NEWPORT'S Medieval Pottery kiln, said to be; "the most remarkably well preserved medieval pottery kiln in the UK", is slowly disclosing its secrets.

This National Lottery Funded project had a busy summer in 2017 with dozens of volunteers helping to wash and sort the 10,000 pieces of pottery discovered on site during the excavation work. The fruits of their labour are now paying off. Thanks to the volunteers and the archaeologists, we now know what type of pottery was being made in medieval Newport.

The kiln, from its size, could have fired up to 1200 pots per firing, making it a significant sized pottery industry. The pottery was thrown to a good standard with a range of wares and usages. As well as jugs and pots, it made ridge tiles, curfews; a type of lid to put over a fire to keep it in overnight and alembics; a piece of distilling equipment used for making alcohol such as an apple brandy or medicine.

The type of pottery found reveals how people lived and worked during the fifteenth century. Work to tell the story of the kiln is under way and the hall looks forward to unveiling this most remarkable artefact to the public in early summer. There will be a programme of events, festivals and activities to accompany the opening of the medieval pottery kiln.

"Uncovering where, and how, our ancestors lived helps communities to understand their own history and identity," said Richard Bellamy, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales. "Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to support projects such as this that produce tantalising clues about the past, whilst also providing volunteers with new skills and interests about the heritage on their own doorsteps."

The Medieval pottery kiln project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Cadw, Welsh Government's Leadership Fund, Sustainable Development Fund Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park , The Foyle Foundation, Milford Haven Port Authority and Refreshing North Pembrokeshire.

You can follow the kiln's progress on facebook https://www.facebook.com/medievalpotterykilnnewport.