Pottery from the Sharnbrook Test-pits (Site SHA/12)
IA: Middle Iron Age. Thick, soft brown pottery with shell in the clay. Used between 5 th –
2 nd centuries BC
RB: Roman Greyware . This was one of the most common types of Roman pottery, and was made in many different places in Britain. Lots of different types of vessels were made, especially cooking pots. It was most common in the 1 st and 2 nd centuries AD, but in some places, continued in use until the 4 th century.
SHC: Early Medieval Shelly Ware : AD1100-1400. Hard fabric with plentiful fossil shell mixed in with the clay. Manufactured at many sites in western Bedfordshire. Mostly cooking pots, but bowls and occasionally jugs also known.
PT: Potterspury Ware . c. AD1250-1600. Made at Potterspury in Northamptonshire. Fine, slightly sandy ware, usually buff or red in colour. Often found with patches of green glaze.
A large number of kilns have been excavated in the village over the years, and have shown that the potters produced a wide range of different pots, although jars, bowls and jugs were the commonest types.
SWSG: Staffordshire White Salt-Glazed Stoneware . Hard, white pottery with a white glaze with a texture like orange peel. Made between 1720 and 1780, pots usually table wares such as tea bowls, tankards and plates.
VIC: ‘Victorian’.
A wide range of different types of pottery, particularly the cups, plates and bowls with blue decoration which are still used today. First made around AD1800.
Results
Test Pit 1
VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range
1 2 11 16 1800-1900
All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.
Test Pit 2
RB SHC VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range
2 3 1 8 1 13 1 1 100-1900
This test-pit did not produce much pottery, but the three sherds present shows that the site was used in the Roman, medieval and Victorian periods. The sherds of the first two are fairly large and in good condition, suggesting that people were living nearby.

Test Pit 3
IA SHC PT VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt No Wt No Wt Date Range
3
3
4
5 1 5 1 5
1 4
3 4
1250-1400
500BC-1900
This test-pit did not produce much pottery, but the three sherds present shows that the site was used in the Iron Age, medieval and Victorian periods. The sherds are fairly small a little worn, so the site was probably fields during those times.
Test Pit 4
VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range
4
4
4
5
6
3
12
28
1800-1900
1800-1900
All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.
Test Pit 5
VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt Date Range
5
5
2
3
7
2
15
2
1800-1900
1800-1900
All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.
Test Pit 6
No pottery excavated
Test Pit 7
RB VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range
7 2 1 1 2 3 100-1900
This test-pit only produced two sherds of pottery, but one was Roman. It is very small and a little worn, so the site was probably fields at that time.

Test Pit 8
No pottery excavated
Test Pit 9
SWSG VIC
TP Cntxt No Wt No Wt Date Range
9
9
1
2
1 4 1800-1900
5 22 1800-1900
9
9
3
4
1 3 4 9 1720-1900
3 7 1800-1900
All the pottery form this test-pit is Victorian, apart from a single piece of 18 th
century material, which indicates that this site was not used before that time.