National Grid Ref.

TQ33908070 

Organisation

DGLA (N) 

Type of fieldwork

excavation 

Archaeological periods

Roman, Medieval, Post-Medieval 

Summary

Excavation in 1986-7 (see MIN83, MIN84 above) revealed both truncated pits containing Roman pottery and quarry pits, cut into the natural. The S walkway of the abbey cloisters was uncovered, its floor of crushed chalk and mortar replaced by brick in the 17th c. The frater ran S from the cloister at an acute angle, and areas of medieval tile floor were located as well as sections of wall. Along the S side of the cloister lay the warming house with the remains of an external chimney on the S side, and a series of tile and brick floors with a half basement. The reredorter was in the SE corner of the cloister, and although internal details had been destroyed by later intrusions, sockets in the E wall suggested that a timber floor had covered the drain. Rebuilt twice in the post-medieval period, the drain survived in its original form (chalk and tile vaulting) at its S end. Next to the reredorter was a substantial building which may have been the chapter house: only a small section of floor survived, showing a tile floor replaced by one of clay. Separated from this building by a yard was the infirmary, partly demolished in the 16th c but later repaired. Traces of joists indicated that it had once had a timber floor. After the Dissolution the abbey passed into private hands and c 1560 was purchased by the Crown and converted into a victualling yard for the Royal Navy, which used most of the existing buildings until the mid-17th c. Extension in the late 17th c involved demolition of the warming house and cloister wall.

Source: Thompson, Alan, Westman, Andrew and Dyson, Tony (eds.) (1998). Archaeology in Greater London 1965 - 1990: a guide to records of excavations by the Museum of London. The Archaeological Gazetteer Series, Volume 2. London: Museum of London. ISBN 0-904818-80-2. 

Related sites:

None linked 

No. of Related publications:

4 publication(s).

The religious life and the worldly life: London's monasteries and towns Current Archaeology Vol:XI(4) Issue124 (1991). Beard, David; Phillpotts, Christopher (Site code: MIN86; MIN87; UX83iv; CQD90, journal article).
Requiem: The medieval monastic cemetery in Britain (2005). Gilchrist, R and Sloane B (Site code: HTP779; PIC87; LSS85; JON89; MIN86; SPT82; SPT85; NRF88; NRT85; SPQ88; SSQ88; SBG87; MPY86, book). Published by Museum of London Archaeology Service
The Royal Navy victualling yard, East Smithfield, London MOLA Monograph 45Grainger, I and Phillpotts, Christopher (Site code: MIN86, book). Published by Museum of London Archaeology
The Black Death cemetery, East Smithfield, London MoLAS Monograph 43Grainger, I; Hawkins, D; Cowal, L and Mikulski, R (Site code: MIN84; MIN86, book). Published by Museum of London Archaeology Service

Total Registered Find records in database

1056

Total Bulk Find records in database

1921

Deposited Archive Contents:

Project planning, Site, Post-ex, Research
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