4. Thursday 5th August 2010

While Ruth and Jane finished off their planning left over from yesterday, the rest of the team began to trace out the flue, described by Cudworth and which was thought to run under the stone slabs in the centre.

David investigates the flue © Jane Lunnon

Alison and Jennifer started at the northern end, while Peter and Alan began digging in the centre. Pauline was kept busy with the various finds and David with the numerous interested visitors. As has been mentioned before, the road between Burnsall and Appletreewick is a very popular route for walkers and cyclists, not to mention passing cars, which regularly slowed down to have a better view. Excavation certainly promotes a lot of interest!

The team discuss the site © Jane Lunnon

Having finished the planning, Jane and Ruth joined the flue cleaning team at the southern (lower) end, hoping to find the exit, and eventually proving that it was exactly as described by Cudworth.
The mud again caused great hilarity, especially as Alan slowly sank nearly up to top of his wellies as he stood to take the photographs!

Stick in the mud! © Jane Lunnon

The general thought is that it must have been a communal bread oven – these used to be situated near to the mediaeval manor house, which in Hartlington is just across the road from the site. It is known that there was a communal oven in the ancient Parish of Burnsall, but nobody knew just where.

Ruth Spencer