Clay pipe
Category
Archaeological material
Date
c. 1840 - c. 1860
Materials
Measurements
50 mm (Width) x 30 mm (Depth); 115 mm (Length)
Place of origin
United Kingdom
Order this imageCollection
Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire
NT 579488
Summary
Complete bowl and partial stem of a clay tobacco pipe. The bowl has an oak leaf design on the front stem, an acorn on both sides and leaves decorating the rear stem. The heel is also designed to be a decorative miniature acorn. Possibly made locally in Lincoln or Boston, Lincolnshire.
Full description
Clay tobacco pipes were disposable items, often bought pre-filled and discarded when the tobacco had been smoked. They are fragile items and therefore often broke. This example dates to the Victorian period, however other clay pipe fragments found at Tattershall date from the 17th century and may have been used by those living in the castle during the Civil War. This artefact was recovered during an excavation of the castle moat between 1912 and 1914 by William Weir at the bequest of Lord Curzon as part of the site’s restoration works. Around 1,300 objects were found during this excavation and largely date to the medieval and post-medieval periods when the castle was occupied. The collection comprises pottery, ceramic building material, plaster, worked stone, vessel and window glass, metal work and clay pipe.
