Potters Field

A meeting with friends today meant I could finally join the wildflower week challenge. Loads of really lovely natural planting with photo ops aplenty!

Potters Fields Park is a small public park situated next to city Hall immediately south-west of Tower Bridge. The name originates from the many potters who lived and worked in the area in the 17th and 18th centuries, although the land itself has never been a Potter's field (a burial ground for the poor).

The first named pottery in the Potters Fields Park records is Pickleherring Pottery established in 1618 by Christian Wilhelm.

On the William Morgan's Survey of the City of London and the surrounding built-up area (including Westminster and part of Southwark) in 1682 (see extra), the area is referred to as "Potts Fielde" and the St. Olave's Parish Register shows 124 Potters operating in the area between 1618 and 1710. The number was down to 68 between 1710 and 1733.

The Rocque's Map of 1746 shows "Potters Fields" as a street name for the lane linking Tooley Street to Pickleherring Street.

By 1772 pottery making had disappeared from the area.