Rushen Abbey, Isle of Man : : A Hundred Years of Research and Excavation.

• VerfasserIn: Davey, Peter,
• Place / Publishing House: Oxford : : Archaeopress,, 2023.; ©2023.
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (291 pages)

Rushen Abbey was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1134 and suppressed in 1540. It was the most important religious institution on the Isle of Man wielding significant secular power as well as ecclesiastical authority. This book aims to provide a synthesis of all the available evidence for Rushen Abbey under one cover.

Table of Contents

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright page -- Contents Page -- List of figures -- 1 Preface -- Figure 1.1: view of the east range from the south in the Spring of 1998. -- Figure 1.2: plan of Rushen Abbey to show the nomenclature adopted for this monograph. -- 2 The history of Rushen Abbey and archaeological excavation -- Figure 2.1: Cistercian and Savignac foundation dates before 1135. -- Figure 2.2: the opening page of the Malew section of the Limites. -- Figure 2.3: extract from the Court of Augmentations accounts 24 June to 29 September 1540. -- Figure 2.4: "The prospect of Balisaly Abby, on the South West side" by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677). -- Figure 2.5: Rushen Abbey from the south-west in 1774, by Moses Griffiths. -- Figure 2.6: lithograph by Samuel Hooper (c1726-1793) dated 1774. -- Figure 2.7: Robertson's view of the abbey of around 1791. -- Figure 2.8: plan of Rushen Abbey by Sir Henry Dryden drawn in July 1853. -- Figure 2.9: view of the transeptal tower from the north-east by Sir Henry Dryden, 25 July 1853. -- Figure 2.10: view of western elevation of the chapter house by Sir Henry Dryden, 1853. -- Figure 2.11: drawing of a small medieval window in the west face of the transeptal tower (Cumming 1868, 40). -- Figure 2.12: Cochrane's suggested plan of Rushen Abbey, 1910. -- Figure 2.13: plan of part of William Cubbon's excavation in the east range, dated March 1914. -- Figure 2.14: plan to show location of the Gill, Cubbon, Butler and Garrad excavations. -- Figure 2.15: plan to show the main geophysical anomalies identified in 1997. -- Figure 2.16: the state of the site when MNH took possession in 1998. -- Figure 2.17: cleaning and recording the foundations of the dancing floor in 1998. -- Figure 2.18: the cloister area exposed in 1999 before the excavations began.

Figure 2.19: the southern part of area M, on completion of the excavation in 2008. -- 3 Excavations from 1998 to 2008: the results -- Figure 3.1: Rushen Abbey in its geomorphological setting. -- Figure 3.2: two views of the rostro-carinate found by Cubbon in area S. -- Figure 3.3: three flint cores of early Mesolithic type -- Figure 3.4: fragments of three Neolithic concave saws. -- Figure 3.5: broken and damaged Neolithic polished axe. -- Figure 3.6: the broken quartz or quartzite axe hammer. -- Figure 3.7: the upstanding remains of Rushen Abbey church from the south-west. -- Figure 3.8: the Bruce plan of the church showing his Cistercian and pre-Cistercian interpretation. -- Figure 3.9: axonometric drawing by Bruce illustrating the two-church interpretation. -- Figure 3.10: plan of the church derived from all excavations. -- Figure 3.11: the surviving Romanesque arch in the north transept. -- Figure 3.12: matrix of stratigraphic relationships in the church. -- Figure 3.13: the east cloister walk under excavation. -- Figure 3.14: break in the walling of the cloister arcade, opposite the chapter house. -- Figure 3.15: the collation bench in the north cloister walk. -- Figure 3.16: Butler's plan of his excavations of the east range. -- Figure 3.17: photograph of the east range as re-exposed in 1999. -- Figure 3.18: plan of the east range as revealed in 1999. -- Figure 3.19: artist's impression of the east range by Brian Byron. -- Figure 3.20: plan of the south range as uncovered in 1999. -- Figure 3.21: artist's impression of the refectory and kitchens by Brian Byron. -- Figure 3.22: the west range in its latest form as excavated from 1998 to 2008. -- Figure 3.23: the two-celled building in the western courtyard. -- Figure 3.24: excavations in the western courtyard, showing structures visible in 2008.

