Test Pit 11

Test Pit 11. The Old Bakery, Low Street.

Property description and location

The Old Bakery, together with Lea Cottage, is a Grade II listed building (NHLE No. 1181521) dating to the mid 17th century. Shown on the Tithe map as being continuous with the Post Office and shop to the north (named in the apportionment as 'House and Garden' owned by Sir Edward Kerrison) it is largely unchanged from its appearance on the 1st Edition OS.

Test Pit description

The Test Pit was located in a flat area of lawn, c.11m to the rear of the house. The gardens have seen some landscaping of the natural west facing slope and the lawn was raised c.0.4m above the adjacent driveway. The pit was excavated to a depth of c.0.3m and showed a single layer of modern topsoil, the base of which was not seen.

Test Pit finds summary

A single sherd of medieval coarseware was identified from the lowest spit of this pit. Fragments of GRE, TGE and IGBW (16th-18th century) were present in small quantities, as well as Victorian and later pottery. A number of clay tobacco pipe fragments, including part of a sooted bowl, probably dating to the late 17th century was found in Spit 1, and another bowl with a spur with maker's marks was present in Spit 2. Fragments of slag and clinker were also recovered. A struck flint flake was also identified in Spit 2.

Test Pit Discussion

As with other sites in Low Street the Test Pit showed a topsoil containing the mixed debris of domestic occupation at the property since the 16th/17th century. The single medieval sherd hints at earlier occupation but, bearing in mind the clear landscaping of the gardens, has probably been redeposited from an earlier, unknown, context, possibly from the property or elsewhere.