The Excavation of the Hospital of St. Mary of Ospringe, commonly called Maison Dieu

THE EXCAVATION OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE, COMMONLY CALLED MAISON DIEU* G. H. SMITH INTRODUCTION Following permission for housing on an area of orchard and pasture (N.G.R. TR 004609) on the site of the Hospital of St. Mary of Ospringe, commonly called the Maison Dieu, an excavation was carried out in 1977 by the Central Excavation Unit (C.E.U.) of the Department of the Environment, with the encouragement of the landowner, the Colombus Housing Association. The excavation revealed a number of buildings, some remaining only as floors within robber trenches, others remaining up to a height of 0·60 m. above their original floor level. Preservation was best on the margins of the stream which had been avoided by post-medieval cultivation and construction. The buildings were part of a neatly laid out precinct. The main elements were a large single-storey building (the common hall) with adjoining necessarium over a culverted stream, a long domestic building with hearth, ovens and nearby well plus a fourbayed, buttressed building with undercroft. The latter building is likely to be the Camera Regis (see below). To the north lay part of the hospital cemetery, a dovecote and part of a large pond. To the west of the hall was a small garden close with surrounding pentice. Further to the east was part of another building adjacent to the probable corner of the hospital garden. The excavation showed that all these buildings had been demolished and robbed of much of their materials by c. 1571. This report describes and interprets the excavation in terms of the structures found with their most significant stratigraphic relations and associated finds. A detailed description of every layer and object has *Published with the aid of a grant from the Department of the Environment. 81 G. H. SMITH been made as an 'archive report' within the terms of the recommendations of the Frere Committee, 1 placed on micro-fiches and organized into a 'computer-retrievable' format. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The archive report was assembled and edited by Mr. P. J. Pikes. The finds archive was assembled by Miss Q. Mould. The data were typed onto tape by Mrs. S. Keyte. The site drawings were traced by Miss A. Borrow and Mr. M. Hudson. The bulk of the pottery was sorted by Mr. N. Stainforth. The excavation was supervised by Messrs. P. J. Pikes, D. Bartlett, B. Attewell, Miss A. Kurlis and Mr. N. Stainforth, all of the C.E.U. Of the many people who helped with the excavation particular thanks must go to Miss A. Borrow, Mr. G. Brown, Miss A. Dolan, Messrs. D. Fewtrill, R. Grove, Miss V. Herbert, Messrs. M. Hicks, T. lthell, Miss L. Jefferson, Mr. P. Lloyd, and members of the Sittingbourne and Swale Archaeological Society led by Miss E. Grisdale. Mr. S. E. Rigold, M.A., F.S.A., kindly commented on the manuscript and provided many useful insights during the excavation as did Mr. A. C. Harrison, B.A., F.S.A. Particular thanks must go to Mr. D. Santer, custodian of the Maison Dieu Museum, for his continual help and encouragement. The finds were conserved by Miss M. Robson, Mr. C. Slack and Miss J. Watson of the Ancient Monuments Laboratory (A.M.L.) under the supervision of Miss G. Edwards. The pottery was drawn by Mr. J. Thorn and all other finds plus Fig. 8 by Mr. D. Honour, both of the Ancient Monuments Drawing Office. A pre-excavation resistivity survey of the site was carried out by Messrs. P. S. Griffiths (A.M.L.) and F. McAvoy (C.E.U.). Miss J. Bayley (A.M.L.) carried out technological identification of the metal objects and 'slags'. Dr. F. W. Anderson identified the stone types. Species identification of wood and charcoal was carried out by Mrs. C. A. Keepax (A.M.L.) GENERAL BACKGROUND The hospital enjoyed royal patronage from the beginning, or almost the beginning, of its existence and is thus remarkably well documented. It has been suggested that it may have existed in rudimentary form shortly before Hubert de Burgh surrendered the Lordship of the manor 1 2 Principles of Publication in Rescue Archaeology, DOE (1975). The archive report can be consulted at Kent County Museum Service, West Malling, where the finds will also be stored, or, in microfiche fonn, at the National Monuments Record. 82 0 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE N t + ,' I / 'I , / .., -, .. -􀀏 ,: / Osprin'ge ,·, ,/ ,' ,,, \--,./ •' I 2 km Approximate position of medieval mill Line of medieval museum I I 19th C Government gunpowder mill (now demolished) 100m Fig. I. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Location Maps. 83 G. H. SMITH in 1232: nothing discovered during the excavation confirms or denies this, which if correct was a very brief phase. However, subsequent to the first royal grant by Henry III in 12343 there are many references, principally in the various series of royal rolls and often mentioned in conjunction with a larger foundation at Oxford (the Hospital of St. John), which enable us to trace general progress in building, function and personnel, to compile a complete succession of masters and to follow the long decline and difficulties of the house from the fourteenth century and the attempts to stem them. One source mentions a Camera Regis.4 which lay towards the north of the site, and there were royal visits, in fact short halts, which doubtless made use of this building, conveniently situated near the highway to Canterbury and Dover. The sources were collected and summarily published by C. H. Drake5 and additional material, with some reinterpretation, by S. E. Rigold.6 Recently further relevant documents have been recorded among the archives of St. John's College, Cambridge, which received the endowments and patronage of the hospital at its dissolution in 1516. These documents are described in this report (p. 87, below), and include a 'Survey of Kentish Estates', c. 1571, covering the site of the hospital buildings. Both Drake and Rigold include plans and descriptions, valid for the time of publication, of the only buildings of the hospital now upstanding, two stone undercrofts, both on the south side of Watling Street and both incorporated in post-Dissolution buildings. 7 One is probably documented to 1255, the other probably early fourteenth century and included in the timber-framed building, substantially just after the Dissolution, since in the guardianship of the D.O.E. and containing a museum. These were subordinate buildings of the hospital, the main part of which lay north of the Street. Some walls said to have been part of the hospital and its chapel still stood in the seventeenth century and some detail, evidently not from the primary build is recorded.8 We know that William Strensham demolished the 'Maison Dieu chancel' in 15859 and the plan and disposition of the main buildings were therefore considered as lost. The Survey of c. 1571, however, describes a still-standing chapel, with a dwelling adjoining, ascribed to a chantry priest, and 'old walls on the north side of the chapel where once were buildings'. This implies that most of the 3 Close Rolls, 4 1231-34, 394, 488. Described in 'an ancient perambulation' quoted by T. Southouse in Monas/icon favershamiense (1671), 149. 5 .C. H. Drake, 'The Hospital of St. Mary of Ospringe', Arch. Cant., xxx (1914), 35-78. 6 S. E. Rigold, 'Two Kentish Hospitals re-examined', Arch. Cant., Jxxix (1964), 31-69. 7 ibid., 39-44. 8 Southouse, op. cit., 150. 9 C. H. Drake, op. cit., 61. 84 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE complex, including nearly all the structures recently excavated, had been destroyed by the time of the survey. There were, however, clear indications that the footings of some at least of the buildings remained. Trenches for new drains, dug in 1957, north of the Street, at first close to the stream but deviating from it, revealed a substantial structure flanking the stream, close to the road but apparently not quite parallel with it, and a series of walls further 0 10 20m ........_ ....._ , -·-·-·- Limits of imestigated area Medieval walls localed by excavation Standing buildings wllh some medieval walls Fig. 2. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. General Plan summarizing all excavated and documentary Evidence for the Hospital lay-out. 85 G. H. SMITH north, associated with debris of tiled roofs. These were recorded by Rigold, 10 who tentatively associated the northern ones with the Camera Regis, on the assumption that the principal buildings of the hospital would have been a common hall and a chapel, close to the road and in series, while the Camera Regis would be set somewhat apart. In any case, part of the plan, and in particular the Camera Regis, seemed recoverable, and the proposal to build houses on a fairly flexible lay-out seemed a profitable opportunity for an excavation which was undertaken, partly at S. E. Rigold's insistence, and the results have exceeded all expectations. Not only was the northern part of the complex very well preserved, but the northern end of a substantial building (B534) was found, which has been interpreted, on the analogy of St. John's, Canterbury, St. Mary's, Strood, and perhaps other Kentish hospitals, as the common hall but lying North to South (see Discussion p. 104, below). It proved impossible to test this nearer the Street, but in the circumstances this hypothesis seems likelier than the East to West alternative, and, with the chapel, which must lie East to West and very close to this, and the approaches to the inner buildings, both of which are described in the Survey of 1571, the plan may well be recovered almost in its entirety, though the exact position of the last-named buildings is not known. Tradition agrees in associating these last survivors with the general area of the Ship Inn (Fig. I). SITUATION The site of the hospital lies in the base of a dry north-south valley, at the point of its emergence from the chalk plateau, gently declining northwards, which is also the point where it is crossed by Watling Street, the primary and principal road-link between Britain and, ultimately, Rome. The valley originated in a periglacial environment, and its floor at this point contains deposits of silty coombe and head brickearth, overlying heavy flint gravel. Until recently a permanent stream ran down the valley, but its springs are now pumped out at source; it formerly provided a head for three mills (including the hospital grain mill, see Fig. 1), but now only carries occasional surface run-off. South of the Street its course is marked by Water Lane, corning from the vicinity of Ospringe Church where was presumably the primary focus of settlement of the village, past Queen Court, emerging on the Street between the two undercrofts of the hospital on that side, where the sidewalks have long been raised. North of the 10 Arch. Cant., lxxix (1964), 44-47. 86 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE Street the stream crossed the site of the hospital, providing a basic requirement of a religious house. Remains of its stone-lined channel were found, though often damaged by robbing and flood. There was no evidence to suggest any kind of occupation on the hospital site before the thirteenth century; until then, and the culverting of the stream, there was a deep, richly organic, water-logged soil-profile. Relatively small areas were excavated down to the natural subsoil once it was agreed that most of the site would be preserved as part of the new building scheme. However, none proved by structures or artefacts that there had been any occupation preceding the construction of the stone buildings. The four Roman coins and a few sherds of samian and greyware all came from secondary, i.e. medieval or later contexts. The place-name Ospringe befits a primary settlement near the church and upstream from the street. It is not attested before the eleventh century and the earliest spellings hardly vary from the present one. Whatever the first element may mean, there is general agreement that the second is 'spring', rare and late in English place-names, and suggesting superficial risings: the normal OE, and certainly for anything like a rock source, would be 'well'. In fact, it seems that the roadside ribbon settlement, the present village, is not only secondary but consequent on the control of the stream at the crossing. lt had no Roman forerunner, at least in the eastern part of the settlement. One kilometre to the west, however, but extending to the outskirts of the village, lie the Roman cemeteries of Durolevum, on higher ground.11 Where Durolevum was remains uncertain, but there is not much room for a roadside settlement either in the western extremities of the present village or in the next 'dip' to the west. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. S. E. Rigold The primary sources used by C. H. Drake in his fundamental and wellreferenced study of the Maison Dieu 12 were principally in the Chancery rolls and to a lesser degree from archiepiscopal letters and registers, deeds in Lambeth and the Chapter Library at Canterbury, Chantry Certificates, Feet of Fines and instruments in the Probate Registry. He also used printed secondary sources, not always critically, and among these is T. Baker's History of St. John's College, Cambridge. 13 Although he acknowledged the help of the then Master, who probably introduced him to this work, and was aware, at least, of post-Dissolution leases belonging to the College, 14 he made no use of 11 W. Whiting et al.,• ... the Roman Cemetery at Ospringe, Kent', Reps. of the Res. Comm. of the Soc. of AIiis. London, viii (1931). 12 Arch. Cant., xxx (1914), 35-78. :! An early eighteenth-century work, edited and published by J. Mayor (1869). Drake, op. cit., 61. 87 G. H. SMITH these or any other primary documents in Cambridge. Neither did R. C. Fowler, who used much the same range of sources as Drake for his account in the Victoria County History. 15 In my paper, 16 which claimed no more in the documentary field than to supplement and interpret certain aspects of Drake's coverage, I, too, limited myself to comparable sources. Now, however, by courtesy of the Master and Fellows of St. John's, the College Librarian Mr. Buck and the Archivist Mr. Underwood, and also through the energetic thoroughness of Gillian Andrews and the excavator (a work of supererogation for an excavation unit), we have had access to what the College possesses about Ospringe. Some of it has little bearing on land-tenure and post-Dissolution interests and must have been preserved for purely historical reasons. This is no place for a full documentary revision of this unusually well evidenced hospital. The new material is only cited as far as it is relevant to the elucidation of the buildings or to matters in which I was particularly concerned to supplement or correct Drake, but it is appropriate to give a brief notice of what exists in Cambridge for future study. The most useful document concerning the buildings is indeed postDissolution, the 'Survey ofKentish Estates', which is summarized and discussed by Gillian Andrews at the end of this section. Others comprise:- A, a series of Indulgences, dated between 1248 and 1326, granted by bishops of various sees to those who visit the Hospital; B, a very interrupted series of Master's Accounts (indexed 2/1/1, ff.) of ( l ) Henry, 1279-80; (2 and 3) Peter, 1288-9 and 1292-4; ( 4 and 5) Adam, 1321-2 and 1334-5; (6) John, 1328-9; (7) Thomas, 1370-1; C, various early lamp-rents, etc.; D, copies of two tripartite indentures: (1) for a rent to the Hospital between William Gracyen, Master, John of Blean and Peter, 'Rector' of Eastbridge Hospital, Canterbury, with a confirmation by Henry III, dated 1239; (2) the agreement, cited from another source by Drake, 17 about· burial rights, conceded in 1245 by Robert of Battle, Abbot of St. Augustine's. Among A the following have 'architectural' significance :-no. 4, by St. Richard, Bishop of Chichester (1245-53) to visitors on the anniversary of the dedication (xi. kal. april, 1251). This, of course, may be some time after the completion of the permanent chapel, but 15 VCH. Kent, ii (1926), 222-4. 