CRICH WARE. 79 



which has a large amount of silica in it, very like (as 



Farey says) the clay which the Staffordshire potters called 



' Clunch.' ... It was a clay most suitable for the needs 



of the potters who made crucibles for the Bank of England." 



The first move in the direction of establishing potteries at 



Crich was, Mr. Turner considers, the transference of " a piece 



of ground to one Thomas Morley, a potter," by Lady Mary 



Dixie {nee Willoughby. and a descendant of one John Clay — 



a curious coincidence — of Crich). From ancient documents 



Mr. Turner places the first working date of these potteries at 



.'ibout 1 666-1 763. 



Fig. 3.— Posset Pot of Crich Ware. 1777. 



With regard to the discovery- and excavation of the ancient 



site Mr. Turner says : — 



"This is all that has been discovered about this old pot 

 works, until the re-discovery of the site and its interesting 

 contents by myself and friend in the year of grace 1904. In 

 the refuse heap a trench was cut. It was about 6 feet by 

 4 feet, and 3 feet deep." 

 During the excavations the old potter's cellar, or store-house, 



\vas unearthed, and locally exaggerated into a subterranean 



