Newcastle, Broad Garth, ovens

HER Number:
11957

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, Broad Garth, ovens

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Unassigned

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Oven

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C14

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
During excavations in 1985 fourteenth century buildings were recorded between Fenwick's Entry and Plummer Chare between Broad Garth (HER 10487) and Customs House Yard. Phase 5i - A stone building between Fenwick's Entry and Broad Garth retained its east and west walls and a cross wall at the north. There were stratified deposits within the building to a depth of 1.4m. Looks like a long narrow (5m) building fronting onto the Quayside. The pottery was C14 (archaeomagnetic date of 1370 +/- 25.. A sequence of floors, ovens and hearths were recorded separated by tipping episodes within the workshop building and accumulation of debris in the street outside. There was an accumulation of spent fuel. The ovens and hearths were not in use at the same time. Glass and metalworking were not carried out here as there were no finds. Phase 5i 2 showed collapse, levelling and the construction of another cross wall and a massive circular hearth. Pottery dated to c.1450. Phase 5i 3 - a double oven was archmagnetic dated to 1450 +/-. Phase 5i 4 - by the seventeenth century the three ovens had gone out of use and a stone floor had been laid down. The arched entrance to the building was blocked. Phase 5i 5 - tipping covered the ovens. The windows were blocked. An external staircase, possibly to a first floor entrance was built. Possibly early C17. Phase 5ii - the building was destroyed in the C17. Phase 6 - a new building was built on the foundations of the medieval building in the C17. It had a fireplace and a sandstone cobble floor. At the same time Fenwick's Entry and Broad Garth had a new stone surface (rubble capped with clay, stone and mortar). Broadgarth had a drain and waterpipe. Phase 7 - a C20 building was built on the same foundations with sandstone slabs brick walls and cement floor. When this was demolished rubble was tipped into the cellars. See the excavation report for information on the botanical remains, worked wood, leather and animal bones (cattle, sheep/goat, pig, cat, horse, roe deer, bird and fish).

Easting:
253

Northing:
639

Grid Reference:
NZ253639

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
C. O' Brien, L. Brown, S. Dixon and R. Nicholas, 1988, Origins of the Newcastle Quayside