Other London Collections: Harrow Museum

Harrow Museum

Detail from a refined earthenware beaker with coloured ground, showing an applied, moulded bust of Queen Victoria.

Situated in the 14th-century moated Headstone Manor and 16th-century tithe barn, the museum houses collections of 18th- to 20th-century domestic ceramics and glass illustrating the social history of the borough, including the 1930s 'Metro-land' development.

A sizeable body of ceramics and glass is held in reserve to furnish period room settings in the museum, with numerous sets of tableware, glass and stoneware bottles. There is also a collection of about 100 to 150 pieces of Whitefriars glass, most of it dating to the 1950s and later, along with glass-making tools, glass designs, stained glass window designs and photographs of the factory at work.

Collections of archaeologically recovered pottery dating from the Roman period to the 19th century are also held in the museum stores, much of it excavated by the Stanmore and Harrow Historical Society. These include waste material from the Roman pottery production site at Brockley Hill and tile kiln dump at Canons Park, Little Stanmore, as well as the medieval south Hertfordshire-type greyware kilns at Elstree Hill South and Potter Street Hill.

There are also finds, mostly medieval and later, from various domestic sites excavated within the borough, including Headstone Manor, Waxwell Lane, Holmeway Park and East End Farm Cottage. A small selection of finds from Headstone Manor is on display; the rest are in store.

Highlights of the collection:

• Small collection of excavated Roman pottery
• Medieval and later pottery and glass from local excavations at Headstone Manor and other sites in the London Borough of Harrow
• Medieval south Hertfordshire-type greyware kiln material from Elstree Hill South
• Roman pottery kiln waste from Brockley Hill
• Whitefriars glassworks material
• Eighteenth- to 20th-century domestic ceramics and glass in the social history collection.

Address: Headstone Manor, Pinner View, Harrow HA2 6PX

Tel: Museum: 020 8861 2626

Email: Harrow.museum@harrow.gov.uk

Website: http://www.harrow.gov.uk

Opening times: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 12 noon - 5pm. Tuesday: Closed. Saturday, Sunday: 10:30am - 5pm.

Admission: Free.

Part of a mortarium in Verulamium-type whiteware from the Brockley Hill kilns, stamped with the potter's name Doinus, working 70110 CE

Access: Access for disabled visitors; parking; adapted toilets; induction loop for lectures; shop; refreshments; guided tours for groups by arrangement (charge); school visits with activities and school loan service (contact Education Dept); booking of meeting space with good facilities (contact Museum Office); Friends' organisation.

Publications:
Castle, S A, 1976, 'Roman pottery from Brockley Hill, Middlesex 1966 and 1972-74', Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 27, 206-27
Salveson, G. & Blackmore, L. 1985, 'Excavations at Elstree Hill South, 1981-1983', Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 36, 81-106.
Tucker, S L, 1987 'Excavation and survey of the Small Barn, Headstone Manor, Harrow, Middlesex', Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 38, 151-58

Links to Museum of London Ceramics and Glass website:

• Roman coarseware
• Medieval unglazed ware
• Stonewares
• Mass-produced ceramics
• Wine bottles
• Miscellaneous glassware, 1701 to present
• Whitefriars glass