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Medieval
Housing
In the medieval period, houses were generally organised around a hall
with a central hearth rather than a fireplace. The smoke from the fire
would rise up through the rafters and escape through the chimney pot:
in this case it would have been a dramatic sight as the smoke billowed
from the pot’s various orifices.
From the late Saxon period to the second half of the 16th century, medieval
housing was predominantly timber-framed. Until the 14th century most roofs
were thatched. In order to reduce the frequency of fire, stone and slate
tiles then began to be used for public buildings and, when they could
be afforded, for private houses.
Medieval Chimney Pots
In the medieval period chimney pots were usually made of stone, but in
south-eastern and southern England clay chimney pots were used from the
13th century. This one is a particularly decorative example. Most were
simple and conical, starting off wide at the base and tapering towards
the top. Sometimes the sides were decorated with incisions or applied
finger- or thumb-pressed clay strips.
Excavations at Brasenose
This pot was found when excavating for new buildings at Brasenose College
in the 19th century. The College expanded on to the High Street when New
Quad was built in the Victorian Era. Designed by Thomas Jackson, the Quad
was built in three stages: the West range in 1880-87, the tower and south-east
corner in 1887-89 and the High Street frontage between 1909 and 1911.
New Quad replaced two former halls and some houses which once lined the
passageway beside the University Church.
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