Monument record MDO18637 - County Hall; Oven 300

Oven 300 was identified during excavations by Wessex Archaeology at County Hall in 1988. It lay to the south of structure 571 and consisted of a near circular oven pit lined with a wall mainly of ceramic tile. A flue projected from the south of this oven pit, which opened into an oval stoke pit. The upper fill of the oven comprised limestone and tile rubble representing collapse of the oven structure, which contained two sherds of New Forest Ware mortaria. Cereal remains from the base suggest it was used for grain drying.

Found during the excavations carried out by Wessex Archaeology in 1988 prior to construction of the New Computer Wing and car parking facilities at County Hall, Dorchester (1) (2). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report (2).

Oven 300 lay to the south of the probable late 4th century AD post-built structure [571]. It consisted of a near circular oven pit (0.6m in diameter internally and 0.35m deep), lined with a wall comprised mainly
ceramic tile, with some blocks of limestone and chalk. A 0.25m wide flue lined with tile projected from the south side of the oven. This opened into an oval stoke pit consisting of a shallow scoop, 0.25m deep. A layer of dark burnt soil lined the oven pit, which was sealed by a layer of re-deposited chalk, 0.1m thick, suggesting the structure had been re-floored. The upper fillings comprised limestone and tile rubble in a silty loam matrix and represent the collapse of the oven.

The only datable material, two sherds of New Forest Ware mortaria, came from the upper rubble fill. Cereal remains, especially of wheat, from the base, suggest that it was used for grain drying. The structure is dated to the later fourth century only on the basis of its alignment, which is broadly compatible with the post-built structure [571] and associated fence-lines.

Wessex Archaeology, 1988, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10074.

<1> Smith, R J C, 1993, Excavations at County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset, 1988 in the North-West Quarter of Durnovaria (Monograph). SDO9660.

<2> Smith, R J C, 1988, 'Excavations at County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, 1988' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9661.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:30PM