16 Arch. <;ant., lxxix (1964), 31-47. 17 Drake, op. cir., 70-1. 88 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE suggests that St. Richard may have conducted the ceremony and issued the indulgence here, as no. 5, by John of Pontoise (Pontissara), Bishop of Winchester, which has a date of place at Ospringe; no. 1, by the Dominican Roland Jorz, just retired from the archbishopric of Dublin (1311-22), giving indulgence to visitors to the lower Chapel. From a lamp-rent, no. 41 (C), we know that the lower chapel was already in existence or a-building in 1249-50. Whether or not the second chapel, degraded to a barn, as noted in the Survey (p. 91), had served for the first few years, the permanent chapel was two-storeyed from its beginning and is still so described in the Survey. It seems likely to have been built c. 1245-50 and was separate from the long hall (B534), which may be of slightly earlier origin, following the grant for 'infirmaries' of 1238.18 Among B, nos. 2/1/3 (1292-4) and 2/1/4 (1321-2) are of greatest immediate interest for the history of organization and structures. From the former we learn that there were at least four obedienciaries, which must have extended to the lay brethren (four or six (?) besides three chaplains). This means, effectively, 'jobs for everybody' and that the house, like many others then and later, was not so much underendowed but over-endowed with small parcels whose administration interfered with the real work of the community, so that good management became impossible as soon as they were understaffed. Here we have the wardens (custodes) of the brewhouse and bakehouse (dealing with a plumber); of the mill (dealing with a millwright and detailed repairs to a windmill and a water-mill); of the larder (dealing with pannage and swine-herds); and of the garden (dealing with a gardener and women picking flax and hemp). There is also a section about the privileged Juliana of Wye, 19 who had a schoppa, not altogether to the advantage of the Hospital. From the roll of 1321-2 we read of a new clock in the chapel, an extraordinary rarity and privilege in so small a house at that date, perhaps owing something to Edward II himself, who had mechanical interests like those of Louis XVI. From nos. 2/1/6 and 2/1/7 would seem to follow some emendations to the published lists of masters. 20 John of Lenham would appear to be already in office by 1328-9, despite his confirmation in 1330. Thomas (of) Newenham, appointed 1349, is still in office in 1370-1. One wonders whether he is not the same as 'Thomas Honynham', mentioned in 1378, but appointed under Edward III; the readings are 18 Rigold, op. cit., 34. 19 ibid., 36. This encourages my suspicion that the forte of this ex-royal lady's maid and shrewd businesswoman was as a pharmacist, even a 'beautician', and that what she made and sold were ointments, not refreshments. Did she use the mortar, M 4? She would not be unique in religious houses today. 20 In Drake, revised in VCH, and again in Rigold, opp. citt. 89 G. H.SMITH difficult, but after careful comparison we feel no doubt about that of 1370-1. A Thomas occurs in 1365 and 1387, and if they are all the same person, in office for some 40 years it would agree with a young appointment, perhaps influenced by nepotism of his uncle(?), William, a royal clerk. But there may be a break between 1371 and 1377, to account for the otherwise unevidenced Paul of Dunton, who had certainly resigned what claims he had (perhaps a quashed counterappointment, date and causes unknown). EXCERPT FROM THE 'SURVEY OF KENTISH ESTATES', 1571. Gillian Andrews The following summary is of an indenture made in 1560-1 and of the schedule attached to it, presumably at the same time, which concerns lands and buildings of the Maison Dieu in Ospringe, and in various other parishes. Both parts are recorded in a 'Survey ofKentish Estates' owned by St. John's College, Cambridge, and compiled in 157-1 by George Bolton, College Receiver. Only infonnation relating to the Maison Dieu has been summarized here, details of other properties included in the indenture having been omitted. Copies of the original document have been placed with the County Archivist at Maidstone and with the excavation archive in the custody of the Kent County Museum Service. 'Com. Kant. Domus dei de Ospringe vu/go vocata the Maisondewe house of Ospringe cum diversis terris eidem pertinentibus ut sequitur. viz.' By indenture of James Pilkington, Master, to Robert Coldwell of Faversham, on the fourth day of April 1560, John Coldwell, doctor of medicine, son of Robert, holds two tenements in Ospringe Street with the gardens adjoining the Maison Dieu on the west, the sites of the Charnel house and the forge, various other plots including lands in the parishes of Buckland, Whitstable, Faversham, Ore and Luddenham and the lands and buildings of the Maison Dieu, excepting the Chapel (cape/la) and Bell Tower called the Steeple. Payment to be made by Michaelmas 1561 and twice yearly thereafter for the term of twenty years. The Rooms and Buildings I. A hall (au/a) with a stone fireplace (camina), a (sing.) glazed window and a low partition (sudes) called a wainscott. Above is a solar with a stone fireplace and small glazed windows, and adjoining are two small apartments (domus) called study houses. (16 ft. by 16 ft.). 2. An entry with a stair east of the solar leading to a priviehouse. This entry also leads to a small room with stone walls roofed with tiles, above the great gate. (8 ft. by 8 ft.). 3. Two small ruined buildings, one with an oven (furnus) to the east of the hall facing the great gate. (13 ft. by 10 ft.). 4. An entry with a small room above leading from the hall towards the wyckett and a small yard. (26 ft. by 6 ft.). 90 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF ◊SPRINGE 5. On the west side of the entry a stone walled and vaulted cellar beneath the Chapel, with four stone columns down the centre and two small windows in the east end with iron window bars. (46 ft. by 16 ft.). 6. A chapel (ecc/esia) above the cellar with stone walls, roofed with tiles, and seven windows with window bars. The one above the altar has glass still remaining. (46 ft. by 16 ft.). 7. In the Chapel a screen (cancel/a), with a choir with green painted seats, and one door on the north side of the screen. There are two other doors at the west end of the Chapel, one leading into the street, the other into Maison Dieu land. There was once a Bell Tower called The Belfrey, but no walls remain, and there are some old walls on the north side of the Chapel where once there were buildings. 8.Another building at the west end of the Chapel now in a state of disrepair. This was once called Ospringe Church and later called a stone barn. It was once roofed with tiles. (24 ft. by 12 ft.). 9 A gateway at the east end of the Maison Dieu House with a room above as already mentioned (see Item 2). 10. A dovecote with tiled roof. (10 ft. by 10 ft.). The lands, tenements, meadows and pastures attached to the Maison Dieu as follows:- 11. An orchard and garden, to the north of the Maison Dieu, with a brick wall on the west. (I virgate of arable). 12. A plot containing a dovecote (see Item 10) adjoining Maison Dieu land to north and south, the King's highway (regia via) to the east (probably the present road from Ospringe to Faversham, immediately to the east of the site) and the watercourse of the Maison Dieu Mill to the west. (2 acres of pasture). 13. A plot called the Maison Dieu Croft adjoining the highway to the east and south, Maison Dieu land to the west, and other lands to the north. (4 acres of arable). 14. A plot adjoining the highway to the west and north, and other lands to the east and south. (I acre of arable). 15. A plot, once a cemetery, containing three yew trees, adjoining Nante? (or Nacte?) Lane to the west and north, the watercourse (see Item 12) to the east and Maison Dieu land to the south. (1 virgate of pasture). 16. A plot where the forge used to be, adjoining the King's highway to the north, Maison Dieu land to the south, and other lands to east and west. (Half a virgate of arable). 17. A plot with one ruined building to the east. The building (30 ft. by 14 ft.) is roofed with tiles and adjoins the highway to the south, the church and cemetery to east and north and the lane (see Item 15) to the west. (Half an acre of arable). Items 18, 19, 20. Lands in the parishes of Buckland, Faversham, Ore, Luddenham and Whitstable. THE STRUCTURES The details of the structures as excavated are shown in Fig. 3. Although there had been alterations and additions during the life of the hospital there had been no major rebuilding and so all the details of construction can be seen on the one plan except in the area of the kitchen (Building 954) where there had been a number of alterations 91 G. H. SMITH (Fig. 5). Only the major sections are illustrated here (Fig. 4), the rest, together with the elevations of walls can be seen in the archive report. a. Building 534 (Fig. 3) This building, as shown on the plan (Fig. 2) and the elevation (Fig. 8), is a reconstruction from the northernmost bay, which appeared in the area excavated, and what might be the south-east juncture, observed in I 957. This interpretation gives a hall of eight bays in length (c. 36 m.) terminating at its junction with Watling Street. Although an interpretation, it is more than hypothetical; it assumes that the main functional building of the hospital - the common hall, or infirmary hall, Jay north-south, as in several other Kentish hospital plans (see Discussion p. 104), at right angles to the chapel and not in series with it. This conforms with the topography of the site, but it has not been possible to test the matter in its southern half. It is not necessary to assume that it formed, as at Strood, a symmetrical T-plan with the chapel. Structurally, Building 534 was one of the first buildings of the complex to be erected. One bay of the hall, 4· 10 m. in length, extended into the area excavated. This showed the hall to have been divided into two aisles by a central colonnade of pillars alternately octagonal and round (carrying arcade or lintel?). It had unbuttressed flint walls 0·85 m. in width and with ashlar detailing. The floor was of clay at a level equal to that of the contemporary external ground surface. The octagonal respond base of the central colonnade remained in situ against the north gable wall. The base was compositely made of sandstone pieces (Al, p. I 09) while lying in the adjacent rubble were a number of segments of respond of 0· 34 m. in width ( e.g. A2, p. 109). This rubble had been deliberately left to provide a ramp between east and west aisles during demolition. From the combined height of those respond sections found the minimum height between base and capital would have been 3·05 m. The next pillar base of the colonnade had been robbed, but its circular mortar impression remained on the foundation plinth and fragments of the base and drum (A3, p. 109) were recovered from the rubble. Between the respond and pillar base lay a sleeper wall (Figs. 3 and 4) or sill for a timber partition. Two rough slabs of (re-used?) Purbeck 'marble' in the north end of this wall or sill indicated a doorway between east and west aisles. Approximately 0·80 m. below the floor of the east aisle had run a culverted stream. Although robbed-out here an intact length in Building 291 (p. 101) showed it to have been neatly lined with ashlar (Plate IIIB). The section E-F across the hall (Fig. 4) shows the relationship between culvert, floors and walls. 92 \ o-- -=:::i--==----5::::ll --==---=:::l10• Metres \ . t I I I \ ji i i ! Buil􀃀ng 1818 . ___ . -·-· _. _ ·-·-· -. -· - · - · - wjjlftfl'J.ff/lff.#/4 0'< :''- Pit 􀀈􀀉/-., I:; 1571 I ! ,.. R1819 Building 535 2,7,.Wt,t . I L------·-·-·-· ! ;. 􀀘 ::􀀞-:--􀀟...::-:..-=.-=- ::􀀠 i f ·-·-·-·-·-·-·--·J j j I j j j I • • I I I j j I •. ' I .I I Hearth 709 Cobbled yard 955 •I I I I I j c.=-: L􀀉􀀊-􀀋-􀀌􀀍􀀎􀀏􀀐􀀑 􀀡􀀢--=:::-􀀣 ,i Wall 􀀍.:.-:-ci􀀎􀀏􀀐ff.- Pit 693 􀃁 81878 i I I 608 i i i i Pond 546 \ \ \ \ illL--- -·-·- - -·-· t,.,-·- -· ill ' \ \ \ \\ \ \ \ Fig. 3. Plan of the Excavation. i i i i u ' i Ii ; Garden i close 1263 \.lmll• ot sll8 􀀂- 􀃂 Garderobe 􀃃 B1841 Building 1842 B300 Building number R342 Room number I I I o I I Limits of excavated area 􀃄 􀃅 Section lines 􀃆 Medieval wall 􀃇􀃈 Wall-robbing t rench ?..§a Wall extrapolated 􀃉􀃊 Wall located in 1957 (SE Rigold) Maison Dieu, Ospringe, 1977 East A South C East E West G North J Coybabrlde d surfaces PASSAGE 381 BGUAILRDDIEN RGO B28E1 BUILDING 166 CAMERA UNDERCROFT 349 PASSAGE 38) floor I STEPS I ROOM 1201 plmasotretra rr oabnbclin g pillar-base debris ROOM 342 UNDEACRoFT BUILDING 534 COMMON HALL Cpaorlotintinoand ew ait ROOM 343 Recent levels Ftarlalgemn ernetss poofn d BUILDING 854 KITCHEN Recent levels East H ROOM 343 ' 􀀆i@urou LOAM CLAY SANDY FLINTS CHAU< LUMPS ROOF TILES FLOOR SURFACE 0 1 2 M --....,,.,,,,,. .... , Fig. 4. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Some of the major Sections (see Fig. 3). North D South K Post med BUILDING 1230 NECESSARIOM dMitcohd 1e0r0n8 stream si􀀓t􀀔 ·􀀕 .. · . .'\,•'·'· -:_􀂫c-...-'-'--.·􀂬•􀂭·:".'