The Hereford Pottery Type Series is a reference collection of dated and categorised pottery. Archaeologists use it to help to date and understand their sites. The original Hereford fabric series was based on the late Alan Vince's PhD thesis 'The Medieval Ceramic Industry of the Severn Valley' 1984 University of Southampton. Summaries of the series are given in Hereford City Excavations Volume 3 and Hereford City Excavations Volume 4.
Since these publications considerably more pottery has been found in Hereford, and this has led to additions and amendments by pottery specialist Stephanie Ratkai. Apart from fabric A1, the ubiquitous Roman Severn Valley Ware, the Hereford Type Fabric Series was developed to classify the medieval and earlier post-medieval pottery occurring on archaeological sites in the City of Hereford and its environs.
The Vince classification is based on the type and proportion of rock and mineral inclusions in the pottery fabric. Groups A to D contain fabrics which are believed to have been of local or regional manufacture. The other groups are E, from other parts of Britain; F, from other parts of the world; and G, source not known.
The standard Hereford City type series is held at the Hereford Museum Resource Centre, Friar Street, Hereford and can be seen by appointment, contact the Museum (01432 260000).