Description

Fabric: Coarse sandy temper, presence of a scatter of black mica and iron ore inclusions, occasional large rounded slate lumps, some of them up to 14 mm across. Some sherds also contain large (up to 18 mm) fragments of water-worn veined chert, others have rounded dense white limestone inclusions up to 10 mm in size. Thin-sectioning of the ware has revealed the presence of abundant orthoclase felspar, moderate amounts of tourmaline and sparse plagioclase felspar. Most of the vessels are reduction-fired with a thick gray inner margin. Picture.

Glaze: None of the vessels are externally glazed. The glaze fires dark green with quite heavy iron bleeding and blackish green streaks. Some fabrics appear cream to buff. Both the coarse sandy fabric and the black spotting of the glaze readily distinguish this pottery from that of North Devon. It is also distinct from South Somerset wares, which are much finer, more commonly oxidized during firing, and never contain mica or slate. If the pots are decorated it is with very rudimentary horizontal bands of unglazed slip with simple wavy or vertical sgraffito lines. There is no attempt to use glaze over the slip or to apply copper in the manner of the South Somerset kilns.

Forms: The forms include shallow dishes, jars, tripod pipkins, chafing dishes, chamber pots, mugs, jugs, pitchers, bowls, bucket handled pots, dripping pans, and cisterns.

This ware was first recognized as a distinct type in the early 1980s during excavations in the south Devon town of Totnes, located on the banks of the river Dart. The pottery was probably produced in kilns at Bridgetown Pomeroy, a small town opposite Totnes. There is evidence for the making of pottery in the area from as early as the 13th century, as is the case through much of Devon. Production appears to be continuous through the 18th century when competition from the South Somerset kilns prevails.

Totnes-type pottery was not widely marketed with very little found at Exeter, only 50 km distant by land, or at Plymouth. "The discovery of exported examples of this ware should, therefore, be indicative of contact with a very restricted part of the south Devon coast around the mouth of the Dart; Dartmouth is the only significant port" (Allan and Pope: 53).

Sources
Allan, J.P. and Peter Pope (1990) "A new class of south-west English pottery in North America," Post-Medieval Archaeology 24:51-60.

Brown, Stewart (1996) Berry Pomeroy Castle. Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings No. 54.

Griffiths, D. M. and F.M. Griffith (1984) "An Excavation at 39 Fore Street, Totnes," Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society 42:77-100.

Sites
Jamestown, National Park Service (2 vessels: a jar and a pinched neck jug/pitcher)
Newfoundland, Ferryland, c.1640-50

Prepared by Bly Straube