Day 21. The Bread Oven.

The production of our 'daily bread' has been a skilled task for centuries – especially considering the fact that purpose-built ovens, thermostats and thermometers are very recent inventions. Dough could be adequately baked on flat stones in the hearth, but an oven, providing an even temperature on all sides, was far superior. Various versions made of metal, stone or brick were built according to the abilities of individual householders.

Specialised bread ovens were commonly built in houses from the 18^th century. These were built with brick and set into the large open fireplace. In older houses, they were often built into the space where the spiral staircase had stood, after more elaborate straight staircases became fashionable.

The simplest ovens were filled with dry wood which burnt to a high temperature. The ashes were then removed and the bread baked in the still-hot oven. A pinch of flour thrown onto the bricks gauged the temperature, judged by the time taken to turn brown. More elaborate ovens, found in larger houses, had a hearth beneath. This removed the need to rake ashes and there was no possibility of ash and soot adhering to the loaves.

The bread oven in the back kitchen of Park Farm. This had a hearth underneath.

 

In the 19^th century, cooking technology advanced. Modern ranges offered an elaborate array of hot plates, ovens and warming boxes suited to all purposes, and the bread ovens slowly became obsolete. Today they are a quaint decorative feature of period cottages.