Monument record MDO47706 - Precinct wall, Abbotsbury Abbey

Possibly the precinct wall of Abbotsbury Abbey, which may be represented by the remains of an ashlar drystone wall running North and South. Upon field investigation conclusive evidence could not be obtained.

The western boundary of the abbey precinct is thought to be represented by a rubble wall on the east side of Chapel Lane and Rope Walk. Perhaps represented by an ashlar built wall running N. and S. about 80 yds E. of the east outbuilding. The W. part of the site is enclosed by a substantial rubble wall on the E. side of Chapel Lane and Rope Walk. This wall returns Eastwards at the N. end of the large meadow. The S. boundary is probably the bank and ditch which extends from the S. part of the E. wall, and runs west-wards to the S. of the great barn. Across the S.W. angle of the site is a bank, perhaps a former dam. <1> Precinct wall as delineated in Authy.1. This wall throughout is a drystone wall. There is no visible evidence to confirm that this is in fact the precinct wall and this course must remain conjectural. No old maps were available at the time of field investigation from the strangeways Estate Office, Abbotsbury. <2> The line of this north-south aligned wall is continued by an earthwork bank and ditch running southwards and thought to mark the eastern boundary of the abbey precinct. The bank returns to the west at its southern end to the south of the abbey tithe barn. At some point the earthwork bank and ditch were observed in the field by Laurence Keen and Mark Simons of Dorset County Council. <3>

Record last edited

Jan 9 2024 2:56PM