.wJa;.II"" t remains of medieval culvert 1567 0 East L N Q 3 DITCH 338 West B 4 M West M p R EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE In the north gable wall was a rebated doorway (851) originally opening directly into the cobbled yard (955) before the construction of Building 954. Outside, on the west side of the doorway was a small adjoining structure (Building 1733) with a slightly sunken clay floor. This structure predated the laying of the cobbles of Yard 955 but its function is uncertain. In the eastern part of the north gable wall of the hall was also initially an unrebated doorway (1676) leading via a passage into Building 1230. The lack of buttressing on the walls of the hall (Fig. 3) suggests that it was a single storey structure. The form of the roof (as shown in Fig. 8) is of course conjectural. Building 1230 butted on to the northeast corner of the hall. It seems that it was a necessarium (latrine) for the hall since it was so placed that the culvert ran down its centre. Due to erosion by the modern stream nothing remained of the arrangement of its interior. It was reached from the hall via a passage enclosed by flint sills for light partition walls (Fig. 5.1). There was another entrance, from Passage 381, via a rebated doorway in the east wall. To the south of this was a drain through the wall taking run-off from the small enclosed yard (1446) lying to the east. Building 954 (Figs. 4 and 5) also butted on to the north gable of the hall. It was built after Building 1230 and was founded directly on the cobbled surface of Yard 955. It remained in places to four courses of flint above its latest floor level. There were four main phases of use of Building 954 represented by structural changes and three successive internal floor levels each of which had had a different hearth (Fig. 5). The intensity of use represented by the refloorings and accumulation of rubbish (including numerous fragments of charcoal and oyster shell) suggests that this building was, at leas􀂈 originally, a kitchen. In the first phase there was a (probably) circular hearth or oven (809), of roof-tiles set in clay, against the west wall (Figs. 5.I and 6.4). A coin current from 1252-80 was found in the accumulation on the floor of this phase (p. 127). In the second phase the building was converted into a separate chamber by the blocking of the north door (851) of the hall (B534) and division into two rooms by construction of a cross-wall (Fig. 5.11). At the same time the internal connecting door between the hall and the latrine was altered by partial blocking. This blocking had a recess for some sort of sill on its outside face and splayed inwards both down and to each side (Fig. 5.II). This probably corresponded to a raising of the internal floor level of the hall, a small part of which higher floor survived in the north-east corner of the east aisle. This may have been a result of a temporary problem with height of water in the under-floor culvert the regulation of which depended upon control via an up-stream reservoir. The normally gentle spring flow would occasionally be augmented by large amounts of surface run-off after 93 J► Building 954 yard B1733 111 Building 534 r K D8o5o1r Hearth 809 J► Hearth 783Q G. H. SMITH II r-- - 􀀋---··-"'". f ,-··· - -- • -- ; j 0 10 metres _____ J► K J► 11 ::::::: Hearth 776 Fig. 5. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. The Kitchen (Building 954) showing Phases of Alteration. heavy rains. (This still causes problems in the present day, due to bad maintenance of the modern culvert, causing sporadic flooding of the museum undercroft.) In the third phase (Fig. 5.III) Door 862 was also blocked in. A centrally placed oval hearth (783) was constructed in Building 954 {Fig. 6.3). A pilgrim badge of probable early fifteenth-century date was found associated with this phase (p. 145). In the fourth and final phase (Fig. 5.IV) a rectangular Hearth (776) of roof-tiles (Fig. 6.2 and Plate IIB) was constructed against the north wall and a new partition inserted consisting of a narrow flint sill for a 94 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF ◊SPRINGE 1 0 􀀆 @" 􀀇 50 cm Flint 11"1􀀈􀀉 􀀊 G@ 􀀃 WI///􀀇 - !:KTII• 􀀃􀀄􀀅'P, "==-􀀆􀀇􀀈 %􀀇,-r;􀀈-􀀉,, 􀀄f'􀀅l􀀆􀀇i I 1t - .::a-􀀆...,:::::;:- 􀀇 􀀂 I ?(j ii,,􀀅,􀀆􀀇 0 ,, 􀀄􀀅 􀀆 􀀄I!} @ 􀀉 ;:􀀇::,,---";irflJ 0 (.) Undercroft 342 20 Cl a: UJ I Cl) Rest of site 20 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dec Plain Dec Plain TILE GROUPS Fig. 18. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Utilization of Tile Groups. designs and three Group 2 designs in Undercroft 342, eight designs were common to both floors. The rubble from both floors also included a few sherds of fifteenth-century plain tiles. A small amount of tile was found elsewhere on the site (Fig. 18), mostly from the rubble in Yard 955, and producing only a further five designs (all of Group 1) not represented in the tiles from within B 415 and U ndercroft 342. Conclusion The tiles from the Maison Dieu excavations fit into precisely the pattern that one would expect from such a site. The earliest tiles (Group 2) found at the site are the same as the products that, for the first time in Kent, find their way into the parish churches and lesser monastic houses in the latter half of the thirteenth century- before this date tiles seem to occur exclusively in the major monastic sites. The distribution of this group suggests that the kilns were in the Faversham area. These tiles seem to come to the Maison Dieu shortly after its foundation, and its period of greatest prosperity. 125 G. H. SMITH Subsequently, a substantial number of Tyler Hill products reach the hospital; their archaeological contexts strongly suggest that they were used mainly in paving the domestic areas. It is thus significant that no decorated tiles reach the hospital after the early fourteenth century - an observation that closely corresponds with the historical evidence. However, a small number of plain tiles are found of fifteenth-century date; again most likely from domestic contexts. Although their small number suggests that no extensive repaving took place, we can accept that these small scale improvements were well in keeping with a foundation of this type. v. The Roof-Tiles. G. H. Smith A sample was saved from each context, the rest being weighed only. As to be expected the great majority of the tiles (2·83 tonnes) came from the demolition levels but a considerable amount ( l ·06 tonnes) came from the Dissolution levels. This suggests that some of these buildings had their roofs robbed some time before their complete demolition. Of the large total weight only two complete examples were found. Even taking into consideration the trampling during demolition this shows that the roofs must have been carefully stripped for re-use rather than collapsing in situ. Of a sample of 106 tile fragments kept from the Dissolution and demolition levels twenty-two showed evidence of patchy green glaze while the rest were unglazed. In the same sample, of those tile fragments retaining peg-holes, three had square holes while thirty had round holes. Of the sample of fragments from the medieval levels none had square holes while ten had round holes. The majority of the tiles were flat and rectangular though a few were curved pan-tile type. From one small area of rubble or floor of sixteenth-century re-use inside the Hall B 534 came six triangular curved tiles with round peg-holes. Of ridge tiles it seems that these were nonnally green glazed. Only one complete section was found (Fig. 42, no. 94, below) this being reconstructed from fragments found in mid-sixteenth-century rubble inside B 534. Of finials only one fragment was found (Fig. 42, no. 95, below), which was in a recent level but of the Tyler Hill type fabric. A few fragments of probable louvres were found. One from the late rubbish on the surface of Yard 955 was unglazed and of a fine sandy reduced fabric unlike the Tyler Hill type fabric. Other fragments from the make-up for the latest floor of the Kitchen B 954 (phase IV) were of a very coarse sandy hard-fired fabric with applied ridging, all-over stabbing and a thick dark green glaze. 126 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE B. OTHER FINDS i. Coins and Jettons. S. E. Rigold Roman Coins I. Antoninus Pius, or possibly the young Marcus Aurelius, sestertius, rev. standing figure. c. A.D. 160. Heavily corroded but not very heavily worn. Lost c. A.D. 200, not mid-third century. Found in a soil layer pre-dating the construction of Yard 955 but with some medieval pottery. 2. Irregular 'Constantinopolis'. A.D. 33(}..7. Worn and corroded. Lost mid-fourth century. From a post-medieval soil layer. 3. Theodora, or possibly Helena. Probably PIETAS ROMANA, A.D. 337-41. Lost mid-fourth century. From the medieval soil level in the cemetery. 4. Valentinian I. Probably Victory, SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE, A.D. 364-78. Broken, lost late-fourth century. From the make-up for the floor of Building 954, phase III. Medieval English Coins 5. Henry III, cut ½d. of Long-cross penny, Class 2, mint and moneyer unclear. 1248. Lightly worn, lost 1250s or '60s, in any case before 1280. From fill of post-medieval gully in Close 1263. 6. Henry III, cut ½d. of Long-cross penny, Class 5b or c, probably HENRI on London. c. 1252-5. Wear as previous or less: lost about the same time. From the accumulation on the floor of Building 954, phase I. 7. Edward I, Sterling penny, Fox Class 4. London. 1282-3. Moderately worn and chipped: lost c. 1310? From the Dissolution rubbish layer on the surface of Yard 955. 8. Edward I or II, probably, Sterling penny. Extremely worn and clipped. Probably survived into fifteenth century before final rejection or loss. From the make-up for the floor of Building 954, phase IV. Found in association with 10 and 11. 9. Edward III, penny, 'Treaty' period, York (Archbishop Thoresby), local dies. Quatrefoil on rev., voided quatrefoil on breast. 1363-9. Fairly worn, lost towards end of fourteenth century. Found in a post-medieval soil layer on the berm of Pond 546. 10. Henry V, penny, group C, York (Archbishop Bowet). Mullet I., broken annulet r. beside bust. c. 1416-22. Fairly heavily worn, lost towards mid-fifteenth century (should be before 1464). Found in association with 8 and 11. ll. Henry V, penny, group C-G, York, as previous; rather more worn, and chipped, but pellet in quatrefoil on rev. clear; likewise face 127 G. H. SMITH of bust and mullet, but obv. annulet unclear. Consistent with loss as previous. Found in association with 8 and 10. Medieval Jettons 12. English, 'Sterling' series, diam. 19 mm., pierced from obv. Crowned sterling head, as pence of Fox Class 10, border of pellets/short cross moline, pellets in quarters, border of pellets (Berry, Med. English Jettons, type I, rev. 5, border D/D). 1302-10 (date of Class 10), or marginally later. Bent and a little worn. Lost earlyfourteenth century. From the medieval/Dissolution soil level in Close 1263. 13. French, official, small module (these to some extent replaced the sterling jettons), diam. 20 mrh. 'Moor's head', double crosslet stops, A VEMARIA : GRACIA : PLEI/bowed cross flory, roses and + A VC in quarters. 1350s or '60s. Fresh; lost third quarter of fourteenth century. From the medieval/Dissolution soil level in Close 1263. 14. 'Unplaced Central Group' (W. German (?), apparently antecedent to Nuremberg), broken, original diam. c. 24 mm., usual thin fabric. Crowned M amid Ss and lys, Ss and other letters in border/cross of four lys, Ss in border. c. 1470 (?), but the series may begin rather earlier, and being so fragile, probably soon lost. From rubble or rough floor from re-use of the hall, Building 534, in the early-mid-sixteenth century. 15. Very early Nuremberg, rather than 'Unplaced Central Group', diam. 20 mm. Shield of France modern/cross flory of three strands, cinqfoils in quarters, garbled legend both sides. c. 1490 (?), lost soon after; chipped. From the foundation for the latest floor of Undercroft 342. 16. Early Nuremberg, diam. 28 mm. 'Normal' types- Reichsapfel in trilobe (large orb, nothing in spandrels)/three crowns (annulet terminals) and three lys. Garbled Lombardic legend both sides. c. 1510-20. Badly struck but little worn. From the latest (robbed-out, tile) floor of Building 415. Post-medieval Coins All from soil levels sealing the demolition phase of the hospital. 17. William III, td. 1700. Not very worn; little circulation after 1720? 18. William III, ½d. Extremely worn; circulated to late eighteenth century? 19. George II, ½d., young head, bent and worn. 20. George III, ½d., 1774, genuine (a high proportion of these are 128 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE contemporary forgeries) and considerably worn; circulated to 1790s or 1800s. 21. George III, ½d., as above, and even more worn. 22. George III, ½d., 1807. Fresh. 23. George IV or William IV, ¼d., battered and corroded. 11. Metal Objects. a. Iron objects, Ian H. Goodall; spurs, Blanche Ellis Tools are few in number but include a blacksmith's set hammer, 1, originally hafted and used with a sledge hammer to flatten the metal, and the terminals of two auger bits, 2-3, the latter 52 mm. long. The awl and broken needle, 4-5, are leather-working tools. The knives, with whittle or scale tangs which were respectively inserted into or riveted through their handles, are mostly from Dissolution and demolition levels, a circumstance which explains the preponderance of scale tang knives, only common from the fourteenth century onwards. The whittle tang knives, 6-9, have various blade forms; 10, 88 mm. long incomplete, resembles 7. The scale tang knives, 11-20, are more. varied in, shape and most had shoulder plates set at the junction of handle ·and blade. 16 and 17 .retain shoulder plates of pewter and(?) leaded copper alloy respectively. 13-15 and 18 have only the solder which held missing plates in place. Scale tang knives often had shaped handles which were occasionally further elaborated with patterns of inset pins or extra rivets. 16 and 18-20 display differing terminal shapes whilst 17 has rivets with disc-shaped heads and 18 an excessive number of rivet holes. 14-16 and 20, which has bone scales, have iron rivets, whilst 18 has non-ferrous metal around the edge of the tang, a phenomenon noted at Boston66 and elsewhere and probably indicating the use of solder or brazing fluid to secure the handle in place. The bone handled knife or fork with iron rivets, pins and bolster, 21, and the folding razor blade, 22, are both post-medieval and intrusive in their contexts. 23-4 are shears blades. The extensive range of building ironwork includes two masonry cramps, 25-6, and an angle tie, 27, used to strengthen a timber joint. 28-9 are rectangular staples, 30 the most complete of the U-shaped staples of which 31-3 are 72, 64 and 39 mm. long. Wallhooks, like staples, were driven into timber or masonry joints and were used for a variety of purposes. 34 has a slender curved hook, 35 is more substantial. 36, 99 mm. long, is similar to 35. The windows of medieval stone buildings were frequently protected by iron grilles composed of 66 S. Moorhouse, 'Finds from Excavations in the Refectory at the Dominican Friary, Boston', Lincolnshire History and Archaeology I, vii (1972), 43. 129 G. H. SMITH -·-,0􀀈 1 -1 􀀉 . ,.,._ 􀀌 ... > '· _I ,, 4 I 5 􀁮􀁯- '.'.i,,1,')'.11 1.,􀁰ull':􀁱= 􀀬'lliijlll B l' q􀀄,1 ::?: 8 ' 13 ! ·s1-_'::...." j),., .,_..,_ .. ., .,_ ., _􀀢. ;·-",_ "· -::>" ,...;; 15 - ' jJ.'.'.£ IIAII 111111"'" 'jill' IF" •I􀀮􀀯 17 ' 19 2 j "' · to I:'' £[::D􀀍 ' I 20 􀀉 t 7 ::Ql'"U'!'1l111'􀀢 9 t ('. ''. I 111􀀭 'I!.. lll!IP 'tl'iP' 5Ilti 􀀉 f 12 1e I ).!.,...,,.....! -., 11 :;-.,21-11, -:,£,j,----,:,1.1,, ,, .􀁲11 ''.'' z I ' 18 ' )'t􀀊o d""•& • •=o- 1 ' - I I Fig. 19. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Objects(¼). (No. 2 is shown inverted.) 130 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 22 , 􀀅: I • 24 _ , 'Z];[Jiiiiiilll" .,nu',!\ .. i1; • 􀀽 ', I 27 @11111,IJll,i\i ',11;::;:I: 1'1 :::;:;: , 1 ... • :::::,mmn, ,.r 􀀉-n- --_ 30 ., ,34 i · -􀀄,.1 '911 .re/ (7 􀀉""1'"1 "•􀀊 I)(...,, ,rtuu, ·•., '• - .: ,;· ,,11n , , ,, I 35 G-cf ... ,,, . ,;.,,::: ..... , ., .. , ... ;\, . ...:;:> -1!"'' 11 "" "" 􀀈 11!1:m1" (!n11 11mm: ··􀀇: 111''.ILJ_ I 􀀚 !\W 37 􀀆 I I -􀀄t'a Vil li'.P iijj::ijQ:c:::I 40 :,􀀊 7 􀀂 -r I _ :.1 '-''.1 Fig. 20. