Smithsonian Institution - United States National Museum - Bulletin 249: Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology; Papers 52-54 on Archeology
David Hume · en
The location of Pit A so far from the house and in a totally different
area from the only other pit of the same date (Pit B) suggests that
there was little consistency in the deposition of trash in the early
years of the century. It is possible that the pits were created when
tree stumps were removed and were filled with trash no matter where
they happened to be. The fact that modern tree roots invariably sought
the richer soil of the pits' contents makes it quite probable that
there are numerous other pits on the site that are still hidden beneath
standing trees or cut stumps.
Dating: There is little doubt that Pit A was filled during the first
decade of the 18th century.
PIT B
This pit (T.N. 30) was approximately circular, with a diameter of 9 ft.
4 in. and a maximum depth of 2 ft. 8 in. It was covered by part of the
kitchen's north wall and by the whole of the east side of the kitchen
chimney. It was apparent that the builders knew that the pit was there,
for a considerable number of brickbats were laid under the foundation
of the chimney's northeast corner in an entirely abortive attempt to
prevent it from settling. It is probable that the pit was initially a
stump hole, there being a large quantity of dirty, greenish-gray clay
at the bottom from which no artifacts were recovered (see fig. 8.) It
is probable that this clay was redeposited when the stump and attached
roots were dug out. Subsequently, the remaining concavity served as a
rubbish pit into which more than 120 broken wine bottles were thrown.
All these bottles belonged to the same period (1690-1710) as those in
Pit A, and among them were five seals marked "F I" and one seal bearing
the legend "Richard Burbydge 1701."[112]
[Illustration: FIGURE 8.--Section through the filling of Pit B.]
Other finds included fragments of English delftware, among them a very
large polychrome charger that had been intended as a wall or dresser
ornament, and a most unusual saucer-shaped vessel, ornamented with
splashes of blue, that resembles a reversed form of the London copies
of Nevers faïence.[113] Additional finds included North Devon[114] and
other coarse earthenwares, a millefiori bead, and an English wineglass
in the Hawley Bishop style dating about 1690.
Dating: The evidence of the bottles indicates a filling date in the
first decade of the 18th century.
PIT C