Table Of Content

00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page i Glastonbury Abbey archaeological investigations 1904–79 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page ii ‘Fate … led me to … the hot-bed of Glastonbury, where myth and fact had become inextricably entangled’ Philip Rahtz, 1921–2011 (Living Archaeology2001, 88) This project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (2009–13), following a pilot project funded by the British Academy (2007–8). Additional funding was provided by Linda Witherill, the University of Reading, the Society for Medieval Archaeology and the Maltwood Fund of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. We are grateful to all of them for their generous financial support. 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page iii Glastonbury Abbey archaeological investigations 1904–7 9 Roberta Gilchrist, FSA, and Cheryl Green with contributions from John Allan, FSA, Ron Baxter, FSA, Stuart Black, †Paul Courtney, FSA, C Pamela Graves, FSA, Jane Harcourt, Elizabeth Gardner, Jerry Sampson, FSA, Claire Stephens, Hugh Willmott, FSA, and Kate Welham and reports on finds by Phil Andrews, FSA, Katherine Barclay, FSA, R Barnett, Hugo Blake, FSA, Chris Caple, FSA, Dana Challinor, John Cherry, FSA, David Dawson, FSA, Jennifer Durrant, Hella Eckardt, FSA, †Geoff Egan, FSA, Alejandra Gutiérrez, Lorrain Higbee, David A Higgins, Michael J Hughes, FSA, Oliver Kent, Peter Marshall, Ray McBride, Elaine Morris, FSA, Tim Phillips, Roger T Taylor and Jane Timby, FSA The Society of Antiquaries of London 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page iv First published 2015 by Editorial project management: Christopher Catling, FSA, and the Society of Antiquaries of London Kate Owen, FSA Burlington House Copy-editing: Christopher Catling, FSA Piccadilly Proofreading: Sarah Kane London W1J 0BE Index: Sue Vaughan Original series design: Tracy Wellman www.sal.org.uk Design and layout: Sue Cawood Printing and binding: Albe De Coker nv © The Society of Antiquaries of London 2015 All illustrations copyright Elizabeth Gardner unless specified otherwise in the figure captions Contributors ISBN: 978 0 85431 300 6 Steering Committee 2007–8: John Allan, Matthew Clements, Vicky Dawson, Robert Dunning British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data 2009–13: John Allan, Janet Bell, Peter A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the Saunders British Library. Principal authors Roberta Gilchrist and Cheryl Green Animal bone Lorrain Higbee The moral rights of Roberta Gilchrist, Cheryl Green, John Bayesian analysis Peter Marshall Allan, Ron Baxter, Stuart Black, †Paul Courtney, C Pamela Ceramic tile Jane Harcourt and Jennifer Durrant Graves, Jane Harcourt, Elizabeth Gardner, Jerry Sampson, Chemical analysis Roger T Taylor and Michael J Hughes Claire Stephens, Hugh Willmott, Kate Welham, Phil Andrews, Clay pipes David A Higgins Katherine Barclay, R Barnett, Hugo Blake, Chris Caple, Dana Finds curation Janet Bell Challinor, John Cherry, David Dawson, Jennifer Durrant, Geophysics Claire Stephens Hella Eckardt, †Geoff Egan, Alejandra Gutiérrez, Lorrain Glass vessels Hugh Willmott Higbee, David A Higgins, Michael J Hughes, Oliver Kent, Peter Illustrations Elizabeth Gardner Marshall, Ray McBride, Elaine Morris, Tim Phillips, Roger T Integrated Mike Rains Taylor and Jane Timby to be identified as the authors of this Archaeological work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Database Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Lithics Tim Phillips Metal residues Stuart Black and Phil Andrews All rights reserved. Except as permitted under current Painted wall-plaster Chris Caple and C Pamela Graves legislation, no part of this work may be photocopied, stored in