Medieval Pottery from Newbury Street,

Andover, Hampshire
Ben Jervis Archaeological Report 29
By Ben Jervis MA PIFA.

INTRODUCTION
This report summarises 353 sherds of medieval pottery from medieval features excavated by Test
Valley Archaeological Trust at Newbury Street, Andover. The bulk of the material is of 12 th-14th
century date (table 1). The sherds are generally large and many join, suggesting that these are
relatively secure deposits.

Max
Ware Name SC SW VC
Chalk Tempered Ware 20 711 2
Michelmersh-type Ware 27 470 1
Coarse Flint Tempered Ware 29 703 21
Early Medieval Fine Sandy Ware 1 28 1
Wessex Coarseware 4 52 4
Kennet Valley A 5 109 5
Fine Flint and Sand Tempered Ware 8 87 3
Kennet Valley B 72 1696 64
Kennet Valley C 68 1256 62
Laverstock-type Ware 91 1755 20
Coarse Border Ware 1 4 1
Medieval sandy ware with argillaceous inclusions 1 9 1
Medieval Sandy Ware 17 357 15
Wessex Redware 2 11 2
Late medieval sandy ware 1 8 1
Transitional Sandy Ware 4 33 4
Tudor Green 2 46 2
Total 353 7335 209
Table 1: Composition of the Assemblage by Ware.

The sherds were analysed by the author under a x10 binocular microscope. Fabrics were correlated
to the Hampshire Pottery Type Series, with new types being added as they were identified. Elements
of fabric, form and decoration were recorded and quantified by sherd count, sherd weight,
maximum vessel count. Rim diameter and rim percent measurements were taken. The pottery will
be discussed by ware type before the pottery from each context is summarised.

THE POTTERY
Anglo Saxon Pottery

There are 76 sherds, representing a maximum of 24 vessels of Anglo-Saxon date. Three types of
pottery are present, Chalk Tempered Ware, Michelmersh-type Ware and Coarse Flint Tempered
Ware.

Chalk Tempered Ware

There are 20 sherds of Chalk Tempered Ware, from 2 vessels, nineteen are from a single jar. This has
a slightly thickened, everted rim, with a rounded profile. Two fabrics are present:

Fabric MQc4 is unevenly fired, with a sandy matrix. There are sparse, medium sized, sub-rounded quartz
inclusions and sparse, rounded chalk fragments of similar size.

Fabric MQc6 is light grey throughout and is fairly well fired. Inclusions consist of sparse-common rounded
quartz grains with common rounded chalk temper, of similar size.

Chalk tempered wares are a common Anglo-Saxon type in the Test Valley, particularly in Romsey.

Michelmersh-type Ware

There are 27 sherds from a pitcher of Michelmersh-type (see Mepham and Brown 2007). These were
produced at Michelmersh, north of Romsey. The fabric is a hard, pimply quartz tempered ware and
vessels are wheelthrown. Vessels of this type date to the 10th century and small quantities of sherds
have been found in Romsey and Southampton and are more common in Winchester.

Coarse Flint Tempered Ware

There are 29 sherds of Coarse Flint Tempered Ware, a typical Anglo-Saxon ware in Hampshire.
Similar wares have been identified elsewhere in the Test Valley at Romsey and Kings Somborne, and
they also occur in mid-Saxon Hamwic. Eleven sherds are from a maximum of 3 jars, one of which has
a clubbed, everted rim with a rounded profile. All of the sherds are undecorated. A single fabric is
present:

Fabric F3 varies in colour from grey-buff-orange. There are abundant, angular flint fragments which are often
patinated.

Early Medieval Pottery

There are a small quantity of early medieval wares, of types typical in north and east Hampshire. The
most common ware is Kennet Valley A Ware, which dates to the 11th-12th century in Newbury (Vince
et al 1997).

Kennet Valley A Ware

There are 5 sherds of Kennet Valley A (flint and sand tempered) ware. None of the sherds could be
assigned to specific vessel forms and all are undecorated. Two fabrics are present:

Fabric Ffe1 is unevenly fired with abundant, angular white flint and occasional rounded black iron ore/iron rich
clay pellets.

Early Medieval Fine Sandy Ware

There is a single large sherds of a fine sandy ware, probably of early medieval date. The sherd is a
thickened, inturned bowl rim, with a rounded profile and a groove along the top. The fabric is as
follows:
Fabric FQ2 is buff/grey throughout. The only inclusions are moderately abundant fine quartz grains.

Wessex Coarseware
Wessex Coarsewares are a common 12th-14th century type in west and mid Hampshire, as well as in
east Wiltshire and Dorset. These coarse sandy wares are scarce at this site, and whilst this may in
part be due to there being a lack of early medieval deposits, it is also likely that Kennet Valley wares
were preferred. There are 4 sherds present, none of which could be assigned to a specific vessel
form. A thickened, everted rim is likely to be from a jar. The sherds are all unglazed and
undecorated.

Fabric MQ1 varies is colour from black to orange. Vessels are generally handmade. There are abundant sub-
angular/sub-rounded, medium sized quartz inclusions which are densely packed. This is the most abundant
ware in this group.

