Produced in Hereford and Weobley and dating from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. Other production site are possible.
A common fabric in Hereford from the mid 13th century to the early 15th century. Hard, with the principal inclusions being very sparse rounded quartz grains, generally less than 0.3mm. There are also rare red or black micaceous sandstone fragments and rounded brown clay pellets, 1.0mm to 3.0 mm. The painted white slip contains angular quartz and white sandstone fragments but no mica, whilst the brown slip often contains crushed iron ore fragments. The clay matrix is angular quartz and white mica silt up to 0.1mm. The colour is usually oxidized red (2.5YR 5/6) or reduced dark grey (10YR 4/1) with an oxidized exterior.
There was an A7b kiln known at Weobley, Herefordshire, and a likely kiln spacer was found in the River Wye below Victoria Bridge, Hereford but more importantly, significant quantities of production waste were found at the Asda, Hereford site so there was another kiln in the southern suburbs of the medieval city (Dale Rouse, pers comm).
Similar wares are common over much of Herefordshire and Northern Gwent. In the Hereford City excavations reported in 1975, A7b fabrics first appeared in 13th century contexts. By the the late 13th century it formed about 15% of the assemblages and by the 14th, 70% (Vince, 1985, p43). Three thousand, four hundred and eighty-five sherds were recorded by Alan Vince in 2002 (p79). It was one of the most common fabrics at the Commercial Street site in Hereford in 1992. Also found at at Kilpeck, Leominster, Eardisley Titley and Wigmore Castle.
A7b pottery was found at the excavation at High Street, Much Wenlock.
fabric in section
internal surface of fabric
external surface of fabric
Around two thirds of these sherds in Hereford City are from jugs with another third from roof tile and furnature. A small number are from cooking pots. The wheel-thrown jugs are globular to baluster. Rims rounded or squared off. Bridge spouts and pulled spouts. Strap and rod handles. Strap handles usually decorated with slashing or stabbing, rod have plain or central knife cut groove. Decoration if present, applied strips. Bases mainly thumbed and sagging. Ridge tiles and globular wheel-thrown finials.
A7b jug from the Crystal Rooms site in Hereford
A7b jug from the St Peter's excavation in Hereford
An A7b rim with a slashed strap handle (olive glazed) from the St Peter's excavation in Hereford
A7b bowl from the St Peter's excavation in Hereford
A roof finial in fabric A7 found in 1927 on the site of the Templars church of St Giles when a later chapel was being demolished. courtesy of Ron Shoesmith
Hereford A7b is Worcestershire fabric F66 (Herefordshire glazed fine micaceous ware) AND F92 (Unglazed fine micaceous ware). It is also 'Fineoxwm' at Leominster Poultry Packers and RW10 at Wigmore Castle.