Post-medieval brick foundations of a building at Leez Priory (EHER 80633)

Remnants of a late medieval to post-medieval brick foundation.

August 2016. Test pit. In the former farmyard, the two small test pits revealed evidence for a structure of probable later medieval to early post-medieval date with a brick floor made up of ‘great bricks’ abutting a mortared wall foundation. In addition, a cobbled yard surface of uncertain date appears to have been formerly present across at least some of the yard area. While the use of these ‘great bricks’ in the floor revealed in test pit 2 indicate an early to mid 16th century date for the floor, there is a possibility they were re-used to create the floor. However this dating would be consistent with Lord Rich taking over Leez Priory and re-modelling it to be a substantial country house with associated outbuildings. <1> December 2017 and October 2019. Watching brief. Only one of the pits revealed some evidence for a red brick foundation of post-medieval date. In addition, two of the pits revealed evidence for a chalk surface below the concrete. The remaining 21 pits only revealed mid to dark brown clay subsoil. <2> <3>