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- Title
EXCAVATIONS IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF DEAN'S YARD, WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
- Authors
Jorgensen, Paw B.; Allott, Lucy; Armitage, Philip; Gaimster, Märit; Hayward, Kevin; Jarrett, Chris; Rielly, Kevin
- Abstract
An archaeological excavation carried out in advance of the construction of a new subterranean transformer chamber in the north-west corner of 'the green' in Dean's Yard, Westminster Abbey, revealed that the earliest human activity in this naturally low-lying area of Thorney Island was a pit dug during the Late Iron Age or Early Roman period, which was sealed by a build-up of alluvium. Saxon activity was evinced by two residual sherds of pottery. During the late 12th or early 13th century the process of reclamation or du mping to raise the ground level began and a hearth was constructed. The backfill of a medieval drainage ditch contained an important assemblage of animal and fish bones, providing information on aspects of the diet of the inhabitants of the abbey. Recovered from these reclamation dumps was a diverse assemblage of medieval building materials, interpreted as demolition debris derived from various abbey buildings. Finds from the late 16th-century dumping included a number of tiny copper-alloy wound wire objects possibly derived from an ornate head-dress. Post-medieval features included a 16th-century tiled path, which may have led from the kitchen to the entrance of Dean's Yard. By the 17th century this area had been converted into a gravelled yard within which was constructed a bricklined well. The latest significant feature was a 19th century culvert or sewer.
- Subjects
ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations; WESTMINSTER Abbey; IRON Age
- Publication
Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society, 2015, Vol 66, p79
- ISSN
0076-0501
- Publication type
Article