Other London Collections: Honeywood Heritage Centre

Honeywood Heritage Centre (London Borough of Sutton Heritage Service)

Cheam whiteware biconical drinking jug, mid 14th to 15th century, from the excavated kilns in Cheam.

The Centre houses major collections of ceramics and other finds recovered from archaeological excavations in the London Borough of Sutton, highlighting the history of the borough. These include production waste from the late medieval, Surrey whiteware kilns in Cheam, and sherd material and glass from ongoing excavations at Carew Manor, Beddington, ranging in date from the prehistoric to Victorian periods. There are also various small archaeological collections mostly from local society excavations, as well as stray surface finds, all principally of local significance and yet to be examined in detail.

Some of these finds are on display, along with several complete ceramic vessels excavated at Nonesuch Palace, on loan from the Museum of London. The Absolom Collection, much of it also on display, was donated to Carshalton UDC in the inter-War period, and consists of late 18th- and early 19th-century Chinese and English porcelain and earthenware, demonstrating the oriental influence on English ceramic style.

Highlights of the collection:

• Excavated late 14th- to 15th-century Cheam whitewares and redwares (wasters, kiln furniture and structural remains) from Cheam kilns 1 and 2 (Parkside and High Street)
• Large collection of medieval Cheam-type whitewares from Norman Nail's excavations at Whitehall
• Pottery and glass from excavations at Carew Manor, Beddington, from prehistoric to Victorian, with a good group of early to mid 18th-century material from a culvert in the former moat, including Chinese porcelain, Surrey-Hampshire border wares and creamware
• Late 16th-century ceramics from the Nonesuch Palace excavations (on loan from the Museum of London), including Rhenish stonewares and Low Countries tin-glazed ware
• The Absolom Collection of c 100 pieces of late 18th to early 19th-century English and oriental porcelain and earthenware, including New Hall porcelain, Chinese blue and white and Chinese Imari porcelain
• Pottery and glass from various local society excavations

Parts of all these collections are on display, with more in storage.

Address: Honeywood Walk, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 3NX

Tel: 020 8770 4297; Fax: 020 8770 4297

Email: lbshoneywood@btconnect.com, whitehallcheam@btconnect.com

Website: www.friendsofhoneywood.co.uk, www.friendsofwhitehallcheam.co.uk

Chinese famille rose porcelain punch bowl, underglaze blue, polychrome enamels and iron red, mid to late 18th century.

Opening times: Wed to Fri, 11.00am - 5.00pm; Sat, Sun and Bank Holiday Mon, 10.00am -5.00pm.

Admission: Charge £1.60; child 80p

Access: partial access for disabled visitors; disabled toilets; parking

Publications:
Marshall, C J, 1924, 'A medieval pottery kiln discovered at Parkside, Cheam', Surrey Archaeological Collections 35, 79-97
Orton, C, 1982, 'The excavation of a late medieval/transitional pottery kiln at Cheam', Surrey Archaeological Collections 73, 49-92

Links to Museum of London Ceramics and Glass website:

• Surrey whitewares - Cheam whiteware
• Oriental porcelain
• English porcelain