the archaeological and historic landscape of the Commons by C Currie of CKC Archaeology for Surrey County Council and the Corporation of London undertaken with reference to them being proposed as Areas of Historic Landscape Value. In the north of Ashtead Common a number of earthworks and other features surround the site of a Roman villa. The villa is a rare type of corridor villa, with considerable evidence that it adjoined a large scale tile manufactory. Extensive areas of quarries and spoil heaps demonstrate the extent of industrial activity on the site in the Roman period. Nearby are further earthworks associated with a large undated ditched enclosure, and a 17th century medicinal well. There are also a large number of ancient pollarded oaks on the common. They are a rare survival of an ancient land management type that was mainly superseded in other parts of England in the post-medieval period by overgrazing. Epsom Common has few surviving historic features. The site of Old Wells, a 17th century mineral spring for which Epsom is strongly associated, is covered in housing. Those features that do remain, such as the Stew Ponds, have been much altered, and the historic character of the farmland to the south-west of Ashtead Common has been affected by the evolution of temporary features associated with the pasturing of horses. Location Surrey, Mole Valley, Ashtead, Grid Reference TQ 178 602 Associated Sources Title Author Type More info CKC Archaeology Currie, C K document more... Reference An evaluation of the archaeological and historic landscape of Ashtead and Epsom Commons in Surrey Volume 2: maps Reference 28/02/99 Reference Volume 2: maps Reference Volume 2 of 2 Holding Location Surrey SMR 1 part
test pit	Bird, D SyAS	2006-01-01
Description Centred at TQ 1775 6017. The report describes trenches and finds from the site. Accurate location of the site of the villa was possible and a trench opened to test the approach road close to its frontage. Two large spoil heaps exist near the villa as well as one for the detached bath-house. The road was also tested further away from the villa, on the line recorded on the OS maps. Some pottery, likely to be of prehistoric date, was found in test pits. The main site is a Romano-British villa complex with a ‘house’ plus a detached bath-house and approach road; there is a tile-manufacturing complex adjacent. The house plan may be unique in Britain. This was a limited programme of work that achieved all of its aims and a full programme was planned for the following year. In the interim, work started on aspects of finds, research, including reassessment of finds from Captain Lowther’s original excavations and integration of information from John Hampton regarding his survey and excavation work on the tile works and the surroundings of the villa.Surrey Archaeology Society Location Surrey, Mole Valley, Ashtead, Grid Reference TQ 178 602 Associated Sources Title Author Type More info Produced by Surrey Archaeology Society Bird, D document more... Reference Assessment of archaeological information on Ashtead Common villa and tile works, Ashtead and to carry out further fieldwork over four or five years. Reference 01/01/06 Reference Centred at TQ 1775 6017. The report describes trenches and finds from the site. Accurate location of the site of the villa was possible and a trench opened to test the approach road close to its frontage. Two large spoil heaps exist near the villa as well as one for the detached bath-house. The road was also tested further away from the villa, on the line recorded on the OS maps. Some pottery, likely to be of prehistoric date, was found in test pits. The main site is a Romano-British villa complex with a ‘house’ plus a detached bath-house and approach road; there is a tile-manufacturing complex adjacent. The house plan may be unique in Britain. This was a limited programme of work that achieved all of its aims and a full programme was planned for the following year. In the interim, work started on aspects of finds, research, including reassessment of finds from Captain Lowther’s original excavations and integration of information from John Hampton regarding his survey and excavation work on the tile works and the surroundings of the villa. Holding Location Surrey HER 1 part

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