Entrance to bottle oven, J Steventon & Sons, Burslem

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Date:December 1963

Description:The entrance or "wicket" to a biscuit bottle oven at J Steventon's Royal Pottery in Burslem. The wicket was used to place the ware in the oven. For firing the opening was bricked up and sealed with clay and then called the "clammins". Wickets were usually tall entrances to allow placers to enter then oven with saggars, containing the ware, balanced on their heads. A biscuit oven was used for the first firing of pottery, before the ware was glazed. Broken biscuit ware is commonly found on shraff tips.
Running round the oven are iron bands or bonts, to support the oven during firing and prevent warping with the high temperatures.
The oven and surrounding pottery has been demolished. The site is now a mix of housing and commerce.

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Creators: Mr Bert Bentley - Creator

Image courtesy of: Stoke on Trent City Archives.

Donor ref:SD1480/112-18 (204/35532)

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