Pottery from the Ufford Test-Pits (2005)

Paul Blinkhorn

Pottery Types

Roman Greyware. This was one of the most common types of roman pottery, and was made in many different places in Britain. Many different types of vessels were made, especially cooking pots. It was most common in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, but in some places, continued in use until the 4th century. The pottery from Ufford was probably made at Castor near Peterborough, where there was a large and important Roman pottery industry.

Roman Oxford Ware. This was first made around the middle of the 3rd century, and carried until close to the end of Roman occupation, in the early 5th century. It was made in a range of forms which were imitating Samian ware, a high-quality Gaulish (French) pottery which was imported into Britain in large quantities until the 3rd century.

Nene Valley Colour-coat Ware. This was first made around AD175, and became extremely common during the 3rd and 4th century. It gets its name from the fact that vessels were coated liquid clay (slip) in colours such as red, blue and black. Cups, beakers and bowls were some of the most common types made. It was made at Castor near Peterborough.

St Neots Ware. Made at a number of as-yet unknown places in southern England between AD900-1100. The pots are usually a purplish-black, black or grey colour, but the clay from which they were made contains finely crushed fossil shell, giving them a white speckled appearance. Most pots were small jars or bowls.

Stamford Ware. Made at several different sites in Stamford in Lincolnshire between AD850 and 1150. The earliest pots were small, simple jars with white, buff or grey fabric, or large jars with painted red stripes. By AD1000, the potters were making vessels which were quite thin-walled and smooth, with a yellow or pale green glaze on the outside, the first glazed pots in England. These were usually jugs with handles and a spout, but other sorts of vessel, such as candle-sticks, bowls and water-bottles are also known. It appears to have been much sought after because it was of such good quality, and has been found all over Britain and Ireland.

Lyveden Ware. Made at Lyveden in Northamptonshire between AD1225 and 1400. The clay used for this pottery is very easy to recognise has it contains small, egg- shaped fossils known as Ooliths. The earlier pots are quite crude, as the potters did not thrown them on a wheel, but built them by coiling. The clay fabric is usually grey with buff or orange surfaces. The main types of pot are jars, but also jugs with a poor-quality green glaze, and vertical stripes and dots painted with white clay. Around AD1300, the potters changed to wheel-throwing their pots, resulting in better- quality vessels, but stopped decorating them with slip designs. Lyveden ware is found all over the east midlands and East Anglia, and some pots have been found in Norway. They were probably shipped from King’s Lynn along with the Grimston ware.

Potterspury Ware. Made in the village of the same name in Northamptonshire, between AD1250 – 1600. Pots usually buff, pink or red in colour, sometimes with patches or spots of green glaze. Made from a clay which gives the surface a slightly sandy texture. The most common pots are jars, bowls and jugs common, but lots of other types for use in the house and kitchen were also made.

Midland Purple ware. Made and used between AD1450-1600. Very hard, red to dark purplish-grey in colour, usually with a dark purple to black glaze. Wide range of different pots made such as jars, bowls and jugs.

Staffordshire Slipware. Made between about AD1640 and 1750. This was the first pottery to be made in moulds in Britain since Roman times. The clay fabric is usually a pale buff colour, and the main product was flat dishes and plates, but cups were also made. These are usually decorated with thin brown stripes and a yellow glaze, or yellow stripes and a brown glaze.

White Salt-Glazed Stoneware. Delicate white pottery made between 1720 and 1780, usually for tea cups and mugs. Has a finely pimpled surface, like orange peel.

Staffordshire Manganese Ware, late 17th – 18th century. Made from a fine, buff- coloured clay, with the pots usually covered with a mottled purple and brown glaze. A wide range of different types of pots were made, but mugs and chamber pots are particularly common.

Iron-glazed Earthenware. Made between about 1690 and 1800. Hard, brick-red clay fabric. The most common vessels were large bowls with a thick black glaze, coloured with iron, on the inner surface.