Pottery John Allan, Katherine Barclay, Hugo a retrieval system, published, performed in public, adapted, Blake, David Dawson, Alejandra broadcast, transmitted, recorded or reproduced in any form or Gutiérrez, Oliver Kent, Ray McBride, by any means without the prior permission of the copyright Elaine Morris and Jane Timby owner. Saxon glass Hugh Willmott and Kate Welham Small finds John Cherry, †Paul Courtney, Hella Cover illustrations: Eckardt, †Geoff Egan and Roberta (front) Glastonbury Abbey viewed through the Galilee arch Gilchrist towards the crossing of the Great Church with Abbey House in Stained glass C Pamela Graves, Chris Caple and the distance (© Mick Sharp) R Barnett (back) The Lady Chapel, Galilee and Great Church, looking Wood and charcoal Dana Challinor east-north-east (© Cheryl Green) Worked stone Ron Baxter and Jerry Sampson The full Glastonbury Abbey Archaeological Archive Project can be consulted via the website of the Archaeology Data Service: http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1022585 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page v Contents Figures and tables vii Preface and acknowledgements xii Summary xiii Phasing and figure conventions xxi Chapter 1 Excavations at Glastonbury Abbey Roberta Gilchrist 1 Chapter 2 Methodology and geophysical survey Cheryl Green, with a contribution from Claire Stephens 20 Chapter 3 A sense of place: history, buildings and landscape Roberta Gilchrist 51 Chapter 4 The cemetery and church Cheryl Green and Roberta Gilchrist 80 Chapter 5 The cloister Cheryl Green and Roberta Gilchrist, with a contribution from Peter Marshall 124 Chapter 6 The inner court and precinct Cheryl Green and Roberta Gilchrist 189 Chapter 7 The Saxon glass furnaces Hugh Willmott and Kate Welham 218 Chapter 8 The finds Edited by Roberta Gilchrist 239 Prehistoric lithics: Tim Phillips 239 Prehistoric pottery:Elaine L Morris 241 Roman pottery:Jane Timby 243 Roman tile: Jennifer Durrant, with a contribution from Roger T Taylor 246 Roman small finds: Hella Eckardt 248 Post-Roman pottery: John Allan, David Dawson and Oliver Kent, with contributions from Katherine Barclay, Hugo Blake, Alejandra Guitérrez, Michael J Hughes, R McBride, Roger T Taylor and Jane Timby 250 Medieval floor tiles: Jane Harcourt, with contributions from Michael J Hughes and Roger T Taylor 278 Small finds: †Paul Courtney, †Geoff Egan and Roberta Gilchrist, with a contribution from John Cherry 293 Vessel glass: Hugh Willmott 311 Slag and metal residue samples: Stuart Black, with a contribution from Phil Andrews 313 v 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page vi Stained and painted window glass: C Pamela Graves, with contributions from Chris Caple and R Barnett 320 Ex situpainted wall-plaster: Chris Caple, with a contribution from C Pamela Graves 337 Clay tobacco pipes: David A Higgins 340 Animal bone: Lorrain Higbee 342 Wood and charcoal: Dana Challinor 345 Chapter 9 The medieval worked stone assemblage 347 Romanesque carved stones: Ron Baxter 347 Gothic sculpture and worked stone: Jerry Sampson 358 Chapter 10 Chronological summary Roberta Gilchrist and Cheryl Green 383 Chapter 11 Conclusions Roberta Gilchrist 415 Appendices Appendix 1 Concordance of Radford’s excavations Cheryl Green 436 Appendix 2 Concordance of Wedlake’s excavations Cheryl Green 442 Appendix 3 Concordance of 1908–39 excavations Cheryl Green 444 Notes 450 Abbreviations and bibliography 466 Index 487 Plans 494 1 Phased Saxon plan 495 2 Late eleventh-century plan 496 3 Phased twelfth-century plan 497 4 Phased medieval plan 499 5 Phased post-Dissolution plan with early twentieth-century postcards 500 vi 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page vii Figures and tables Figures Chapter 3 Fig3.1 Glastonbury Abbey seting and topography 52 