Monument record TQ 77 NW 1340 - Roman saltern, Higham Marshes

HCW 03 is a Roman-period archaeological site dated to the early to mid‑2nd century AD, identified as a salt‑making site with associated briquetage floors and production debris.

The recorded deposits consist of extensive spreads of briquetage, the coarse ceramic material associated with salt production. These spreads include rammed briquetage surfaces sealing dense accumulations of broken NKSH (North Kent Shell‑tempered Ware) jars. NKSH bowls are also present, though in smaller quantities than jars. Many ceramic fragments exhibit cream to green reaction films, observed on both briquetage pan fragments and NKSH sherds. These films are recorded as mineral reactions associated with repeated exposure to saline conditions and heat. Some NKSH jars retain traces of pitch around their rims.

The briquetage assemblage includes pans, firebars, pedestals, and wedges. The pans are described as sub‑rectangular with rounded corners. The deposits also contain charcoal lenses, animal bone, and occasional sherds of BB2 (Black‑Burnished Ware 2). A rammed briquetage floor is recorded a few metres to the south‑west of the main concentration, with additional briquetage floors present nearby.

Other ceramic material includes VRW (Verulamium Region Ware) bowls and lids, and an amphora base of Dressel 20 type, a standard Roman amphora form. Small finds recorded from the site comprise a glass bead, a lead seal, a fragment of a brooch, and an iron bucket handle. The faunal assemblage is noted but not further specified in detail.

Stratigraphically, the site represents a multi‑phase accumulation located at the edge of a former marsh. The sequence includes both primary deposits, such as rammed briquetage surfaces, and secondary elements, including redeposited ceramic material. The upper deposits are described as friable red briquetage, overlying a dense pack of NKSH sherds. Numerous sherds are reported to be co‑joining, with several NKSH jar rims capable of reconstruction.

Dating evidence is derived from ceramic typology. VRW lids indicate activity focused in the 1st century AD, while the presence of BB2 suggests deposition continuing after approximately AD 110–120. On this basis, the recorded period of activity for the site is placed between AD 110 and 160, corresponding to the early to mid‑2nd century.
HCW 03 lies within the HCW industrial zone and is spatially associated with nearby briquetage floors. The assemblage and deposits are noted as having parallels with material recorded at Stanford Wharf in Essex, based on form and fabric comparisons.

In terms of condition, the site is described as partly intact, with areas of surviving stratigraphy, but is subject to continuing erosion. Identified threats include tidal attrition and the progressive loss of exposed and chemically altered surfaces. Recommended actions focus on controlled sampling for chemical and mineralogical residue analysis, micro‑excavation restricted to active erosion faces, and environmental analysis of charred organic remains, all undertaken to record material at risk without wider disturbance.(1)

<1> Steve Trim, 2026, SHORNE/HIGHAM THAMESIDE ROMANO-BRITISH SITES 2012-2015+, HCW 03 (Unpublished document). SKE58794.