Fig. 844.
A pottery was in existence here, in Kent, in the middle of the seventeenth century, but nothing is known as to its history. The ware was the usual coarse brown ware, of much the same character as the Toft dishes. An example, formerly belonging to Mr. C. W. Reynolds, decorated with an incised pattern and bearing the date 1668, and the initials H. I. and I. A., is traditionally said to be of this make. In the British Museum is a large brown dish with the words E. W. E., WROTHAM, 1669, and in the Museum of Practical Geology is a two-handled posset-pot with raised ornaments and inscription laid on, in yellow slip, before glazing, T. E., WROTHAM, 1703. Another good example, belonging to Mr. Baldwin, is a four-handled tyg ornamented with fleur-de-lis, &c., and bearing the words
An interesting example, considered by Marryat to belong to Wrotham, is given on Fig. 844.
Yarmouth.
Although the name “Absolon, Yarmouth,” may occur on various pieces of ware in different collections, it must not, for one moment, be taken for granted that the pottery was produced there. The Absolons were china and glass dealers in Yarmouth, and one of the family appears to have erected a kiln, called the Ovens, and there to have burnt in the flowers and other designs which he employed himself in painting upon ware produced from other places. His plan appears to have been to procure the ordinary cream-coloured ware in plates, &c., and paint upon them flowers in the manner of those of Swinton, Don, &c.; and in the same manner to write their names on the back; and then to burn them in in his own “oven.” Mr. Norman possessed some plates of Absolon’s painting, which bore on the back the usual mark of his name, pencilled on and burnt in, and the name “TURNER” impressed in the ware. These pieces, there can be no reasonable doubt, were made by John Turner, of Lane End. Mr. Chaffers says that having the name of “Turner” stamped upon them, “proves that they were actually made at Caughley, and decorated at Yarmouth;” but this carries its own condemnation on the face of it, for Turner of Caughley is not known to have stamped his name on his ware, and beyond this he did not produce cream ware at his works. There is reason to believe that Absolon bought his ware from Staffordshire and Leeds. He put his name in colour on the bottom of the pieces he decorated.
Fig. 845.
Cossey.
The works at Cossey, near Norwich, which now produce many art-works of merit in the form of decorated bricks and other architectural enrichments, were established about 1800, as a brick-yard, and so continued of small size, until about 1827, when Cossey, or Costessy Hall, the seat of its noble owner, Lord Stafford, was rebuilt, when they were enlarged, so as to enable a full supply for the purpose to be made. The foreman of these works was Mr. Gunton, and under his care the manufacture of ornamental bricks, for the new hall, was tried, and with marked success. On this hall,—one of the best of brick buildings, and one which may be looked upon as a gigantic example of Cossey ceramic art—are some remarkably fine Tudoresque chimney shafts, as well as excellently designed and well-executed cusped window-heads, transoms, mullions, &c.; and finials, door-jambs, cornices, panelling, and string-courses, all of equal excellence. These are all formed of moulded brick made at Cossey from native clays, and are still in remarkably good preservation. After the completion of the building of the Hall the brickworks were closed for about four years, when Mr. Gunton succeeded in renting them in the hope of fully carrying out his idea of manufacturing decorated brickwork. Unfortunately, however, he was not permitted to have the use of the moulds from which the Hall bricks had been made; but, nevertheless, he from time to time prepared new moulds for chimney shafts, window-heads, mouldings, &c., and gradually got them into notice, and architects and builders soon began to see their advantage. The works are now carried on by his son, Mr. George Gunton, whose productions are of the highest possible class of merit. Among the architectural enrichments produced at these works,—the designs being entirely supplied by architects, and of the purest style and finish—are chimney shafts, many of which are of the most elaborate style of ornamentation; window-heads, &c.; balustrades; cornices; medallions; crest-ridging; string-courses; plinths; arches and keys; pateræ; architraves; finials; capitals, bases, and shafts; and many other matters. These are produced of remarkable sharpness and of great beauty of finish—the tooth, nail-head, and other ornaments, being very pure in character. They are produced in two colours—a fine, rich, deep red, and a stone; the latter being the nearest approach of any to artificial stone, and both being extremely hard and durable.
Cadborough.
