Reasons for Designation
Around 34 Roman tileries are known in England, mainly located in the south and
east. They were in use from the late first century to the fourth century AD,
with a peak in construction during the second century. Generally they consist
of one or more kilns, a preparation and drying area, clay pits, tile dumps and
associated worksheds. Typically they were used to produce tiles and bricks,
although sometimes pottery was also made.
Early examples tend to be associated with military installations, whereas
later ones are associated with villas. The most prominent components of a kiln
are the combustion chamber, the central flue, the fire tunnel and the
stokehole. All known examples are rectangular in shape and built from tile,
stone, brick or clay blocks. Raw clay, which hardens in the firing process is
often used as cement. Tileries are most commonly sited away from settlements
and may occasionally be part of a larger industrial complex. Known examples
are associated primarily with roads, waterways, forts and villas, although the
prime factor in the selection of a site was probably a readily available
supply of workable clay. Tileries are almost exclusively found in the
countryside where the site utilises the lie of the land to enhance the
technology, typically built into a hillside with the central flue to the rear
and the stokehole nearest to the surface, close to a supply of running water.
Although a particularly characteristic building material in the Roman period,
bricks and tiles were not used before the Roman conquest and did not continue
in use after the Roman period until the early medieval period.
Roman tileries are very rare and form an essential element of the Roman
countryside. All tileries which clearly serve or are associated with other
buildings, as well as sites which demonstrate the technology and range of
products, have been identified as being of national importance.
Details
The site includes the remains of Grimscar Roman tilery. The site is situated
in Grimscar Woods, approximately 2km north west of the centre of Huddersfield.
The tilery sits approximately half way down the northern slope of the steep-
sided valley of Grimscar Dike.
Limited excuvations have confirmed that the site retains evidence of a series
of kilns, stoke holes, areas of kiln rakings and tile and waster dumps. A kiln
measuring approximately 3m by 4m was dug into the bedrock to a depth of 1.25m.
The natural banded sandstone formed the base of the kiln where ash from the
firing would have collected. The main chamber, the combustion chamber, had a
vaulted ceiling constructed mainly from the excavated sandstone. Above the
combustion chamber was the firing chamber, the walls of which were again
constructed from locally available stone. The walls of this chamber were set
on ledges cut into the walls of the original pit. They were supported on clay
and stone foundations and stood to a height of 1m. The top of the chamber was
constructed in clay and sat level with the contemporary ground level. Puddled
clay was used to prevent air escaping through cracks in the masonry of the
firing chamber. Once the kiln was loaded and sealed it was fired, fuel being
fed in through the stoke pit at the south eastern end. Although small scale
excavation of the site in 1955/56 and 1964 revealed only one kiln, it is clear
from tile dumps and kiln rakings (found some distance from the excavated kiln)
that further kilns lie in the area. The finds from the Grimscar excavations
consist mainly of roof, flue, floor, and Voussoir tiles, some of which were
stamped with `COH IIII BRE'. Roof tiles stamped with the same markings were
recovered from the nearby Roman fort and bath house at Slack. Some pottery was
also produced at the site. The types recovered can be dated to the first and
early second century AD. This helps to confirm the period of operations at
Grimscar.
The stamped tiles bear witness to the fact that Grimscar tilery was a military
establishment operated by the Fourth Cohort of the Breuci. The site produced
building material and pottery used at Slack Roman Fort and bath house, located
about 4km west of Grimscar. The operation of the tilery would have coincided
with the Trajanic and Hadrianic reconstructions at Slack. An enlargement of
the bath house in the Hadrianic period would have required particularly large
quantities of tile. Such a clear relationship between a tilery and the users
of its products is unusual.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29899
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
