Oven in building 75, defined in 2007, excavated in 2008. Below is the description from the archive report, 2008.
The final use of the oven F.2637, was marked by an ashy build up, (15785), which was sealed by brick collapse and another ashy lens, (15783) and (15781). This sealed the upper floor, (16264) similar in composition to the lower floor sequence, but more patchy and founded on a dense foundation deposit, (16268), which supported a packed cluster of stone and highly fired clay fragments (resembling fragments of modern redbrick) (16275). This latest oven floor was approximately 10mm thick. Two more formal oven surfaces were identified with the later build/use of the oven, suggesting that the structure remained in use and maintained for almost as long as its earlier phase. The earliest of these, (16284), was very well preserved by scorching or baking, approximately 30mm thick. At its southern end it showed signs of
another residual surface, which may have been scoured out in a repair event. This surface was founded upon a thick band of make up material, (16292), which in turn sealed some residual ashy material, (16504). The make-up and surface was porous, showing signs of organic material which may have been used as a temper. The surfaces lay within the rebuilt superstructure which overlay an early oven sequence. The rebuilding event involved the construction of an internal course of roughly formed sandy-silt mudbrick and bonding material (16587). Indeed there was so much bonding material, it seems that much of the superstructure was almost moulded. The entrance of the oven superstructure remained at the northern end, the earlier superstructure was not obviously modified in itself (at least at foundation level) and the floor sequence continued as before, suggesting that this was more of a repair or strengthening event rather than a rebuild. |
