Part 2 of the Finding Festive Feasts Quiz briefly mentioned that porcelain cup sherds, dating to the late 1700s, were found during excavations of the stables and stable-yard (in what is now the Craft Village) at Markeaton.*

Archaeological evidence (discussed in the Interactive Guide) points towards stable workers living in the loft above the tack room. But do such find still seem out-of-place?

Possibly this cup was dropped when used by outdoor workers, or by visitors; or it just found its way there as rubbish. Without more evidence, we can only guess how it ended up in this location – as is often the case with archaeology (and other Historical Studies).

So, for fun, apply your imagination to think about the last moments of this cup!

Turn this ‘artefact biography’ into a short story (less than 500 words) – illustrate it, if you like – and share with Industrial Folkways Creative Heritage: it might be published through project social media! (Under 18s sending in content must do so through a parent or guardian.)

There’s even a prize! The best story received by the end of 2024 will win an antique Georgian cup – which might have its own true story to tell, for its new owner to seek out…

*As the site archive is currently inaccessible, the type of the cup (or cups) represented by this sherd is unknown to the project. It’s therefore only possible to make general, and potential, comparisons at present.