Dear Mark - thanks for the info. I've asked Penny Ward for a copy of the SMR entries on the site - it wil be interesting to see what these have.
Best wishes
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Walters <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 04 January 2000 09:19 PM
Subject: Re: Roman mining at Norbury/Linley, Shrops
Dear John
I visited this site some six years ago and I have to say that I thought the hushing interpretation was way off the mark. I think there is plenty of ridge and furrow and some related agricultural water management, perhaps for watering stock or wetting slopes for crop production, but there was nothing characteristic of hushing or scouring that I could make out. I asked Barri about the interpretation and it seems that this was done solely with the aid of aerial photographic material with little or no follow up on the ground. The geology appears to have no mineralisation in this sector of the Longmyndian Precambrian rocks and the site is some 4km south of the main south west Shropshire orefield around Bog and Ritton Castle.
On the plus side for Roman mining in the area there have been numerous finds of Roman stamped lead pigs from locations inside and around the main orefield (see Tylecote R.F. 1986. Prehistory of Metallurgy in the British Isles. Tables 38/39, pages 62-65). You are probably aware of the supposed Roman mining at Roman Gravels near Shelve a bit further to the north where there was probably some prospective and initial extractive hushing that later developed into deeper open cast workings. The site has been much altered by later workings.
I think Barri was also chasing up a potential Roman 'villa' at Linley which he had recognised on aerial photos, but I am not sure if the interpretation was verified by fieldwork.
I am sure Adrian Pearce of the Shropshire Mining and Caving Club would be able to help with further mining information for this area.
All the best
Mark Walters
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust
