The Central Archaeology Service, fieldwork projects

Battle Abbey, East Sussex

The series of archaeological investigations into the eastern range of the Gatehouse and the monastic precursor to the Courthouse were concluded during the summer of 1994. The excavation of an area to the south and east of the Courthouse over a period of three months revealed details of the southern range of the monastic building. In its latest phase this comprised three open-ended ground floor rooms and a corridor leading into the northern range. The three rooms may have been used for storage of materials brought into the outer court. Evidence of industrial activity was also found in the form of several crucible bases, two hearths, the flue structure of a possible oven, and quantities of tap slag.

Further to the south of the building a series of make-up horizons were excavated. These sealed two large ditches, the earliest of which had an associated outer bank to the north, which overlay a buried soil horizon. Several residual flints were recovered from the fills of these intercutting ditches and it is hoped that further geophysical survey will clarify their extent and form. The earliest stone structures were revealed in the north-east corner of the site. Evidence of two successive stone towers of possible Norman date was recorded together with a large robber trench that had removed what may have been the early precinct wall. The project is now in the assessment phase prior to analysis and eventual publication.