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- Title
FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR THE ABBEY OF ST CLARE AND LATER OCCUPATION AT 24--26 MINORIES, EC1.
- Authors
Lerz, Antonietta
- Abstract
During redevelopment of the site of 24--26 Minories, an archaeological excavation revealed multi-period remains dating from the Roman period to the 19th century. Medieval activity began during the 12th century when part of the site was exploited for quarrying. Properties fronting onto the main streets were established by the 13th century and several of these tenements were subsequently acquired by the Abbey of St Clare, Aldgate (in existence by 1293), for the extension of their precinct. A large portion of the site fell within the north-western part of the outer precinct of the abbey, which from the mid-14th century was developed into a residential quarter reserved for lay tenants. The most significant features to be uncovered were the remains of a row of these properties which lined the northern side of the access road into the precinct. The excavations revealed stone-lined cesspits, cellars and the masonry foundations of two large buildings arranged around a central courtyard, one of which had a large cellar. Documentary sources confirm that this building was leased to a series of wealthy tenants and evolved into a large property known as the 'great house' during the late 16th century. The medieval cellars and cesspits remained in use for centuries, ensuring their survival during a period of heightened urban development in the 17th and 18th centuries. As the demand for housing in London's eastern suburb increased these large properties were subdivided into smaller units. Three of the properties were turned into a tavern, the 'Sieve', which served the locality into the 19th century. A brick furnace was uncovered in one of these 19th-century cellars and finds of elephant ivory and turtle bone, possibly waste after removal of the 'tortoiseshell' layer, show the types of small scale industries that existed locally. The extent of the late 19th-century warehouses followed the boundaries of these historic tenements.
- Subjects
ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations; TENEMENT houses; URBAN growth
- Publication
Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society, 2018, Vol 69, p223
- ISSN
0076-0501
- Publication type
Article