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Importance of
the Building and Site! |
The building is the last Pottery
Workroom left from an industry which spanned the local
heathland over several centuries. The pottery
was highly prized and sold all over the neighbouring
counties as well as being exported from the nearby port of
Poole which had extensive trading connections, particularly
with Newfoundland.
Out of all the British Country
Potteries, Verwood Crossroads was the only one to survive to
the end without any form of mechanisation. The
contemporary potter and author Andrew McGarva in his recent
book "Country Pottery" published by A. & C.
Black, describes it as unique in this respect. It is
therefore of national as well as local importance that it be
saved as the last example of these potters' working
conditions which had remained unchanged for centuries.
A recent survey, carried out
by AC Archaeology, on the site of the new car park to the
rear of the building uncovered a wealth of material, some
dating to pre-1790. Their information sheet
dated 8th August 2000 says that "Finds from the site
will be deposited in the Priest's House Museum, Wimborne,
but it is hoped that if the Heathland Museum is developed at
the site then some of the vessels will be displayed in the town".
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