TEXT SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION – STOPFORD’S REPORT NOT INCLUDED HERE

EFH 95 - Forehill, Ely, Cambridgeshire

Ceramic Building Materials

by S Garside-Neville,

with Dr J Stopford,

1.0 METHODOLOGY AND INTRODUCTION

A total of 16.59kg of cbm was retained from the excavation. There are also site records of discarded material. Judging by the measurements recorded on site, much of this was probably medieval or post medieval roof tile. From the retained sample it is evident that there were at least 21 fabrics associated with floor tile, roof tile and other ceramic items. Due to the on-site discard policy, it is only possible to make broad observations about any association of fabrics and forms with phasing.

In general, the sample was quite fragmentary, which means that there are few complete measurements available. The fabric, weight and measurements of the sample submitted to the specialist were recorded on a pro forma. The data was then entered onto a computer database to assist with analysis. Details of the ceramic building material discarded on site were also entered onto the database.

There were two fragments of Roman material (combed box flue in a 15-16th century phase, and imbrex roof tile in a 11-12th century phase), but the bulk of the sample was medieval or post medieval in date. It comprises roof tile, floor tile, brick and specialised items.

2.0 FABRICS

The fabrics of the ceramic building materials were observed and described used a x10 hand lens (Table 1). Twenty-one fabrics were identified, but it is possible that some of the fabrics are actually from the same source and merely variants. Most of the fabrics associated with plain roofing tile appear as early as the 14th century. Several of the fabrics are refined and glazed, and may be associated with the pottery or floor tile industries of the area. In particular, Fabric 19 occurs as peg tile as well as floor tile. The floor tile is a product of the Bawsey kiln in Norfolk (see section 5.0 below).

Fabric No.	Forms	Earliest Date (from phasing)	Description
1	Plain	14-15th	Pink-orange; medium coarse texture; silty bands, frequent oolite; occasional quartz; frequent limestone
2	?Water pipe	15th	Light brown; reduced core; medium texture; occasional quartzite, occasional flint; quartz; occasional limestone; ?pot fabric - similar to Ely pottery of 15th century
3	Ink stand or palette	U/S	Light orange; very fine texture; occasional silty bands; occasional limestone voids; occasional ?grog
4	Plain, Peg (x1 peghole) , Ridge, Stepped Crest, Floor, ?Compartmented tray	15-16th	Orange-red, with reduced core; some times yellow-green or brown glaze; medium texture; limestone, frequent quartz; oolite
5	Floor	15th	Light brown; fine-medium texture; silty bands, occasional shell; quartz; limestone, grog; flint
6	Floor	15th	Brown; reduced core; medium coarse texture; frequent quartz; occasional shell; occasional flint; occasional silty bands; occasional limestone
7	Plain, Peg, Stepped Crest, Ridge	15-e16th	Orange-brown; reduced core; some times dark green glaze; fine-medium texture; occasional mica; quartz; silty bands; grog; occasional limestone voids
8	Hip, Plain	18-19th	Cream-red; reduced core; green-brown glaze; fine, hard texture; frequent limestone voids; occasional oolites
9	Plain, Crested, Ridge, Peg	15th	Orange; reduced core; some times green-brown glaze; fine texture; frequent quartz; occasional oolite; occasional limestone; ?pot fabric - similar to Grimston ware
10	Plain, Peg (x2 pegholes), Ridge, ?Hearth	14-15th	Brown; medium coarse texture; some times yellow glaze; frequent quartz; occasional grog; occasional limestone; frequent oolite voids
11	Plain, Peg (x1 peghole) , Ridge	14-15th	Orange; reduced core; some times green glaze; coarse texture; frequent quartz; occasional grass voids; oolite; grog
12	Plain	14-15th	Light brown-orange; coarse texture; occasional silty bands; frequent quartz; grog; limestone; oolite
13	Plain	14th	Light brown; reduced core; fine texture; occasional large shell; occasional flint; occasional mica; occasional quartz; occasional limestone voids; occasional grass
14	Plain, ?Trough	15-16th	Cream-yellow; fine texture; silty bands; occasional grog; limestone; occasional clay pellets; limestone voids
15	Plain, Ridge,	15-16th	Yellow-pink; fine-medium texture; frequent silty bands; clay pellets; occasional grog; occasional limestone
16	Pan	18-19th	Cream' with occasional red specks; fine texture; occasional quartz; occasional grog
17	Pan	18-19th	Red; fine texture; silty bands; occasional grog; occasional limestone; mica
18	Pan	18-19th	Orange; fine texture; very fine sanding; occasional mica; oolite; grog
19	Plain, Peg (x2 pegholes), Floor	15-16th	Brown-orange; medium texture; occasional silty bands; frequent quartz; occasional limestone. Floor tile comes from Bawsey kiln
20	Plain, Ridge, Floor	14th	Light brown-grey; green-brown glaze; fine texture; frequent well-rounded limestone; quart; ?pot fabric - similar to pot of 13-14th century
21	Plain	14-15th	Brown-orange; brown glaze; medium texture; quartz; occasional limestone; quartzite; occasional grog

