See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Six very large intercutting pits, each 3-4m across and 1-2m deep, together with a number of smaller pits, all filled with kiln waste, were revealed during excavations to the rear of the Exeter Inn. More than 50,000 sherds of pottery waste, including pottery, tile, and also fragments of kiln structure and furniture, were recovered from the pits. This was mostly dated to the 16th century, with some potentially from the late 15th century or earlier. While some of the earlier pits may have been dug for clay extraction, the later pits are thought to have been originally dug as quarry pits for building in cob.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PIT (XV to XVI - 1401 AD (Between) to 1600 AD (Between))

Full description

Morris, B., 2017, The Missing Link - the Exeter Inn, Barnstable: North Devon Pottery in the 16th century, 271-338 (Article in Serial). SDV364161.

Evaluation and excavation to the rear of the Exeter Inn in 2010-11 and 2015 revealed six very large intercutting pits, each 3-4m across and 1-2m deep, together with a number of smaller pits, filled with kiln waste. More than 50,000 sherds of pottery waste, including pottery, tile, and also fragments of kiln structure and furniture, were recovered from the pits. This was mostly dated to the 16th century, with some potentially from the late 15th century or earlier.
While some of the earlier pits may have been dug for clay extraction, the later pits are thought to have been originally dug as quarry pits for building in cob. It was noted that the cob boundary wall between the Exeter Inn and the former Brannam's pottery is packed with pottery sherds.
The intercutting of the pits and the changing character of the pottery found within them indicates pottery production in the vicinity over a period of almost a century. It was noted too that the earlier pits also contained other material including domestic waste such as animal bone and imported pottery, whereas the fill of the later pits is dominated by wasters, kiln fabric and kiln furniture. This suggests a change from a household workshop to an industrial type production over that period.
The imported pottery is considered characteristic of the 16th century. This together with the absence of clay pipe fragments and sgraffito-decorated North Devon ware, production of which began in the earlier 17th century, gives a date of pre 1600 for the collection. The main vessel types included jugs, bowls and jars. The form of some of the jugs suggests that some of the material could date to the late 15th century or earlier. Fragments of floor tiles and ridge tiles were also found. Kiln furniture included re-used ridge tiles and roofing slates.
The Exeter Inn has been dated by dendrochronology to 1602. The implication is that it was built subsequent to the filling of the pits with kiln waste.
See article for full details.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV8172 - SHERD (XV to XVI - 1401 AD to 1600 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.