This imported Façon de Venice glass bird fountain feeder is a very rare find for Britain.

Recovered from the fill of a chalk lined cellar, it’s made from colourless glass with white vetro a fili decoration on the body and a blue glass collar and crown.

The form is usually dated to the 18th century, although this example, found with clay tobacco pipes dated 1660–80 and another similar example from Forty Hall, Enfield, London, indicate that these bird fountains date from the mid-17th century.

The vessel would have originally taken the form of a conical bottle with an opening in the now missing base, which would have allowed a caged bird to gain access to the feed.