The Cadborough Pottery, near Rye, in Sussex, was first built about 1807, and carried on by Mr. James Smith, and afterwards by his son, Mr. Jeremiah Smith. In 1840, the business passed into the hands of the late Mr. William Mitchell (who had had the management of it, under Mr. Smith, since 1827), who carried it on in his own name until 1859, when he took one of his sons, Mr. Frederick Mitchell, into partnership, and the firm became “Wm. Mitchell & Son,” and so continued until 1869, when the partnership was dissolved, under mutual arrangement, Mr. Mitchell, sen., continuing the Cadborough business for common earthenware, and his son, Mr. Frederick Mitchell, taking the fancy department, which was his own creation, to new premises, the Bellevue Pottery (which see). In 1870, Mr. Mitchell, sen., died, and the business at Cadborough was then taken by Mr. Henry Mitchell, who still carries it on. The goods produced are the ordinary common brown wares, glazed and unglazed, and consist of flower-pots; chimney-pots; pitchers and crocks of various kinds; tongue, ham, beef, biscuit, milk, and other pans; bottles, jugs, bowls, and other domestic vessels; sewer and drain pipes; butter-pots; and all the other usual articles made in this ware. The clay is dug on the farm of Cadborough, as is also the loam with which it is mixed, and it is of peculiarly hard and durable texture, and capable of taking a good glaze. Many of the domestic vessels are mottled or “splashed” under the glaze.
Rye.
The “Bellevue Pottery” in the Ferry Road, Rye, Sussex, was established in 1869, by its present proprietor, Mr. Frederick Mitchell, son and partner of the late Mr. William Mitchell of the Cadborough Pottery (which see). It was established entirely for the manufacture of “Sussex Rustic Ware”—an ornamental branch of the brown-ware goods invented by Mr. Frederick Mitchell while at those works. This ware is of peculiar, but highly pleasing character, and in it a large variety of fancy articles, flower-baskets, candlesticks, jugs, vases, pilgrims’ bottles, &c., are made. The clay is peculiarly light, and of tolerably close texture, and it is capable of working into any form. The glaze, which is of equal richness with that of “Rockingham” ware, is of exceedingly good quality, and it has a rich effect over the mottling or “splashing” which characterizes this ware. Many of the productions are very artistic, and evince much taste and skill in manipulation. Some of the vessels are decorated with the leaf and head of the staple product of the county —the hop—or with other excellent copies of leaves and flowers, &c. The peculiarity of this “Sussex Rustic Ware” is its extreme lightness, and the richness of its mottling and glaze.
One article, worthy of especial notice, as made at these works (and formerly at Cadborough), is the “Sussex Pig” here engraved. This is a drinking vessel of the same general character as the “Bears,” which will be found described under the heads of Brampton, Nottingham, &c. The body, when filled with ale, stands on end, on its tail, and the head lifts off to be used as a drinking cup, precisely in the same manner as with the “bears.” In Sussex these “pigs” are used at weddings, when each guest is invited to “drink a hogshead of beer to the health of the bride;” and at other social and convivial meetings. On these occasions each person is expected to drink this cup—or “hog’s head”—full of liquor.
Fig. 846.
Gestingthorpe.
Pavement tiles and other articles were made at Gestingthorpe, in Essex, in the seventeenth century. Houghton, writing in 1693, says:—
“From my ingenious good friend, Mr. Samuel Dale, of Braintree, in Essex, I am informed, that at Gestingthorpe, in that county, are made a sort of hard yellowish bricks and pavements, called white brick, and Walpet brick, from a town in Suffolk of that name, where they were first made; they are harder and more durable than common red brick, and therefore much used for pavement of floors in lower rooms, and also for fire-hearths, except just where they make their fires.”
Holkham.
In 1849, the Earl of Leicester, anxious to turn the clays of his estate in Norfolk to good account, commenced the manufacture of red terra-cotta at Holkham, and produced some good Tudor chimney-tops and moulded bricks.
Nuneham Courtney.
Potworks existed here in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and are spoken of by Plot, in 1677 as being “now deserted; nor, indeed, was there, as I ever heard of, anything extraordinary performed during the working these earths.”
Marsh Balden.
The pottery at this place, existing in the beginning of the seventeenth century, is included in the above remark by Dr. Plot.
Horspath.
Tobacco pipes were made here in the latter end of the seventeenth century.
Shotover.
At Shotover, in the parish of Headington, tobacco-pipes were made prior to 1677, at which time the “place was deserted.”