Chapter 1 Fig3.2 Glastonbury Tor 53 Fig1.1 Antiquarian excavators at Glastonbury Abbey Fig3.3 Glastonbury Abbey’s setting 55 1904–79: St John Hope, Peers, Clapham and Fig3.4 Lead cross allegedly found in ‘Arthur’s grave’ 61 Horne 2 Fig3.5 Late Saxon ‘pyramids’ 61 Fig1.2 Plan of excavations 1904–79 5 Fig3.6 The Lady Chapel, Galilee and Great Church 65 Fig1.3 Plan of Glastonbury Abbey showing key features Fig3.7 The Lady Chapel 66 discussed in Chapter 1 8 Fig3.8 Axonometric drawing with church phases 68 Fig1.4 Excavation trenches by St John Hope, 1904 10 Fig3.9 The abbot’s kitchen 69 Fig1.5 Excavation trenches by Bond, 1908–22 11 Fig3.10 Glastonbury Abbey key features 70 Fig1.6 Excavation trenches by Fyfe, 1926–7 13 Fig3.11 Glastonbury Abbey zones and key features of Fig1.7 Excavation trenches by Peers, Clapham and inner and outer courts 71 Horne, 1928–39 14 Fig3.12 The porch and staircase at the south-west corner Fig1.8 Excavation trenches by Radford, 1951–64 16 of the abbot’s hall 73 Fig1.9 Excavation trenches by Wedlake, 1978–9 18 Fig3.13 The north precinct wall with evidence for a massive building 74 Chapter 2 Fig3.14 Stukeley 1724 eastern aspect 75 Fig2.1 Bond’s 1909 plan of the cloister excavations 22 Fig3.15 Stukeley 1724 southern aspect 75 Fig2.2 Isometric drawing, 1926 22 Fig3.16 The refectory and dormitory undercrofts, Fig2.3 Isometric drawing, 1926 23 reredorter and the cider house in 1935 76 Fig2.4 Plan of Radford’s excavation trenches by year 25 Fig2.5 Excavation records for ‘1956 CL2’ 27 Chapter 4 Fig2.6 Plan of Glastonbury Abbey, Bond 1913 28 Fig4.1 Plan of phased archaeology across cemeteries Fig2.7 Screenshot from IADB showing linked records and church west ends 81 for ‘1956 CL2’ 29 Fig4.2 Plan of phased archaeology across church east ends 82 Fig2.8 Plan showing parchmarks and earthworks 31 Fig4.3 Plan and section of Trench 16 84 Fig2.9 Magnetic data: colour plot 33 Fig4.4 ‘St David’s Pillar’ 85 Fig2.10 Resistance data (filtered): greyscale plot 35 Fig4.5 Wall to north of the Lady Chapel 85 Fig2.11 GPR data (migrated and filtered): timeslice Fig4.6 Sections of Trench 89 87 0.0m–0.5m 37 Fig4.7 Plan of Trenches 89, 90 and 104; section of Fig2.12 GPR data (migrated and filtered): timeslice Trench 104 88 0.5m–1.0m 38 Fig4.8 Sections of Trenches 20 and 21 89 Fig2.13 GPR data (migrated and filtered): timeslice Fig4.9 Plan of Trenches 6, 9, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 88 90 1.0m–1.5m 39 Fig4.10 Section of Trench 19 91 Fig2.14 GPR data (migrated and filtered): timeslice Fig4.11 Burial chamber and earlier walls beyond 92 1.5m–2.0m 40 Fig4.12 Burial chamber 92 Fig2.15 GPR data (migrated and filtered):timeslice Fig4.13 Burial chamber 93 2.0m–2.5m 41 Fig4.14 East end of burial chamber 93 Fig2.16 Magnetic data: interpretation 42 Fig4.15 Cist graves 95 Fig2.17 Resistance data: interpretation 43 Fig4.16 Skeleton in cist grave 95 Fig2.18 GPR data: interpretation: timeslice 0.0m–0.5m 44 Fig4.17 Section of Trench 22 98 Fig2.19 GPR data: interpretation: timeslice 0.5m–1.0m 45 Fig4.18 St Michael’s Chapel and crypt 99 Fig2.20 GPR data: interpretation: timeslice 1.0m–1.5m 46 Fig4.19 Crypt of St Michael’s Chapel 99 Fig2.21 GPR data: interpretation: timeslice 1.5m–2.0m 47 Fig4.20 Saxon church excavations 100 Fig2.22 GPR data: interpretation: timeslice 2.0m–2.5m 48 Fig4.21 Remains at west end of nave 101 vii 00 Glastonbury prelims 4rd proof.qxd:Layout 1 04/09/2015 13:18 Page viii Fig4.22 Flooring and walls 101 (C) Combination of radiocarbon dates from Fig4.23 Coffin with cover stone removed 103 Glastonbury Abbey using the OxCal Combine Fig4.24 Stone coffin 103 function 144 Fig4.25 Emptied stone coffin 103 Fig5.21 Radiocarbon results from Glastonbury Abbey Fig4.26 Walls to the east of the tower 103 plotted on the IntCal13 calibration curve 146 