Beamish Burn, Ousbrough Wood, pipeclay doll

HER Number:
12962

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Beamish Burn, Ousbrough Wood, pipeclay doll

Place:
Beamish Burn

Map Sheet:
NZ25SW

Class:
Unassigned

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Doll

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
In February 2010 a member of the public found a tiny (two inches long) pipeclay figurine in the silt at the edge of the Beamish/Urpeth Burn at Ousbrough. Geoff Egan, Portable Antiquities Adviser on medieval and later finds (based at Museum of London) confirmed that such figurines were toys or dolls and were made from the 15th to the early 20th centuries. This particular example is possibly 18th century but more likely to be 19th century in date. It is not very attractive as a plaything. These toys are not well understood and are rare outside London.

Easting:
22727

Northing:
53894

Grid Reference:
NZ2272753894

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
A. Thwaite, 2010, letter; Geoff Egan (Portable Antiquities Adviser on medieval and later finds), Museum of London Archaeology, 2010, email; Robert Collins (Finds Liaison Officer for Tyne and Wear), 2010, email