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Summary

Potteries at Bovey Tracey founded circa 1750 and worked until 1958. Various parts of the original buildings and three kilns were trading as The House of Marbles in 2005

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002638: Bovey Potteries

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 446852
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87NW/34
• Old SAM County Ref: 925(PART)
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX87NW33

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• POTTERY WORKS (XVIII to XX - 1701 AD to 1960 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, 55/6/54: Abstract of title to leasehold kilns and a pottery c1830. (Record Office Collection). SDV287913.

Department of Environment, Bovey Potteries (Schedule Document). SDV346751.

Only the three remaining muffle kilns to the rear of the 'House of Marbles' are Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Unknown, Mining 25: Bovey Tracey coal mine 1756-65
Mining 26: Folly Pottery 1843 (Record Office Collection). SDV287911.

Unknown, 1837, 1508M Devon/Maps: Bovey Tracey/A1 (Record Office Collection). SDV287897.

Map of Folly Pottery in 1837 in Devon Record Office.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Bovey Tracey Potteries' shown on 19th century map to the west of Pottery Bridge.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Bovey Pottery (Earthenware)' shown on early 20th century map as a large complex on the north and south sides of the road with futher 'Tamway', 'Lime Kilns', 'Clay Pits' and ponds to the west and south.

Falconer, K. A., 1972, Bovey Potteries (Report - Assessment). SDV346753.

Bovey Potteries were founded about 1750 and enlarged in the 19th century. Out of the original 12 muffle kilns three survive. These date to circa 1850 and 1900 and are reinforced by rails from the South Devon Railway. The print shop and its tramway also survive while most of the layout of the original factory with its water supply is traceable. Various parts of the original buildings are now used by several firms for storage. Other details: Monument 925.

Evening Class Members, 1972, Notes on the pottery by evening class members (Un-published). SDV287894.

Historical notes on development, ownership and products given.

Minchinton, W. E., 1973, Industrial Archaeology in Devon, 19 (Monograph). SDV7016.

Bovey Potteries, Folly Pottery. Founded about 1750 and enlarged in the 19th century. The print shop and its tramway also survive while most of the layout of the original factory with its water supply is traceable. Various parts of the original buildings are now used by several firms for storage.

Rolt, L. T. C., 1974, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV287903.

Exeter Museum, 1976, South Devon Pottery (Leaflet). SDV287895.

Bovey Tracey Pottery company founded 1842, when the old Folly Pottery was bought up. With expansion of the works and opening of Moretonhampstead Railway Line in 1866, coal from Somerset was used. Produced the cheaper types of printed earthenware. The pottery became a limited company in 1897, and continued operating until 1957.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX87NW33 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV287909.

Bovey Potteries founded in the 18th century and enlarged in the 19th century. Three muffle kilns survive.

Lloyd Thomas, D. + E., 1978, Untitled Source, 197-201 (Monograph). SDV287896.

Old potteries enlarged and reopened in 1842. In 19th century produced white transfer-printed earthenware, which it exported and also supplied to the Admiralty. Factory closed after a protracted strike in 1957, and a number of kilns were demolished. Other details: Photos.

Booker, F., 1980, Letter to County Planning Officer (Correspondence). SDV312849.

Started about 1760 and was almost continuously active until its closure in 1956, employing nearly 200 people in its heyday. Visited by Wedgewood. In 1860's an influx of pottery workers from Burslem, Staffs, who introduced enamel ware and built new kilns. Bricks, tiles, domestic pottery, stonewares and sanitary wares were produced.

Western Morning News, 1980, State Offers to Save Pottery Kiln (Article in Serial). SDV361551.

Article describes how the Department of the Environment offered to fully fund the repairs to one pottery kiln, leaving the other two to be demolished by the company that currently owns the land. The company had yet to accept the grant and therefore it is unknown if all or just two of the bottle kilns were demolished.

Timms, S. C., 1981, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV312847.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GJ, 6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV287918.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GV, 4-12A (Aerial Photograph). SDV287919.

Weddell, P. J. + Westcott, K. A., 1986, The Bovey Tracey pottery kilns, 143-162 (Article in Serial). SDV287898.

