Way back in 1972 the Bromley and West Kent Archaeological Group excavated a fine late-medieval tile-kiln at Holwood, Keston, near Bromley. On completion a substantial wooden building was built over it by Seismograph Services who owned the site. In the following years several major open-days were held jointly by the two bodies and thousands of visitors were given guided tours of the kiln and also the adjacent hillfort.

 

In about 2005 the adjacent area was developed with new high-status residential blocks and the kiln placed under the care of the residents Holwood Trust. One planning condition of the consent was that the cover-building (then decaying) should be replaced and made open for visits six times a year. For the next few years various outline plans for the new building were discussed, but none pursued and the cover- building continued to deteriorate.

 

Finally, in 2014 with the roof in bad repair the kiln flooded during the very wet winter, the whole plan to replace the building was abandoned. The site was filled in, only to be replaced by a marker post and a small explanatory sign.

 

A spokesman for Bromley archaeologists complained that the whole process had been a total failure, good advice had been ignored and the kiln suffered avoidable damage. This was a sad loss for Keston and Bromley. (For details of the excavation KAR. No.33(1973).p.79).