Arkley Kiln, Greyware (and redware) medieval pottery production site, South Hertfordshire (original) (raw)
Related papers
2012
Trial-trench and open area excavations recovered a total of 2356 sherds (31, 437g) of Roman pottery. The bulk of the Roman pottery, in a fragmented but unabraded condition, was contained in a series of layers ) that appear to represent an episode of rapid rubbish disposal between c.AD130-150. These layers, although differentiated by context, form a homogenous ceramic group that includes significant quantities of south and central Gaulish samian ware, sparse imported continental and regional fine wares, high quantities of coarse wares produced in the Verulamium environs, and sparse southern Spanish amphorae. The ceramic group from the sequence of layers forms an important addition to the corpus of dated pottery groups recorded in Roman Verulamium. Further sherds of comparable date and character were contained in ditches and pits that truncated the series of layers, while a single late Roman pit was also recorded close to the south-western edge of the excavated area.
Medieval Ceramics, 2015
During the late 60s and early 70s the remains of 44 medieval pottery (and tile) kilns were exposed during house-building at Heath End on the west side of the town of Nuneaton, in north Warwickshire, England. The discoveries are commonly referred to as the ‘Chilvers Coton medieval pottery industry’. A report appeared as a Medieval Archaeology monograph in 1984, authored by Philip Mayes and Keith Scott, each of whom directed various excavations. Notably, their research pioneered a fabric type series supported by state-of-the-art scientific analytical techniques, viz., thin section petrological analysis and neutron activation analysis. The report contains an extensive illustrated corpus of vessel types, together with a chronology of kiln forms. The work remains one of the most valuable points of reference for the study of the production of medieval ceramics in the West Midlands. But how extensive was the Chilvers Coton medieval pottery industry? Despite a lengthy documentary study which shows how the kiln sites fitted into a broader picture of medieval and post-medieval clay-working in the wider Nuneaton area, there was little attempt to explore the localised historical occurrence of the kiln sites at Heath End. The possible significance of a medieval manorial context was implied: all of the kilns were believed to have occurred in the ancient manor of Griff and Coton. But the manorial bounds are nowhere shown, and there was no attempt to advance this line of thought. A plan showing the chronological-spatial distribution of kiln sites would have been very useful in this respect. The report shows only the distribution of excavated areas super-imposed on the (developing) urban area as it then appeared in the early 1970s, a district which has since witnessed great change over the past four and a half decades. Comprehension of the medieval landscape context of the ‘industry’ was thus left vague; the county Historic Environment Record cautiously paints the geographical extent of the industry with a broad brush, casting a canvas well beyond the evidence of medieval kiln sites. The aim of this paper (in Medieval Ceramics vol. 36, 2015) has therefore been to augment the work of Dr. Mayes and Mr Scott, two archaeologists for whom I have great respect (I had the privilege to work alongside Mr Scott on several excavations in north Warwickshire). The paper closely examines the spatial distribution of the medieval kiln sites with respect to ancient manorial boundaries and to their geological disposition. It examines evidence of land ownership and land use, and casts new light on the possible origins of the industry and its context and spatial extent within the medieval landscape. It considers, for the first time, the archaeological evidence of pottery production at Chilvers Coton in the light of revised ceramic dates.
Streat Medieval Pottery Kilns: Resurrected
A retrospective report on an unpublished community excavation of three medieval pottery kilns and ancillary pits at Marchants Farm, Streat, East Sussex conducted under the directorship of Con Ainsworth between 1979 and 1983. The report has been compiled from brief field notes, photographs and plans with the assistance of reminiscences from some of the volunteers who helped on the project. Given the incomplete, and at times conflicting, information and the loss of most of the finds in the intervening 30 years, this paper can only provide an outline of the excavation and its findings. Hopefully it will promote the inclusion of the Streat site in future research in medieval pottery production and distribution in Sussex. This will be greatly assisted by the analysis of the surviving pottery assemblage by Luke Barber which defines the main fabrics and stylistic characteristics of the pottery that can be reasonably allocated as products from this site.
2015
This document provides practical guidance on how to investigate sites where pottery production has taken place. It describes how to anticipate and locate pottery production sites and the types of evidence that may be found. It also provides advice on the available methods and strategies for examining, recording and sampling features and finds of various types at each stage of the work. The different techniques for establishing the date of pottery production, and for characterising the products of a site, are given particular emphasis. Compiled by Harriet White, Sarah Paynter and Duncan Brown with contributions by Joanne Best, Chris Cumberpatch, David Dawson, Peter Ellis, Jane Evans, Laurence Jones, Oliver Kent, Gareth Perry, The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, Ian Roberts, Kerry Tyler and Ann Woodward.
A pottery production site at Samlesbury, near Preston, Lancashire
Medieval Ceramics, 2008
Excavation along a gas pipeline route through central Lancashire has revealed a previously unknown pottery production site of 13th to 15th century date. The site, which lies south of the river Ribble, comprised oval gullies, representing possible truncated clamp kiln bases, together with associated ditches and pits and over 10,000 sherds of pottery. Three distinct areas produced evidence of pottery production, over a distance of nearly half a kilometre and suggesting a widespread industry. Most of the recovered pottery
Early Anglo-Saxon pottery in South East England: recent work and a research framework for the future
2016
Recent work on early Anglo-Saxon pottery from Kent, Surrey and Sussex (including south London) is reviewed. Some conclusions regarding the character of pottery across the region are drawn and suggestions are made for further research, focussing on themes of dating, production and imports. Anna Slowikowski was a champion of the Medieval Pottery Research Group's network of regional groups. This paper is derived from a meeting held by the south-central and London area regional groups in the autumn of 2013. We hope that it will not only provide a useful resource for researchers in our area, but will also stand as a tribute to Anna's dedication to the regional group network and inspire other groups to undertake similar work.
The Great Dorset Throw Down: The Infra-Site Landscape of a Verwood Country Pottery
2016
Paper presented to the Near Surface Geophysics Group - London Tuesday 6th December 2016 Archaeological investigations comprising a topographic survey and geophysical survey, by gradiometer with subsequent targeted earth resistance, was undertaken at one of two ‘Verwood’ pottery production sites located within the village of Horton, Dorset. ‘Verwood’ pottery is a form of earthenware that is known to be produced from at least the 17th century on into the mid-20th century. Production centred around several settlements, before the last of the production centres, which were situated in and around Verwood, Dorset, closed in the mid-20th century. Documentary evidence suggests the origins of the industry lie within the late medieval period, possibly emanating from the Alderholt region to the northeast of Horton. However, currently no physical evidence for medieval production is known.