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Objects (¼). 131 G. H. SMITH horizontal bars with one or more perforated eyes for vertical bars. 37-8 are such horizontal bars, 39 a vertical bar (118 mm. long, 17 mm. square) found with some glass in situ. Door and shutter furniture includes several hinge pivots and a number of strap hinges. 40, the smallest hinge pivot, probably carried a shutter; 41 is typical of the others, 42-6, only one of which, 44, is more substantial with a guide arm 56 mm. long. The strap hinges are mostly fragmentary and have two types of supporting eye: 47-8 have looped eyes, 49 a broken, nailed U-shaped eye. The many broken pieces of strap, 50-8, are between 67 and 118 mm. long and 18-27 mm. wide. 59 is a T-shaped terminal 73 by 49 mm., with two nailholes; 60 is more simply shaped. The various pinned hinges, 61-5, are probably from items of furniture, both fixed and movable. The end-looped strap, 66, found with several other hinge fragments, may come from a chest, as may 67-8. The smaller mounts, 69-70, all with non-ferrous plating, are from caskets. The principal items of lock furniture are keys 71-6. 72, 74-6 have non-ferrous plating, that of 72 and 75 is brazing metal with major constituents tin and copper, that of 74 is copper base plating. 77 is part of the tumbler from a lock, 78 a 50 mm.-long fragment of a padlock bolt with double leaf spring, 79 a lock hasp. A group of miscellaneous fittings includes a bundle of chain links and a spike, 80, a 53 mm.-long figure-eight chain link, 81, and three rings or washers 82-4, the latter two 38 and 27 mm. in diameter, respectively. 85 is a riveted support loop, 86-7 perforated sheets, the latter 123 by 65 mm., incomplete. The use of 88 is uncertain, but 89 is a skillet handle, which retains a fragment of the sheet metal pan beneath the two rivets. The most notable fron personal fitting is the purse frame, 90, albeit incomplete. One of the loops on the underside of the bar retains a fragment of wire which formerly secured the bag in place. The buckles are of various shapes. 91 is a hose buckle, and most of the remainder, 92-6, are probably for belts. 95, although possessing its pin, otherwise resembles 94; 96 resembles 93. 97 may be a shoe buckle. 98 is a 58 mm.long plain buckle pin, 99 a plated buckle plate. Horseshoes form the largest group of horse equipment and 100 and 102 are typical of those (100-7) from Dissolution and demolition contexts. Examples from the post-medieval layers, such as 108, are similar and the only exceptional find is the recent but interesting surgical shoe 10􀁩. 110-11 are tinned snaffle bits, the latter found with a chain of figure-eight links. 112-13 are probably parts of plated cheekpieces from bits, 113 (not illustrated) being tinned, whilst 114 is a bridle boss formerly held to a curb bit by three domed rivets, two of which survive. 115, with its cylinder and pair of swivel hooks, may be a harness fitting. 116-18 are rowel spurs. Blanche Ellis writes: 116 is a long-necked 132 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 􀀰II ,1,1 )l_ 60 ,,,;,.􀀃 6 tQ) = I 65 -:se,.-_ 􀀅 t''.'0 1" ,"' ,111"'􀀱 ''it'I"" ,,1111 l 􀀲h ,􀀳 􀀴 ..1, .. lTfll 1,,,,a 􀀵 0- 73 75 􀀄-􀀅 0 􀀂. -􀀇1,63_ ' ' , - (). 􀀃-1 ·9 11 II 􀀃-J 70 79 1:1 - Fig. 21. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Objects (¼). 133 88 -I -f/fa s G. H. SMITH 􀀅 􀀆I 􀀇􀀈 ' 􀀖:,. ":::: :• 11111 111 •􀀈:: ,Ji􀀗r'􀀘•I' 􀀙 􀀍=:======= 8 =9=􀀎 0 􀀚-U 91 Fig. 22. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Objects (¼). 134 fo) 99 ' i 0 0 - 0/ 0 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 112 110 I Fig. 23. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Objects (¼}. 135 115 􀀈 􀀉 122 G. H. SMITH TABLE I Metal objects: Dis tribution and Stratigraphic Position Foundation Occupation Dissolution Demolition Post Medieval 5. 3. 7. 8. 4. 14. 35. 60. 79. 94. 11-13. 21-24. 36. 38. 48. 96. 97. 131. 27. 30. 31. 93. 98. 129. 139. 151. 175. 37. 43. 45. 140. 147. 150. 47. 50-52. 160. 169 61-64. 66. 68. 69. 71. 72. 78. 87. 90. 91. 102-105. 107. Yard 110. Ill. 955 115-117. 123-126. 130. 133. 137. 138. 142. 143. 146. 152. 156. 158. 161. 163. 167. 168. 171. 172. 82. 144. 16. 19. 49. 65. 108. B 534 165. 58. 73. 77. 118. 173. 112-114. II Ill IV 9. 15. 41. B 954 67. 141. 56. 81. 85. 154. 179. 127. 6. 42. 70. 80. 83. 10. 18. 44. 55. 116. 178. B 535 84. 106. 57. 100. IOI. 145. 155. 177. 34. 164. 17. 25. 26. 28. 89. 122. 134. B 166 32. 33. 39. 54. 153. 159. 165a. 74. 75. 86. 157. 170. I. 2. 92. 128. 95. 99. 121. Close 132. 148. 162. 136. 1263 174 (B 406). Yard 1446 135. 149. 40. 20. 76. B 415 88. 109. B 1841/2 29. 46. 53. 59. Ditch 338 119. 120. 136 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE iron rowel spur with considerable traces of tinning, especially on the rowel. 67 The thick, flat section sides, 35 mm. deep behind the heel, taper to about 20 mm. deep where they commence a downward plunge to curve under the wearer's ankle, these curved parts being badly damaged and the terminals missing. The round section neck has a slight upward curve along its entire length, prominent conical rowel bosses and a small rowel of six slender points rusted into the rowel box. English, late fifteenth-early sixteenth century. Overall length (without rowel) 145 mm., length of neck about 83 mm., diameter of rowel 28 mm. Rowel spur 117 has straight, flattened D-section sides tapering towards the unusually elongated two-hole terminals. One terminal edge is broken, the other retains a hook attachment for the undersole leather. The straight neck is of circular section with prominent conical rowel bosses flanking the plain eight point rowel. English, mid-sixteenth century. Overall length of spur body (without rowel or attachment) 140 mm., length of neck 58 mm., diameter of rowel 37 mm. Sides: 20 mm. deep behind heel, tapered to 7 mm. deep behind terminals; span 83 mm. Rowel spur 118, similar to 117 but smaller, has tapered sides, round section neck and conical rowel bosses. The sides extend into almost horizontal two-hole terminals, one of which retains a hook attachment for the upper leather (N.B. the plan illustration shows the spur from below ano the hook attachment is not as drawn but identical to that of 117). English, mid-sixteenth century. Overall length 124 mm., length of neck 46mm. Arrowheads 119-21 are socketed and barbed; 122, bullet-shaped, was probably used in target practice. b. Copper-Alloy Objects. Alison R. Goodall Decorative objects. Several pieces of sheet metal with repousse decoration come from Dissolution and demolition levels (123-127). The pins surviving in the strip fragments, 126, suggest attachment to wood rather than leather and 124 has traces of wood adhering to the back. The repousse motifs include eight-petalled and six-petalled flowers, pellets andfleurs-de-lys. Nos. 124-6 have gilding on the front surfaces. The two heraldic badges are decorated with champleve enamelling although no enamel remains on 128. This one appears to bear the arms of England before 1340, gules, three lions passant gardent or, differenced with a crudely incised three-pointed label: at the back is the stump of a stud. It comes from a Dissolution context and must be 67 E. M. Jope, The Tinning of Iron Spurs: a continuous Practice from the tenth to the seventeenth Century', Oxoniensia, xxi (1956), 35-42. 137 G. H. SMITH 124 61 125 =c::,,,-=====-=- I I 1􀀂􀀃 I 126 128 0 129 , .. , . . ":}. Fig. 24. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Copper Alloy Objects (½). 138 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE residual. No. 129 has blue enamel surviving and possibly some gilding: the arms may be meant for those of de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, azure, a bend argent cotised or, between six lions rampant or. The same arms appear to have been engraved or roughed out on the back of the plaque and then rubbed smooth: there is no stud or suspension loop. Another enamelled plaque (130) is T-shaped and has four nails cut from sheet metal; the raised parts of the design are gilt and have incised zig-zag lines. No. 131 has a 'T' on a hatched background and may have solder on the back. The five-petalled boss (132), from a Dissolution soil layer, is finely cast, each petal having a raised midrib and incised veins, and is gilt on both surfaces. The book-clasp (133) is of late medieval type;68 it retains part of the leather strap. No. 134 is an ornamental pendant or fitting and probably post-dates the hospital. Costume fittings. There are seven buckles. Nos. 135 and 136 have ornamental plates decorated with punched scrolls. No. 137 is an elaborate later medieval form with incised decoration: the projecting lugs have pits, but these do not appear to have contained enamel or paste. No. 138 is a circular buckle: 139 and 140 would have had separate pin-bars, possibly of iron; 139 is a late medieval type and is made from a folded strip of metal; 140 is made from a rod perforated in the centre and in the overlapping ends to take the pin-bar. Part of an eighteenth-century shoe-buckle frame came from a post-medieval buried soil. The strap-ends are all of later medieval type. Nos. 141-3 have ornamental cut-outs in the top edge while an example (143a, not illustrated) from a Dissolution context is a pair of plain strap-end plates. The belt-plates are of similar form, 144 having incised and rocked-tracer decoration and 145 having trefoil cut-outs at each end. The perforated bar (146) and petalled rivet-head (147) are probably also belt fittings and both are possibly earlier than their Dissolution and demolition level contexts; the plain rivet-head (148) may likewise be a strap ornament. The eyelet (149) has two perforations for attachment to cloth or leather and could have been used with laces or a buckle. There are nineteen lace-ends, one from a possibly thirteenthcentury context, one from a fourteenth-fifteenth-century context and three from post-medieval contexts: the remainder are from Dissolution and demolition levels. No. 150, from demolition period rubble, appears to be decorated with incised transverse lines. There is a lugged belt loop (150a, not illustrated) from a fourteenth-fifteenth-century context; the composite ring (151) resembles a modern eyelet. The brooch pin (152) comes from a class of simple annular brooch, functional rather than 68 S. Moorhouse, 'Finds from Basing House, Hampshire (c. 1540-1645): Part II', Post-Medieval Archaeol., v (1971), 59, Fig. 25.162. 139 130 I 135 137 eun., M , w ¥ B..,➔> G. H. SMITH 133 138 136 139 Fig. 25. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Copper Alloy Objects (½). 140 140 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE I 144 x?f􀀃 t 149 I 'f¾.-¥8\IJitQ,@-il= I 145 0 -1- 150 -􀀃􀀄- .. =---= - - '( I !)[],· ,· I,. /' 142 I 143 - 146 c)-0 151 Q -o 153 􀀙147 I 152 Fig. 26. Maison Dieu, Ospringe, Copper Alloy Objects (½). 141 G. H. SMITH decorative, and rather earlier than its Dissolution context. 69 Four twist-loops (e.g. 153) may have been used as eyes for wire hooks or laces; two came from Dissolution and two from post-medieval contexts. The two plain buttons (not illustrated), one with its loop missing, are of a common post-medieval type. The four plaques with repousse 'S' within a border (154) are each secured to pieces of leather strap by four rivets with rectangular roves. Two have been joined together with a copper-alloy plate riveted to the back, presumably to repair a split in the leather. The plaques may be part of a collar of 'SS', the livery of the Lancastrian house, which first appears in the second half of the fourteenth century. 70 The plaques were found in a fourteenth-century context in the Kitchen (B 954), phase II. Domestic objects. Metal vessels are represented by four rim fragments, all from Dissolution or demolition levels (155-158) and a body fragment from a cauldron (I 59), with three parallel cordons and soot blackening on the outer surface, found in a post-medieval context. Drop handles like 160 occur on metal chafing dishes of the sixteenth century.71 The thimble (161) is thin-walled and crudely made so that the pits can be seen on the inner surface. The needle ( 162) and some of the pins would also have been used in sewing. Six of the pins, all from Dissolution or later contexts, have coiled wire heads (e.g. 163), the two from post-medieval contexts having the heads formed into a globular shape, and their lengths range from 38 to 52 mm. Another, 164, has a domed head while 165 has a cast head with a crude representation of a hand on one side and a loop on top: similar looped pins in bone, and one in copper-alloy, were found at Castle Acre, Norfolk, but these have barbed points; they probably date to the early medieval period like the Maison Dieu example and their function is obscure. No. 165a would have had a globular head formed from two hemispherical pieces of sheet metal with a lead-tin solder filling. Five incomplete pin shanks were also found ranging in length from 18 to 96 mm. Miscellaneous objects. No. 166, a Jew's harp with a reed apparently of iron, comes from a post-medieval level. The function of 167 is not known: it is part of a rectangular plate decorated with shallow incised lines and has a random arrangement of perforations made with a 69 E.T. Leeds, 'Four Medieval Bronze Buckles', Oxoniensia, iii (1938), 174, Fig. 21d; London Museum Medieval Catalogue, 275, Pl. LXXVII.1-2. 70 H. Druitt, A Manual of Costume as illustrated by monumental Brasses (facsimile edn, London, 1970), 188-90. 71 J. M. Lewis, 'Some Types of Metal Chafing-Dish', Amiq. Journ .. liii (1973), 65-6. 142 157 159 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE I II 162 161 0· - 167 -1 ( 􀀄 163 - -• 165 ,_,, • •O l ( 1 56 y '·· . '" ilJ': l . .,,/ ;:7 \ -·- _ . ........... _,... .. - - / 158 f1 64 I 166 165a • •O 168 Fig. 27. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Copper Alloy Objects(½); no. 156 (¼). 143 G. H. SMITH square-sectioned punch. There are two patches made from folded sheet metal, e.g. 168, and two fragments of sheet metal (169) held together by rivets made of rolled sheet may represent a repaired vessel. The only ornamental binding is 170, which has incised crosshatching but no evidence of gilding: there are two fragments of plain binding, one V-sectioned, the other L-sectioned. The curved fragment (171) may be from a hinge strap or binding: a rectangular sheet with a 173 V 􀀃I 176 177 fl-_ti􀀄 '1 􀀃 _ '·. -- 178 /, C Fig. 28. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Copper Alloy Objects, nos. 169-175 (½) and Lead Objects, nos. 176-178 (½). 