Page 34 - John Barber's Oakham Castle and its archaeology

Fig. 47. Diagram D – Trench No 3 (J L Barber Archive, Rutland County Museum).

3. Trench No.3 (Diagram D):
The third trench, also part of the 1957 season’s work, ran parallel to Trench No.1, about seventeen feet further
east, and was a mere thirty-six feet long. It was dug to discover more about the kitchen, whose east-west
dimensions had been identified by Trench No.2. It turned out to be thirty-two foot square (internal), with a
baking oven in the extreme south-west corner, remains of an earlier one nearby, two stone column footings
(presumably we should have found four had more ground been uncovered) and a well paved area around the
central (cooking?) floor. As with diagram E, the key to diagram D has been lost, but I will again chance my
arm, as follows:

1: Turf and humus.
2: General destruction level.
3: Three-foot wide south wall of
kitchen.
4: Baking oven.
5: Occupation levels.
6: Paved flooring.
7: North wall of kitchen.
8 & 11: ?
9 & 10: Column footings.
12: ?

Fig. 48. The baking oven found in
Trench No 3 (J L Barber Archive,
Rutland County Museum).

My general recollection of the kitchen is that it was square, with its northern wall in line with the northern
wall of the pantry. There were probably four columns, supporting a roof with louvres along the column tops.
Perhaps the central area was open to the sky and the four aisles covered. The four aisles were certainly better
paved and better finished than the central area.

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