Fragment blue and white crockery

This crockery fragment was found with several other fragments, a glass bottle and oyster shells in the roots of a fallen ash tree in Manusmore townland, parish of Clareabbey, barony of Islands, close to the Glebe House. The term 'Glebe' refers to land attached to a church and many glebe houses were the homes of Protestant rectors, built through funding provided by the Board of First Fruits (1711-1833), an organisation set up by the Church of Ireland to grant-assist a programme of church building throughout the country.. The Protestant Church of Clareabbey was completed in 1813 and dedicated to St. Mary. Rev. Mr. Young became the first rector of Clareabbey parish and he resided in Buncraggy House until 1827 when the Glebe House was constructed in Manusmore at a cost of £500. Young was succeeded by Rev. Mr. F.P. Studdent during the 1840s and by the Rev. Robert Harris in 1884 (Power, Joseph: A History of Clare Abbey and Killone). The items represent domestic refuse, and reveal the variety of styles of crockery used in the past as well as something of the diet of those living nearby.

The pattern on this fragment will be familiar to most as “the willow pattern”. This term is applied in a general way to copies of the blue-and-white porcelain imported into England from China during the later part of the 18th century. The story of the popularity of the willow pattern is bound up with the growing popularity of tea and tea drinking in western Europe. It was Dutch and Portugese vogagers who first brought tea leaves back to Europe from the Far East in the 17th century. In 1662 when the English monarch Charles II married Portugese Catherine of Braganza she introduced tea into the Royal Court. In a short space of time, tea drinking became fashionable throughout England involving elaborate tea-drinking rituals and the right paraphenalia

Originally, Chinese manufacters met English demands for tea-drinking services. However, the problem of replacing broken or missing pieces which would have to be ordered from the original makers in China led English manufacturers to introduce their own tea sets inspired by Chinese styles and decorations. There is uncertainty regarding when and by whom the original willow pattern design was produced, but most agree that it is probably one of three English porcelain manufacturers active during the late 18th century: Thomas Minton; Thomas Turner or Josiah Spode.

Ref: 2006.37.5

World Collectors: The Willow Pattern
The Willow Pattern Story
Clare Places: Manusmore Townland, Clareabbey Parish