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The Medieval Period |
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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. |
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