Monument record 112/0/9 - Medieval Toft, Potters Lyveden (Site D)

A Medieval pottery production area (Site D) was excavated at Lyveden deserted medieval settlement in 1968. The area was situated within a toft of about one third of an acre and comprised an early iron smelting complex and a later pottery workshop, yards and a pottery kiln. The earliest phase comprised an iron smelting complex dating to the 11th-12th centuries. Subsequently, there were three phases of use spanning from the second quarter of the 13th century to the early 14th century were identified. The earliest comprised a timber workshop and some pits containing clean clay, the south yard contained pits filled with clean clay and industrial waste, the north yard contained a Musty type 4a pottery kiln and a pottery waster heap. During the second phase the timber workshop was replaced by a stone built rectangular building measuring 7.3 metres by 3.3 metres. It had two opposed doors and an eastern extension and contained hearths and pits including a stone-lined clay puddling pit. The south yard also contained pits, the eastern yard a possible timber building and the north yard a Musty type 4a pottery kiln which had been re-orientated through 180 degrees on the earlier kiln. During the final phase, only part of the workshop building was in use, the western half was used for pottery manufacture and the eastern half used for the drying of the pots prior to firing. The building in the eastern yard was extended. There was also a new Musty type 4a kiln in the north yard which had been reconstructed on at least four occasions. The pottery produced included cooking pots, bowls and jugs.

{1}Site D was excavated where large quantities of sherds previously revealed by ploughing; lies on south side of re-cut stream; in line c.60ft south of stream all medieval features lost to plough. The area was situated within a toft of about one third of an acre and comprised a workshop, yards and pottery kiln. Three main periods were identified. In the second quarter of the 13th century a working area with kiln, boundary bank and hut were identified. In the last half of the 13th century a stone-based workshop was built in the working area and a building known as the storeshed was also built. In the late 13th century and very early 14th century only part of the workshop continued in use and a Musty type 4a kiln was constructed.

{5} In the 1969 excavations to the north of the storeshed some iron slag was noticed in the clean yellow clay which underlay the foundations of the building. During 1970 cuts made through this clay revealed it covered the whole of the northern half of area D. Below it was an occupation level made up of a scatter iron slag and charcoal patches of red ash and over 5,000 sherds of St Neots and Stamford Ware pottery. Several industrial features included a circular stone hearth and two iron smelting furnaces. This iron smelting complex dated from the 11th-12th century.

<1> BRYANT G.F.; STEANE J.M.; ADAMS B.N., 1969, Excavations at the Deserted Medieval Settlement at Lyveden, 2-50 (Interim Report). SNN43437.

<2> BRYANT G.F.; STEANE J.M., 1971, Excavations at the Deserted Medieval Settlement at Lyveden (Interim Report). SNN43518.

<3> STEANE J.M., 1967, EXCAVATIONS AT LYVEDEN: 1965-1967 (Interim Report). SNN48569.

<4> Department of Environment, 1969, Archaeological Excavations, 1968, 64 (Note). SNN110875.

<5> Stean J.M.; Bryant G.F., 1975, Excavations At The Deserted Medieval Settlement At Lyveden, Northants., p. 4 (Article). SNN100220.

Record last edited

Jun 26 2024 10:58AM