Archaeology discoveries older than first thought as Sutton to host landmark event
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Experts now say a key Central Bedfordshire archaeological find dates from before the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and residents can take home a small piece of history.
A remarkably well-preserved and substantial pottery kiln uncovered beneath Sutton Primary School, which was originally thought to date from the Tudor period, is now believed to have been in operation between the late 14th to the early 15th-century, during the late medieval era – more than a century before the Tudors came to power.
And now, residents are invited to a special one‑night event on Tuesday 12 May, from 6:30pm until 8pm, to celebrate one of Central Bedfordshire’s most significant archaeological finds, hear about the latest findings – and take home a piece of pottery.
The discovery was made in late 2024 during ground investigations ahead of the construction of a new multi‑use sports pitch at Sutton Primary School. As part of the planning process, our archaeology service, Albion Archaeology, carried out exploratory works. What the team found exceeded all expectations.
The kiln is believed to have supplied pots to Sutton and surrounding settlements and would once have been capped with a dome to retain heat and enable large‑scale pottery production.
During the excavation, more than 180 large buckets were filled with pottery and tile fragments, which meant over a tonne of material was found on site, amounting to more than 30,000 pieces once fully processed. While no complete pots were recovered, specialists believe this is because only broken or discarded items would have remained when the kiln was abandoned.
At the time of the dig, we committed to keeping the Sutton community closely involved in the next stages of the story. That promise will be fulfilled at the May event, where residents will be able to:
- hear a talk from archaeologists about the excavation and what it has revealed
- learn how the finds are reshaping understanding of local medieval industry
- meet representatives from Potton History Society
- view pottery from the site and receive a small fragment to take home as a memento
Councillor Tracey Wye, our Executive Member for Sustainability and Climate Resilience, said:
This discovery was already an important one, but to learn what was unearthed is a century older than first thought is remarkable and gives Sutton an extraordinary and very tangible link to its medieval past. What began as routine planning work, to provide Sutton Primary School with new sporting facilities, turned into a find of real national interest, and it’s vital that the community where it was uncovered remains at the heart of the story.
Events like this show how development, heritage and community can go hand in hand. We are proud of the work carried out by Albion Archaeology service and proud that Sutton residents will now be able to reconnect with this remarkable piece of local history.
The Sutton kiln has also contributed to a wider understanding of Bedfordshire’s historic pottery industry.
David Ingham, Albion Archaeology Project Manager, said:
This project has been a great opportunity for Sutton's villagers to see their heritage for themselves, and to give dozens of volunteers from across Bedfordshire some rare hands-on experience of archaeology as they helped to wash and process all the material from the dig.
We already knew that medieval pottery was made at Everton, but finding a large kiln producing similar pottery three miles away at Sutton suggests that this area of Central Bedfordshire played a much more significant part in the region's medieval pottery industry than we previously realised. The kiln was probably used at some point in the decades following the Black Death.
From 27 April, some of the finds will also form part of a six‑month museum exhibition at The Higgins Bedford, exploring medieval and Roman kiln sites across the county.
The Sutton Village Hall event on 12 May is open to all residents, with no booking required.