Dear Brian,
To be pedantic, I think that the
Purbeck beds in Sussex are inliers. No doubt some will
correct me if my long forgotten O-level geology is
incorrect!
Such iron mines of varying depth are (were) very common
over large areas of the Somerset/Devon borders, Wiltshire,
Norfolk,and parts of Surrey. In most cases the
surface traces of these mines have been destroyed by modern
agriculture. Exeter Archaeology excavated a small example
on the Blackdowns a couple of years ago.
I don't think that this would explain the French example,
as I think is unlikely that the iron-slag would be mistaken
for glass making debris. However, I have been informed that
one noted, turn of the century, archaeologist did mistake
alkali ash pits as bloomeries in Cumbria.
Chris Salter
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