Archaeology Of Monasteries

Medieval Monasteries

Over the past couple of years archaeologists have become much more aware of the range of archaeology evidence in studying monastic sites. Apart from excavating monastic buildings to get at the archaeology below ground, we can use historical documents and maps of the monastic estates, and aerial photographs as well as geophysical survey to gain a much fuller picture of monasteries.

The landscape that surround monasteries and there context can be much more useful and much more cost effective than archaeology excavations. We can also look at the walls much like looking at the strata as each layer of stone can be dated to different periods in time, some wall have still the old scaring of former roofs or blocked up doors and arches as the monasteries became more wealthy or some like at Eggleston were so poor that the door was blocked up due to the order could not afford any more building extensions. To read more of building archaeology see medieval castles to get a much more clearer view.

Archaeologists have been able to provide more information on monastic living and construction of buildings. When excavating monastic site archaeologists tend to come across construction evidence like kilns, limekilns, and mixers and bell casting pits. Other evidence has given us clues to the Dissolution of the Monasteries carried out by King Henry the VIII. We tend to come across lead melting pits for condensing lead striped from the roof. Some building material was taken away and used elsewhere and the sliver handed over to the King.

Monastic sites by using documentary sources like charters, chronicles, monastic registers, account rolls, deeds and conveyances. Today we are more than likely to come across some surviving building which are the church and cloister that are well preserved, other buildings were cleared in the 19^th century to make a clear view for people who visited the monasteries. Much of Britain’s monasteries became highly standardised in post Conquest period. Some orders had different ground plans of their monasteries and wealth has an important effect on adding more buildings to the site.

The most important building on a monastic site was the church in which the lay brothers and monk worshipped and said prayers during the day and also at night. Many monastic churches focus on high status burials for example Abbots were buried in the church like at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire and also at Eggleston Abbey. The benefactors and there families were buried in monastic churches with their elaborate highly decorative grave slabs. Such evidence has been able to inform us that the church was a symbol of the religious community.

So what else can the church tell us? We know that the monastic church was the first building to be constructed usually starting out life as a wooden building, excavations at Fountains Abbey has provided us with this information. Monastic churches were arranged on a cruciform ground plan or a simple rectangle, which was typical of many churches of canons and nuns. The monastic church were dived the chancel would have been in the east contain the high altar, whilst, the choir is in the central element with the church that forces on daily prayers and was divided by pulpitum. The lay brothers used the nave whilst others orders admitted members of the local community only occasionally.

Some monastic complex were surrounded in the Middle Ages by a high wall. Access to this walled enclosure was through the gatehouse. So why do we call it an Abbey? Abbeys is were you would find a abbot who was in charge of the running of the orders and keeping discipline of the lay brothers and monks. We know from records and archaeological excavations that abbots were buried in the church no one else was aloud and the monk’s cemeteries were outside in the grounds of the abbey.

Looking at monasteries doors. Most people would just walk through them and take very little notice but if we are going to investigate a monastery we need to be totally confident in what we are looking at, to begin understand how such lovely buildings we made. Below is a 11th century door we can tell this form the decorative masonry used and also from the arch shape. Many doors and arches were done by copying the Romans who were masters at creating such wonderful arches I know of once place where a whole arch was taken out and rebuilt in a church, but that's another story. Now we will have a look at the decorative style of our door.

Or see the Marrick Priory Documents for yourself on this website

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