Fabric MQ2 is grey-buff throughout, sometimes with orange surfaces. There are abundant sub-angular/sub-
rounded, medium sized quartz, which are less densely packed than fabric MQ1.

Medieval Pottery

Kennet Valley B Ware

This is the most common medieval coarseware at the site, with 72 sherds representing a maximum
of 64 vessels being present. The ware has flint and chalk inclusions and is common across north
Hampshire and south Berkshire. It is believed to date from the 13th-14th centuries. A maximum of 4
bowls were identified, 2 of which have hammerhead rims, common on bowls of this type in
Newbury (e.g. Vince et al 1997 no. 36). Only 1 jar rim, a lid seated form, is present. These wares are
common elsewhere in Andover and also at nearby Foxcotte (Matthews 1985) and appear to be the
main 13th-14th century coarseware in the Andover area.

Fabric MQcf2 is reduced (grey/black in colour). There are common, sub-angular quartz grains with common
angular flint fragments. Evidence of occasional chalk fragments.

Kennet Valley C Ware

These quartz tempered sandy wares date to the 11th-13th century, several of the vessels present here
have the white slip typical of 13th century vessels (Vince et al 1997, 53). All of the identified vessels
are jugs, 1 collared rim is present, along with 5 thumbed bases. Seventeen of the maximum 62
vessels have white slip decoration, the remainder are undecorated, but do have a clear or green
exterior glaze. The fabrics can be described as follows:

Laverstock-type Ware

There are 91 sherds, representing a maximum of 20 vessels, of Laverstock-type Ware present in the
assemblage. This is a fine whiteware produced at Laverstock, near Salisbury (Musty et al 1969). It is
particularly common further south in the Test Valley, for example being the most common glazed
sandy ware in Romsey. Three jug rims are present, each of different form. One is a thickened form,
one is clubbed and one is a hammerhead type. A range of decorative motifs are present, typical of
Laverstock products. These include stamps, applied flowers, rouletting and anthropomorphic
decoration. Thirteen sherds (3 vessels) are particularly elaborately decorated. Unlike in Romsey, the
majority of vessels fit into the highly decorated Laverstock tradition, with the more utilitarian vessels
being of Kennet Valley, rather than Laverstock, type.

Coarse Border Ware

There is a single sherd of Coarse Border Ware, a fine whiteware with common coarse quartz
inclusions, which was produced in the Surrey/Hampshire border area during the 14th-15th centuries
(Pearce and Vince 1988). Surrey types are common in Newbury, but this is the only medieval Surrey
type identified at this site.

Fine Flint and Sand Tempered Ware

There are 8 sherds from a maximum of 3 vessels in a fine sandy ware with fine flint inclusions. Two
of these vessels are jugs, of which a single strap handle is present. The sherds all have a partial, clear,
exterior glaze. One vessel has slashed decoration. On the basis of the inclusions present, this could
be a Kennet Valley type:

Fabric FQffe1 is a sandy ware with common-abundant fine sandy grains and common black iron ore, with
occasional patinated flint.

Medieval Sandy Ware with Argillaceous Inclusions

A single undiagnostic sherd of a medieval sandy ware with argillaceous inclusions is present. Such
fabrics are a common, although generally minor, component of ceramic assemblages from west
Hampshire:

Fabric FQarg1 is buff/white throughout. There are common, fine, sub-rounded quartz grains with occasional
iron rich clay pellets.

Medieval Sandy Ware

There are 17 sherds (maximum 15 vessels) of an indistinctive sandy ware of medieval date. The only
identifiable forms are fragments of 2 jugs, one of which has a flat base with an acute basal angle. The
sherds have a clear or green exterior, partial glaze. The fabric can be described as follows:

Fabric FEQ13 has a fairly fine pinkish matrix with sparse, fine-medium sized iron stained quartz and occasional
iron rich clay pellets.

Later Medieval Pottery

Later medieval wares are generally intrusive in the earlier deposits examined as part of this project.
They are briefly described below.

Wessex Redware

There are 2 sherds of Wessex Redware, a well fired quartz tempered ware which is common in west
and southern Hampshire. It dates from the 14th century. Both sherds have a partial, clear exterior
glaze. The fabric is as follows:

Fabric MQ4 is a wheelthrown sandy ware with oxidised surfaces and reduced core. There are common medium
sized, sub-rounded quartz grains. Occasional fragments of flint or chalk are present, which are probably detrital
in the sand temper.

Late Medieval Sandy Ware

There is a single undiagnostic sherd of a late medieval sandy ware:

Fabric MQfe17 is a well fired oxidised coarse sandy ware, with common sub-angular, white quartz grains and
common, larger, pieces of red iron ore.

Transitional Sandy Ware

There are 4 sherds of Transitional Sandy Ware, a well fired, wheelthrown, fine sandy ware which
dates to the later 14th-15th centuries. It is a common late medieval and early post medieval type
across Hampshire. All of the sherds are undiagnostic in regard to form. This particular fabric (MQ3) is
common in the Test Valley and appears to have been produced somewhere along it:

Fabric MQ3 is an oxidised sandy ware with sparse, medium sized quartz.

