Monument record 1071/1 - Pipewell Abbey (Cistercian)

The remains of the Cistercian abbey of St Mary de Divisis. The abbey was founded in 1143 by William Batevileyn, as a daughter house of New Minster Abbey. The original monastic buildings were constructed soon after the foundation of the abbey, but were entirely rebuilt in the early 14th century, the church being dedicated in 1311 and the cemetery, cloisters and chapter house in 1312. The abbey was dissolved in 1538, and by 1548 the buildings were ruinous and were later systematically demolished for their stone. Small scale excavations, carried out in 1909 by Brakespear, discovered the site of the church and cloisters and a stone coffin containing an undisturbed skeleton in the chapter house. The west end of the church and the western range of the cloisters partly underlie the buildings of Home Farm, and stone foundations have been noted during previous building works in the vicinity of the farmyard. Immediately to the west is the site of the cloister garth, a level area bounded to the south and east by low earthworks. An area of further low earthworks lies to the south of the cloisters, and is believed to include ancillary buildings associated with the southern range of the cloisters such as the remains of kitchens and food storage and preparation areas, as well as the remains of the water supply and drainage systems and sluices. A large earthen and rubble mound measuring over 4 metres high and 12 metres in diameter, is located to the south east of the cloistral range. This is believed to be the location of a windmill. To the south west of the claustral range are the partly infilled remains of two parallel rectangular fishponds. To the south of the brook and west of Abbey Cottages is an area of further earthworks, cut into terraces, where stone foundations have been noted and a large number of oyster shells uncovered. The location and occurrence of oyster shells in the vicinity suggest that this area may have been the site of the infirmary. Scheduled.

{1} Description of Tilleman's drawing of earthworks.

{2} In 1887-8 the second of two dilitante "diggings" took place, as which C.Wise of Kettering was present.

{6} Excavation in September 1909 enabled a plan of the Abbey to be made. One burial was found, probably that of an Abbot since it was resting at a considerable depth under the chapter house, in a stone walled coffin, covered by a stone lid.

{8} Cistercian Abbey SP 840856. The location of the site on the boundary of two parishes lead to the abbey being known by the name of St Mary
de Divisis. Ornamented tiles from the 1909 excavations are in Northampton Museum and the British Museum. W of the site [SP 83808553 - SP 83758564] earthworks include a long sinuous earthwork dam up to 4m high presumably associated with the abbey watermill which may have been lain immediately NE of Pipewell hall [SP 83808552].

{10} (SP 8404 8563) Site of (TI) St Mary's Abbey (GT) (Cistercian) (TI)

{11} The Cistercian Abbey of Pipewell was founded in 1143 by William Batevileyn as a daughter-house of Newminster, Northumberland. It was dedicated to The Blessed Virgin, but as it lay in two parishes it was also called St Mary Divisis. The original monastic building was constructed soon after 1143, but was rebuilt in the early C14th. A hermit is recorded at the abbey in 1215. The abbey was dissolved in 1538.

{12} The Cistercian Abbey at Pipewell was founded in 1143 and supressed in 1538.

{14} DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT
The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of the Cistercian abbey of Pipewell, and the medieval settlement which predated the foundation of the abbey. The remains lie within two areas of protection on either side of the village street, in the valley of the Harper Brook. The abbey was founded in 1143 by William Batevileyn, as a daughter house of New Minster Abbey, and its lands fell within two parishes. The original monastic buildings were constructed soon after the foundation of the abbey, but were entirely rebuilt in the early 14th century, the church being dedicated in 1311 and the cemetery, cloisters and chapter house in 1312. The abbey was dissolved in 1538, and by 1548 the buildings were ruinous and were later systematically demolished for their stone. Small scale excavations, carried out in 1909 by Brakespear, discovered the site of the church and cloisters and a stone coffin containing an undisturbed skeleton in the chapter house.

Elsewhere small areas of surviving walling were noted associated with the finds including decorated stonework, animal bones, and ornamental tiles. The first area of protection includes the earthworks and buried remains of the cloistral range and church located to the east of the road and to the rear of the buildings of Home Farm. The Old Farm House, Abbey Cottage and Home Farm as well as their ancillary buildings are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these buildings is included.

The west end of the church and the western range of the cloisters partly underlie the buildings of Home Farm, and stone foundations have been noted during previous building works in the vicinity of the farmyard. The grave found in the chapter house is marked by a modern stone slab. Immediately to the west of this is the site of the cloister garth, a level area bounded to the south and east by low earthworks. An area of further low earthworks lies to the south of the cloisters, and is believed to include ancillary buildings associated with the southern range of the cloisters such as the remains of kitchens and food storage and preparation areas, as well as the remains of the water supply and drainage systems and sluices.

A large earthen and rubble mound measuring over 4m high and 12m in diameter, is located to the south east of the cloistral range close to the stream. The mound stands on a level platform 0.5m high defined by the stream on its southern side and elsewhere by a curving ditch measuring 2m wide and 0.75m deep. This is believed to be the location of a windmill mound, and an adjacent watermill may also survive. To the south west of the cloistral range, adjacent to the road, are the partly infilled remains of two parallel rectangular fishponds. The easternmost fishpond is dry and largely infilled, although its location can be identified. The westernmost fishpond survives, partly modified, as a water-filled feature.

