Internet Archaeol. 16. Longworth Distribution

5.2 Distribution on site

The number of sgraffito sherds from kilns U1-6 (including Croft) in production between 1640 and 1680 is 272 out of a total for the whole site of 447. Some 22 are from later sgraffito vessels which may not have been produced on the site, as they do not appear to be wasters (numbers 134-138). By removing these 22 sherds from the total it can be seen that 64% of sgraffito production at Brookhill was between 1640 and 1680. The dates of production for the remainder of the site range between 1670 and 1720, which means that all the sgraffito was made at Brookhill before 1720.

The number of sherds recovered from individual vessels is also greater from kilns U1-6 (including Croft). Sherds from the remaining areas consists mostly of isolated pieces, which appear to have been scattered across the site. This skews the results when calculations are based on vessel numbers, even after removing the five vessels of later date referred to above. The result by vessel number is 58% produced between 1640 and 1680.

All the bestiary wares, 20 vessels, were produced in the earliest phase of the site between 1640-1670. It is not possible to determine why this is so, although it may possibly have been connected with the religious or political situation of the time (see Section 6). There is no apparent chronological development for the rest of the designs or motifs, as they are found scattered across the whole site. Figure 8 shows the complete range of patterns in use at Brookhill. Designs found on the non-sgraffito slipware are very similar (Amery and Davey 1979). The non-sgraffito slipware does not include a range of bestiary ware, apart from the four vessels illustrated in the catalogue (numbers 148-151) and two vessels depicting fish.

Below is a breakdown of the distribution and design details on the vessels produced between 1640 and 1680. The vessels have been listed by individual number (BU1/1/1-147). For the sake of clarity, the number element only will be used in the following text (e.g. 96 not BU1/1/096). They have been broken down into design motifs on the rim, side and base. Section 6 goes on to examine the derivation of these designs.

1640-1670

Kiln U1

56 sherds, 14 vessels including 1 complete vessel which is warped and overfired. Nearly all the sherds show evidence of being kiln wasters, some are overfired and have crazed glaze.

Rim designs - 9 vessel rims with no strong common theme

2 with slashed design (14 and 48)
2 with zigzag (38 and 59)
2 with scallops with pyramids (35 and 36)
3 with different designs (49, 57, 58), one of which (49) is an angular S motif

Side designs - 7 vessel sides with a common theme of a tulip design

6 with tulips, some with alternating leaves (14, 35, 36, 48, 49, 50)
1 with indeterminate ovals and spikes (38)

Base designs - 11 vessel bases

1 with a bird and worm (14)
Remainder are variations on elements seen on rim designs - scallops with pyramids (34, 35, 37, 50), zigzag (38), leaf (41, 43, 48)

Kiln U1/2

93 sherds from 29 vessels which are mostly overfired and warped. There is an interesting group of vessels with mottoes and bestiary designs.

Rim designs - 18 vessel rims

7 with mottoes associated with bestiary designs (25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32)
2 with S motif (13, 62, 63, 64)
3 with slashes (2, 3, 87), a fourth has a variation with alternate groups of slashes and dashes (24)
The remaining 3 are variations on scalloped designs (33, 40, 66)

Side designs - 19 vessel sides

4 with bestiary designs of elephant and bird (25, 26, 27, 29)
9 with tulip and/or leaf (2, 3, 13, 24, 33, 40, 63, 78, 87)

Base designs - 17 vessel bases

5 with bestiary designs of elephants (26, 28) and birds (13, 24, 25, 28)
4 with leaf motif (2, 3, 29, 79)
Group with scallops, curved lines and spirals (62, 72, 73, 77, 86, 108)
1 with semicircles and windmills (33)
1 with branches (5)
1 with a flower on a stalk (46)

Kiln U2

15 sherds from 4 vessels, including 1 complete vessel, all with evidence of warping and overfiring

Rim designs - 2 vessel rims, both with S motif (12, 61)

Side designs - 1 with tree/leaf design (12)

Base designs

2 vessels with bestiary designs, both birds (12, 19)
1 with flower motif (131)

Kiln U5

30 sherds from 13 vessels which are warped and overfired

Rim designs - 9 vessel rims

5 with scallops and variations on that theme (33, 40, 51, 67, 102)
2 S motif (39, 44)
1 zigzag (54) and 1 undecorated

Side designs - 8 vessel sides

7 tulip and/or leaf design (33, 39, 40, 44, 51, 54, 133)
1 of indeterminate lines (116)

Base designs - 5 vessel bases

2 with geometric arrangements in various formats (10, 33)
1 with slashes (44)
2 with scallops and concentric circles (101, 105)

Kiln U6

8 sherds from 7 vessels which are crazed and with missing glaze

Rim designs - 3 rims, all with S motif in standard format (94, 96, 120)

Side designs - 2 sides, possibly with tulip design (122, 124)

Base designs - 1 possibly tulip (123), one indecipherable

Croft (including Croft Floor and Croft Work Floor)

71 sherds from 13 vessels, many of which are crazed

Rim design

variations on scallops and loops (5, 45, 65, 67)
S motif (49)
Slashes (88)

Side design

1 with a flower motif interspersed with a pyramid (45)
1 with a branch (6)
2 with tulips (49, 88)
1 with a bird (15)
1 with a leaf (52)

Base design

scallops and windmills with slashes around junction of side and base (45)
tulip (53)
radiating star (89)
curved lines or concentric circles (4, 81)
bird (15)

1650-1680

Kiln U3/4

1 sherd from 1 vessel with crazed glaze (121)

Rim design - castellated

Kiln U4

20 sherds from 1 vessel with crazed glaze (23)

Rim design - S motif

Side design - leaf motif

Base design - possibly a bird motif