Stuart Woledge

THE DISCOVERY of two Roman structures in Otford could lead to a revaluation of their time in Britain.

The last two weeks of an archeological project to excavate a site in the village drew to a close earlier this month with experts believing they may have unearthed two pottery kilns, each around 4m in diameter.

Until now it had not been thought that the firing of pottery – a huge industry in Roman times – was carried out in this area.

Sevenoaks archeologist Diarmaid Walshe spearheaded the dig.

He believes if scientific analysis proves his finds are kilns, Otford could have been at the centre of an industry that supplied pottery to Roman settlements all over the South East.

"If they are pottery kilns it's very important because, according to experts, there were no pottery kilns in this area.

"We can't confirm it yet, but on the face of it they do appear to be pottery kilns because we've got massive quantities of pottery sitting in there.

"Pottery was like plastic is today. It would have been used from day to day.

"It could confirm Otford was a very important centre in Roman Britain and the South East because it would have been a large centre of production."

Although Mr Walshe admitted the structures could in fact turn out to be bread ovens, the further discovery of a puddling pond nearby seems to add weight to his theory.

He explained the puddling pond, around 20m by 10m, would have been used for processing the clay before moulding and then firing it in the kilns.

Items such as roof tiles would almost certainly have been made there and transported around the region.

"This would have been a large scale industry," he said.

Scientific analysis should confirm his theory one way or another within the next three months.

As well as the structures, his team of 45, who came from as far away as Florida in the US, also discovered around 50 coins dating from the 1st century right up until the end of the Roman period in the 4th century.

Seven broaches, one of which can still be fastened, were uncovered too.

And the discovery of an early Saxon whorl, which would have been used to spin thread, gave further cause for excitement.

The Saxons prospered after the Romans deserted Britain, although comparably little is known about their society.

Mr Walshe said: "That was the Dark Ages so we're not fully sure what happened.

"All we do know is that even after the Romans left, there was still some form of settlement in Otford."

This is not the first time Mr Walshe has made the headlines.

Last year the Chronicle reported he had uncovered evidence that suggested the site in Otford – the exact location of which remains a closely guarded secret – dated back to the Stone Age.

And in 2007 he discovered a mosaic floor at an archeological site near Tel Aviv.