NHER 1158 (Monument record) - Medieval kiln and medieval and post medieval pottery finds, Norfolk Street

1970. Systematic observation and recovery, 126 Norfolk Street.
King's Lynn Museum was told of a large pit found while lowering the floor of a building. Most of the pit was emptied by A. Carter (KLAS) who also collected 18th century material (including (S1) Fig. 120 No. 255 Staffordshire Slipware) from the earth floor sealing it.
The dateable material in the group consisted of 16th century Siegburg ((S1) Fig. 128 No.365), Raeren and Frechen stonewares, a sherd of 17th century 'Bellarmine', three early 17th century Weser slipware sherds ((S1) Fig. 123 Nos. 292, 295, 308), a tin-glazed sherd of Metropolitan-type slipware ((S1) Fig. 118 No. 205). This last is unlikely to be earlier than 1660 (information from J. Hurst) and provides the terminal date for deposition.
The group provided a type-series for a hitherto unknown class of pottery, provisionally known as NS ware ((S1) p. 238), of which three wasters and two kiln spacer-tiles were found. It is possible that this was manufactured in the Norfolk Street kiln from which the town chamberlains were buying tiles in 1586 (KLM Eq. 1586).
The following drawn sherds (indicated by the letter 'a' on figures) are representative of the complete range of material found. (S1).
Late Grimston: Figure 104, Nos. 7, 11.
Red Ware: Figures 108, 109,111-15, 121 Nos. 66, 80, 86, 110, 119, 144, 148 (West Norfolk bichrome), 157, 183, 185, 187, 272.
NS ware: Figures 106, 110-112, 115, 119, 121, Nos.96, 99, 101, 103, 114, 138, 174, 180, 237, 238, 265, 266, 270, 273, 274, 278.
Black-glazed earthenware: Figure 119. Nos. 225, 232, 234, 235, 239, 240.
Metropolitan-type slipware: Figure 118 No.205.
Dutch earthenware: Figure 123, No. 282.
Weser slipware: Figure 123, Nos. 192, 295, 298.
Tin-glazed earthenware: Figure 124, No. 305.
Siegburg stoneware: Figure 128, No. 365.
A. Carter (KLAS).

(S2) details a programme of X-ray fluorescence analysis of 26 samples of post-medieval pottery from King's Lynn prior to differentiating fabric/clay-source groups. The results show that red ware and NS ware fall into two distinct groups. There was no significant variation within the NS ware group. This confirmed the supposition that althouth some pots in an NS ware-like fabric (e.g. Nos. 266 and 278 from this site) had apparent Dutch characteristics, they were not necessarily from a foreign source.
See (S2) for further information.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 22 May 2019.

Before 1977. X-ray fluorescence of post-medieval pottery.
Samples of NS ware including the three sherds found on this site were analysed. It is not clear whether the source of clay for NS ware is near or in King's Lynn or in South Lincolnshire (visually NS ware is indistinguishable from South Lincolnshire ware). There was no significant difference in the chemical composition of the NS ware group. This confirmed what was already suspected, that, although some posts in an NS ware-like fabric had apparent Dutch characteristics, they were not necessarily from a foreign source.
See (S2) for further information.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 12 March 2019.