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Summary

Three wells were revealed during excavations, prior to development to the west of New Street. One contained a remarkable assemblage of 17th century pottery.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: ND 18
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS42NE/198

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WELL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

North Devon Journal, 1986, Pipes Find (Article in Serial). SDV266136.

Torridge District Councillor asked to fund an emergency archaeological dig, following the excavations at the site in New Street which saw finds including pottery dating back to the 17th century.

North Devon Journal, 1987, Bideford's Wealthy Past is Hidden Under the Ground (Article in Serial). SDV75195.

Bideford is a town of immense archaeological potential, local archaeologists have determined. The town had considerable wealth in the 16th and 17th centuries even in its poorer areas they say.

The archaeological units assessment of Bideford's past wealth centres on the prize discovery of the dig, a complete Spanish costrel in Merida type fabric. This is the only complete vessel f this kind to be discovered in North Devon.
As well as the Spanish costrel the well yielded 12 jugs, a cooking pot, four Baluster jars, three small fineware bowls, a porringer, five tripod pitchers, three tripod pipkins, two skillets, a skillet-pipkin, 13 large courseware bowls, three plates and two imported Italian plates.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1987, North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Newsletter (Article in Serial). SDV344467.

Three wells were excavated and one produced a large collection of late 17th/early 18th century Bideford wares. Many of the vessels were almost complete and included tripod-foot storage jars, baluster jars, jugs and bowls. Spanish vessels were also represented.

Egan, G., 1988, Post-Medieval Britain in 1987, 199 (Article in Serial). SDV70998.

Lovatt, A. M., 1989, The Excavation of Medieval and Later Features at New Street, Bideford, 127-35; figures 5-9; plate 2 (Article in Serial). SDV344465.

Site to the west of New Street in Bideford was excavated in 1987 prior to development. Three stone lined wells were investigated, two of which were 'live' and produced no dating evidence. The third produced an assemblage of 17th century pot, including imported wares.

Blanchard, L., 1990, The Bideford Well, 20-1 (Article in Serial). SDV344466.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1991, North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index, ND 18 (Report - non-specific). SDV63429.

A medieval boundary ditch and post-medieval wells were found during an excavation in New Street in 1987. A fine collection of 16th and 17th century pottery was recovered.

Casimiro, T. M., 2015, Portuguese Faience in South-West England, 346 (Article in Monograph). SDV365403.

A complete Portuguese red earthenware costrel was found in a 17th century pit, offering a striking illustration of the port’s links to Portugal.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1482 - SHERD (XIII to XVII - 1201 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV4623 - Excavation at New Street, Bideford

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