Medieval jugs to go on show
Local people are to have the chance to see archaeological finds from medieval times which haven’t been handled by anyone for hundreds of years.
On Monday, June 14, Warwickshire County Council’s Archaeology Projects Group, based at Warwickshire Museum, will hand over a collection of medieval finds from their excavations at Coombe Abbey Hotel to the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
The archaeological excavations took place on behalf of Coombe Abbey Hotel in advance of the building of a new bedroom block.
Key features of Cistercian monastic life were found during the excavations including parts of the monastic water management scheme.
The finds collection includes an almost complete 13/14th century baluster jug made at nearby Chilvers Coton in Nuneaton, but copying a north French style, and which had been discarded in one such ditch.
Also of interest is a large collection of 13th/14th century green-glazed bowls with handles known as skillets and normally used for frying. However, the absence of sooting on these examples suggests they were used as a kind of mess tin, a feature which is so far unique in Britain.
The skillets date from the period when the formerly austere and vegetarian Cistercian monks lived a more comfortable life but may of course have been used by lay people who would have visited the Abbey, particularly the infirmary.
Large quantities of sheep’s feet were found and the archaeologists believe they are the result of vellum or parchment production rather than meat eating. The sheep skins would have arrived at Coombe Abbey with the feet attached for ease of handling and the feet would have been discarded as the skins were processed into parchment.
This laborious and unpleasant task involved tanning the skins in a toxic mixture which included urine and may have been delegated to local workmen.
The Cistercian Abbey of Coombe was founded in 1150. The rural setting was perfect for the Cistercian monks who sought self-sufficiency in isolated areas and who became expert engineers and farmers. By the late 13th-century Coombe Abbey was the wealthiest house in Warwickshire although its fortunes declined soon after.
“The finds from Coombe Abbey will be a wonderful addition to the Herbert’s collection” says Keeper of Collections, Paul Thompson. He hopes that the medieval artefacts will be used for object handling, display and education in the future.