Medieval and post-medieval pottery, The Old Forge (EHER 49431)

2017 Test Pit 6. One of ten test pits excavated in Southminster as part of the Access Cambridge Archaeology Project. This test pit produced quite a wide range of pottery, although only in small quantities until the Victorian era. It suggests that the site had a marginal use from the 13th-18th centuries, after which time it was occupied. Other finds were also recovered but remain undated.

April 2017. Access Cambridge Archaeology test pitting. One of ten test pits excavated in Southminster as part of the Access Cambridge Archaeology Project. This test pit produced quite a wide range of pottery, although only in small quantities until the Victorian era. It suggests that the site had a marginal use from the 13th-18th centuries, after which time it was occupied. <1><2> The vast majority of the pottery excavated from Test Pit 6 dates as 19th century ‘Victorian’ wares, although a range of both medieval and post medieval wares were also recorded. These have been identified as Essex Grey Ware, Late medieval ware, Glazed Red Earthenware, Delft Ware, Staffordshire Slipware, English Stoneware, Staffordshire Manganese Ware and Staffordshire White Salt-Glaze Stoneware. Despite the proximity of this test pit to Test Pits 4 (EHER 49429) and 5 (EHER 49430) just across the road to the North, and where evidence for medieval activity was noted, the site here seems to have had a more marginal use from the 12th century onwards and potentially as open fields to the East of the core of settlement, until the current house was built during the 19th century. The other finds include iron nails (some of which were handmade), metal buttons, pieces of scrap metal, slag, iron bolts, a metal loop, a modern nail, half of a possible horseshoe, ceramic building material (CBM), tile, a twenty pence coin dated 1998, coal, glass, clay pipe, concrete, pieces of plastic, mortar, animal bone, tarmac and oyster shell. <3>