Tudor Money Box

Handcrafted Tudor Money Box – Green Glazed

Details

This delightful replica is based on Tudor green-glazed money boxes, a popular form of pottery from the late medieval period. One of the main centres of production was Surrey, with many of these charming little vessels later sold in the bustling markets of London.

Complete surviving examples are rare—after all, to retrieve your hard-earned savings, you had to smash the pot open! (Though, as a child, I used to avoid this fate for my modern money box by using a butter knife and a lot of patience.)

These money boxes are closely associated with St. Stephen’s Day (26th December)—what we now call Boxing Day. Children would traditionally break open their pots on this day to treat themselves to festive delights, giving the day its name.

In a time with no formal banking, money boxes were also used by adults to conceal savings in secret wall niches and hidden corners. These humble pots offered both security and discretion.

Theatres were another key customer, purchasing money boxes to collect payment from eager audiences. The full boxes were stored in an office and later smashed open—believed to be the origin of the term ‘Box Office’.

In both 1988 and 2010, excavations at The Rose Theatre, Bankside by the Museum of London Archaeology uncovered numerous fragments of these fascinating vessels.

Materials
Grogged clay with green glaze

Dimensions
Height: Approx. 105 mm
Diameter: Approx. 82 mm

Production

This replica has been handmade in Northumberland by Potted History, inspired by original artefacts. It has been fired to a temperature between 800°C and 1000°C, using techniques similar to those used by the original potters. This traditional process produces natural variations in colour and texture, giving each pot its own distinct character.

Ordering Information
'Add to Basket' Items: Ready to ship immediately.
'Pre-order' Items: Handmade to order within 90 days (longer for international orders). If your order includes both 'Add to Basket' and 'Pre-order' items, they will be shipped together once all items are ready.

Shipping
All items are sent via second-class postal service as standard.
If you require first-class shipping, please contact us for a custom quote.
Postage Note: All items are carefully packaged to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.

A charming and historic container—ideal for lovers of Tudor history, theatre, or the origin story of Boxing Day.