The consumption of wine and ale was an important factor in the economics of medieval England. It drove the import of wine and the production of ale, which was often brewed on a commercial basis in monasteries. It also stimulated the import and the home-based production of pottery. Wine and ale played significant roles in the social sphere, providing opportunities for display and for humorous conviviality. This selection of objects touches on all these aspects.
Jug made in Kingston-upon-Thames
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Jug made in Kingston-upon-Thames; late AD 1300s. Between AD 1264 and 1266, 33,000 jugs were ordered from potters in Kingston.
See more See more: https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/kingston-jug/9wGmlhDXgmktSgFace-jug in Grimston ware
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Face-jug in Grimston ware; made in East Anglia. Grimston pottery is found along the North Sea coast, including Scotland and Scandinavia, in regions that traditionally used drinking vessels made of wood.
See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=22379&partId=1&images=true&museumno=1868,0318.10&page=1Jug made in London
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Jug made in London; decorated in North French style.
See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=14254&partId=1&museumno=1915,1208.193&page=1English puzzle jug with a stag’s face
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English puzzle jug with a stag’s face. Drink pours over the unwary drinker from the stag’s mouth.
See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?searchText=monk%20spout&images=true&ILINK|34484,|assetId=345072&objectId=21656&partId=1Spout of a jug in the form of a monk’s head
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Scene from a manuscript
Scene from a manuscript showing a monk with a jug in the monastery cellar; late AD 1200s.
Source: British Library
See more See more: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monk_sneaking_a_drink.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Monk_drinking_from_barrel_-_Li_Livres_dou_Sant%C3%A9_(late_13th_C),_f.44v_-_BL_Sloane_MS_2435.jpg