All pottery finds discovered in the topsoil.

Two sherds of Roman pottery were analysed.

One body sherd of Roman, wheel-made Grey-ware, weighing 4 grams was recovered. The sherd displayed an irregular fracture and had inclusions of common medium sized quartz and black iron stone.

In an evaluation trench, a single sherd of grey ware was recovered. The sherd represents part of a bead and flange rim bowl (diameter = 15cm) and weighs 0.34g. It is in a light grey fabric with a dark grey core, a fine sandy feel with sparse fine sand inclusions and rare lime. Although the surface appears to be abraded, the sherd can be date to AD260+.

Both sherds represent grey ware, and their fabrics are consistent with North Lincolnshire greywares and represent a scatter from a rural site, although there is too little material to be certain.

The pottery assemblage from Wood End Farm consisted of six sherds weighing
44 grams from a later date.

The topsoil produced part of a very small plate or saucer, probably part of a child's toy tea set. Such sherds, while not common, are a regular feature of mid 19th to 20th century assemblages.

Half of the assemblage (by number of sherds) came from topsoil above one evaluation trench and included the rim of a mug or, more probably, a jug with a salmon pink external surface. Such vessels are common on sites in Sheffield and the presence of standard volume marks (usually 1 pint) suggests that they were used in public houses and inns. The sherd of transfer printed Whiteware was probably from a plate and appeared to have been decorated with the popular Willow pattern.

The small stoneware beaker is an example of a type of vessel that appears most commonly in stoneware or cane coloured refined earthenware. The purpose of these small conical beakers, typically with a deeply recessed base, is unknown but they are a regular find on sites of late 18th to 20th century date.

Although small in size and from a very limited range of contexts (all the finds were from the topsoil), the assemblage in not without interest. The presence of the Roman sherds suggests activity on or close to the site but the absence of medieval and post-medieval pottery suggests a lack of activity during these periods, a hiatus that seemingly ended in the 19th century with the deposition of a range of domestic wares.

Of the later pottery assemblage:

Type: Bone China - No.: 1 - 7g - ENV: 1 - Part: Profile - Form: Toy Plate - Decoration: U/Dec - Date Range: M-LC19th - Small plate

Type: Bone China - No.: 1 - 6g - ENV: 1 - Part: Rim - Form: Mug/Jug - Decoration: Salmon pink band ext - Date Range: M-LC19th

Type: Brown Salt Glazed Stoneware - No.: 1 - 30g - ENV: 1 - Part: Rim - Form: Beaker - Decoration: Brown salt glaze int & ext - Date Range: C19th - Small conical beaker w/ recessed base

Type: TP Whiteware - No.: 1 - 1g - ENV: 1 - Part: Flake - Form: U/ID - Decoration: Willow - Date Range: M-LC19th

Caitlin Halton, 2018, An Archaeological Evaluation at Woodend Farm, Shireoaks, Nottinghamshire, Page 11 - 12 (Unpublished document). SNT5555.