Fabric 55 - Worcester-type sandy unglazed ware
Iron rich clay with abundant medium rounded sub-angular quartz inclusions (<1.0mm), common brown chert and silacious sandstone.
Dark grey core with brown grey surface. Often dark grey throughout. Later examples occasionally oxidised
Dark grey core with brown grey surface. Often dark grey throughout. Later examples occasionally oxidised
Manufacture
Hand-made; later examples are wheelthrown
Decoration
No glaze or slip. Occasional use of rouletting or combed line decoration
Widespread but unidentified kiln sites, WORCESTERSHIRE
Wares in this fabric are the products of a number of kilns. Given the very large quantities of this type recovered from Worcester and the surrounding settlements the sources are almost certainly in and around Worcester itself. At present no kiln has been identified. Sherds of this fabric are found in great quantity on all excavations of medieval deposits in Worcester and the surrounding countryside. The distribution seems at present to be largely confined to the county but sherds have been found in Hereford and Gloucester
Wares in this fabric are the products of a number of kilns. Given the very large quantities of this type recovered from Worcester and the surrounding settlements the sources are almost certainly in and around Worcester itself. At present no kiln has been identified. Sherds of this fabric are found in great quantity on all excavations of medieval deposits in Worcester and the surrounding countryside. The distribution seems at present to be largely confined to the county but sherds have been found in Hereford and Gloucester
Medieval (Late 11th to mid 14th century)
The production of this ware starts in the later 11th century and is at it's height in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production stops during the 14th century
The production of this ware starts in the later 11th century and is at it's height in the 12th and 13th centuries. Production stops during the 14th century
Hardness
Hard
Feel
Rough
Fracture
Hackly
Core colour
Dark grey
Int surface colour
Dark grey
Ext surface colour
Dark grey
Int margin colour
Dark grey-reddish brown
Ext margin colour
Dark grey-reddish brown
| DB ID | Modified | Description | Frequency | Size | Sorting | Rounding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | Quartz | Abundant | Medium | Ill-sorted | Rounded-sub angular |
| 8 | 0 | Chert | Sparse | |||
| 9 | 0 | Silaceous sandstone | Sparse |
| Prefix | Fabric code | Reference document |
|---|---|---|
| Here | C1 | Vince, A, 2002 'The pottery in Thomas, A and Boucher, A, Hereford City Excavations. Further Sites and Evolving Interpretations', p. 84 |
| Warks | SQ08 | Soden, I, and Ratkai, S, 1998 'Warwickshire Medieval and Post Medieval Pottery Type Series', p. 55 |
| Glouc | TF91 | Vince, A, 1974, revised 1978 'Guide to the pottery of Gloucester' |
| Worc City | 54 and 55 | Morris, E, 1980 'Medieval and post-medieval pottery in Worcester: a type series, in Carver, MOH (ed); Medieval Worcester: an archaeological framework', p. 230 |