Medieval Discoveries at Stonar

( 278 ) MEDIAEVAL DISCOVERIES AT STONAR. BY BERTRAM W. PEARCE, M.A., F.S.A. AEJ noted in Archawlogia Oantiana, Vol. XLVIII, p. 237, a. deposit of mediaeval pottery was found at Stonar on land belonging to Messrs. Pearson, Dorman Long & Co., a little south of the large basin called Stonar Lake. This part of Stonar lies on a wide bank of flint shingle up to 50 feet thick which is now being dredged for the Staffordshire potteries. In cutting back the upper part of the deposit to allow the laying of a line of rails, single pieces of the pottery could be seen for the greater part of the section in disturbed material all at about the same level. At one point, however, a regular dump occurred in a hollow up to one foot thick. A quantity of the pottery has been collected by Mr. Stebbing and the writer, but they unfortunately could not get on to the site when it was first exposed. It is hoped that an article on it will appear in a later volume. To the east a hearth had been cut through, formed of a layer of burnt clay laid in a hollow of the shingle bank. A spindle whorl and a little pottery were found here. The hearth was circular with a diameter of c. 28 in. and a depth of 16 in. While the bank was being cut back for a second line of rails, a medireval well was disclosed. Its centre was c. 92 ft. from the corner of the nearest shed, and 226 ft. W. of the hearth. It was 4 ft. in diameter (see illustrations). The upper part was built of large slabs of Folkestone stone, concave on the inner side, with a few reused pieces of Caen stone, and flints, often faced, inserted here and there. Lower down the blocks were usually continuous all the way round with layers of faced flints inserted occasionally. One of these blocks in situ measured 18 in. by 6 in., while another, evidently a curb stone, which had been broken away, was 22 in. by 14 in. by 6in. Two curb stones still remained in position. The front STOXAR. 􀁀tEDIEYAL POTTERY DUMP (!.) A􀁁1D 'WELL. STONAR. MASONRY OF UPPER PART OF MEDIEVAL WELL. MEDIAEVAL DISCOVERIES AT STONAR. 279 had been destroyed, either this year in the course of discovery, or previously, and the well was filled with and covered over with large flints, rubble stone work and a few broken blocks of faced Ca.en stone from some building already in ruins. The filling was removed down to water level which was at 7 ft. 3 in. from the top of the curb stones, and 5 ft. 9 in. from the level of the rails. Resting partly in and partly out of the water was a forked oak post 3 ft. 10 in. in length which had evidently been one of the uprights for the windlass. Nothing else was found. Close to the outside of the well were several large blocks of chalk, and also stones with very poor mortar containing sea sand with littorina, pecten and other shells. Some of the stones in the well, however, had mortar of a much better and harder type still adhering to them. The top of the well was about 2 ft. below the bottom of the pottery dump which lay a little to the east. A small quantity of pottery fragments of type similar to that in the dump, was found around the well at a low level. The photographs show the well with the pottery-filled trench to the left above ; and a detail of the walling of the well. Our grateful thanks are due to Mr. L. S. Layman of Messrs. Pearson, Dorman Long & Co., who on behalf of the company postponed the further cutting back of the bank until the site had been investigated.