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Archaeological Evaluation

Date 18 April 2017 - 31 October 2017

Event ID 1039154

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1039154

NX 69764 53916 (Canmore ID: 64048) A further programme of trial trenching was undertaken, 18 April – 31 October 2017, in Mansewood, Tongland, with the objective of establishing more precisely the location of the principal structures forming the Premonstratensian Abbey of Tongland, founded in 1218, (see DES 2015, 60; DES 2016, 53–54 for previous work).

Three main trenches were opened at the N end of the garden, immediately to the S and SW of the ruin of Tongland Old Parish Church. These revealed that the ground level here had been raised by 0.5-0.6m by the spreading of natural subsoil over the area, thereby burying the previous ground surface. This activity may be related to civil engineering works for the construction of the nearby Tongland Hydro- Electric Power Station in the 1930s. Subsequent excavation of the buried top soil revealed a post-medieval demolition layer overlying stone wall foundations. A 6m length of a substantial, c1.30m wide foundation aligned cNE/SW was exposed in Trench 6, and could be seen continuing beyond the N and S limits of the trench. There was no evidence for a parallel foundation in Trench 7 immediately W of Trench 6. However, the corner of an c0.8m wide wall foundation was found here, with a drainage channel through it. This may

indicate a rectangular structure butted against the broader wall. On the assumption that part of the standing N wall of the Old Parish Church is an original section of the S wall of the abbey’s nave, or possibly its S aisle, then the broad NE/ SW wall foundation might be identified as that of the W or outer wall of the W range of the abbey cloister. If so, then the cloister yard would lie to the SE of the area investigated this year, but further trial trenching will be required to test this hypothesis.

One notable find was a Nuremberg jeton or ship penny, of possible mid-16th-century date, which was found in Trench 7 on a possible outer yard surface to the W of the presumed W cloister range.

Archive: NRHE (intended). Report: DGC HER and NRHE

Funder: Hunter Archaeological and Historical Trust

David Devereux

(Source: DES, Volume 18)

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References