Tudor Green

There are 2 sherds of Tudor Green, a 15th-16th century Surrey type (see Pearce and Vice 1988). It is a
very fine whiteware, one of the sherds is from a cup. It may have come to Andover through the
same mechanism as the single sherd of Coarse Border Ware.

Summary

The majority of the pottery is of relatively local types, paralleled elsewhere in north and west
Hampshire. The coarseware jars and bowls and more utilitarian jugs appear to have been supplied
from the north, and are of Kennet Valley type. The Laverstock-type jugs are more elaborate and
their presence here may suggest that the household using these vessels was of some status, with
these perhaps used as serving vessels.

POTTERY BY CONTEXT
Context 32

Contained 52 sherds of varying size and date. The date range of the pottery stretches from the early-
late medieval periods and the pottery is fairly fragmented, with sherds not generally fitting together
and being of small-moderate size. The material in this context is likely to be redeposited.

Context 120

Contained a single, moderately sized sherd of Kennet Valley A Ware.

Context 198

Contained 30 sherds, generally of moderate-large size and many of which refit. There are 11 large
sherds of Kennet Valley B Ware, 6 large sherds (5 vessels) of Kennet Valley C Ware and 8 moderately
sized sherds (2 vessels) of Laverstock-type Ware. Sherds of Wessex Redware, Late Medieval Sandy
Ware and Transitional Sandy Ware are likely to be an intrusive component of what appears to be a
secondary deposit dumped in the 13th century.

Context 200

Contained a large sherd of Michelmersh-type Ware and 20 moderately sized sherds of Kennet Valley
C Ware. The Michelmersh sherd is probably residual, although these could be earlier (11th-12th
century) Kennet Valley types.

Context 220
Contained 2 small sherds of Laverstock-type Ware.

Context 244

Contained a small sherd of Kennet Valley B Ware.

Context 249

Contained 15 generally large sherds, many of which refit. There are 7 sherds (2 vessels) of Fine Flint
and Sand Tempered Ware, a sherd of Kennet Valley B Ware, 4 large sherds (2 vessels) of Kennet
Valley C Ware and 3 small sherds of Medieval Sandy Ware. This would appear to be a secondary
deposit of 13th century date.

Context 316

Contained 45 generally large sherds, many of which refit. These consist of 24 large sherds (16
vessels) of Coarse Flint Tempered Ware, a large sherd of Kennet Valley A Ware and 13 large sherds
(12 vessels) of Kennet Valley B Ware. There are also 4 small sherds of Kennet Valley C Ware and 3
joining sherds of Medieval Sandy Ware. This context appears to be a mix of secondary and
redeposited material, perhaps dating to the 12th-13th centuries.

Context 332

Contained 13 sherds of varying levels of fragmentation. Five small sherds of Coarse Flint Tempered
Ware are likely to be residual or redeposited. There are 2 moderately sized sherds of Wessex
Coarseware, 3 large sherds of Kennet Valley A Ware and 2 joining sherds of Kennet Valley B ware,
with a small, intrusive, fragment of Transitional Sandy Ware. Like context 316 this context appears to
be a mix of secondary and redeposited material, perhaps dating to the 12th-13th centuries.

Context 362

Contained 123 generally large sherds, few of which refit. There is a single large sherd of Fine Flint
and Sand Tempered Ware, 25 large sherds (23 vessels) of Kennet Valley B Ware, 24 moderately sized
sherds of Kennet Valley C Ware, 72 large sherds (9 vessels) of Laverstock-type Ware and a large
sherd of Medieval Sandy Ware. This context would appear to be a 13th century secondary deposit,
possibly mixed with a small quantity of redeposited material.

Context 367

There are 19 large sherds from a single Chalk Tempered Ware vessel, with a small sherd of Kennet
Valley B Ware and 4 moderately sized sherds of Kennet Valley C Ware. This is probably an early
medieval secondary deposit, with some intrusive material.

Summary

Most of the pottery was recovered from secondary waste deposits, containing large sherds which
often refit. As such, the groups are relatively tightly datable, with the deposits being formed in the
12th-13th centuries. There is a small quantity of intrusive material. It should be noted that this report
deals only with the medieval deposits and that further medieval material will be residual in later
deposits. The later pottery comprises a relatively large assemblage which is worthy of further study.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Matthews, C. 1985, ‘Pottery’ in A. Russel, F’oxcotte: The archaeology and history of a Hampshire
Hamlet’ in Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club Archaeological Society 41, 149-224.

Mepham, L and Brown L. 2007, The Broughton to Timsbury Pipeline, Part 1: A late Saxon pottery kiln
and the production centre at Michelmersh, Hampshire in Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club
Archaeological Society 62, 35-68.

Musty, J., Algar, D. And Ewence, P., 1969 ‘The Medieval Pottery Kilns at Laverstock, near Salisbury,
Wiltshire, Archaeologia 52, 83-150.

Pearce, J and Vince, A. 1988, Surrey Whitewares, London and Middlesex Archaeological Society.

Vince, A, Lobb, S, Richards, J and Mepham, L. 1997, Excavations in Newbury, Berkshire 1979-1990,
Wessex Archaeology Report 13.