Monument record LVM 048 - Medieval ovens and pits and post-medieval building remains and features, 32 Prentice Street, Lavenham

A small excavation was undertaken prior to the construction of a house. Prentice Street is one of the early planned streets that extends from the market place; the charter for which was granted in the 13th century. The site was located in a break in the terrace of medieval and early post-medieval buildings that lined the street. A brick floor surface and the stubs of mortared-flint walls were found from the early post-medieval building that had occupied this gap, along with associated rubbish pits and postholes. At the rear of the building was a complex of adjoining small ovens constructed within a unitary pad of clay. The ovens were not all contemporary, some being added to the structure. A clay-lined pit or cistern related to the ovens was also found. These features were possibly for the dying of cloth but the evidence for this was not conclusive. Pottery from the site indicated activity on the site from 13th century, contemporary with the establishment of the street, (S1).