Table 1 Ceramic building materials fabric descriptions

David Hall, pottery specialist for the Forehill publication has kindly commented on three fabrics which seem to resemble pottery fabrics: Fabric 2 (?waterpipe) seems to be similar to Ely pottery fabrics of the 15th century; Fabric 20 is similar to Ely pottery fabric of the 13th-14th century; Fabric 9 looks very similar to Grimston Ware from Norfolk. The presence of tile was not recorded at the kiln site at Pott Row, Grimston (Clarke, 1970). However, a fragment of glazed roof finial in a 'reduced Grimston cooking pot fabric' is reported from King's Lynn (Clarke & Carter, 1977, 300). Forms present in Forehill fabric 9 include crested ridge, ridge and peg tile. The amount of fabrics present suggests that tile used at Forehill, and presumably Ely itself was obtained from a variety of sources.

3.0 ROOF TILE

3.1 Plain tile

Plain tile was the major medieval form of roof tile. A flat slab of clay, it could be suspended from the roof structure by either by pegholes (pierced holes in the clay slab) or applied clay lumps, called nibs, or a combination of both. In the case of Forehill, the only type found was peg tile. It took the form of either two circular pegholes placed at one end (fig i) toward the corners, or one central circular peghole (fig ii), again at one end.

Phase	Date	Context	Breadth (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Fabric
9	14TH	1229	186	18	10
9	14/15TH	214	0	14	0
10	14/15TH	935	0	14	0
12	15TH	837	0	15	0
12	15TH	892	0	15	0
12	15TH	1139	151	13	9
12	15TH	1215	0	16	0
13	15TH	730	0	15	0
13	15/E16TH	313	0	13	0
13	15/E16TH	330	0	12	7
13	15/E16TH	718	0	14	0
14	15/16TH	709	0	16	0
14	15/16TH	752	161	13	4
16	16/17TH	314	180	0	0
16	16/17TH	314	0	18	0
16	16/17TH	996	0	16	0
17	16/17TH	1073	160	15	0
19	16/17TH	753	0	14	11
20	17/18TH	418	0	13	0
23	18/19TH	206	0	12	19

Table 2 - Peg tile occurrence and measurements

Peg tile, with either one or two pegholes, first occurs during the 14th century phases on the site (Table 2). As tile can remain on a roof for long periods, it is possible that the peg tile was actually in use during the 13th century before deposition.

An Act was passed in 1477 that regulated the processes of plain tile manufacture . The standard size was set at 10¹/₂ inches (268mm) by 6¹/₄ inches (160mm) by at least ⁵/₈ (15mm) (Salzmann, 1952, 230). The Forehill tiles from 15th century phases more or less conform to these measurements. The tile measurements from the 14th century phase is actually broader than required by the 1477 Act.

Lucas (1993, 157) in his documentary survey of Ely states that the brick and tile industry in Ely appears to date from the 15th century. Plain tiles occur as early as the 14th century phases at Forehill (and may have been in use earlier), but this may mean that roofing tile was being imported into Ely from the surrounding areas. Systematic recording and research into the ceramic building materials from Ely could help illuminate this.