Figure 3.25: plan of the abbot's lodgings and the 1998 and 1999 excavations. -- Figure 3.26: the foundations of the abbot's lodgings in trench L. -- Figure 3.27: the foundations of the abbot's lodgings in trench V. -- Figure 3.28: the external angle between the two wings of the abbot's lodgings. -- Figure 3.29: a) view of the foundations of the abbot's lodgings in trenches AA and AB. -- Figure 3.29: b) plan of the foundations of the abbot's lodgings in trenches AA and AB. -- Figure 3.30: the north-west tower in 2006, the fill having been removed. -- Figure 3.31: the excavations of the north-west tower in 2006. -- Figure 3.32: the lower part of the eastern elevation of the north-west tower in 2006. -- Figure 3.33: the J T Blight view of the north-west tower. -- Figure 3.34: view of turret and adjacent medieval walling to the north. -- Figure 3.35: photograph to show work in progress in area S. -- Figure 3.36: plan showing the main archaeological features identified in area S. -- Figure 3.37: the upper part of the well during excavation in 2004. -- Figure 3.38: sections across the ditch systems and well in area S2 and area S8. -- Figure 3.39: matrix of the main phases identified in area S. -- Figure 3.40: one of two bowl furnaces at the east end of trench W. -- Figure 3.41: burial exposed in a service trench behind the Abbey Hotel in 2008. -- Figure 3.42: fragments of stone building foundations located in trench T in 1998. -- Figure 3.43: (a) a sample of the complex stratigraphy encountered in test-pit D -- (b) Dr Karen Milek taking samples for micromorphological assessment -- (c) section drawing and key. -- Figure 3.44: the Crossag Bridge from the north by J T Blight c1850. -- Figure 3.45: the most complete ceramic ridge tile from the site. -- Figure 3.46: image and line drawing of Manx Group stone roof tile.

Figure 3.47: fragment of a purple Welsh slate roof tile. -- Figure 3.48: length and width variation of the 303 'complete' stone roof tiles. -- Figure 3.49: fragments of Manx Group stone roof tiles with mortar adhering to them. -- Figure 3.50: Manx Group stone tile with iron nail still in place. -- Figure 3.51: fragments of sandstone window elements from the courtyard building in 2007. -- Figure 3.52: fragments of medieval glass from the church excavated by Butler. -- Figure 3.53: photograph and drawing of lead cames holding diagonal panes. -- Figure 3.54: photograph and drawing of lead cames holding rectilinear panes. -- Figure 3.55: fragment of painted glass from Butler's excavations in the church. -- Figure 3.56: window jamb/tracery recut to take glazing. -- Figure 3.57: fragment of typical sandstone ashlar building block. -- Figure 3.58: fragments of white wall plaster with red lines painted on them. -- Figure 3.59: surviving wall plaster at Fountains Abbey. -- Figure 3.60: quatrefoil base, probably forming one corner of the cloister arcade. -- Figure 3.61: double octagonal column base, possibly part of the cloister arcade. -- Figure 3.62: photographs and drawing of Rushen Abbey ceramic floor tile type RA10. -- Figure 3.63: photograph and drawing of Rushen Abbey ceramic floor tile type RA11. -- Figure 3.64: photograph and drawing of Rushen Abbey ceramic floor tile type RA12. -- Figure 3.65: a group of RA10 tiles arranged as found in situ by Butler in 1978. -- Figure 3.66: the single mosaic tile in the collection possibly thirteenth century. -- Figure 3.67: the tin-glazed, blue painted, octagonal Cuenca tile. -- Figure 3.68: part of a Pooilvaaish limestone floor slab. -- Figure 3.69: Dissolution demolition layer exposed by the 1999 excavation. -- 4 The cemeteries -- Figure 4.1: portrait of deemster J F Gill (1848-1899).

Figure 4.2: W C Cubbon during excavations at the abbey in 1927. -- Figure 4.3: plan of Cubbon's 14 burials in the north transept. -- Figure 4.4: plan of area S showing the position of the 1926 and 1934 burials. -- Figure 4.5: the site museum in 1986 being prepared for its transfer to Douglas. -- Figure 4.6: plan showing all Butler's located burials. -- Figure 4.7: L A S Butler and A Clucas on site in April 1979. -- Figure 4.8: view of Larch Garrad's rescue excavations in June 1984. -- Figure 4.9: plan of Garrad's 1984 excavations. -- Figure 4.10: stages in the removal and recording of the dancing floor in area S in 1998. -- Figure 4.11: plan of area S in 1998 showing newly recorded and relocated graves. -- Figure 4.12: cuts for burials beneath the eastern cloister walk exposed in 1999. -- Figure 4.13: a) photograph of area S5 under excavation in 2001. -- Figure 4.13: b) plan of area S5 under excavation in 2001. -- Figure 4.14: plan of area S showing burials located between 2000 and 2004. -- Figure 4.15: part of a burial at the southern end of the service trench. -- Figure 4.16: plan of the Abbey Hotel service trench monitored in 2008. -- Figure 4.17: view of the Oxford North excavation in the winter of 2016. -- Figure 4.18: plan of the Oxford North 2016 excavation. -- Figure 4.19: master plan of known burials in the church. -- Figure 4.20: Butler's 'stone grave' in the centre of the choir. -- Figure 4.21: press photograph of the 27-link chain from the 'stone grave'. -- Figure 4.22: bronze ring from 'near the left collar bone' of Butler's grave B14. -- Figure 4.23: Cubbon's skeletons 2 and 3 photographed on 9 November 1926. -- Figure 4.24: one of the hose buckles from the hips of skeleton 3. -- Figure 4.25: skeleton A -- the surviving bones laid out in their correct place. -- Figure 4.26: skeleton 6 displayed in its concrete vault in the ?1960s.

Figure 4.27: Osiris figure found 'immediately at the head' of skeleton 6.