Monument record MDO18400 - Poundbury, Late Roman Oven F1024 in Enclosure 1

Oven F1024 was a large keyhole-shaped oven found within the northern end of the Late Roman Enclosure 1 on Site F, during the 1966-1979 excavations at Poundbury. It was cut into the hillslope with the stokehole to the east. The oven had a limestone lining, incorporating half a rotary quern.It was filled with large quantities of ash, containing carbonised grain, with ash and stone rubble above. It contained large quantities of 3rd-4th century AD pottery. There was some suggestion of a structure over this oven. It may have been a constituent part of the small enclosed settlement comprising Buildings R15, R16, and R17 within the Late Roman Enclosure 1, probably forming part of a small farming unit.

Found during the excavations directed by Christopher Sparey Green, for the Dorchester Excavation Committee, between 1966 and 1979 during development of the Grove Trading Estate on the eastern slopes of Poundbury Camp, Dorchester (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report and archive (2)(3).

A large keyhole-type oven [F1024] was found at the northern end of Site F, within the northern part of the late Roman Enclosure 1. It was aligned roughly E-W with the stokehole on the eastern (downhill) side. The oven was lined with limestone, with up to six courses surviving on the west side. A half rotary quernstone was incorporated into the base of the structure at the west end. The oven and stokehole measured about 3m long, 1.4m wide and upt to 0.5m deep. The lower fill of this oven was mainly ash and the upper fill contained less ash but considerable quantities of limestone, flint and mortar rubble. Both fills contained large quantities of 3rd-4th century pottery. Carbonised seeds of spelt and 6-row barley, the debris from a cleaned crop, were recovered from within this oven.

A structure may have existed around the oven, suggested by the existence of two post holes to the SW and the SE of the oven. A shallow scoop and drystone wall and terrace partly survived further south; and three pairs of posts were found further to the SE.

This oven was found to the north of the small settlement comprising buildings R15, R16 and R17 within Enclosure 1 and may have been associated with this settlement.

<1> Sparey Green, C, 1987, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1982. Volume 1: The Settlements (Monograph). SDO9630.

<2> Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:25PM