News & Updates
An amazing September!
- Hugh Dennis, our patron, ceremonially opened the exhibition of the 2nd Century CE Roman pottery kiln in the log cabin Visitor Centre in Highgate Wood
- Graham Taylor from Potted History and enthusiastic volunteers fired 337 pots successfully in the replica Roman kiln they had built near the Visitor Centre
- with Graham Taylor's long range guidance, Shem Morgan of Turning Earth Highgate and a team of volunteers fired the replica kiln, once again with over 300 pots in it. They took the temperature to 1000 degrees centigrade before closing the fire off. Care of the cooling kiln only stopped at midnight when a rainstorm made it impossible to continue.
- Thanks to TV and other media interest, new audiences from across London, the UK and abroad learned of the initiative. Hundreds visited the site during the firings and many have signed up to continuing engagement with the project.
- our partners from the City of London and Bruce Castle Museum for doing so much in front of and behind the scenes
- the many volunteers who spent hours potting, running stalls, managing children's pottery sessions, helping with activities and walks and collecting data for the monitoring of events
- Sally Bailey of Sally's Adventure Club who ran a special children's Roman walk at no charge on the Community Day
- Hugh Dennis for opening the kiln exhibition, bringing in the media and enthusing them
- Shem and the volunteers who helped with the first and second firings of the replica kiln. Cooking pottery in a large clay and mud wood-fired kiln is fun but also hard, hot work as the high temperatures must be sustained for hours.
3D 3D 3D
-
Andy Woodhead, who makes 3D images for the Time Team, visited the second kiln firing between 21st and 24th September. He created a fine series of images and has generously sent them to us to play with! 3Dfiring!
A great day for Highgate Roman kilns!!!
It was great to see so many people on 1st September, Highgate Wood Heritage Day, to celebrate and enjoy:
-the return of Highgate Roman pottery kiln, now back after restoration by Ned Scharer and his team at the Natural Building Centre in Conwy, Wales, on exhibition for all to see in Highgate Wood, after many years in store and in pieces
-the firing, led by Graham Taylor of Potted History, Northumberland, of the replica kiln in the Wood to demonstrate how the
Roman-era potters made their pots. Our patron, Hugh Dennis, opened the exhibition.
Please join us at the next kiln firing – 8am to 8pm on Saturday 21st September.
Andrew Woodhead, who makes 3D images for the Time Team, visited the replica kiln in Highgate Wood last week.
He made a 3D image of it and has kindly allowed us to share it! Many thanks Andrew!
Replica Roman Kiln Opening 10AM Tomorrow Highgate Wood
10am Tomorrow Tuesday 3rd September
Opening of the replica Roman kiln on the Sports Ground, Highgate Wood, Muswell Hill Road, N10 3JN
Please join us to see the pots emerge!
Two Roman kilns in Highgate Wood!
- Last week Graham Taylor of Potted History and enthusiastic volunteers built a splendid replica Roman-era kiln in the Wood. It will be fired on Sunday, 1st September.
- This Tuesday, Ned Scharer and colleagues from the Natural Building Centre in Wales arrived with the Highgate Roman Kiln conserved and re-assembled on 7 neat wheeled platforms.
- They wheeled the platforms into the Visitor Centre log cabin and bolted them together.
- We now have a second century CE excavated Roman kiln in one piece in Highgate Wood ready for viewing.
Guided Walk in the Wood 22nd July 2023
We were delighted to welcome 30 walkers to the Wood on the morning of Saturday
22nd July and even more delighted when the weather stayed kind
for our visit to the Roman kiln site. Jacquie Richardson who lives locally was
among the walkers and remembered visiting the excavations. Nick Peacey, who led the walk, contacted Jacquie later to
ask for any recollections.
She wrote, 'Dear Nick, I hugely enjoyed your fascinating talk yesterday.
We used to visit the dig fairly regularly from 1972 onwards.
On one occasion Spike Milligan was one of the spectators. He didn’t speak to anyone just quietly observed the proceedings.
