Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A total of nine ovens were discovered within an area to the north of temple three and Watling street during excavations at Springhead. There were probably more which had disintegrated beyond recognition or were outside of the excavated area. An associated quern indicates that the ovens were used for baking bread, probably for votive purposes. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• ALTAR (Roman - 100 AD? to 200 AD?)
• OVEN (Roman - 120 AD? to 200 AD?)

Associated Finds

• MUSSEL SHELL (Roman - 100 AD? to 200 AD?)
• QUERN (Roman - 120 AD? to 200 AD?)

Full description

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A total of nine ovens were discovered within an area to the north of temple three and Watling street during excavations at Springhead. There were probably more which had disintegrated beyond recognition or were outside of the excavated area. The first oven to be discovered was very well made, it was approximately 60cm long by 50cm wide the base being made from the side of a large shallow storage pot (possibly for wheat) of first-century date. It was associated with a clay channel in front of it, possibly used in connection with the creation of a draught. Two further ovens had been created in the same way. On the bottom of each was a layer of burnt earth and what appeared to be charcoal, approximately 1cm thick. On top of this and partly mixed with it were about twenty chalk nodules each about 5cm in diameter. This provided a means for a passage of a draught underneath to create the necessary heat for the process concerned. The fact that the ovens were discovered within the temple complex suggests a religious purpose, an important clue is provided by the discovery of several fragments of querns in the vicinity. It is likely, therefore, that the ovens were used for balding bread. Shaped bread (of a hand or fingers for example) was commonly offered as a sacrifice. The form of one of the other ovens also suggests its use for baking bread. It had a baked clay base and frontal hob, with thick chalk walls. The remaining five ovens were constructed more simply from clay which became hard through many heat cycles. An interesting feature on one of the ovens was the presence of two post holes, one on either side of it. It would seem that there were two uprights which perhaps supported a cooking pot over a fire. No such post-holes were readily apparent with any of the other ovens, but the possibility of some, at least, of the fires (in the ovens) being used for normal cooking purposes cannot be excluded. A crude alter base was discovered alongside and at the same level as the ovens and is probably associated with them. It was made from unbonded tiles shaped rather like a truncated cone. The presence of an altar to sanctify the bread-making would appear to be a perfectly logical step. (1-2)

<1> WS Penn, 1965, Archaeologia Cantiana, Springhead - map of Discoveries (Article in serial). SKE12613.

<2> W. S. Penn, 1964, Archaeologia Cantiana - The Romano British Settlement at Springhead, The temple ditch site (Article in serial). SKE53586.

Sources and further reading

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