Find Spot record 10100/76 - Post medieval medical evidence from Watergate street

Observations made during an extension to the medieval crypt under No 11 Watergate Street in 1894 (then owned by the vintners Quellyn Roberts) recovered a quantity of post medieval finds indicative of an apothecary in the area. (1)

Although no record of the context of the finds was discovered, a catalogue of post medieval finds held by the owners and their family consisted primarily of imported wares the Netherlands from the 16th to 17th century. Among the finds were fragments of one or more drug jars from the early 17th century of Anglo-Netherlands origin, a fragment of a funnel shaped cup from the 16th-17th century of Cistercian type, other Cistercian type fragments, a pipkin of Surrey/Hampshire type, two ‘albarello’ type drug jars of Buckley type, a globular drug jar of Buckley type and several others of Staffordshire type, seven small ointment pots of London type and an apothecaries tile or pill slab bearing a partial date of ‘165-‘. (2)

<1> Williams Frank.H., 1895, Deva: on some traces of a building discovered west of the Forum (Article in Journal). SCH6580.

<2> Rutter, Janet Axworthy, 1985, Lifestyle in the Rows with Particular Reference to a Collection of Pottery from 11 Watergate Street, Chester, found in 1894 (Article in Journal). SCH5823.