Monument record TQ 67 SE 1326 - A shallow but concentrated seam of Roman pottery north of Shornemead Fort

A shallow but concentrated seam of Roman pottery has been recorded eroding from the upper foreshore silts on the North Kent coast. Partial excavation over an area of approximately two square metres revealed that the material represents a primary deposit of mid‑second‑century date, most likely between AD 150 and 180. The pottery lay undisturbed beneath alluvial silt, and many of the sherds were fresh, unabraded and in some cases conjoining, demonstrating that the deposit had not been reworked. On the basis of its composition and condition, it is interpreted as the original infilling of a linear feature, probably a ditch or a small tidal creek, rather than representing later redeposition.

The ceramic assemblage is dominated by Black‑Burnished Ware Type 2 forms, Highgate Wood Ware (AD 140-160/180) and its enhanced variants, local Medway greywares, and North Kent Shell‑Tempered bowls, several of which display surface damage caused by prolonged exposure to saline conditions. A range of imported finewares, including products from the Nene Valley industry (>AD 150) and Cologne roughcast vessels, was also present, together with a Colchester‑type mortarium bearing a herringbone‑pattern trader’s stamp (AD 140-180/190). These items collectively indicate access to, and consumption of, high‑quality tablewares and therefore suggest a relatively high‑status domestic presence in the vicinity during the mid‑Roman period. Additional finds include amphora fragments, a Medway flagon, a further flagon repaired with pitch, and several vessels showing splashes of orange‑yellow pigment that may relate to the use or production of dyes.
In contrast to many other Roman foreshore deposits in this part of Kent, the seam contained no animal bone, oyster shell or briquetage debris, an absence that is unusual for the area. Nevertheless, its proximity to two known salt‑working sites—SMF 02, a briquetage dump located approximately 35 m to the north‑east, and SMF 03, a briquetage working floor situated within 10 m—suggests that all three features may form part of a wider Roman industrial and domestic landscape.
Stratigraphically, the pottery was sealed within upper foreshore alluvial silt overlying blue alluvial clay. The margins of the feature may have been disturbed by a later military drain or sluice positioned nearby. Despite this, the pottery deposit remains generally intact, although its edges are vulnerable to ongoing tidal scour. The surrounding foreshore is now beginning to be recolonised by marsh vegetation, which may obscure further exposures.
Although the deposit is currently stable beneath encroaching marsh flora, it remains at risk from episodic storm‑driven erosion. Further intrusive work is not recommended, but periodic monitoring is advised, particularly after severe weather, to record any newly exposed material before it is lost to coastal processes.

<1> Steve Trim, 2026, SHORNE/HIGHAM THAMESIDE ROMANO-BRITISH SITES 2012-2015+, SMF (01) (Unpublished document). SKE58794.