Another archaeological discovery is made at an English golf course

Just a few days after it emerged that a 4,000 year old coffin containing a high status individual had been found at a golf club in Lincolnshire, two ancient kilns have been discovered in Norfolk.

The medieval ovens were found at Caldecott Hall Golf Course.

Tingdene Holiday Parks has received planning permission to build 157 static holiday caravans on the site’s old driving range and part of its former par three course, but a condition of the permission was that development must wait until a programme of archaeological work had been carried out.

Archaeologists therefore dug 21 trenches on the grounds, and uncovered the ovens.

According to a report published by CFA Archaeology, the larger oven was a circular clay structure and would probably have had a domed roof.

“The smaller structure was less than one metre from the large one and was of simpler construction,” it adds, before saying it could either be a second oven or a raised hearth with an open top which could have held a large pot or cauldron.

Samples taken from within the ovens found small quantities of charred grain.

The report, published on Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s website, says: “Since cereal would have been ground into flour before arriving at the bakery, these grains are a bit of a mystery.

“They may have been thrown into the oven to test the temperature or else used to prevent loaves from sticking while they were cooking.”

The grain still provides a clue to the oven’s original era.

“The profusion of charred oats indicates a medieval (14th century) or later date,” it said.

It says the site’s use could have been linked to the growing population of the area at the time and the subsequent food pressures.

The area may have been part of the nearby manor at Caldecott, at a time when “the climate was hampering crop yield”.

As potential fire hazards, bakehouses or ovens may have been located a distance from the main buildings for safety.

The original version of this article stated that Caldecott Hall Golf Course had closed in order for the static homes to be built. This was incorrect – both the golf courses at the venue are open and available to play, the land in question is the site’s old driving range and part of its former par three course, which is now stated in the article.