TURBARIES. 57 
bearing the marks of straw, and formed by the 
hand. Upon making further search, I was soon 
convinced that I was standing on what was once 
a Roman pottery; and the bricks were for the 
purpose of keeping the rudely formed pitchers, 
pipkins, vases, and a sort of patera or plate, in 
their proper position, during the process of burning. 
Those mounds were very numerous, and Icon- 
cluded were formed of the potsherds of the dif- 
ferent vessels broken whilst baking on the 
platforms of clay, which served for kilns. I should 
imagine the potteries were sufficient to have sup- 
plied the country with the common black-ware, 
(which is always found in the ruins of Roman 
villas) for a vast distance round. I afterwards 
found on one of the kilns in the parish of Huntspill, 
some small pipkins which were perfect, until un- 
fortunately cut through by the turfscythe. Both 
peat and wood were used for fuel, as appears by 
pieces of charcoal. Scori® of iron and pieces of 
coal were found in some places. Clay and sand 
were to be had at no great distance. Afterthe pro- 
cess of burning, all the perfect pieces were no doubt 
selected for package, and those with fire-flaws and 
other injuries, were thrown by, and served to form 
those numerous and large heaps of potsherds. 
My venerable pitcher which I described in my 
hastily written “ Little Book,” some years since, was 
completely buried with potsherds, but is perfect with 
the exception of a small piece taken from the mouth 
[ 
