Find Spot record MDO3978 - Medieval pottery scatter east of Hatherley Farm buildings, Hilton

A dense scatter of medieval pottery was recorded in 1991 in the course of archaeological observations during construction of the Ansty to Stoke Wake water main by Wessex Water. The pottery was of 12th/13th-century date. The sherds of pottery were in good condition, suggesting that they had not been deposited through manuring or similar activity. Though no subsoil features were observed, the archaeologists on site felt that the concentration of pottery indicated occupation or settlement in the area.

A large group of pottery sherds, approximately two-thirds of which were of coarse fabrics containing crushed flint inclusions in varying quantities, and the remainder of sandy wares of varying coarseness. The vessel forms (seen in both fabrics) were long-necked cookpots with upright or everted rims. There were no glazed wares and decoration was limited to a single sherd with curvilinear combing.
Flint-gritted fabrics are commonly associated with the early medieval period in south and north-west Dorset and into Somerset, and the vessel forms are characteristic of the 12th/13th century. Possible sources of the pottery discussed in the report are the Yeo valley, the Shaftesbury area, and a 13th-century kiln at Hermitage about 10km to the south. <1>

It is interesting to note the place name Crockers Farm in the vicinity. Crockers Farm is shown on the 1st edition 25-inch scale Ordnance Survey map, and the farmhouse house is situated around 300 metres to the south of this find spot.

<1> Hearne, C M, 1991, Ansty to Stoke Wake Main. Archaeological Watching Brief Observations. (Unpublished document). SDO207.

‘… two areas of potential interest were recorded based on dense scatters of pottery within localised areas along the route. … The second scatter of pottery (context 5) was located in the northern half of Plot 9, close to Hatherley Farm. This group comprised 12th-/13th-century pottery within the greyish-brown clay loam subsoil. Charcoal flecks were noted across the same area but no subsoil features could be discerned.’

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1992, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1991, 185 (Serial). SDO91.

‘… two localised dense scatters of medieval and post-medieval pottery revealed after topsoil stripping. The first (ST 7554 0535) comprised 12/13th century pottery in both flint-gritted and sandy fabrics characteristic of the early medieval period in Dorset and Somerset. Sherds were generally unabraded suggesting that the scatter was probably associated with a former building, perhaps representing the remains of a midden deposit, rather than the result of manuring.’

Record last edited

Jul 10 2017 10:15AM