To the south of the brook and west of Abbey Cottage is an area of further earthworks, cut into terraces, where stone foundations have been noted and a large number of oyster shells were uncovered during previous ground disturbance. The location and the occurrence of oyster shells in the vicinity suggest that this area may have been the site of the infirmary of the abbey, although the remains of the settlement at Pipewell which predated the foundation of the abbey may also survive as buried features. The second area of protection lies to the west of the road and is located in the park of Pipewell Hall. This area has been somewhat disturbed in places by the modern firing butts of the rifle range which has been constructed in the park, however further earthwork and buried remains of the abbey survive here. The butts are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath these features is included. A massive sinuous earthen bank, measuring up to 5m high and 8m wide, runs for approximately 200m to the north west from the stream near Pipewell Hall. This bank or dam retained a large shallow pond occupying much of the land to the north and north west of the hall covering at least 2.5ha. The limits of the pond were formed by the naturally rising contours of the landscape, and it is now dry, although a smaller pond was later constructed as part of the garden features associated with the hall. A 10m sample of the pond bay, lying immediately to the south west of the dam, is included in the scheduling. Immediately to the east of the dam are the remains of two large stone quarries with a number of associated hollow ways. The quarries are believed to have provided the source of some of the building stone for the abbey complex. They appear to have been adapted later to form part of the water supply system for the ponds, and remnant leats are located in the base of the quarries. The area between the quarries and the road includes a number of low earthworks measuring 0.75m high, and forming at least two platforms and enclosures, defined by shallow banks and hollow ways. Further partly damaged platforms are aligned along the western edge of the road. These earthworks are believed to be further remains of the early medieval settlement which predated the foundation of the abbey. A small settlement, with nine households, is recorded in the Domesday survey, and it formed part of three manors, located in Stoke Hundred to the north, and Rothwell Hundred to the south of the Brook. There are no further records of the settlement, which must have been depopulated or incorporated into the abbey estates at its foundation in 1143. The inhabitants may have become labourers for the abbey or joined the monks as lay brothers.

Documentary references indicate a secular population continued on the abbey estates. Home Farm, The Old Farm House, Abbey Cottage and their associated ancillary buildings as well as all modern surfaces, post and wire fences and the modern firing butts of the rifle range are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

{15} Detailed history of Abbey. In late 13th century buildings included bakehouse, hospice, convent kitchen, abbot's kitchen, the infirmaries of the (1) monks, (2) lay-brethren or conversi, (3) and seculars, as well as the east and west granges and brewhouse. In 1311 the church of the Blessed Mary of Pipewell was dedicated. The following year the cemetery, cloisters, and chapter-house were dedicated.

Following formal surrender of the house in 1538, a commission of 1540 looking into misuese of the buildings found that the hall, with chambers over it, the buttery, pantry, chapter-house, and 'scole house' were still in good repair; that the paving of the dormitory had been given to Sir William Parre at the time of the suppression; that the iron standards and the glass of the windows of the cloister, of the parlour, and of various chambers had been stolen before last Michaelmas; and that the salt chamber, the fish chamber, and the cheese chamber had lost by theft not only their windows but their doors, and that the cart-house and smithy had been similarly stripped.

{16} A Fishpond at SP 83968557 has been surveyed

{17} A Fishpond at SP 83968557 has been surveyed

{21} Notes, rubbings, drawings and sketches of medieval tiles;

<1> Bailey B.A., 1996, Northamptonshire in the Early Eighteenth Century: The Drawings of Peter Tillemans & Others, p.174 (part checked) (Series). SNN41766.

<2> Supplementary File - Pipewell Abbey, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN51754.

<2> Historic England, Undated, Lantern slides, 897289 (Archive). SNN113064.

<3> 1956, Northamptonshire Past and Present (2/3), p.134 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN32496.

<4> Tillemans P., 1721, View of The Ruins of The Site of Pipewell Monastery, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN57895.

<5> 1981, Correspondence, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN57264.

<6> BRAKESPEAR H., 1910, Pipewell Abbey, Page 299-314 (Uncertain). SNN59626.

<7> Photograph of Engraving by Broadsides, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN54333.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.173/Site 9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<9> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.116-20 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP88NW8 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<11> Clay R.M., 1914, Hermits and Anchorites of England, p.237 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN1156.

<12> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.123 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<13> Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, p.431-443 (unchecked) (Extract). SNN32494.

<14> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Northamptonshire (Parts 5-8) (Schedule). SNN104787.

<15> Serjeantson, R M & Adkins, R W D, 1906, A History of the County of Northampton (Book). SNN111061.

<16> Colquhoun, FD, 1961, Field investigators comments, 05/Sep (Notes). SNN113017.

<17> Seaman, BH, 1969, Field investigators comments, 24/Jul (Notes). SNN111907.

<18> 1973, Northamptonshire Past and Present (5/1), P.10 (Journal). SNN9038.

<19> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, CUAP AEV 42 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<20> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF VAP F21 82/RAF/865 0285-6; F22 540/RAF/1312, 0099-0101 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<21> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/216/1-63 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:14PM