THE ESSEX KIF.I.D fl.Un. 141 



Roman jugs ; plates from Palissy's designs ; others from choice old stoneware 

 patterns ; more specimens of the original ' Essex Jug ' which we have before 

 referred to, and on which appear medallions of county scenes, representations of 

 family and borough shields, natural productions, castles, and coins, all having 

 •reference to the county ; specimens of a rich mottled blue ware, in which elegant 

 ewers, etc., of old French and Venetian shapes are made ; modals and historical 

 plaques of the Castle ; a number of copies of old pottery in a rich mottled brown 

 ware, originated by Mr. Bingham's father in 1822 ; various little articles in 

 incised terra-cotta, of which the late Sir Henry Cole, of South Kensington, when 

 on a visit to the little pottery, expressed his unqualified approval, and said it was 

 'refreshing to his e)^es ' ; terra-cotta flower vases of various sizes and shapes, 

 including one pattern of pretty trellis-work, with trailing hops aid vines — these 

 special pieces and many others have brought the Hedinghan:| Pottery into much 

 repute. 



"While exploring and examining, under the courteous conduct of Mr. Bing- 

 ham, ' the mister potter,' we glean some interesting facts connected with the 

 history of Hedingham and its Castle, for the potter has been a diligent student of 

 history and matte.s antiquarian, and his little museum of old china, coins, books, 

 etc., proclaim him to be, as he ever has been, a diligent searcher after knowledge. 

 We learn, too, what is more to the p )int for this article, some facts in the history 

 of Hedingham potters and pottery, as far as they relate to the Bingham family. 

 The Pottery Works were taken by Mr. Bingham's father some fifty years ago for 

 the manufacture of common earthenware. Mr. Bingham, sen., was an excellent 

 workman, an i being vigorous both in mind and body he made the native clays 

 and their glazing his special study, with the result that he discovered some valu- 

 able secrets, which are now benefiting his posterity. These, with a few craft 

 traditions he had long before acquired with great trouble from old Delft and 

 German workmen at his uncle's works at Lambeth (and in those early days of 

 trade jealousy and mystery this was no small matter to obtain, either by love or 

 money), formed the stock of knowledge which led his son, the present head of the 

 works, on to his earliest studies in artwork. The Exhibition of 1851 gave a 

 stimulus to the son, and he acquired ideas sufficiently definite to bring out his 

 trellis work and other terra-cotta vases, which still hold their own and find a fair 

 demand. Improving as years went on, and being about 1865 well patronised by 

 the elite of the neighbjurhood, many of them were good enough to lend Mr. 

 Bingham quaint specimens of pottery and costly works of good authors. The 

 lives of Palissy and Wedgwood, with their difficulties and successes, stimulated 

 him afresh, and a few years as sub-postmaster afforded him (as some years before 

 a boys' school had done) some spare time and cash for experiments. He soon 

 obtained confidence for a restart, this time as a glazed ornamental-ware potter. 

 This was in the )-ear 1875. The material Mr. Bingham used in his manufacture 

 was, as it now is, composed of Essex clays, deftly combined with other clays, 

 metals, minerals, etc., in order to produce the blue and browns which have given 

 the Hedingham productions a status. The potter's success was for a time but 

 indifferent. Loss upon loss nearly disheartened him, until he was convinced that 

 the hop3 of much of the profits he had looked forward 10 must be abandoned, and 

 that he must provide materials without regard to expense. Results then gave 

 satisfaction, but the manufacture became more select and unique, the output 

 being confined to the works of himself and his famil}-. Mr. Bingham soon found 

 his wares contracting a peculiarity of style. This was traceable to the want of 



