Roman and Medieval Kilns at Farm Lane, Kinsley, West Yorkshire

By Tim Cobbold, Jane Richardson and Matt Wells

An open-area excavation, covering approximately 0.73 hectares across seven areas and centred on grid reference SE 412 151, was undertaken on scrubland west of Wakefield Road and to the north of Farm Lane, Kinsley. The excavation encountered evidence for a regionally-significant Roman pottery kiln of 1st-century date and a later enclosure of mid-3rd-century date.
Medieval ditched boundaries, enclosures and a number of kilns of 11th and 13th-century date were also investigated. Some of the medieval kilns were used for drying crops, but industrial processes may also have been undertaken. Finally, a series of stone agricultural buildings and structures were constructed, probably in the early 19th century, including a horse engine.

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