The surgical removal of the upper kiln stones has gone very well and we can now see the flue of the earliest phase of the kiln. This partial removal of the kiln has exposed an unexpected blocked up entrance in the barn wall which was not visible until today. Metal objects are turning up in the kiln construction and we are wondering if the kiln could have also been used for light metalwork. If anybody has come across evidence for a cereal drying kiln also being used for this purpose we would love to hear about it. Elizabeth Gardner has been working hard on her reconstruction drawings of the buildings with the helpful input of architect Barry Drinan. Integration of art and archaeology continues to be an exciting element of the excavation and we are loving the gallery of works emerging on the site. Craig’s cutting heated up today with his discovery of a beautiful piece of French Saintonge pottery in a drain.
Catherine surgically removing the upper kiln stones with John (in the background) working on his visual interpretation of a section of medieval wall.
Craig found this sherd of Saintonge pottery in the section face (photos by Grace McCullen).
Mary exposed a post hole that may have held up a scaffolding post for the barn raising.
Marie Bourke and Barry Drinan, lifelong friends of the co-directors, lend a helping hand by removing material from the medieval furrow.
A view from the spoil heap (photo by Mick Mongey).
A selection of medieval pot sherds from Day 14 (photo by Mick Mongey).
The excavation at the end of Day 14. Thanks to Anthony Murphy, this sequence of drone shots taken from precisely the same position at the end of each day has become an indispensable record of the excavation’s progress.
Beaubec Excavations 