Wells and Mendip Museum displays pots found in own garden

The pottery pieces were discovered when the museum was being built in the 1990s

Historical pottery unearthed in a museum's own garden have gone on display.

The Wells and Mendip Museum exhibition traces the history of the people who lived on the site over the course of 500 years.

A 14th Century wine jug, children's tea set and the pan from an early flushing toilet are among artefacts featured.

Archaeological ceramics specialist Oliver Kent said only about 10% of the whole collection was on display.

"It is kind of mind blowing really," he said.

"We're probably talking about between 800 and 1,000 pots.

"We've got things such as Chinese and export porcelain, dinner services and tea services."

Between 800 and 1,000 pots were discovered during excavations, said the museum

Mr Kent said the pieces "certainly tell the story" of the people who lived on the site during the 18th Century who were believed to have been a "fairly wealthy middle-class family living opposite the cathedral."

The relics were discovered during excavations carried out while the museum was being built in the 1990s.

The pieces helped tell the history of the site, said the museum

The items were put into storage and the museum team began cataloguing them in 2014.

Project manager Vicki Dawson said finding out the stories behind the pottery was the most exciting part.

"We thought we wanted to share it more widely and so that's what we did," she said.

"We got some money from [the] arts council and this is the result."