A Group of English and Imported Medieval Pottery from Lesnes Abbey, Kent; and the Trade in Early Hispano-Moresque Pottery to England

Abstract

The group of medieval pottery described in this paper was found at Lesnes Abbey in June 1959, when the smaller of two stone-lined pits added against the west end of the Reredorter was cleared. The pit measured 8 ft. by 5 ft. internally, and was about 10 ft. deep. The greater part of the filling, about 7 ft. in depth, consisted of chalk and stone rubble, fragments of sandy mortar, a few pieces of worked stone, and broken roofing tiles. Below this filling was a layer of dark soil, about 2 ft. in depth, at the bottom of the pit. All the pottery was found in the layer of dark soil; there is thus no doubt that it is contemporary, and was absolutely sealed by several feet of building debris. I am indebted to the officers of the Historic Buildings Section of the London County Council for these details, and for permission to examine the pottery and prepare this report for publication.