‘Rare’ 500-year-old kiln — and over 600 pounds of pottery — found at UK school. See it
A planned construction project at an elementary school in the United Kingdom morphed into an archaeological dig — and learning opportunity for students — when preliminary work revealed a “rare” 500-year-old kiln. Photos show the “remarkable discovery.”
Archaeologists began excavations at the Sutton VA Primary School as part of a project to expand the school’s play areas, the Central Bedfordshire Council said in a Jan. 27 news release. The dig soon unearthed a “well-preserved” pottery kiln dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
“What we’ve seen here is a large-scale kiln that may have been used for decades,” David Ingham, the excavation manager, said in the release.
Seen from above, the historic kiln has an oval shape with several holes in the top, a photo shared by the council in a Jan. 27 Facebook post shows.
“Kilns of its size and quality are rare finds in the area,” officials said. Additionally, “the kiln is among the most complete examples uncovered, with its lower structure — including the floor, flues, and stoke-hole — still largely intact.”
Other photos show these sections of the 500-year-old kiln. Overall, the size of the oven suggests a “significant local industry” for pottery making.
“This discovery pushes our understanding of the pottery industry around Sutton, Potton and Everton (the surrounding towns) in the late medieval period,” Ingham said. “It was more substantial than we previously (realized) and that helps build a richer picture of life in this area during that time.”
“This excavation isn’t just about digging up (artifacts),” he said. “It’s about learning how people lived, what they did, and how industries operated in the past. It adds real depth to our understanding of the local history.”
Archaeologists also uncovered “more than” 660 pounds of pottery artifacts, the council said. These fragments have not yet been studied in detail.
“Pupils and staff have been very excited to follow the archaeologists’ progress and discoveries,” Lucy Chapman, the headteacher at Sutton VA Primary School, said in the release. “It has been wonderful to see the pupils engage in this. For some this has sparked a genuine interest in archaeology.”
“The kiln is a remarkable discovery for Sutton and the primary school,” Tracey Wye, the council’s member for sustainability and climate resilience, said in the release. “I am really glad the pupils had the chance to get a first-hand look 500 years into the past.”
Archaeologists plan to create a digital model of the kiln, then rebury the original structure. Excavations at Sutton VA Primary School finished, but the analysis is “ongoing.”
Sutton VA Primary School is in the town of Sutton and a roughly 55-mile drive north of London.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 4:49 PM with the headline "‘Rare’ 500-year-old kiln — and over 600 pounds of pottery — found at UK school. See it."
