The Medieval Period

Pottery was made at Ham Green, near Bristol in the 12th century, and in Bristol itself from the late 13th to the 15th centuries.  Two types of Bristol wares have been identified: Redcliff and St. Peter's.  The former comes from wasters found in the Redcliff area, and the latter from wasters found near St. Peter's Church.

The earliest reference to a potter is in 1221, when Jordan Crocker was outlawed for killing Thomas Weaver and William Pollard.  His property, valued at 34 pence, was confiscated.  It should be noted that crocker is an old word for a potter (hence the word crockery - still in use today), and at one time the word potter could refer to either a worker in clay or metal.

References to Edward le Crokare date between 1293 and 1328.  His pottery was possibly on the west side of Redcliff Hill, a little to the south of the present Redcliff Parade.  This site was excavated in 1972, by N W Ponsford, for Bristol Museum.  The tax lists of 1313 mention five crockers and one potter working in Bristol.  They were Thomas le Crokkere (St Ewan's Quarter); Johanne Crokkere and Simon le Potter (Trinity); Julianna le Crokkere and Willielmus le Crokker (Redcliff). A subsidy roll of 1327 mentions only John le Crokkare in All Saints' Quarter (this does not mean that the others had ceased business).  Between 1363 and 1395 a potter, William Stiel, was living and working north of the river Avon in East Bristol (the Old Market area).  He may be responsible for the wasters of St. Peter's ware.

In the 15th century two potters are known:  Richard Knyzt (1405) and William Tanner.  In 1454 Tanner was on the east side of Redcliff Street.  He may have worked in both clay and brass.  There is only one reference in the 16th century.  On 2nd September 1572 William Duffett, an earthen potter, obtained his freedom of the city.

During the medieval period tablewares were made of metal, wood or horn.  Pottery was little used.  Jugs, pitchers and tiles account for much that survives.  The pottery may be glazed.  This is either a yellowish glaze, or a green glaze.  Sometimes decoration is added with slip (liquid clay - applied as you would use an icing bag to ice a cake).  Tiles may be decorated with inlaid white clay.  In general English medieval pottery was inferior to that produced during the Roman occupation some 1000 years earlier.

Ham Green Wares

The name Ham Green was taken from the kiln excavated, in the 1950s, in a field next to Ham Green hospital.  Jugs were hand thrown (no use of the potter's wheel) and green glazed.  They were also decorated with animal, human, and floral designs, on a grooved or hatched background.

Bristol museum has five jugs of this type.  They were probably made at Pill, near Easton-in-Gordano, between 1225-1300.  The little harbor of Pill was known as Crockerne at one time.  Ham Green ware was originally believed to have been first made during the 13th century, but more recently shards have been found in Monmouth which date from the 12th century.

Bristol Wares

Excavated St Peters ware consists of wheel-thrown jugs, with iron-rich slip-line decoration, together with applied and thumbed strips.  There are also wheel-thrown cooking pots.  They are dated to the 14th century, or later.

Redcliff pieces excavated consist of wheel-thrown jugs, imitating the French style, and dated to 1300-50.  Redcliff ware was still being made in the 15th century.