Fig4.27 Stone-lined receptacle 104 Fig5.22 Section of Trench 38 148 Fig4.28 Sections of Trenches 26 and 83 106 Fig5.23 Plan and section of Trench 62 149 Fig4.29 Plan of Trenches 26 and 83 107 Fig5.24 ?Saxon wall with plaster deposit in Trench 4 150 Fig4.30 South-west corner of nave 108 Fig5.25 Section of Trench 9 151 Fig4.31 Nave and south aisle foundations 108 Fig5.26 ?Saxon paving above post-pit with drain in Fig4.32 Nave trench 108 Trench 6 152 Fig4.33 Stone-lined tomb in nave 110 Fig5.27 Foundation, paving and ?wall in Trench 45 153 Fig4.34 Skeleton in stone-lined tomb 110 Fig5.28 Section of Trench 38 155 Fig4.35 Section of Trench 47 112 Fig 5.29 North-east corner of cloister in Trenches 38 Fig4.36 Section of Trench 46 113 and 40 156 Fig4.37 Plan of Trenches 43, 44, 46 and 47 114 Fig5.30 Drain, post-pits, mortar bedding and paving in Fig4.38 North side of ?apsidal chapel 115 Trench 13 156 Fig4.39 North side of ?apsidal chapel 115 Fig5.31 Drain and paving above mortar bed in Trench 13 157 Fig4.40 Burial shown with buckles 116 Fig5.32 Walls and paving in Trench 70 158 Fig4.41 Grave in south trench 117 Fig5.33 Section of Trench 70 159 Fig4.42 Sections of Trenches 27 and 28 119 Fig5.34 Plan of Trenches 11, 12, 70 and 71 160 Fig4.43 Plan of Trenches 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 120 Fig5.35 Plan of Trenches 24, 35/57, 41, 45, 66 and 67 and Fig4.44 Sections of Trenches 32 and 33 121 section of Trench 66 162 Fig5.36 North-east corner of cloister in Trenches 38 and 39 163 Chapter 5 Fig5.37 Sections of Trenches 25 and 58 164 Fig5.1 Plan of phased archaeology across the cloister 125 Fig5.38 Structural remains in Trenches 35 and 41 167 Fig5.2 Plan of Trenches 6, 9, 13, 14, 15, 24 and 34 127 Fig5.39 North-east corner of cloister in Trenches 38 and 39 168 Fig5.3 Sections of Trench 6 128 Fig5.40 Section of Trench 48 171 Fig5.4 Post-pits beneath mortar in Trench 13 129 Fig5.41 Plan of Trenches 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56 172 Fig5.5 Post-pit beneath twelfth-century paving in Fig5.42 Sections of Trenches 50, 51, 52 and 55 174 Trench 6 129 Fig5.43 Plan of Wedlake’s 1935 chapter house excavations 176 Fig5.6 Section of Trench 24 130 Fig5.44 Section of Trench 72 177 Fig5.7 Plan of Trenches 24, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 57, Fig5.45 Chapter house excavations 178 58, 59 and 66 132 Fig5.46 Trenches 72 and 73 179 Fig5.8 Section of Trench 24 134 Fig5.47 Industrial surfaces in Trench 73 180 Fig5.9 Section of Trench 35 135 Fig5.48 Plan of Trenches 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 84, 85, 86 and 87 181 Fig5.10 Section of Trench 35 136 Fig5.49 Plan of Trenches 74, 79, 80, 81 and 82 and section Fig5.11 Furnace 3 and Saxon wall in Trench 57 137 of Trench 81 182 Fig5.12 Furnace 3 in Trench 57 137 Fig5.50 Section of Trench 80 184 Fig5.13 Furnace 3 and Saxon walls in Trenches 57 and 59 138 Fig5.51 ?Robbed central pier in Trench 72 185 Fig5.14 Excavation of Furnace 3 in Trenches 57 and 59 138 Fig5.52 Two drains to E of dormitory Trench 72 186 Fig5.15 Sections of Trench 57 139 Fig5.53 Two drains and rubble wall Trench 72 187 Fig5.16 Section of Trench 41 140 Fig5.17 Section of Trench 8 141 Chapter 6 Fig5.18 Plan of Trenches 49, 61, 64 and 68 and sections Fig6.1 Plan of phased archaeology across the abbot’s range 191 of Trenches 64 and 65 142 Fig6.2 Possible Saxon remains 192 Fig5.19 Trenches 64 and 65 143 Fig6.3 Possible Late Saxon foundation 192 Fig5.20 (A) Probability distributions of dates from glass- Fig6.4 Section of Trench 88 193 working activity at Glastonbury Abbey; Fig6.5 Plan of Trench 88 194 (B) Summary of main historical and archaeological Fig6.6 1979 Trenches, Sections 89 and 100 195 dates relating to Glastonbury Abbey; Fig6.7 Numbered sections for the 1978–9 trenches 196 viii