‘Victorian’. A wide range of different types of pottery, particularly the cups, plates and bowls with blue decoration which are still used today. First made around AD1800. Ufford Results

Test Pit 1

Iron-glaze Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 1 2 1 14 1 6 1690 – 1900 1 3 26 20 1800 – 1900

Most of the pottery from this test pit is less than 200 years old, although one piece may be a little earlier. This would suggest that the site was not occupied until after then end of the medieval period.

Test Pit 4

Lyveden Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 4 1 1 15 2 4 1225 – 1900

This test pit only produced pottery from the top layer, but one of the pieces is medieval. It may be that the site was a field in the medieval period, and the pottery was brought to the field in a load of domestic rubbish which was being used as manure.

Test Pit 5

Manganese Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 5 1 11 92 1800 – 1900 5 2 10 22 1800 – 1900 5 3 12 56 1800 – 1900 5 4 2 16 1800 – 1900 5 5 1 26 2 2 1690 – 1900

Most of the pottery from this test pit dates to after 1800, although an earlier piece was found in the lowest level. It is part of a mug, of a type that was common in the 18th century. The fact that this was in the lowest excavated context means that there may be earlier, undisturbed archaeology below the depth which was reached.

Test Pit 6

Manganese White Salt glazed TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 6 2 1 1 1690 – 1900 6 4 1 1 1720 – 1780

Very little pottery came from this test pit, but what there is suggests people were living here in the 17th – 18th centuries. Test Pit 7

Stamford Midland Purple Iron-glaze Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 7 1 1 11 1800 – 1900 7 2 2 9 2 23 6 48 900 – 1900 7 3 1 13 10 28 1450 – 1900 7 4 1 22 1 8 1690 – 1900

Most of the pottery from this test pit dates to after 1690, but earlier sherds were also found. Both late Saxon and medieval pottery were present, and this shows that people were living in this part of the village from the earliest days of its existence. The pot was mixed up with later types, but digging to a greater depth may uncover preserved archaeological remains dating to the Saxon or medieval period.

Test Pit 9

Victorian TP Context No Wt Date Range 9 1 8 34 1800 – 1900 9 2 29 336 1800 – 1900

All the pottery from this test pit was Victorian, and suggests that the site was unoccupied before that time.

Test Pit 11

Potterspury Iron-glaze Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 11 1 23 36 1800 – 1900 11 2 9 12 1800 – 1900 11 3 31 61 1800 – 1900 11 4 32 84 1800 – 1900 11 5 21 50 1800 – 1900 11 6 1 15 2 26 29 53 1250 – 1900 11 7 1 9 7 26 1690 – 1900

Most of the pottery dated to 1690 or later, but a single piece of medieval pottery was also found. It may be that people were living here at that time, or the area may have been fields, as people at that time used their household rubbish as fertilizer for their crops.

Test Pit 12

Roman greyware Colour-coat St. Neots ware Iron-glaze Victorian TP Context No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range 12 1 1 1 1800 – 1900 12 2 4 12 1 10 1 3 100 – 1800 12 3 1 10 1 1 200 – 1800

Most of the pottery from this test-pit is Roman. It was all in the upper layers of the test pit, which suggests that the area was fields during Roman times, and the people were putting their household rubbish on the land as manure, although it is possible that modern ploughing could have destroyed Roman buildings and brought the finds up towards the surface.

Test Pit 13

Roman greyware Oxford ware TP Context No Wt No Wt Date Range 13 1 1 16 100 – 200 13 2 1 2 100 – 200 13 3 2 13 2 4 100 – 380

All the pottery from this test-pit is Roman. It was all in the upper layers of the test pit, which suggests that the area was fields during Roman times, and the people were putting their household rubbish on the land as manure, although it is possible that modern ploughing could have destroyed Roman buildings and brought the finds up towards the surface.

Test Pit 14

Victorian TP Context No Wt Date Range 14 2 3 8 1800 – 1900

All the pottery from this pit dated to the 19th century, although digging deeper may reveal earlier remains.