Monument record 0057600000 - BRILL (IMMED N OF VILLAGE)

Summary

Four thirteenth to fourteenth century pottery kilns found in excavation. Medieval pottery kilns, part of the Brill pottery industry, were identified to the north of Temple Farm. The site was first identified by a surface scatter of pottery wasters and dark soil. Excavations in 1953 located four Musty type 2c pottery kilns. Three were superimposed and were oval in plan with opposed stoke holes. They were constructed of stone and had been rebuilt and relined at least once. The other kiln was circular in plan and constructed of tile. A large pottery dump was also excavated. One of the kilns was re-excavated in 1961 and another kiln (kiln E) was identified. Kiln E was re-excavated in 1978 and found to be a Musty type 2c kiln. It was oval in plan, constructed of stone rubble and clay lined and had opposed flues. The 1978 excavations also located a sixth Musty type 2c kiln, this was very similar in plan to kiln E. The kilns produced mainly cooking pots, other forms included pans, jugs, pipkins and skillets. The forms were in a range of sandy fabrics and were handmade but possible wheel finished. The kilns also produced roof tiles. One of the kilns was archaeomagnetically dated to 1300-1325.

Protected Status/Designation

  • Archaeological Notification Area: 4 Medieval pottery kilns excavated in 1954 (DBC9030)
  • Scheduled Monument BU144: Brill pottery kilns (DBC7102)

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Type and Period (2)

  • POTTERY KILN (13th Century to 14th Century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
  • POTTERY MANUFACTURING SITE (13th Century to 14th Century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)

Description

SAM. FIELD SURVEY FOUND AN AREA OF BLACKENED SOIL & WASTERS. SUBSEQUENT EXCAVATIONS FOUND 4 KILNS, PART OF A LARGE-SCALE POTTERY INDUSTRY OF C13/14. THIS SERVED AN AREA OF C.20 MILES RADIUS (B5).
MAGNETOMETER SURVEY INDICATES PRESENCE OF OTHER KILNS & WASTER DUMPS (B13).
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE - SEE CASS 02623:02.


Four medieval pottery kilns were excavated (area SP 657143) in July 1953. Three superimposed and oval-shaped were 13th-14th century and the fourth about 50yds away was round and mid 14th century. All were of double stoke-hole type (see plan). In 1961 two kilns, including one of those previously excavated, were excavated and sampled for magnetic dating by G Weaver and M Tite for the Oxford Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (B16, B10, and B17).
Siting of excavated kilns is given as SP 65651428 on Record 6" map. The area is now under permanent pasture with no surface evidence of the kilns. (a) (B14).
Weaver and Tite's kiln 'E' was excavated in 1978 (B12).


This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Sources (18)

  • <1>SBC5607 Bibliographic reference: GENTLEMENS' MAGAZINE (1831) PT1 PP 580-582.
  • <2>SBC26951 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 1). Volume 1. p107.
  • <3>SBC20461 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1908. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume II. Volume 2. p115.
  • <4>SBC6863 Bibliographic reference: JOPE E M 1945 (NOTE IN OXONIENSIA 10 P96).
  • <5>SBC6865 Article in serial: E M Jope. 1954. 'MEDIEVAL POTTERY KILNS AT BRILL', IN RECS OF BUCKS 16 PP39-42.
  • <6>SBC1280 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum. BCM ACCESSIONS REGISTERS.
  • <7>SBC1887 Bibliographic reference: BRITISH MUSEUM.
  • <8>SBC4806 Verbal communication: FARLEY M E (BCM) & RODGER I JUNE 1974 (PERS COMM).
  • <9>SBC10628 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARD.
  • <10>SBC11470 Bibliographic reference: OXONIENSIA 26/27 (1963) P336/MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY 6-7 (1964) P347.
  • <11>SBC4847 Bibliographic reference: FARLEY M E (BCM) FROM VARIOUS CHARTERS & DEEDS IN DEPT OF WESTERN MSS, BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD (SE.
  • <12>SBC6861 Article in serial: E M Jope & R J Ivens. 1981. 'SOME EARLY PRODUCTS OF THE BRILL POTTERY, BUCKS', IN RECS OF BUCKS 23 PP32-38.
  • <13>SBC6187 Bibliographic reference: HBMC 1986 (JULY).
  • <14>SBC6664 Article in serial: Richard Ivens. 1981. 'MEDIEVAL POTTERY KILNS AT BRILL, BUCKS; PRELIMINARY REPORT ON EXCAVATIONS', IN RECS OF BUCKS 23 PP102-106. Vol 23.
  • <15>SBC147 Bibliographic reference: ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FROM JOPE'S EXCAVATIONS (FINDS & ARCHIVE) DEPOSITED AT BCM BY RICHARD IVENS IN S.
  • <16>SBC6865 Article in serial: E M Jope. 1954. 'MEDIEVAL POTTERY KILNS AT BRILL', IN RECS OF BUCKS 16 PP39-42.
  • <17>SBC28551 Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF CPE/UK 2008, 3117-8, 16.4.47.
  • <18>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 1997; Updates 1999 and 2007.

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 6565 1427 (86m by 83m)
Civil Parish BRILL, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event - Intervention: (EBC10987)
  • Event - Survey: (EBC14474)

Record last edited

Sep 11 2026 1:03PM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any questions or more information about this record? Please feel free to comment below with your name and email address. All comments are submitted to the Heritage Portal maintainers for moderation, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible. Comments, questions and answers that may be helpful to other users will be retained and displayed along with the name you supply. The email address you supply will never be displayed or shared.

Comments