An unusual feature in an old Stanton farm house  

 The previous owners, of what is probably the village's oldest farm house, have said that the farm house is Jacobean and was built about 400 years ago. It contains a most unusual feature visible on the outside rear wall which resembles a Dutch Oven but is in fact a Faggot Oven. When the present owners moved in, the oven had been disused for ages and contained wasps nests. These ovens were large stone or brick chambers into which tightly tied bundles of sticks (faggots) were loaded. One bundle was placed on either side and one or two at the back. These were then set alight. 

The oven door, made either of iron or timber, was set at an angle in the oven mouth with the top leaning outwards and the bottom of the door leaning inwards. This arrangement allowed air to be drawn in through the base which encouraged the faggots to burn, whilst the smoke would escape from the top opening. The warmth permeated through into a chamber behind the oven where timbers cut for winter fuel would be stacked and thus dried, ready for use in both cooking and heating the house.

When used for bread-making, the hot embers were removed by raking and the floor, or sole of the oven, would then be cleaned using a scuffle. A 'scuffle' was the term used for a piece of wet sack cloth tied to the end of a pole. The heat stored in the stone or brick would still be sufficient to bake the bread.

A search on the internet using 'Google' revealed just four hits for "faggot ovens". Famous faggot ovens have been described at "The Great Kitchen" in 'Kentwell', Long Melford in Suffolk and from Sally Lunn's House in Bath. English Heritage have volunteered the fact that another three faggot ovens are known and listed from the Midlands and Eastern Region. One is at Pirton Grange, Apsley End, Beds., another is in the Mill House at Sproughton near Ipswich, Suffolk and the third is at No 34 Churchgate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.