144 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE perforated lug projecting from one long side and the D-sectioned strip (172) may also have been bindings. The iron nail (173) has an ornamental head of copper-alloy and comes from a mid-thirteenth-century context. There are several rings which could have been annular brooches or curtain rings. Two, from Dissolution contexts (e.g. 174), have irregular hexagonal sections and are 22·5 mm. in diameter: the others, from Dissolution or later contexts ( e.g. 17 5), are oval in section. The scrap metal and casting debris are insufficient to suggest bronzeworking on the site: slag and casting waste come from the occupation, Dissolution and post-medieval levels as do fragments of sheet, strip and scrap metal. Amongst the wire fragments is a double hooked object; other pieces may include incomplete pin shanks, but do not suggest pin manufacture. c. Objects of Lead and Lead-alloy. Alison R. Goodall Most of the lead objects are probably from the buildings of the hospital and consist of window came, lead sheeting from the roofs, e.g. I 76, and flashings: they come mainly from Dissolution.and demolition levels. Nos. I 77 and 178 may be weights. There are also a number of sheet offcuts and pieces of fused metal. A button back, 19 mm. in diameter, and a nail, 57 mm. long, both of grey metal, come from post-medieval levels. iii. Leaden Pilgrim Badge (Fig. 29, no. 179). B. Spencer Of solid, medallic form with four rings round its edge to enable it to be stitched to the hat. On it is depicted the standing figure of a priest holding a platter or dish on which there appears a large face, reminiscent of the man in a full moon. Beneath the light of flaming tapers held by two acolytes, this moon face seems at that moment to have been dramatically revealed to onlookers from behind a striped curtain, which still conceals the lower halves of the priest and his attendants. The inscription surrounding the scene reads ECCE SINGNVM FACIEI BEATI IOH'IS BAPTISTE (Behold the sign of the face of St. John the Baptist). Inscriptions on other badges of the same type sometimes include the word Amiens, or its Latin equivalent, and there can be no doubt that this badge, too, is a souvenir of the celebrated pilgrimage to the relics of John the Baptist in the cathedral at Amiens. The head (or rather one of the heads) of John the Baptist reached Amiens when the fall of Constantinople (1204) released the world's finest collection of relics for disposal among the churches of the West. Another St. John's head had 145 G. H. SMITH Fig. 29. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Leaden Pilgrim Badge (t). also been venerated at Constantinople while a third appeared at SaintJean d'Angely in central France (Charente-Inferieure).72 Disarmingly, Amiens only ever claimed to possess the front part or 'face' of the Baptist's skull, together with the plate on which it had been kept at Constantinople, and it is interesting that the pilgrim souvenirs themselves refer pointedly to the face only, and not the head. Scores of leaden Amiens badges have survived and are now preserved in several European museums. 73 Most of them are of the same general type as the badge under discussion. More often than not, however, the subject is cast in openwork and occasionally the curtain is omitted from the scene. Spanning, as they probably do, a period of at least two centuries and the work of innumerable mould-makers, they also vary widely in quality, the Ospringe specimen coming relatively very high in the competence of its workmanship. All these badges are remarkably consistent, however, in their very distinctive way of depicting St. John's 'head'. On the only other type of badge known to have emanated from Amiens, the same moon face again appears but is enlarged to fill the whole area within the encircling inscription. 74 Two badges of this kind formed part of a collection of twenty-four pilgrim souvenirs, including two from Canterbury, that were stitched, probably in the late fifteenth 72 Delehaye 1933, 82-83. 73 The most recent review of them is in Lamy-Lassalle. Many of those in the Musee de Cluny, Paris, are illustrated and described in Forgeais, 90-99. The British Museum possesses nine, all found in N. France, and several of them illustrated in Roach Smith I, Pl. xxxi and II, Pl. xvi and p. 45. Another, found at Abbeville, is in the Liverpool Mu1eum; Mayer, 35-36. 7 See, e.g., Roach Smith II, Pl. xvi, no. 4. 146 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE century to various leaves of the Lee of Fareham Book of Hours. 75 Another, perhaps the earliest of all surviving badges from Amiens, was found in the Thames at London and is now in the Royal Museum at Canterbury,76 while what appears to have been another was found during the construction of Parliament Street, Westminster, and acquired by William Stukeley in 1751.77 The badge from Ospringe, therefore, is probably only the second or third Amiens souvenir to have turned up in England. It is tempting to suppose that it had been lost by a pilgrim who had lodged at the Maison Dieu and, en route perhaps, at the similar establishments in Dover and Calais. But the circumstances of its discovery, in the makeup layer of a new floor may indicate that, though it was obtained as a souvenir, it served a secondary purpose also, for a small, but growing, body of evidence suggests that pilgrim signs were sometimes used for magical purposes in foundation deposits, not only in domestic buildings (e.g. at Coln brook, Oxford, Northampton) 78 but in churches, too (e.g. Warwick, Westbury-on-Trim). Such a practice would be consistent with a widespread tendency among pilgrims to regard pilgrim signs not simply as souvenirs but as potent amulets and would be comparable with the use to which leaden badges were often put by medieval bell-founders. For magical purposes again, founders sometimes fitted leaden badges, along with the more usual ornaments, inscriptions and dates made of wax, into the moulds of bells, so that when the bell was cast, the badges were reproduced in bell-metal. The likenesses of many Amiens badges have been preserved in this way on dated or datable German bells, the evidence of which tends to confirm that the badge from the Maison Dieu was made in the first half of the fifteenth century. 79 Leaden Pilgrim Badge, Bibliography I. Delehaye H. Delehaye, Les origines du culte des martyrs (Brussels, I 933) 2. Forgeais A. Forgeais, Collection de plombs histories trouves dans la Seine, II (Paris, 1863) 75 Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum MS 3-1954, f. 227v. The badges no longer survive, but some can be identified from the impressions they left behind. 76 Spencer 1968, Fig. l b. 11 Trans. Surtees Soc., lxxx (1887), 12. 78 Spencer 1978, 263, n. 78. 79 Cf. a badge cast on a mid-fifteenth-century bell in Fritzlar cathedral; Koster 1979, Pl. 14. (S. E. Rigold comments: 'the Lombardic lettering and the hair-style of the Ospringe badge are, however, typically fourteenth-century'.) 147 3. Koster 1979 4. Lamy-Lassalle 5. Mayer 6. Roach Smith 7. Spencer 1968 8. Spencer 1978 G. H. SMITH K. Koster 'Kollektionen Metallener Wallfahrts-Devotionalien und Kleiner Andachtsbilder, Eingenaht in Spiitmittelalterliche Gebetbuch- Handschriften' in B. Haller (ed.) Erlesenes aus der W e/t des Buches (Wiesbaden, 1979) C. Lamy-Lassalle, 'Les representations de Saint Jean-Baptiste sur les enseignes de pelerinage' in Bulletin trimestriel de la Soctete des Antiquaires de Picardie, iv (1973), 156-164 C. T. Gatty, Catalogue of mediaeval and later antiquities in the Mayer Museum (Liverpool, 1883) C. Roach Smith, Co/lectanea Antiqua, i (1848) and ii (I 852) B. Spencer, 'Medieval pilgrim badges' in J. G. N. Renaud (ed.) Rotterdam Papers: a Contribution to medieval Archaeology (Rotterdam, 1968), 137-153 B. Spencer, 'King Henry ofiWindsor and the London Pilgrim' inJ. Bird et al. (eds.) Collectanea Londiniensia, London & Middx. Arch. Soc. Special Paper 2 (1978), 235-264 iv. The Iron Nails. Quita Mould The nails recovered from stratified contexts were encrusted, some heavily, and often in a fractured or fragmentary condition. Some 911 specimens could be identified, however, an . d the types recognized are described under the general headings of Timber and Horseshoe nails. Due to their condition the shank and head lengths only were measured, in mm., and the shape of the shank in section was noted. 148 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE Timber Nails (Fig. 30, nos. 1-9) Type 1. Flat-headed nail, round, rectangular or square in shape with a roughly equal proportion possessing square or rectangular sectioned shanks. By far the most frequent type present with 741 examples; there is a large size range to accommodate the various uses 􀁚nd timber thicknesses. Shanks vary in length from 26-96 mm. and heads from 6-27 mm. D 0 (2) CJ D D I I I I l "-'\llftrf. 1 2 3 4 6 -@ -@ -!ZI -􀀄 5 -􀀅 0 0 2 4 6 cm I I 1-; 7 8 A B C -WJ -􀀂 1-􀀆 v-􀀃 V-i 9, Fig. 30. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Iron Nail Types. Timber Nails, Types 1-9. Horseshoe Nails, types A-C. Type 2. Dome-headed nail, either round or sub-rectangular in shape on a square or rectangular sectioned shank. In the thirteen examples found shank length ranged from 39-88 mm., heads from 9-24 mm. Type 3. Rectangular shank with a small, raised and faceted head of rectangular shape. The three nails measured between 40-75 mm. in shank length and 10-13 mm. in head length. Type 4. Long, flat, rectangular head on a rectangular shank. The three examples had shank lengths from 45-54 mm. and head lengths from 20-25 mm. 149 G. H. SMITH Type 5. Nail with a small, flat, figure-eight shaped head. Usually on a rectangular shank, only two of the twenty-eight examples having square sections. Shank lengths range from 29-56 mm., head lengths from 7-13 mm. A similar example was found at the castle of Ascot Doilly, Oxon., in a twelfth-century context.80 Type 6. Heavy nail with a flat, rectangular head flaring from a wedge-shaped shank. The head appears to be the hammered shank end rather than a deliberately made head. The thirty-three shanks vary from 49-115 mm. in length, the heads from 8-26 mm. giving a large size range. Type 7. Timber stud with a long, rectangular head on a rectangular sectioned shank. The six examples have shank lengths from 22-81 mm. and head lengths from 31-64 mm. Type 8. Heavy timber stud with a rectangular or square shank and a large, flat head, square, rectangular or round in shape. Shank length varied from 51-122 mm. in the eight studs found, and heads from 12-43 mm. Type 9. L-shaped nail, the flat head joining the shank at right angles. In six of the eight examples the 'head' terminates in a point, the remaining two have blunt ends similar to the 'joiner's brad', the small carpentry nail used today. The shank is rectangular, square or, in one example, wedge-shaped. The eight nails appear to be cut nails and range in shank length from 39-76 mm. and head length from 8-22 mm. Two examples of similar shape were found at the Roman villa in Gadebridge Park. 81 Others: two headless nails or sprigs occurred in two separate postmedieval contexts as did a timber nail with a flat, round head and a round sectioned shank. Horseshoe Nails (Fig. 30, A-C) The length was measured from the top of the head to the shank tip as frequently the head was only a continuation of the shank with no definite shoulder. Type A. Fiddle-key type nail, usually with a semi-circular head the same width in cross section as the rectangular shank. They were used in horseshoes with large countersunk nail holes and, consequently, undulating sides.82 Nail lengths range from 21-40 mm., head lengths 80E. M. Jope and R. I. Threlfall, 'The twelfth-century Castle at Ascot Doilly, Oxfordshire .. 81 .', Antiq. Journ., xxxix (1959), 266, Fig. 20, no. 8. D. S. Neal, The Excavation of the Roman Villa in Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead, 1963-1968 (1974), 174, Fig. 74, nos. 487-8. 82 I. H. Goodall, Appendix 6 Iron Objects, in P. J. and R. M. Huggins, 'Excavations of a Monastic Forge and Saxe-Norman Enc1osure, Waltham Abbey, Essex 1972-1973', Essex Arch. and Hist., v (1973), 173. 150 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE TABLE 2 Timber Nails from stratified Contexts Nail Type Context 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total Foundation 6 6 Occupation 64 1 2 3 I 71 Dissolution 253 1 13 12 2 5 4 292 Demolition 271 2 10 8 3 2 I 298 Post-medieval 147 9 2 3 10 I 3 176 Total 741 13 3 3 28 33 6 8 8 843 Horseshoe Nails from Stratified Contexts Nail Type Context A B C Total Foundation 2 2 Occupation 2 6 8 Dissolution 5 I 20 26 Demolition 2 19 21 Post-medieval 2 5 5 12 Total 7 10 52 69 from 10-14 mm. Once believed to date only to the thirteenth century and earlier, this type of nail has since been found in later contexts, although the Dissolution and post-medieval contexts in which they occurred at Maison Dieu are probably secondary. Three of the seven examples possess a definite cuboid shaped head on a square shank and are thought to be a variant of type A. Similar nails are described as being from shoes made for heavy draught oxen in Ceylon.83 It is possible, therefore, that the three nails were used to secure an ox shoe, although only horseshoes have been recovered from Maison Dieu. The only unusual shoe found is a 'bar-shoe' (Fig. 23, no. 109), a surgical device used to correct a foot defect in a horse, but it would appear from its thirteen nail holes that any of the three types of nail could have been used to secure it. Type B. Shouldered head on an almost vertically sided, rectangular shank. The ten examples range in length from 21-46 mm., head length 7-11 mm. 83 G. R. Ward, 'On Dating Old Horseshoes', Trans. Lanes. and Chesh. Am. Soc .• liii (1938), Pl. XXIV no. 54. 151 G. H. SMITH Type C. All possess rectangular-sectioned shanks which expand either laterally or on all sides up to a flat topped head. The majority of horseshoe nails fall within this category, fifty-two of the total of sixtynine. Shank lengths vary from 23-57 mm., head lengths from 6-12 mm. This nail type is still in use at the present day. v. Miscellaneous Finds. G. H. Smith (Fig. 31) Bone 1. Pin (length 65 mm.), with socket for iron point at the tip. From sixteenth-century rubble within Building 535. 2. Pin (length 88 mm.), with remnants of iron point set into the tip. From make-up layer for the phase IV floor of the kitchen (B 954). A pin closely similar to nos. 1 and 2 was found at Eynsford Castle in an early fourteenth-century context. 84 3. Bodkin fragment. From Dissolution rubbish on surface of Yard 955. 4. Button-making waste fragment (blank diam. 16 mm.). From postmedieval soil layer above Yard 955. 5. Button (diam. 16 mm.). From same context as no. 4. 6. Part of hair (?) brush back. Green copper staining on back suggests it had a copper alloy backing plate. From post-medieval soil above the demolition rubble in Undercroft 342. 7. Die (9 mm. square). From the late medieval/Dissolution soil surface north of the camera (B 166). Ivory 8. Altar Cross. Made in four sections joined by an iron screw. Partly turned, partly hand-carved. Broken off where there would have been an attachment to a base. Date uncertain. From a recent pit cutting through medieval floor-levels in Close 1263. If from the hospital then from the chapel ir. the late sixteenth century. 9. Knife or fork handle with carved terminal representing a hare (or possibly rabbit). From Dissolution level in Garderobe B 1841. A post-medieval type of handle85 from a whittle tang knife. Shale 10. Spindle-whorl fragment (diam. 32 mm.). From sixteenth-century rubble derived from Building 535. 84 S. E. Rigold, 'Eynsford Castle and its Excavation', Arch. Cant., lxxxv (1971), 149, no. 02. 85 J. F. Hayward, 'English Cu1/ery', (1957). 152 M2 / M4 10cm Fig. 32. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Stone Mortars (¼). EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE ii ·I - -® 2 􀀃 􀀃- - 3 ,0-v I I 5 9 ... 