Clay cob oven at Rare Species Conservation Centre, Sandwich, Kent

Clay Cob oven 

In 2010, we were contacted by the Director of a small animal sanctuary, The Rare Species Conservation Centre, in Sandwich, Kent. He was looking for a small cob oven that they could use for open days that would fit stylistically into the ‘bush’ look of the landscaping between animal enclosures. With only a small budget to work with, we decided that a cob oven would work best as access was awkward and could be made on site very easily.

We got hold off a couple of concrete drainage rings that would get the oven to the right height so by blocking off the top we were able to cast an insulation layer before laying the brick hearth and adding the clay layers.

As it was february 2011 before we could get started and very cold, the oven took some time to dry out but after a few fires and a spell of sunny weather the oven was finally handed over in May, with a protecting cover of lime render and limewash over the base.

Sadly the centre closed in 2015 from lack of funds.

Compare one of our other clay cob oven projects here.

Finished clay cob oven with lime render

Base of concrete manhole tubes

Sand form covered in wet newspaper

Inner layer of clay applied

Outer layer finished

Mouth cut