For details of bottle kiln see Monument ID 21910. Appendix 1 of the article gives details on Folly Pottery which was surveyed in 1986. In 1775 debts of the pottery were being offset by profits from the lignite mine (see Devon Record Office: Mining 25). Major rebuilding in the early 19th century is suggested by its description as "that new-erected and commodius pottery" in the Exeter Flying Post of 19th July 1804. In 1825 the premises included a 'large house', workshops, ware rooms, linhays and stables. A detailed appraisal of the building and stock in 1836 is given in Appendix 1. A map of 1837 shows the lignite works and lime kilns immediately south of the pottery. By 1843 the pottery buildings were dilapidated, and the new leasee, Thomas Wentworth Buller, was required to rebuild them and construct a new kiln. Other details: Photos, map and diagrams.

Turton, S. D., 1993, Archaeological Assessment of Bovey Tracey Sewer Requisition: Phase 1, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV287915.

Unknown, 1994, Untitled Source (Plan - measured). SDV287921.

Other details: Plan.

Adams, B. + Thomas, A., 1996, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV287917.

Department of Environment, 1996, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV287899.

Schedule Monument Consent granted for installation of 3 glass doors, 3 steel plate security shutters and a 240 volt power supply.

Adams, B., 2002, Archaeological assessment at The House of Marbles (Report - Assessment). SDV320978.

The buildings at The House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey were possibly used as part of pottery maufactories in 1750 leased from and partly controlled by Lord Courtenay, the Earl of Devon. Between circa 1772 - 1800 it was possibly still used as a pottery as part of Indeo House, Bovey Tracey. The pottery was known as The Folly Pottery by 1820. From circa 1800 to circa 1840 the central structure of the site was established and the kilns were built. Buildings from this period exist as part of The House of Marbles. By the mid 19th century the pottery was trading as The Bovey Tracey Pottery Company and various building and improvements works were undertaken. There were up to 16 kilns on the site with no more than five being 'muffle' kilns of which three survive. The site ceased to be used as a pottery in 1958 when all but three of the kilns were demolished. The buildings were then used for various light industries and more of the old pottery buildings were demolished. In 1990 the buildings became The House of Marbles and used as a glassworks, warehouses, retail outlet and museum. Pottery sherds from the site have identified the many pottery types produced on the site. In 2002 a late 20th century brick wall was demolished prior to the construction of a glass finishing block.

Adams, B., 2008, Little Kiln, Pottery Road, Bovey Tracey: May to August 2008 (Correspondence). SDV351584.

Deep excavations for footings for a car port at Little Kiln have been carried out. Numerous pottery sherds were found, dated mainly between 1843 and circa 1870. Numerous examples of handmade kiln furniture were found in a cache, and can be dated to before 1849. An water pipe was uncovered, which appears to be the remains of the main water supply to the pottery from Pottery Pond, and also a pair of large cylindrical brick built tanks which appear to be later than 1895. The main structure of Little Kiln appears to have been erected between 1861 and 1889, over and incorporating part of previous structures. Walls uncovered appear to date to the 1842-1861 periof, as does a surviving small range of what appears to be a lavatory block. There is currently no evicence of a kiln structure within the site.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 446852 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346750.

Bovey Potteries opened circa 1759 and enlarged in the 19th century. Three muffle kilns built between 1850-1900 survive and are Scheduled Monuments.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

The area includes the 'House of Marbles' and many industrial units on modern mapping.

Laing-Trengove, D., 2013, RMS Cars Site Pottery Road, Bovey Tracey, Devon: Desk-Based Assessment & Historic Building Recording, 7, 10-15; Figure 8 (Report - non-specific). SDV355872.

The area around the site originally formed part of an extensive unenclosed lowland common, with a post-medieval industrial history of lignite mining that encouraged and enabled the Bovey Tracey pottery industry to develop from the late 18th century onwards. The pottery business, based on what became Pottery Road, had mixed fortunes, but only finally closed in 1957. The RMS Cars site contains buildings associated with the development and growth of the pottery during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4689 - Archaeological Monitoring and Recording at 29 Pottery Road, bovey Tracey
• EDV6382 - Historic Building Recording at RMS Cars Site (Ref: BTP13)

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