6 7 ·- - 11 Fig. 3 I. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Miscellaneous Finds. Bone, nos. 1-7 (½).Ivory, nos. 8-9 (½). Shale, no. 10 (½). Wood, no. I I (¼). Wood 11. Saucer-like shallow bowl or platter with a foot-ring. Maple ( diam. 15 cm.). It was preserved in the waterlogged basal fill of Pond 546. Others, similar, of unspecified wood, have been found in London in fourteenth-century contexts.86 The associated pottery at Ospringe, however, suggests a sixteenth-century date. vi. Stone Mortars (Fig. 32). S.E. Rigold It had been usual to submit these for description to the late Dr. G. C. Dunning, who, it was hoped, would have undertaken a comprehensive 86 G. C. Dunning, 'A fourteenth-century Well at The Bank of England', Antiq. Joum., xvii (1937), 414-418, and M. Henig in T. Tatton-Brown, 'Excavations at the Custom House Site, City of London, 1973 - Pt. 2', Trans. London and Middlesex Arch. Soc., xxvi (1975), 152, nos. 10-11. 153 G. H. SMITH study. They are found in small numbers on many medieval excavations. Their distribution, in various materials, is so wide that it is profitless to cite single and local parallels only, and these examples are recorded objectively for future comparison. M. I. Foundation trench of Kitchen (B 954), Phase I. In heavy, pale grey limestone with crushed fossils ('Burr' stone, from Purbeck area?). A large, slightly bulbous mortar, diam. about 60 cm., thickness 6 cm.; pecked tooling, with horizontally tooled, chamfered lugs, perhaps splaying to a thick rim and footring. M. 2. Embedded in floor of Kitchen (B 954) Phase III. Material as M. 1. A mortar of truncated conical form; diam. about 30 cm., thickness 5 cm.; fine diagonal tooling around rim, with a well formed, channelled lip; coarser, vertical tooling on body. M. 3. Derived and in late context. In Purbeck marble. Also of truncated conical form; basal diam. 25 cm., expanding perhaps to 35 cm. at top; under 4 cm. thick on lower sides but may be worn laterally, though evenly, on the base (6·6 cm. thick); pecked surface, with diagonal tooling at base angle; had two lugs, coming to within 4 cm. of base. M. 4. Re-used in nineteenth-century wall. In a variety of greensand. A curious form of mortar, perhaps pharmaceutical; cut out of a block of 20 cm. square, 16 cm. high, to make a body externally bulbous, with attached angle-pillars, but internally cylindrical; only 3cm. thick at bottom of sides, due to lateral wear, but base 6 cm. thick. vii. The Pottery. J. Thorn The total weight of the pottery was c. 41 kgs., excluding residual pottery in recent levels and samples of recent pottery. The great majority of the pottery, as with the rest of the finds (p. 106), came from the Dissolution rubbish levels in Yard 955. These can be dated to between 1483 and 1571 (see Discussion, above) and in fact probably not much later than the formal Dissolution in 1516 although some buildings were re-used until around mid-century. The Kitchen (B 954) did have some useful stratigraphy (Fig. 4) but only the latest (Dissolution) levels produced significant amounts of pottery. The pottery from the whole site is therefore looked at quantitatively only in terms of the broad phases of the site's history. Figure 33 shows the relative quantities in which the main groups of wares occur by broad phase. Three types of measure are used, viz. weight, sherd count and vessel percentage. The latter is not the number of different vessels represented, but the sum of the rim sherds expressing each as a percentage of a whole circumference. Excluding subdivisions for varying firing of the same fabric there 154 % 40 20 Foundation (1·4 kgs) 0 % Occupation (5·9 kgs) 0 % Dissolution (12·5 kgs) 0 % Demolltion (9·8 kgs) O 40· % 20· Main fabric groups ■vessel % tulweight OSherd count A Shell tempered B Tyler Hill C West Kent D Surrey White ware E French F Fine sandy ware G Hard earthenware H German stone ware Other English medieval fabrics G H VH Fig. 33. MaisonDieu, Ospringe. The Pottery. ProportionalDistributionofthemain Groups of Wares by Phase. 155 G. H. SMITH were forty-one identifiable medieval and post-medieval fabrics present. Of these the ones that occurred in any quantity were shell-tempered wares, Tyler Hill wares, German stonewares and hard, fine sandy (mainly post-medieval) earthenwares. Up to c. 1260 shell-tempered wares predominate after which they disappear rapidly. During the rest of the medieval periods (in fact there seems to be little pottery after the fourteenth century) Tyler Hill wares account for some 85 per cent of the total. In the Dissolution period Tyler Hill wares are still present in some quantity (if not residual) but the hard sandy earthenwares and German stonewares predominate. In the demolition and post-medieval periods much of the pottery probably derives from earlier layers. The illustrations show the best example of each form-type present in each ware and are in no way stratigraphic. One early pit did produce a good pottery group and these are kept together (nos. 85-93). The form numbers used are from a series unique to the site, but are retained since they may prove useful for later comparisons elsewhere. The fabric numbers used are again from a series unique to the site, but these have been compared with the London fabric matrix in the Museum of London. This is a matrix of pottery fabrics found in the Inner London area, and from kiln sites producing wares for the London market. Comparisons identified from this matrix will be referred to as London Matrix with their registration number.87 Where possible a general area of manufacture has been assigned to each fabric, but few kiln sites are known. A complete catalogue of the pottery with description of all fabrics, forms and surface treatments can be consulted in the archival report. The medieval wares are first discussed generally and later described in more detail in the following order: The imported European wares (nos. 1-13). Non-local English wares (nos. 14-23). Local wares from Tyler Hill, north of Canterbury (nos. 24-70). Other sand-tempered wares (nos. 71-74). Shell tempered wares (nos. 75-84). The medieval pit group (nos. 85-93). The earthenware roof furniture (nos. 94 and 95). Finally, a small sample of the Dissolution and demolition period material (nos. 96-107). Medieval Imported Wares (Fig. 34, nos. 1-13) These are from Spain, France, Flanders and Germany. The Spanish wares (nos. 1-2) were of two fabrics: Malaga ware in fabric (32), which is a fine, hard, pinkish ware; and Merida ware in fabric (33), which has a similar colour, but a much rougher texture, tempering and distinctive mica inclusions. 81 Thanks are due to Clive Orton, who is preparing the 'Matrix' for London and allowed the author to refer to it. 156 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF ◊SPRINGE The French wares consist of five basic fabrics. The western French example (no. 3) is the typical Saintonge ware, fabric 36 (comparable to the London Matrix Sgw 1200), a fine, hard, smooth white ware, containing inclusions of grey to white sub-angular grits. The northern French wares vary in colour and in tempering. Some appear very similar to Saintonge ware, but fabric 37 (nos. 4-5) is dense and ahnost grit-free. This is related to fabric 42 (no. 6), a buff ware, dense, with rounded grit inclusions of a pinkish colour, and also to fabric 45 which contains many distinctive quartz grits. Another northern French fabric, 31, is similar to fabric 21 and has a buff exterior (no. 7). Fabric 35 (nos. 8-10) is a buff pink ware, hard, with a thin scatter of very small grits, both pink and white, and occasional distinctive pink grits, which also occurs on another piece (no. 23) which imitates a Scarborough Form. The Flemish fabric, 49, is a fine, sandy ware with oxidized orange inclusions, which occurs only once (no. 12). The Aardenburg ('Zeeuwsche' Flanders) fabric, 46, is red, fine, sandy ware with a few black specks as inclusions (no. 13). The only German ware is white Sieg burg, fabric 10, a buff stoneware comparable to the London Matrix BNw 1482. English Wares Common in London Area (Fig. 34, nos. 14-23) These an􀁺: (i) Surrey White ware, fabric 28, very hard, light buff and sandy; (ii) wares classed as 'West Kentish', fabrics 44 (no. 15) and the very similar 43 (nos. 16--18), fine, sandy, with no other inclusions; identical with that of the 'Rouen Copies' (nos. 21, 22), and usually carrying a slip and glaze. These are quite distinct from the unglazed, overwhelmingly reduced wares dominant at Eynsford88 and, slightly more prone to oxidation, at Leigh :89 fabrics like 43 and 44 are, proportionately, rarer at these sites. The wares of this general type found at a kiln at Mill Green, Essex, by Elizabeth Sellers, follow London Matrix Sgnw 579 and 582, whereas that from Maison Dieu is London Matrix Sknw 1107. Another possible west Kent ware is the much heat-altered fabric 53 which has all the 'trade-marks' of this type as surface treatment (no. 20). No. 19, a piece of Tyler Hill ware, fabric 23, is also a very good representation of 'West Kent' mannerisms. 88 S. E. Rigold, 'Eynsford Castle and its Excavation', Arch. Cant., lxxxv (1971), J09ff., es􀁤. 158ff. . 9 J. H. Parfitt, 'A moated Site at Moat Farm, Leigh, Kent', Arch. Cam., xcii (1976), l 73ff. 157 G. H. SMITH Tyler Hill Wares (Figs. 35-38, nos. 24-70) Nos. 24-60 are in fabric 23, London Matrix Skw 540, a coarse, sandy ware with many large sub-angular quartz grains. There are also several minor variations of this fabric, not necessarily all made at Tyler Hill: fabric 21 is identical but reduced (nos. 61-64); fabric 22 is fully oxidized (nos. 65-67); fabric 24 is a dull red-brown colour (no. 68) and fabric 25 shows a grey core (nos. 69-70). The first waster material from the type-site has been lost, but other wasters have been found in the area by Dr. Frank Jenkins in 1964 (now in the Royal Museum, Canterbury) and a tile kiln was found in 1974, producing floor-tiles and roof furniture. Examples of Tyler Hill roof furniture were found at Maison Dieu (nos. 94-95). Sand-Tempered Wares, perhaps Wealden (Fig. 38, nos. 71-74) Three other fabrics are illustrated. Fabric 49 consists of a fine, sandy ware, which is oxidized throughout its fabric (nos. 71-72). Fabric 50 is similar to this but has a reduced grey core (no. 73). Fabric 57 is a hard, reddish-buff ware with grey core containing small sand grits as inclusions. Shell-Tempered Wares (Fig. 39, nos. 75-84) Fabric 17, rather crimson in colour, with coarse shell and completely free of sand tempering, is comparable with the fabric recovered by S. E. Rigold from the building trench of Temple Manor, Strood (contemporaneous with the main buildings of Maison Dieu),90 and also by P. Drewett from Hadleigh Castle, Essex. The illustrated examples (nos. 91-93) are from the medieval pit group which also contained fabric 20 (no. 90), which has a wider scatter at Maison Dieu (nos. 75-84). It has a coarse sandy temper mixed with the shell and seems to be east Kentish and more characteristic of the shell-tempered wares occurring (in far lower proportion than at Eynsford) at Canterbury, Faversham Abbey, etc. Fabric 17 presumably belongs to a Medway or south-east Essex industry (which side?). Malaga Ware (Fabric 32) l . Albarello (Form 17); from destruction layer of B 534; another piece came from a depression in Yard 955. It has a thin tinglaze enamel, which on the exterior shows a deep cobalt blue decoration of digits and 90 S. E. Rigold, 'Two Camerae of the Military Orders', Arch. Journ., cxxii (1965), 86ff., esp. 126-8. 158 1 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF ◊SPRINGE 11' •t 􀀆-,,- o-4-l􀀄 TTI I􀀂 15 I 3 􀀁 ' 3\ 􀀆-,- J. 5J -11§;,. \ 6r ·7 ,n ' ,J 􀀄-􀀅 , ' ' &)_ 18 .,,, o 2ins. 6:=:;,􀀔,;::::;,;:::::;::::: 5c.m. Fig. 34. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 159 G. H. SMITH thin band below. There are indications of a thin lead glaze; the lustre decoration does not survive. The rim is comparable with albarelli of fourteenth-century or later date.9 1 Merida Ware (Fabric 33) 2. Costrel (Form 18); from rubble on Yard 1446, associated with no. 5 below. These costrels have been found at Southampton92 and at Stonar93 in late thirteenth- and early-fourteenth-century levels. Saintonge Ware (Fabric 36) 3. Jug (Form 55/44); fragments of rim and handle, in soil adjoining R 343, associated with nos. 32, 34, 44 and 61, below. For rim form compare examples from London94 and Southampton95 in late thirteenth- and fourteenth-century levels. Monochrome green glaze, not polychrome. Northern French Wares (Fabrics 37, 42, 31 and 35) 4. Lobed cup (Form 33); one of two examples found. From B 954, phase III. The fabric (37) is the same as the following. 5. Lobed cup (Form 48); base fragment found associated with no. 2, above; fabric (37) as no. 4, covered by a clear olive green §laze. Identical rims occur in London in a fourteenth-century context9 and the base is comparable to another London example, which is considered to be Saintonge.97 An example from Northolt Manor, Middx., in buff Surrey Ware is dated after 1370.98 6. Bowl? (Form 78); rim-sherd, found with rubble associated with B 535 in Yard 955. The fabric (42) is similar to a lobed cup from a disturbed, fourteenth-century London level. 99 91 J. G. Hurs\, 'Spanish Pottery imported into medie val Britain', Med. Arch., xxi (1977), 82-84, Fig. 27, nos. 14-17. 92 93 ibid., 96, Fig. 32, nos. 42-47. ibid., 96, Fig. 32, no. 48. 94 T. Tatton-Brown, 'Excavations at the Custom House Site, City of London, 1973 - Pt. 2', Trans. London and Middlesex Arch. Soc., xxvi (1975), 121, Fig. 6, no. 34. 95 C. Platt and R. Coleman-Smith, Excavations in medieval Southampton, (1975), ii, Fi§. 189, no. 1051. 6 op. cit., in note 94, 129, Fig. 10, no. 132. 97 J. G. Hurst, 'Imported Pottery from Saintonge', in Medieval Po11ery from Excavations (1974), Ed. V. I. Evison et al., 252, Fig. 11, nos. 1-2. 98 J. G. Hurst, 'The Kitchen Area of Northolt Manor, Middlesex', Med. Arch., v (1961), 274, Fig. 69, no. 79. 99 op. cit., in note 94, 121, Fig. 6, no. 36. 160 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 7. Jug (Form 71); from upper fill of Ditch 338. The fabric (31) is covered by a bi-chrome glaze, clear yellow internally, deep green glaze externally, identical to a London example from a fourteenth-century level. 1 00 8. Cooking pot (Fonn 75); from a demolition layer, associated with nos. 43, 59 and 60. Fabric (35) as nos. 9, 10 and 23, below. Thick, dark, olive mottled green external glaze. A similar form, in Surrey white ware, from Northolt Manor, is considered to be after 1370.101 9. Jar (Form 74); in fill of recent pit in Yard 1446. Fabric as no. 8, with slightly rilled exterior surface and mottled specks of olive green glaze. 10. Jar (Form 74); found wfth post-medieval material. Fabric as no. 9. Siegburg Stoneware (Fabric 10) 11. Jug (Form I); base sherd found in topsoil above R 342 with nos. 79 and 95. The white unglazed stoneware fabric compares with wasters at Siegburg, possibly of Group V, Form 77-79, jugs;102 found also, in fairly early fourteenth-century contexts, at the London Custom House103 and Winchester Palace, Southwark, 10 4 and in late fourteenth-century context at North Elmham, Norfolk. 