3.2 Ridge tile

Ridge was used to cover the apex of a plain tile roof. At Forehill, the ridge tile was glazed, and has some decorative crests. There are two occurrences of a distinctive stepped crest, which has a dark green or yellow-green glaze (fig. iii). Definite examples of stepped crests appear in the 16-17th century phases at Forehill, though fabric 7, associated with the stepped ridge tile, occurs as early as the 15th to 16th century. Stepped crests may reflect a Flemish influence in domestic architecture of East Anglia, where there are numerous examples of stepped gables, perhaps introduced by immigrant weavers from the Netherlands in the late 16th-17th centuries (Dunning 1968, 220). However, crested ridge tiles begin to appear at Forehill (albeit with missing crests) in the 15th century (Table 3) and may be from a different source. Decorative crests appear all over the country in a variety of forms that differ from region to region.

Other fragments at Forehill are so abraded that the style of crest cannot be seen. There is one unstratified fragment which is not attached to a ridge tile, and has a white slip under a clear glaze. This is different from the stepped crests as it is curved and is of a different fabric. It may have been part of a finial at the end of the ridge (fig iv).

Form	Phase	Date	Context	Thickness (mm)	Comments	Fabric
CRESTED		U/S	0	15	Green glaze; crests missing; v shaped; frost cracked	9
CRESTED		U/S	0	0	Crest only; white slip; yellow glaze; finial	10
RIDGE	12	15TH	837	0	Pink colour; light grey fabric	0
RIDGE	13	15/E16TH	330	0	Abraded; glaze	0
RIDGE	13	15/E16TH	330	0	Abraded, ?glaze	0
RIDGE	14	15/16TH	891	11	Splashed brown glaze	20
RIDGE	14	15/16TH	632	15	Green glaze	11
RIDGE	15	15/16TH	1227	16		15
RIDGE	16	16/17TH	691	13	Sooted sanded side; 2 joining fragments	7
RIDGE	16	16/17TH	691	13	Sooted sanded side; dark green glaze	7
RIDGE	16	16/17TH	691	13	Dark green glaze	7
CRESTED	16	16/17TH	691	14	Dark green glaze, stepped crest; abraded	7
CRESTED	16	16/17TH	691	14	Dark green glaze; abraded	7
CRESTED	16	16/17TH	314	15	Stepped crest; yellow-green glaze	4
RIDGE	18	16/17TH	624	14	Brown glaze	4
RIDGE	18	16/17TH	624	14	Brown glaze	4

Table 3 Crested ridge and ridge tile occurrence by phase

3.3 Hip tile

Hip tile covered the apex in the angle of a hipped roof. One example was retained from 18-19th century phase, but could be medieval.

3.4 Pantile

The pantile from Forehill occurs in an 18-19th century phase. There are three fabrics, two of which are red or orange, and the third is yellow (Table 4). It is possible that the colours were combined to make patterns, as often seen on the Continent.

Phase	Date	Context	Thickness (mm)	Comments	Fabric
23	18/19TH	206	14		17
23	18/19TH	206	18	Yellow fabric	16
23	18/19TH	206	20		18

Table 4 - Pantile

40 HEARTH TILE?

There is one fragment of possible hearth tile or brick. The fragment, from context 1133, is 31mm thick and has a reduced fabric 10. It occurs in a 14th century phase.

5.0 FLOOR TILE

by Dr J Stopford (text not included in this web version)

6.0 BRICK

None of the bricks from the site were retained; however measurements were taken (see Table 5) and occasionally a colour description was noted in the site records. The earliest context where brick is recorded dates from the 14-15th century, but no measurements were taken. Most of the measurements recorded can probably be assigned to between the 14th and early 16th century (Lloyd 1925, 89-100). Dating bricks purely by measurement alone is quite difficult as regional variations need to be taken into account, both in measurements and manufacturing processes. However, generally-speaking, brick is longer, broader and thinner during the medieval period.

Phase	Date	Context	Length (mm)	Breadth (mm)	Thickness (mm)
13	15/E16TH	330	0	0	47
14	15/16TH	752	240	135	55
18	16/17TH	396	240	120	55
18	16/17TH	396	270	130	60
19	16/17TH	753	0	0	60
22	17/18TH	516	240	105	50

Table 5 Brick measurements and phasing

7.0 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

There are several fragments which evidently had specialised uses:

7.1 Water pipe?

The identification of these items as water pipe is very tentative. The fragments are obviously part of a tube shaped item. The pieces seem to be coil built, and perhaps finished on a wheel. The fragment walls are quite rough and sag a little in places. Two fragments are knife trimmed at the end and may be part of a socket fitting (fig v). Dunning (1967, 86-89) reported on water pipe found in Ely during excavations at Market Hill in 1964. That example was glazed and had knife trimming on the outside surfaces. The Forehill fragments are neither glazed, nor knife trimmed along the body.

