Monk Bretton, Geophysics & Test Pitting

During late summer 2009, we started a resistivity survey across the site. This was undertaken at a half metre spacing, rather than the usual one metre intervals, and this resulted in a much higher definition of the subsurface features.


This revealed a series of high resistance features to the north and east of the church that are clearly the remains of a number of substantial buildings. Given their close proximity to the north nave wall, these are clearly not monastic in date, and are assumed to be post-dissolution in date.

Research into the papers of Her Majesty's Ministry of Works, the forerunner of English Heritage who now manage the site, have shed some light on what these buildings might be. These include a sketch plan made of some walls just a few metres away from the north transept of the church that were briefly uncovered in 1950. This plan clear shows a substantial building, and it is assumed that this formed part of the later Tudor occupation of the site.

Over Easter 2010 test pits were excavated over some of the features identified by the geophysics. The first was to the N/E of the church where there was a rectangular area of high resistance (see left). This test pit demonstrated that the resistance was caused by a series of mortar floors which could be dated by the presence of window glass to the 16th or 17th century.

The second test pit was to the north of the transept of the church, also an area of high resistance on the geophysics. Immediately below the turf walls were encountered and these form part of the a stone-built Tudor building, although prior to excavations its function couldn't be ascertained (see right).

Both these features formed the focus of our excavations during July 2010.