1 0 5 Flemish Ware (Fabric 49) 12. Cooking-pot (Form 85); rim-sherd with spur to handle, covered by mottled splashes of brown opaque glaze, and reminiscent of an example from London in a fourteenth-century level. 1 06 Aardenburg Ware (Fabric 46) 13. Body sherd from a jug (lower part of neck?); from demolition rubble in Yard 955. The.rows of diaper decoration have been done over a white slip and covered by a deep olive green glaze, as on a jug found on the site of the Old Corn Hall, Norwich. 1 0 7 100 ibid., 101 129, Fig. 10, no. 130. ibid., 274, Fig. 69, no. 76. 102 op. cir., in note 97, B. Beckmann, 'The main Types of the first four Production Periods of Siegburg Pottery', 196, Fig. 13, nos. 77-79. 103 op. cir., in note 94. 104 Information from Dr. Celoria. ios S. E. Rigold, 'The Anglian Cathedral ofN. Elmham', Med. Arch., vi-vii (1962-3), Fi¥· 37, no. 2. 06 op. cir .. in note 94. 107 G. C. Dunning, 'Aardenburg Ware from Manningtree, Essex, .. .', Essex Arch. and Hist., viii (1976), 192, Fig. I. 161 G. H. SMITH Surrey White Ware (Fabric 28) 14. Jug (Form 68); from soil below surface of Yard 1446. Light green mottled external glaze and handle with applied spurs, in French fashion. Late thirteenth-early fourteenth century. More or Less Oxidized Sandy Wares ascribed to west Kent (Fabrics 43, 44) Jugs 15. From a post-medieval level. Fabric (44) covered with a white slip and strip decoration, and over this is a mottled clear green glaze; similar to one from the sub-vault of the misericorde at Westminster Abbey, in mid-thirteenth-century context, before 1266. 108 16. From pre-Dissolution level in R 342. Fabric (43) covered with white slip and strip decoration roulletted with raised lattice pattern and glazed in a bright mottled olive green. The decoration is similar to that used on a jug rim found in the postern passage at the Wakefield Tower (Tower of London). 109 17. In a recent pit dug through B 166. Fabric, glaze and decoration as no. 16. 18. In same context as no. 17. Fabric as no. 16, decoration and glaze as no. 17, but different jug-form. Comparable Types in anomalous Fabrics 19. Jug (Form 69); from demolition rubble in B 954, in appearance very much like a jug in Fabrics 43 or 44, but in Tyler Hill ware (Fabric 23) - indeed, wasters comparable in form were found on that site.11° This piece is covered with a thin yellow/white slip. On the rim is an applied lobe with four horizontal incised lines (the 'ear' of a zoomorph ?). Patches of deep mottling of olive-green on a pale applegreen glaze. 20. Jug (Form 109), rim fragment with pricked rod handle, covered with a thick white slip over fabric (53). Derived context. 108 G. Black, 'Excavations in the sub-vault of the Misericorde of Westminster Abbey', Trans. London and Middlesex Arch. Soc., xxvii (1976), 166, Fig. 16, no. 98. 109 P. E. Curnow, 'The Wakefield Tower, Tower of London', in M. R. Apted er al. (ed.), Ancient Monwnents and their Interpretation (1977), 181, Fig. 10, no. 9. 110 P. J. Spillett et al., 'A Pottery Kiln Site at Tyler Hill, near Canterbury' Arch. Cant., Iv (1942), 58, Fig. 1, no. 4. 162 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE Imitations of Rouen Jugs in comparable Ware (Fabric 43) 21. From late medieval/Dissolution surface of Close 1263, associated with nos. 23 and 39 below. This is decorated with a thin dark brown vertical band with vertical applied white strip and pellet decoration over it, all covered by a clear yellow glaze. 22. Body sherd found in construction rubble of B 534; associated with a 'water-holding' base in situ. The sherd shows a cluster of white pellets on a brown slip and is covered by thin lead glaze. These spotted 'Rouen copies' occur in vast quantities in the City of London, 111 and in small numbers at the Tower (interior filling of the Wakefield Tower), 112 at Eynsford Castle (probably 1240s, certainly well before 1261)113 and at Pevensey.114 It is a persistent species and many of the finds are from late-thirteenth-century, even fourteenth-century levels. Genuine Rouen jugs occur in east Kent, e.g. Dover Castle115 and Rose Lane, Canterbury, 116 but in nothing like the quantities found in Southampton or, proportionately, at Carisbrooke Castle. French Imitation of Scarborough Type (Fabric 35) 23. Upper portion of figure from Knight Jug (Form 16) found associated with no. 21 above. The fabric is the same as no. 8, and north French in character, not the least like (e.g.) the Dartford Knight Jug, which is in a fine light orange/red ware, and presumably a southern English imitation. 11 7 Tyler Hill Ware (Fabric 23) A. Jugs 24. Form 25; from thirteenth-century soil level below Passage 381 ; strap handle applied to wall of jug with strip decoration, flanking two rows of stab holes. 25. Form 24; fragment of strap handle (from demolition rubble in B 535) with a strip decoration down middle and thin pale green glaze. 111 op. cit., in note 94, 134, Fig. 14, nos. 211-216. 112 op. cit., in note 109, 184, Fig. 11, no. 21. 113 op. cit., in note 88, 168, (a, iv). 114 A. J. F. Dulley, 'Excavations at Pevensey, Sussex 1962-6', Med. Arch., xi (1967), 2251 Fig. 63, nos. 55-56. 1 5 J. Brit. Arch. Ass., 3rd ser., xxx (1967), 116, Fig. 12. 116 S. Frere, 'Canterbury Excavations .. . ', Arch. Cam., lxviii (1946), 138, Pl. III, no. 2. 117 D. C. Mynard, 'Medieval Pottery from Dartford', Arch. Cant., lxxxviii (1973), 28, Fig. 4 and Pl. I. 163 G. H. SMITH ift»- 24 26 1 27 1 .J 􀀃􀀄 IJ 􀀇 r30 l 􀀂 1 33 32 34 mm , 371--------1I -f 1 3a ,.I I 1 1 39r􀀂 , 401 Q . . . ?ins. 0 5c.m. Fig. 35. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 164 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 26. Form 24; fragment of strap handle found in thirteenth-century soil below surface of Yard 955. Applied strip down the middle, which shows notch decoration, flanked by stabbed holes; pale, lustrous green glaze. 27. Form 46; rim fragment with strap handle found above Phase II floor of B 954, two raised bands flanking a peppered group of stabbed holes with a raised band of diagonal incised decoration. 28. Form 45; found in post-medieval level, associated with no. 37. Rim fragment and applied strap handle with two rows of stabbed holes. 29. Form 122; found in late-medieval/Dissolution soil level north of B 166, associated with no. 46. Rim fragment and applied rod handle, with pear-shaped finger impression and a series of stabbed holes with large drips of brown glaze on top. 30. Form 28; rim fragment with strap handle, found above Phase II floor level of B 954, associated with nos. 52 and 55. Slightly rilled with occasional stabbed holes on handle and spots of brown glaze. 31. Form 120/43; rod handle, with stabbed holes, which appears to come from a small jug. From B 954, Phase III. 32. Form 42; rod handle associated with no. 3, with two rows of stabbed round holes covered by a thin olive-green glaze. 33. Fonn 82; rim fragment with rod handle found in post-medieval level. A patch of light green glaze. 34. Form 27; rim fragment found associated with no. 3. Rilled decoration under rim with patches of olive green lustrous glaze; similar in form to a jug waster found at Tyler Hill. 118 35. Form 27; found in demolition rubble within B 954. The lower portion of exterior is covered with a mottled green/brown glaze. 36. Form 37; found in B 954, Phase IV. The exterior is unglazed. The form is similar to a jug waster found at Tyler Hill, which has a bridge spout.119 37. Form 27; found associated with no. 28; plain and unglazed. 118 op. cit., in note 110, Fig. I, no. 5. 119 ibid., Fig. I, no. 6. 165 G. H. SMITH 38. Form 47; from sixteenth-century level in B 534; plain and unglazed. 39. Form 47; found associated with no. 21; undecorated and unglazed. 40. Form 55; associated with nos. 63, 66 and 72; undecorated and unglazed. 41. Form 47; in demolition level of B 954. Covered by yellow/brown lustrous glaze with a row of stabbed holes under the rim. 42. Form 57; associated with no. 13; undecorated. 43. Form 41; associated with no. 8; finger impressions around base; unglazed. 44. Form 41; associated with no. 3. This is possibly from a straightsided tall jug, like those found in the garderobe group at Snargate Street, Dover, 120 and in Canterbury, in a well at Canterbury Lane and St. George's Street. An example from this well (Royal Museum, Canterbury) shows finger impressions underneath also. 45. Form 41; fragment found in a post-medieval context; undecorated. This compares with examples found in Canterbury which are pear-shaped with a pulled spout and bib of glaze (Royal Museum, Canterbury). 46. Form 11; base fragment found associated with no. 29. B. Cooking-pots 47. Deep olive-green glaze over rim. From Dissolution level in Yard 955. 48. Rim fragment found in pre-Dissolution floor of R 342; over rim is a row of small stabbed holes. This is identical to a cooking-pot found in the garderobe in Snargate Street, Dover, 121 and a similar pot was discovered as a waster at Tyler Hill.122 120 M. M. Rix and G. C. Dunning, 'Excavation of a medieval Garderobe in Snargate Street, Dover, in 1945 .. .', Arch. Cant., Ix.ix (1955), 132ff. 121 ibid .. 148, Fig. 6, no. 5. 122 op. <:it., in note 110, 60, Fig. 2, no. 11. 166 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 􀀁 r,f;( r rl 􀀌-------------46􀀃 􀀃44,􀀄 􀀉----.-1-1 ========::::i ., 47 ---7 1----.---541----􀀊􀀌(􀀋- ' - r·- - --- 􀀈 49· - . · 51 IL-- ------=,-􀀇 Q • • ?Ins. O 5c.m. Fig. 36. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 167 G. H. SMITH 49. Form 3 I; rim fragment found in Dissolution level in B 954, associated with no. 56. 50. Form 22; rim fragment found m demolition level of B 535, associated with no. 74. 51. Form 51; rim fragment found in late medieval/Dissolution soil north of B 166; unglazed. 52. Fonn 56; found associated with no. 30; has a reduced exterior, and rim form similar to a waster at Tyler Hill. 123 53. Form 10; rim fragment found in Dissolution level north of B 166. The profile is similar to an example found near the kiln site near Radfall Road, Chestfield, Whitstable (Royal Museum, Canterbury). Similar wasters were found by Dr. Jenkins at Tyler Hill (Royal Museum, Canterbury). 54. From demolition rubble by B 535. Finely rilled surface under rim, which is covered by mottled yellow and olive-green lustrous glaze. 55. Form 32; rim fragment found associated with no. 30. Wasters similar to this were found by Dr. Jenkins at Tyler Hill( Royal Museum, Canterbury). 56. Form 31; associated with no. 49. On top of rim is a row of small stabbed holes, a method of decoration usual at Tyler Hill on cookingpots (compare with no. 48 above), and wasters found by Dr. Jenkins at Tyler Hill (Royal Museum, Canterbury). 57. Form 23; found in rubbish layer on floor ofB 954 in Phases II-III; undecorated. 58. Form 32; found in demolition layer of B 954 associated with no. 64. On top of rim is a wavy incised line, covered by opaque green glaze. 59. Form 12; found associated with no. 8; unglazed and without decoration on flange. 60. Salt-cellar(?), Form 60; unglazed, found associated with no. 8. A similar example found at Mersham Quarry, near Ashford, has four compartments, all covered in green/brown glaze. 123 ibid., 60, Fig. 2, no. 12. 168 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF ◊SPRINGE sal---------·,,J 􀀍 60 ,-, I I o I ' ' I I ' \ I ' I , __ o 2ins. 6'' ''5c.m. Fig. 37. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery(¼)- 169 G. H. SMITH C. Variants, by fabric, not form 61. Jug (Form 26); upper portion of neck and handle found associated with no. 3. The fabric (21) is slightly reduced, the handle showing diagonal slashing. This jug is similar to one found when laying the foundation of Bentley Wing, Maidstone Museum in 1889.124 62. Jug; rim fragment found associated with the pilgrim badge in B 954, Phase III; fabric as 61. 63. Jug; rim fragment found associated with no. 40; fabric as 61, reduced with some glazed patches. 64. Cooking-pot (Form 8); rim fragment found associated with no. 58. Fabric as no. 61, reduced ware with some external patches of green glaze. 65. Jug (Form 38); from a post-medieval level.The fabric (22) has patches of pale, lustrous green glaze over exterior and indication of a pulled spout. 66. Jug (Form 31); found associated with no. 19; fabric as no. 65. 67. Jug (Form 31); found in demolition rubble ofB 535; fabric as no. 65; with three incised lines around rim. 68. Cooking-pot (Form 54); found in demolition level of B 166; the fabric (24) has a slightly reduced appearance. 69. Jug (Form 48); base fragment, unstratified, fabric (25); has some fettling over the base rim. 70. Jug (Form 70); rim fragment with pulled spout and stump of rod handle, found in post-medieval level. The fabric is similar to no. 69 above, with small patches of green glaze. Sand-Tempered Wares (Fabrics 49, 50 and 57) 71. Jug (Form 83); rim fragment found associated with no. 40. The fabric ( 49) is unglazed and shows the remnants of a strap handle. 72. Cooking-pot (Form 99) in fabric (50); rim fragment found associated with no. 40. 73. Jug (Form 98); in post-medieval level, fabric (50), unglazed. 124 ibid., 64, Fig. 3, no. 2. 170 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 61 ) y m l J-•-i '67!§§§ \. 6 91 I &-______ 􀀆 J ,,!,􀀄-􀀅 - I =:! - - - 􀀂 72 0 2ins. :=;:=:::=;::=;:::: o 5c.m. Fig. 38. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 171 G. H. SMITH 74. Dish? (Form 77); base, found associated with no. 50; fabric (57), unglazed. Shell-tempered Ware (Fabric 20) Cooking-pots 75. Form 14; rim fragment found in soil sealed below floor of B 534. This should pre-date the foundation of Hospital. A similar example was found at Vernon Grange, Canterbury, in 1953 (Royal Museum, Canterbury). 76. Form 15; fragment found with late-medieval/Dissolution floor of B 406. This is similar in rim-form to an example from the backfill of foundation trench at Temple Manor, Strood, dating from around the 1240s, 12 5 and to examples from Eynsford Castle which are assigned a similar date. 126 A formal parallel, found in Rose Lane, Canterbury, was in red ware.127 77. Form 19; fragments found in thirteenth-century fill of Well 1494; exterior slightly reduced. 78. Form 8; found in post-medieval layer, associated with no. 80. It has a slightly reduced surface and is similar in form to an example found in a ditch filling in Dartford.128 Another example, found in pit M3 at Butchery Row, Canterbury, is considered to be late• thirteenth century .129 79. Form 20; unstratified. The form is similar to an example from Faversham Abbey (Pit 13, Workshop area) dated mid-thirteenth century or later. 130 80. Form 20; found associated with no. 78. A similar example was found in pit M3 at Butchery Row (see no. 78).131 81. Form 10; found in post-medieval level in stream. 82. Form 22; found in remnants of floor in B 1230. 83. Form 23; found in soil layer below surface of Yard 1446. 12' op. cit., in note 90, Fig. 13, nos. 2-3. 126 ibid., note 128. 127 op. cit., in note 116, 125, Fig. 13, no. 127. 128 op. cit., in note 117, 20, 188, Fig. 2. 129 S. Frere, 'Excavations at Rose Lane and Butchery Row, Canterbury', Arch. Cant .• lxviii (1954), 101-4. 130 B. J. Philp, Excavations at Favers/,am, 1965, (1968), 54, Fig. 17, no. 112. 131 op. cit., in note 129, Fig. 18, no. 25. 