1967 Parsons Type 3 clay pipe (1996.692)

3D Model

The pipe from Jarrow assigned to Parsons Type 3 belongs to one of the earlier recognised forms within the North-East clay tobacco pipe sequence. Parsons’ analysis of excavated assemblages from Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding settlements identifies Type 3 as a mid-17th-century form, broadly dated to c. 1640–1660 (Parsons 1974). This type represents a transitional stage between the small, globular bowls of the early tobacco-using period and the larger, more elongated bowls characteristic of the later 17th century.

Parsons Type 3 is particularly important in the mid-17th-century archaeological record of North-East England, marking a period of increasing but still relatively controlled tobacco consumption. During this era, imported Virginia tobacco was becoming cheaper and more accessible, leading to gradual increases in bowl size and changes in pipe morphology across England.