7.2 Compartmented tray?

Several fragments of this tray came from context 194, assigned to a 16-17th century period on the site. It has various shapes cut out of a clay slab which was either square or oblong in shape, and is 42mm deep (fig vi). It may be a compartmented tray, used for small cakes or confections, similar to the 14th-15th century example illustrated in Cunningham and Drury (1985, 79, fig 48.6). However, the Forehill example has a green, bubbled glaze and some of the compartments show traces of a white deposit around the top. It may be that the tray has been reused.

7.3 Inkstand or palette

This unstratified fragmentary piece has one complete circular, shallow hole 55mm across and 27mm deep, and there are two other incomplete holes which would have been of similar size (fig vii). There are two other holes, one measuring 16mm across and 23mm deep, and the other 17mm across and 17mm deep which tapers inward. There is scoring between the holes. The depth of the piece is 32mm. An example of an inkstand from Byland Abbey in North Yorkshire shows similar features, though in a different configuration. The small holes were used to stand quill pens, while the large holes contained either ink, water or sand for blotting ink (Dunning 1961, 307). An alternate function may have been as a palette for mixing pigments. Due to traces of what appears to be white mortar, it is likely that the Ely item was reused.

7.4 Trough

This item is in a typical Cambridgeshire yellow fabric, and was found in Phase 16 dating to the 16-17th century. It probably had two compartments, and has a small nailhole drilled in the side of the remaining one (fig viii).

8.0 THE USE OF BRICK AND TILE ON THE SITE

It is evident that ceramic roof tile, in the form of mostly unglazed peg tile, was deposited in Forehill during the 14th century. It is likely that tile was used on buildings at least as early as the 13th century. The medieval buildings also had glazed, decorated crested ridge tiles. A single hip tile points to the presence of a hipped roof line.

Bricks were certainly being used in Ely during the 14th century (Hall, 1996, 37), which is reflected in bricks recorded at Forehill from 14th century phases. It is likely that these were being used in walls and hearths.

The fragments of floor tile present are mainly very abraded or burnt, and show signs of reuse. The earliest date that the floor tiles occur is the 14th century. Either they were removed from a nearby high status building for reuse, or perhaps small numbers were used to decorate a small section of floor or hearth.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to the people at the Medieval Pottery Research Group meeting in May 1998, and to Roy Friendship-Taylor, for their useful comments on the miscellaneous items, which gave useful avenues of research. David Hall provided useful comments on three of the tile fabrics.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Clarke H, 1970. 'Excavations on a kiln site at Grimston, Pott Row, Norfolk' Norfolk Archaeol 35 (1), 1970, 79-95

Clarke H & Carter A, 1977. Excavations in King's Lynn 1963-1970 Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph Series No. 7

Cunningham C M & Drury P J, 1986. Post medieval sites and their pottery: Moulsham Street, Chelmsford Chelmsford Archaeological trust Report 5, Council for British Archaeology Research Report 54

Dunning G C, 1961. 'A medieval pottery inkstand from Byland Abbey' Medieval Archaeology V, 307, pl XXXVI

Dunning G C, 1967. 'Medieval pottery roof-fittings and a water-pipe found at Ely: descriptions of the roof-fittings and water-pipe' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol LX, 81-89

Eames E S, 1955. ‘The products of a medieval tile kiln at Bawsey, King’s Lynn’ Antiquaries Journal 35, 162-81.

Eames E S, 1980. Catalogue of medieval lead-glazed earthenware tiles in the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities, British Museum, 2 vols.

Lloyd N, 1925. A history of English brickwork H Greville Montgomery (reprinted 1990, Antique Collectors' Club)

Lucas R, 1993. 'Ely bricks and roof-tiles and their distribution in Norfolk and elsewhere in the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society LXXXII, 157-62

Salzmann L F, 1952. Building in England to 1540 Oxford University Press (reissue 1992, Sandpiper Books Ltd)

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