I love Highgate Woods and am looking forward to the next phase of the kiln project. Kind regards, Jacquie Richardson.'
Thank you Jacquie for the kind words and for the image of a silent observing Spike....
11am Saturday 22nd July: Roman kiln guided walk
We have had to postpone our Roman Kiln guided walk planned for this Saturday 15th
in Highgate Wood.
The Woodkeepers have advised that high winds are likely
to mean the Wood will have to be closed for the whole day.
The new date: Saturday 22nd July.
Nick Peacey, our Secretary will lead the walk which will last an hour.
We will meet by the Information Hut at 11am.
We hope you can join us.
Please email Nick at friendsofhighgateromankiln@gmail.com to reserve a place.
The walk is free but a £5 donation in cash or to our JustGiving account would be much appreciated.
'Roman' kiln firing at Vindolanda 20.5.23
Graham Taylor and Sarah, his daughter, who will soon take over their firm, Potted History, have for some years been
responsible for the upkeep and regular firing of a replica Roman kiln that they built at the wonderful site of Vindolanda, by Hadrians Wall.
The kiln is smaller but otherwise very similar to the Highgate Roman Kiln.
Nick Peacey, our Secretary, was fortunate to observe this year's first firing.
He learned how Graham and Sarah heat the kiln slowly to begin with to minimise damage to the pots inside. Then, once 250 degrees C has been achieved, they provide a steady supply of fuel with careful stoking that brings the kiln to a temperature of 1000 degrees C.
We are most grateful to Graham and Sarah for their generosity with their time and advice and to everyone there for the excellent company.
Guided walk in the Wood: 11am 22nd July 2023
Nick Peacey, Secretary of FOHRK, will be leading a walk to the Roman pottery manufacturing site in Highgate Wood at 11am on Saturday 22nd July 2023. This walk has had to be postponed from 15th July.
We shall meet at the Information Hut near the cafe.
We will:
- discuss recent thinking about the Roman pottery manufacturing site in the Wood
- look at some of the finds, including the section of Roman kiln displayed in the Hut
- go up the hill at the north of the Wood to visit the site
- hear more about the excavations and the way in which experimenters have made and fired reconstructions of the kilns
- discuss plans for Firing London's Imagination, our community heritage and learning programme for returning the Highgate kiln to the Wood
The walk will take about an hour. The walk is free, but donations of £5 pp in cash or to our Just Giving account would be appreciated.
Please email friendsofhighgateromankiln@gmail.com if you plan to come.
National Lottery Heritage Funds to Bring the Kiln Home
Great news for all supporters of the Highgate Roman Kiln campaign! Thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, we are now able to implement our plans for bringing the Roman kiln back to Highgate Wood, along with offering a community learning programme and the appointment of a dedicated Engagement Officer.
We will now work with Bruce Castle Museum and the City Corporation to conserve the kiln, restore it to public view, and allow everyone to learn about an important aspect of London’s Roman heritage. Before the kiln is on display, Londoners of all ages will be able to take part in community and educational activities, including a visiting schools programme, Roman kiln reconstruction and firing, and the creation of a community mosaic in the Wood.
Commenting on the award, FoHRK Chair Catherine West MP said: “This is fantastic news and a huge step forward in bringing this precious Roman kiln back to Highgate Wood where it belongs. I want it to be on display in the Wood, inspiring community learning, crafts and heritage. Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund this dream can become a reality”
FOHRK’s patron, Hugh Dennis said, “This is excellent news. Nearly 2000 years ago the Highgate Roman kiln was used by a thriving community of potters to serve the needs of London. Now, thanks to the support and efforts of a thriving modern community it is coming back to Highgate Wood!”
A huge thank you to all our supporters, and watch this space for more exciting information!
The Highgate Kilns: Talk by Harvey Sheldon to LAMAS
With kind permission, we can share the recording of Harvey Sheldon giving a talk to the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society about the finds in Highgate Wood.
View the video here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6E1ViTi8xs