Veresmead, Waltham Abbey (EHER 83301)

Veresmead is the outer close of Waltham Abbey, incorporating the Abbey fishponds and dovecotes.

To the west of the Grange Yard and immediately to the north of the monastic precinct was Veresmead (the name refers to William de Vere, Canon of St Paul's who was one of those who directed the Augustinian works). Veresmead is bordered by the Cornmill stream on the east and by the Lower Mill stream on the west. The medieval (possibly 14th century) Stony Bridge spans Cornmill Stream, linking Grange Yard with Veresmead. From Stony Bridge across Veresmead to a stone bridge spanning Lower Mill stream ran a causeway. The hospital (see below) was sited to the south of the causeway and the fish-ponds to the north. The bridge has been partially excavated (Huggins, 1970) and dated by dendrochronology to the mid-fourteenth century. Within Veresmead a two-bay timber-framed aisled hall with associated store and two successive dovecotes were excavated (Huggins 1972), also in response to the construction of the relief road. <1> NRHE data transfer: Veresmead, an outer monastic close associated with Waltham Abbey, lies directly to the north of the monastic precinct. The land lies east of the river Lea, between Lower Mill Stream and Cornmill Stream, and is partly made of recent deposits of silt, peat and marshy clay. The east and south part is on a well-drained gravel terrace. The Cornmill Stream, which forms the eastern boundary, would have supplied water to the mill, to flush the monastic sewers and to the Abbey fishponds in Veresmead. A slightly raised causeway (EHER 102) runs across Veresmead from the incomplete medieval Stoney bridge (EHER 98) over the Cornmill stream to the remains of the bridge (EHER 93) over the lower mill stream. This causeway connects the Grange yard (EHER 88) with the Abbey gateway (EHER 34065). The only mention of Veresmead by this name is in 1220-1222 AD when the trench cut across the south-west corner was re-turfed. The name probably refers to the De Vere family (the Earls of Oxford), who held significant lands and influence in medieval Essex. After the Dissolution it seems to have been called Dovehouse Close. Excavations by the Waltham Abbey Historical Society between 1970 and 1972 in Veresmead revealed a two-bay timber framed aisled hall (EHER 89) and two successive dovecotes (EHER 73). <2> Cropmarks of foundations of buildings, probably connected with the Abbey, were photographed and surveyed during the dry summer of 1933. <3> <4> The Abbey fishponds were found by RCHME investigators to be dry in 1921 but were waterfilled in 1964. <5> Additional reference: <6>