Ruins of Tilty Abbey of St Mary (EHER 1172)

St Mary's Cistercian Abbey at Tilty was founded by Robert de Ferrers (Earl of Derby) and Maurice Fitz Jeffery in 1153. The abbey was pillaged by King John's army on Christmas Day 1215. There were seven monks in 1377 and the same number at its dissolution on 28 February 1536. The chapel by the gate (the "capella extra portas") is now the parish church. A few fragments of the east wall of the cellarer's range with springers of a vault are all that remain. Foundation mounds are traceable over the whole site which was partly excavated in 1901. That excavation recovered the plan of the cruciform, aisled church with the claustral range to the north.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 1172, 19056, and 37498. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Abbey ruins, 160 yards north of the church, of flint rubbles with a few clunch dressings. Abbey founded in 1153 for the Cistercians by Maurice Fitzjeffrey and Robert de Ferrers (Earl of Derby). Existing remains, probably late 12th century, are two parts of the east wall of the cellarer's range or the west range of the cloister. Southern fragment is about 50ft long and has remains of five bays of rubble vaulting on the west face. On the east face are traces of four pilaster buttresses opposites the springers of the vault. The north fragment is not quite in line with the south, no details remain. Foundations mounds are traceable over the whole site (part excavated in 1901). Plan was found to be typically Cistercian with the abbey church on the south side, the chapter house (probably aisled with dorter etc) on the east side, frater etc on the north side and the cellarer's building on the west of the cloister. <1> 1153 is the more probable date as Tilty was colonised from Warden in Bedfordshire, founded 1136 as an offshoot of Rievaulx, so 1132 or 1133 seems untenable for Tilty. Partial demolition of the buildings began soon after the Dissolution and continued throughout the century, more followed during the closing years of the 18th century by which time the remains were in the state they are in 'now'. <2> A 16th century estate map by Ralph Agas reveals much information about the layout of the precinct and buildings within it. Parchmarks visible on an aerial photograph are of the claustral nucleus and related buildings and add significantly to the knowledge of the infirmary, the guesthouse and the north and west ranges of the cloister. <3> Additional area was scheduled in 1974. <4> St Mary's Cistercian Abbey at Tilty was founded by Robert de Ferrers (Earl of Derby) and Maurice Fitz Jeffery in 1153. The abbey was pillaged by King John's army on Christmas Day 1215. There were seven monks in 1377 and the same number at its dissolution on 28 February 1536. The chapel by the gate (the "capella extra portas") is now the parish church. A few fragments of the east wall of the cellarer's range with springers of a vault are all that remain. Foundation mounds are traceable over the whole site which was partly excavated in 1901. <5> <6> 1950. Field survey. Founded 1133 or, as some writers think, 1152 by Maurice FitzGeoffrey. <7> in <8> May 1975. Field survey. The Abbey was pillaged by King John’s army on Christmas day, 1215. In 1377 there were seven monks and the same number in 1536 at the Dissolution. Parish church was the chapel by the gate. The remains of St Mary's Abbey (Cistercian) comprise flint rubble walling about 30.0m long by about 3.0m high, see photograph, and the former chapel by the gate, now the parish church, see illustration. None of the wall parch marks distinct on St Joseph's aerial photographs are visible on the ground though they can be seen in a dry season, according to the landowner, both in the vicinity of the extant walling and elsewhere in pasture, centred TL 60172667. The hummocky surface of most of this field indicates the extent of the Abbey buildings and gardens etc, but the only coherent pattern is at the east end where a series of banks and ditches focus on two dry linear depressions at TL 60172665 of TL 60172667. Being downstream of the Abbey it is doubtful if these are fishponds, the most likely purpose being osier beds. Dickinson's plan of the Abbey, see illustration, (not to scale) taken from aerial photographs may incorporate knowledge of informal diggings on the site between 1901-1942 <7>, but Mr H. Cuthbertson, the retired parish vicar, states there has never been any responsible excavation nor ground measurements taken. No local records of these diggings exist, but a display case in the church porch contains a fragment of 13th century moulded brick and two fragments of 13th to 14th century glazed tiling together with a crude sketch plan of the Abbey by Mr Cuthbertson (from aerial photographs) and an artist's impression. Surveyed at 1:2500. <9> - <17> 1980. Field survey. Plan has been ascertained, and a complete set of foundations apparently exists. Part excavated in 1901 by Canon Galpin. Church was 172ft long, cloisters lay to the north. Apparently steps down to the west end of the church. Abbey church and major earthworks scheduled in 1951. A large arable field round the church site contains earthworks, probably of outbuildings, lodgings etc. In the earth round tree roots possible flint footings and masonry were noticed, burnt bone and horse tooth were thrown up in mole hills. Parchmarks of a (possible wall alignment) in the turf, particularly to the east of the extant walls. Site Assessment = In 1980 extant walls in a bad state, overgrown with creeper, sections had collapsed. <18> 2010-2011. Geophysical survey. Level 1 and level 3 survey carried out by Oxford Archaeology East due to the lack of a detailed description of the site and the poor condition of the surviving monastic wall, which led to its inclusion in the Heritage at Risk register. Notable results have been the identification of elements that relate to the pre-monastic landscape, notably Tilty Grange as the probable site of a Late Saxon estate/manorial centre. More detailed evidence for the less well understood elements of the precinct has been recorded, in particular in relation to the infirmary, guests' house/manor house, gatehouse, ancillary buildings etc. These features can be more fully understood in relation to the significant and influential elements of the monastic buildings such as the church, in addition to local topography and the surrounding landscape. The identification of a possible industrial building, previously unknown, against the boundary between the Inner and Outer precinct courts is of particular note. A greater understanding of the area to the west of the abbey cloister/church where the later manor house was sited has been achieved. Probable hearth or fireplace identified by the geophysical survey. Although no direct evidence for a burial ground was recorded the likely location of the churchyard has been suggested based on the monastic plan, topographic grounds and evidence from previous excavations. The earthwork survey results in particular indicate that if burials had extended around the south transept of the abbey church they will have been disturbed or destroyed by the quarrying and other activity associated with the creation of the large pond in the eastern part of the scheduled site. The site of the putative 'monk's well' in Home Wood and accompanying conduit/drains have not been identified with any certainty, however the survey has indicated the presence of a spring within the abbey complex. In addition, it has been suggested that the watercourse known as Mill Stream probably relates to, or follows, the course of the great drain that served the abbey's kitchens and claustral and infirmary reredorters. Water management was an important aspect of the Cistercian abbey, and this has been investigated through both the Level 1 and Level 3 surveys which included the watermill and its associated leets, channels, pond and banks. Site of the abbey windmill has been identified with some certainty. <19> Remains of (NAT) St Mary's Abbey (NR) (founded AD 1133) (NAT). <20> Tilty Abbey. Scheduled No 88. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. <21> <22> Copy of plans of osier beds and of abbey (from aerial photographs) is in SMR. <23> <24> See also: <25> - <39>