172 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 1 •. ,. , . . :,- . . ·: - f.ccc c,cc􀀕 , ___ _ . : ' . ' ,· c c-· c"·-c·c c- , c .s:. , . . - . . 1 J . ' ------ 77 _ · ...· ' ----------􀀘-------- ----------------- --- 7 at---l -􀀃< ·-- 􀀋 ,-.·.· --7 ·-? O:=:;:!::; ;:=;::::;=:2 ins. 0 5c.m. Fig. 39. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 173 G. H. SMITH 84. Cooking-pot or shallow bowl (Form 23); found in a pit below surface of Yard 1446. This shows fire blackening on exterior. Examples can be cited from Eynsford Castle, where they were found in a latetwelfth- century sealed pit near the kitchen, 132 and another in the moat.133 Medieval Pit Group This is a small group which consists of ten vessels : four complete jugs, with fragments of two more, and four rims from cooking-pots. From Pit 693 (see Fig. 3). 85. Jug (Form 32); in fabric 26, covered with a red slip similar in colour to those used on nos. 21-22. Over this is a thin strip decoration of a lattice pattern around the rim and vertical bands around the body. The decoration of this jug and fabric are similar to a jug from the subvault of the misericorde at Westminster Abbey, from a pit (F78) which is pre-1220-1240.134 86. Jug (Form 104); in fabric (26), as above. On the exterior are three zones of decoration produced by a four-pronged comb, comparable to an example from Rose Lane, Canterbury, Pit M15, considered to be from the second half of the thirteenth century. 13 5 87. Jug; in a Tyler Hill fabric (23) which shows rilling on shoulder and stabbed holes on rod handle. There were also fragments of the lower half of another jug of the same shape in this pit group. This is identical to a complete jug found in Pit Ml5, at Rose Lane, Canterbury (see no. 86).136 88. Jug; in Tyler Hill fabric (23), which shows lightly incised continuous rilling lines around neck and shoulder of jug. Also at shoulder are two independent deep incised lines; the base rim has finger-impressed decoration; the jug is unglazed. 89. Jug (Form 41); base fragment only, in Tyler Hill fabric (23); unglazed, but with finger decoration around base. 90. Cooking-pot (Form 56); rim fragment in shelly fabric (20). 132 op. cir., in note 88, 152, Fig. 14, no. Z. 13. 133 S. E. Rigold and A. J. Fleming, 'Eynsford Castle, The Moat and Bridge', Arch. Cant., lxxxviii (1973), Fig. 14, no. l. 134 op. cir., in note 108, 161, Fig. 13, no. 31. 135 op. cit., in note 116, 138, Fig. 21/50. 136 ibid., 138, Fig. 22, no. 51. 174 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 86 2ins. :=::::􀀃= sc.m. Fig. 40. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 175 G. H. SMITH 87 \ \ O 2ins. 0 5c.m. Fig. 41. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery (¼). 176 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE \ ,. . . · , , , . . . : ( . " { I-------'􀀉'--'-· ..;,.) 93 ' O 2ins. 􀀃==;=: O 5c.m. Fig. 42. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Medieval Pottery, nos. 89-93 (¼). Glazed Roof Furniture, nos. 94, 95 (¼). 177 G. H. SMITH 91. Cooking-pot (Form 8); rim fragment in shelly fabric ( 17); similar in form to no. 80, but larger. 92. Cooking-pot (Form 14); rim fragment in same fabric as no. 91. Examples like 91 and 92 were found at Mersham Quarry, near Ashford. 93. Cooking-pot (Form 14); rim fragment in same fabric as no. 91. Architectural Roof Furniture 94. Ridge Tile; from sixteenth-century level in B 534, in fabric (23), Tyler Hill ware. It has a reduced exterior with the outer surface stabbed and clawed irregularly. Over the ridge is a large patch of green/brown glaze. The broken edge has lime mortar adhering to it. Uncrested, as usual in Kent; numerous parallels, but a more complete example from Joyden's Wood, near Dartford, was smaller (21 cm. wide, 32 cm. long).131 95. Finial (Form 112); part of wing found associated with no. 11; in fabric (21), Tyler Hill ware, heavily incised with three lines on both sides. It is covered by a thin, pale yellow slip, over which is a deep mottled glaze. This fragment would appear to be zoomorphic, representing a bird, or mythical creature like a griffin. Dissolution Period Imports 96. Raeren Mug (Form 3); from post-medieval soil above rubble in Yard 955, in stoneware fabric (6), covered by a light brown mottled glaze. This is similar to an example at Southampton, considered to date from 1500-1550.138 97. Altar Vase (Form 48); from Dissolution level in Yard 955. The fabric (39) is covered internally and externally with a good white tin enamel, over which is a deep cobalt blue decoration which shows portion of medallion (probably containing IHS). This is the wellknown type of vase depicted in miniatures and panel paintings, such as in the Douce Book of Hours by the Master of Mary of Burgundy (c. 1485-90), or a Virgin and Child by Gerard David (1460?-1523). 137 P. J. Tester and J.E. L. Caiger, 'Medieval Buildings in the Joyden's Wood Square Earthwork', Arch. Cant., lxxii (1958), 26-9, Fig. 3. 138 op. cit., in note 95, 159, Fig. 197, no. 1184. 178 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE \..􀀂 97 . ' •• I .) /7 m 􀀃J J ' 0, 1/ . fil y -- \ (. \ \ 1 102 􀀍---01 -5,f; I;;;;;;;;;;􀀙a, f",...., ;;;;: } Q , •• 2ins. o 5c.m. Fig. 43. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Dissolution Period Pottery (¼). 179 G. H. SMITH 98. Dish (Form 66); large portion of rim found in a Dissolution level in Yard 955, associated with no. 99. The fabric (22) is similar to Tyler Hill ware. The inner surface is covered by a white slip incised over the rim and covered by a dull clear yellow glaze. Such a profile of dish in Dutch contexts could be dateable to the early-sixteenth century. 139 99. Albarello (Form 76); upper portion found associated with no. 98. The fabric (87) is covered with a deep clear yellow glaze over complete profile of rim. It would have had a tapering profile ending with a flange-like base. 100. Chafing dish (Form 67); base found in post-medieval level. The fabric (49) is decorated on the exterior by a finger-impressed frilled decoration. On the interior there is a coating of soot. 101. Jug (Form 48); found in Dissolution period floor of B 535. The fabric is decorated by a row of knife-cut facets around rim of base. 102. Jar (Forms 7 and 17); near complete vessel from a sixteenthcentury level in B 534. The fabric ( 13) has a slightly reduced exterior and is unglazed. 103. Jar (Form 31); rim fragment from a Dissolution level in Yard 955; fabric (57) unglazed. 104. Flanged bowl (Form 32); in a demolition layer; fabric (50) splashed with a clear lustrous brown glaze over rim. 105. Dish (Form 88); large portion of vessel found in a Dissolution level in Yard 955. The fabric (49) is covered by clear qeep brown glaze on the interior. 106. Dripping-pan handle (Form 94); associated with no. 98 above. The fabric (49) is covered by a clear deep brown glaze with dark flecks over the interior. Very similar to the handle applied to Dutch drippingpans of the fifteenth-sixteenth centuries. 140 107. Form 118; fifteen body sherds found in a pit of unknown date; it seems to be Tyler Hill fabric (23) but from its associations a more recent date seems to be indicated. Its purpose is unclear, but it is unglazed and so might not have contained any permanent liquid. 139 ibid., 157, Fig. 194, no. 1161. 140 ibid., 157, Fig. 195, no. 1168. 180 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE 107 P􀀂 . I ,. ' :, , , I I 11 I I I I \ I ,, ,, ,' 1 I I I I 1 I ' I , , 1, , , , , , , I I , , I I 1/ , , 11 II ,: 11 , , I: I 1 I/ I I 11 / I , , ,: ----------------,------------. I I I I I I I ' I I \ ,.r ,.- 􀀄'·j 􀁁 \ .._, 􀁂 z,-, l:,..-_, , , '-, ·'":.' ,,J < "/ 0 2ins. :=;::􀀃= 0 5c.m. Fig. 44. Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Dissolution Period Pottery (¼). 181 G. H. SMITH Dating and Discussion It would appear that the earliest medieval pottery found at Maison Dieu is the shell-tempered ware (nos. 75-84), some of which might be early thirteenth century and just antedate the buildings. The material from the medieval Pit Group (nos. 85-93) also contained shelltempered wares, and seems to be close to the main mid-thirteenthcentury building period. It was in this pit group that Tyler Hill ware begins to be found in a homogeneous assemblage on the site. Tyler Hill wares predominate among the medieval pottery found (nos. 24--70), which fits the intensive occupation, mid-thirteenth to mid-fourteenth century and perhaps a little later. Imports from various sources appear, quite predictably, throughout this range, associated with Tyler Hill. This type of association noticed at Dover, first in the Snargate garderobe group and more recently at the Castle, before Arthur's Gate, illustrates well the range of imports that came into Kent, studied by the late Dr. Gerald Dunning at Dover and Stonar, where imported wares had sources in Scarborough, Grimston, Aarden burg, Saintonge, Rouen and Lower Rhinelands. 141 John Hurst has also isolated pottery imports from Merida and Malaga in Spain. 142 Most of these products have been found at Maison Dieu. After all, it did lie on the main road to Dover, to Paris, to Rome, and the traffic is further illustrated by the pilgrim badge from Amiens. Non-local English wares (nos. 14-32) are mainly those of the 'greater' London area. They come downstream in quantity at least as far as Canterbury, identical in form and fabric with London examples.143 Few wares, however, from Tyler Hill, the industry so preponderant in east Kent, move far upstream : there were hardly any at Eynsford. As the London area copied northern English as well as French, so Tyler Hill copied other English products, such as the Surrey White ware forms (nos. 15-18), whereas, at Maison Dieu only one true Surrey White fragment was found (no. 14), and the true west Kent grey ware, sparing of glaze, and overwhelmingly common in its area, is conspicuous by its absence. By the time of the demolition of Maison Dieu the pattern of wares had changed considerably. Late medieval wares are few in the days of the house's decline and by the Dissolution all the fabric types, both domestic and imported, have changed. The imports are represented by Cologne stoneware, Raeren mugs (no. 96), a Dutch altar vase (no. 97) and dish (no. 98). Even the English fabrics are different, most of which 141 G. C. Dunning, 'The Trade in medieval Pottery around the North Sea', Rollerdam Par,ers, i (1968), 51-3, Fig. 30. 42 op. cit., in note 91. 143 B. Rackham, Medieval English Potlery, (1972), 23, Pl. 25. 182 EXCAVATION OF HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY OF OSPRINGE are red earthenware with only a few pieces in Tyler Hill ware, one of which appears to be a trough-like vessel (no. 106). viii. The Human Bones. Justine Bayley (Ancient Monuments Laboratory) These were mainly very fragmentary remains with over half the contexts containing only a few bone fragments each and most of the rest very incomplete remains. Four contexts (24, 26, 1964 and 1966) contained parts of at least two individuals. Other contexts may also represent more than one individual, but it was impossible to say one way or another owing to the fragmentary nature of the remains. The descriptions of the bones are summarized in Table 3 (below). Ages, where given, have been assessed from epiphyseal fusion for immature TABLE 3 The individuals represented Context No. Sex Age 18 M 25-35 19 M 35-45 20 ? A 21 prob. M A 22 prob. M A 23 ? A 24 F A ? 10-13 26 ? A ? 6-12 506 ? A 508 ? A 586 ? A 1134 ? A 1964 prob. M A ? J 1965 ? A 1966 ? 6-12 ? c. 17 1967 ? A 1969 poss. M A Key M = male F = female ? = indetenninable A = 'adult' J = juvenile 183 G. H. SMITH individuals144 and from dental wear for adults. 1 4 5 Remains described as 'adult' have no incompletely developed bones present. Some of the bones from contexts 18, 20, 21, 26 and 1964 show slight signs of osteo-arthritis. The burial from context 19 also shows degenerative changes, but of a far more severe nature together with other changes, probably of traumatic origin. These are described in detail below. Little if anything can be concluded from the examination of this collection of human bones as it represents such small parts of so many individuals. The bones examined, with the exception of those from context 19, are not of intrinsic interest and, separated from the rest of the population of which they form a part, cannot necessarily be taken as representative of it. The burial from context 19 These bones were the remains of a male individual aged 35-45 at death. They collectively displayed abnormalities of ossification, degeneration of joints and also bone changes of traumatic origin. The xiphoid process had become ossified and attached to the lower edge of the sternum (which may be considered normal in an individual of this age) but a perforation had been left on the line of the join. Both hip joints displayed gross degenerative changes (see Plate IV A). The femoral heads (and acetabula) were much enlarged, the femoral head diameter being of the order of 65 mm. instead of the normal size of around 50 mm. Part of the articular surface was very rough with pits and lumps of bone protruding from the surface and the rest was heavily eburnated. By matching up the eburnated areas in the acetabula and on the fem oral heads it could be seen that only a very limited range of movement was available to this individual and that his 'rest' position was a sitting one. The bones of the right arm were substantially shorter than those of the left arm and the right elbow joint showed massive remodelling, probably following from a traumatic injury (see Plate IVB). There would have been very limited movement in the joint and probably also in the pronation/supernation action of the hand as the head of the radius would not have been able to rotate on the radial- notch on the ulna. A more detailed description of the joint is not possible as there is slight post-mortem breakag􀁛 of the bones at the elbow so their relative positions in life cannot be accurately determined. 144 D. R. Brothwell, Digging up Bones (1972), 60. 145 ibid., 69. 184 PLATE IA (Photo. P. Addison) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. General View of the Area excavated to the West of the Stream. (Scale with 50 cm. divis ions). PLATE 1B (Photo. P. Addison) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. General View of the Area excavated to the East of the Stream. (Scale with 5-0 cm. divisions). PLATE IIA (Photo. G. H. Smith) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. The Respond Base in Building 534 (The Common Hall). (Scale with 1 cm. divisions). (Photo. G. H. Smith) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Hearth 776 in Building 954 (the Kitchen), Phase IV. (Scale with IO cm. divisions). PLATE 111A (Pho10. G. H. Smi1/r) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. The Steps down into Undercroft 342. (Scale with I cm. divisions). PLATE 1118 (Pho10. G. H. Smi1h) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. The stone-lined Culvert in Building 291. (Scale with 10 cm. divisions). PLATE IVA (Photo. Eliza I.Aw/er) Maison Dieu, Ospringe. Skeleton 19. The Femur Heads, showing the gross Lipping. PLATE TVB (Photo. Eliza Lawler) Maison Dieu, Ospr inge. Skeleton 19. The right (above) and left Elbows showing the Changes to the right Joint.