Studio vase MSB abbey dated 1950 - Mount St Bernard Abbey, Leicestershire

Stoneware studio vase,
Incised marks MSB abbey 1950 and a painted B.
Another student piece or something else?

Mount St Bernard Abbey Pottery

Well done! a I shall take a look.

Their production was quite variable because it was done by the monks, led by Fr. Harris.

So monks needed candles as they had to pray at stupid times and need the light to read them Latin-innit like.

So they keep bees for the wax (best sort of candle). That meant a lot of honey. Best thing for honey is mead! So they then make a load of booze. If you've got booze then you need pots to put it in (no glass in the middle ages). They could also sell litle take always for the pilgrims in clay bottles and little badges etc.

Anyone says pilgrim bottles are for holy water can poke it. If I walked all that way to say Canterbury I ain't drinking no stinking holy water if there is mead available.

So you tend to find potteries, bees and booze at monasteries.

'small beer' was drunk like water by all ages down the Centuries and had a low alcohol content. It was the only way to ensure the water was safe to drink.

 Look what turned up on this mornings car boot sale!