Medieval Pottery in East Anglia

The Norfolk and Suffolk Pottery Type Series

The photo galleries on this website include some of the main Late Saxon to post-medieval pottery types found in Norfolk and Suffolk, but there are others which are listed in full in the type series database. A few Early and Middle Saxon and post-medieval wares are also included here.

Many of the medieval fabrics represent 'new' types which were identified during the course of the HE-funded pot project (see below), although it had been recognised that there were differences between coarsewares in use in different parts of the county previously. Most sherds previously categorised as Hollesley-type ware are coarser than the examples from the kiln site, and these should now be referred to as MESCW or WVSW/WVCWM as appropriate.

The full list of fabric codes (last updated in 2020), with basic descriptions and date ranges, is available here.​ The list will be updated for publication in the East Anglian Archaeology monograph series in 2025.

ALL PHOTOS ARE COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE USED ELSEWHERE, IN ANY FORMAT, WITHOUT PERMISSION.

For best results, please view the galleries on a full-sized screen - they do not run very well on a phone!

The Type Series

Gallery of sherd sections

Early to Late Saxon wares

Early medieval wares

High medieval wares

Late medieval and post-medieval wares

The Project

An HE-funded project to produce a fabric and form series for the Anglo-Saxon and medieval pottery of Norfolk and Suffolk is now complete. The project was designed to be carried out in three stages, the aim of Stage 1 being to produce a type series for Suffolk, and Stage 2 provided a type series for Norfolk. Stage 3 will involve the publication of the type series online in database format - this stage will be completed when the database is made available by HE.

The Physical Type Series

Suffolk

The Suffolk type series is available for viewing at the offices of Suffolk County Council Archaeological Services, by appointment. The type series comprises a physical collection of sherd samples and a database - these should be used in conjunction with each other, and use of a microscope is recommended (but not available on site). Use of the type series is now specified for all fieldwork on medieval sites in the county.

Norfolk

The Norfolk type series will soon be available at the Shire Hall offices of Norfolk Museums Service, by appointment.