Research aims

The main research goals of the Derbyshire Ware Project are twofold: firstly, to examine the form and function of the Derbyshire Ware kiln; and secondly, to look closely at the production of Derbyshire Ware-type fabrics. The particulars of these broad aims are listed below.

  1. Construction of the kiln

To explore the particular issues in building a kiln according to the excavated Derbyshire Ware pattern. Are such tall, narrow kilns more difficult to construct than those built according to the ‘Olsen Rule’ (Olsen 1983)? The physical problems of building on a gritstone hillside will inevitably also be explored.

  1. Kiln setting

Tall, narrow kilns such as this appear difficult to load without the use of a wicket entrance, but none have been found in excavated examples. What solutions might there be to this problem?

  1. The Spar Abutment

Related to construction and kiln setting is the possible ‘spar abutment’, identified in the Lumb Brook and Holbrook kilns (Brassington & Webster 1988). Had this a construction function, a setting function, or will another function become apparent during the Project?

  1. Use of gritstone

The excavated Derbyshire Ware kilns were partially built from local gritstone, with pedestals, ware chamber floor spars and firemouths all made of this material. Daniel Rhodes has claimed that ‘the only material suitable for kiln construction is sandstone’ (Rhodes 1981). How durable is the gritstone (a particularly coarse, dense form of sedimentary sandstone) in these very high-temperature contexts?

  1. Temperature differential

Temperature differential is always a problem in updraught kilns, and the effect should be exaggerated in a tall Derbyshire Ware kiln. What effect will this have on its use? Is it practical to stack wares to the top of the kiln, or is this extra height solely a chimney?

  1. Maximum temperature

Related to this is maximum temperature. Clearly Derbyshire Wares were extremely high-fired. The DWP will investigate the importance of the tall superstructure in this. Temperature in various areas of the kiln will be monitored throughout the firings by eight Type K thermocouples, downloading information to a laptop via a Pico TC-08 datalogger.

  1. Reduction

Derbyshire Wares are usually reduced to a purple-grey colour although plenty of examples have been found with a reoxidised orange-red finish. The DWP will examine the reduction capabilities of this kiln form. The fireboxes of excavated kilns appear the wrong shape for efficient reduction, but clearly full reduction is quite possible. Are the orange-red wares evidence of entire reoxidised firings, or is some reoxidation characteristic of the kiln form? Where in the firing cycle does reduction occur? How can such high temperatures be achieved with a choking firebox? Atmosphere will be monitored in real time by gas analysis equipment.

  1. Clays and fabrics

To what extent is the Derbyshire Ware product dependant on one particular clay source? The Project will utilise a variety of locally-dug and commercial earthenware and stoneware clays – including those used until recently by the nearby Denby Pottery – and examine the results of firing these clays in the Derbyshire Ware-type kiln.

 

Inevitably more issues will present themselves during the construction and firing series, but these are the intended foci of research. It is important that the Project remains flexible enough to deal with problems and opportunities as they arise. The entire firing series will be conducted according to John Coles’ rules of experimental archaeology (Coles 1979; Walker 2005) and the principles set out by the Northern California Experimental Firing Group (especially Borregaard & Walker 2005a, 2005b), with the intention of extracting a maximum of scientific and archaeological information from the relatively short Project.

 

Bibliography

Borregaard, T., & Walker, D.J.C., 2005a. “StanleyII: an experimental updraught kiln in Northern California.”, in Bulletin of the Northern California Experimental Firing Group 2. Published online at http://www.ncefg.org.

Borregaard, T., & Walker, D.J.C., 2005b. “On the positioning and use of thermocouples in experimental kilns.”, in Bulletin of the Northern California Experimental Firing Group 2. Published online at http://www.ncefg.org.

Brassington, M., 1969. “A possible Romano-British kiln, near Milford”, Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, 89,119-120.

Brassington, M. and Webster, W. A., 1988. “The Lumb Brook pottery kilns, Hazelwood: an interim report”, DAJ, 108, 21-33.

Coles, J., 1979. Experimental Archaeology. Academic Press, London.

Dawson, D. & Kent, O., 1985. “Kiln superstructures – the Bickley experiments”, in Bulletin of the Experimental Firing Group 3, 70-79.

Gillam, J. P., 1939. “Roman-British Derbyshire ware”, Antiquaries Journal 19, (1939), pp. 429-37.

Jones, G. D. B. and Webster, P. V., 1969. “Derbyshire ware - a reappraisal”, DAJ, 89, (1969), pp. 19-24.

Kay, S. O. 1962 “The Romano-British pottery kilns at Hazelwood and Holbrook, Derbyshire”, DAJ, 82, 21-42.

Kay, S. O. and Hughes, R. G., 1963 “A Romano-British pottery kiln site at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire”, Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, 83, 103-106.

Olsen, F.L., 1983. The Kiln Book. 2nd Edition. Krause Publications, Iowa.

Rhodes, D., 1981. Kilns: Design, Construction and Operation. 2nd edition. Chilton Book Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania.

Swan, V. G., 1984. The pottery kilns of Roman Britain, RCHM Supplementary Series, 5, RCHM.

Walker, D.J.C., 2005. Understanding Pottery Kilns. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

 

 

 

The Derbyshire Ware Project is held in association with and with the help of:

The Northern California Experimental Firing Group Denby Pottery Derbyshire Archaeological Society The Council for British Archaeology Peaklander Tours The Chatsworth Estate CBA-East Midlands

Website created by and copyright of Dave Walker of the Derbyshire Ware Project. Last updated 25/09/2006