Information for record number MWA5384:
Site of Kenilworth Abbey Church

Summary The remains of Kenilworth Abbey Church which dates from the Medieval period. Excavation has uncovered the ground plan and evidence of burials within the Church. The site is to the north of the tennis courts in Abbey Fields.
What Is It?  
Type: Monastery, Bell Tower, Burial, Church
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Kenilworth
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 28 72
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

  
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Of the monastic buildings only a few shapeless blocks of rubble rise above ground level. Excavation enabled the ground plans to be uncovered. The 12th century church had a narrow aisleless nave, which, owing to the existence of the cloister on the S and rising ground on the N, was never enlarged. The transepts were extended E in the 13th century and in the 14th century a presbytery was added E of the quire and the central tower was rebuilt. This tower seems to have been too slender to house the bells, for which purpose an octagonal bell-tower was built just to the N of the W end of the church later in that century.
2 For the most part the walls stand only slightly above their internal floor levels; this is especially the case with the E arm of the church. Quantities of carved masonry were found during Excavation of the church. Traces of nine or ten burials were found in the church.
3 Plan.
4 Photograph.
5 SAM List.
6 SAM List.
7 The site is within the Scheduled area of the SAM of Kenilworth Abbey (Monument Number 35115).
8 The remains of thewest wall now comprise a short stub on the north side, a doorway aperture flanked by jambs with three orders of mouldings on the chamfer, and a southern section, rising up to a maximum height of 2 metres. The nave side of this west wall starts with ashlar blocks at the doorway, and then, proceeding southwards, becomes rubble-work, which continues, except for an ashalr column in the corner, along the south wall to the processional steps, after which it is lost. It had been reasonably concluded that the rubble-work belonged to the original Norman building, which included a Norman west doorway. Then, in the C14th, the Norman doorway jambs were replaced. On the outer side of the nave wall, the face became entirely ashlar, more suitable for the front of the church.
9 In July 2010 the effigy of Prior Robert Salle was removed for conservation in the museum of Abbey Barn, the wall which the effigy was removed form seem to of been built up in has a consolidation of the area for the graveyard. The effigy itself is a body in two sections it was noted that when the effigy was removed a section of collar was now visible which did not appear on earlier drawings of the effigy.
 
Sources
Source No: 5
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: AM7
Author/originator: DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 6, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: VI
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: TBAS vol 52:1
Author/originator: Carey-Hill E
Date: 1927
Page Number: 184-227
Volume/Sheet: 52:1
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Kenilworth Priory: The West Wall and Portal of the Nave
Author/originator: Sunley, H. & Morris, R. K.
Date: 2004
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No:
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Observation of the removal of the effigy of Prior Robert Salle from the north transept wall at Kenilworth Abbey
Author/originator: Warwickshire Museum
Date: 2010
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Photograph
Title: Kenilworth Abbey
Author/originator: Carey-Hill E
Date: 1927
Page Number: Plate 1
Volume/Sheet: 52:1
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Plan
Title: TBAS vol 52:1
Author/originator: Carey-Hill E
Date: 1927
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 52:1
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM list
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1985
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: Kenilworth Abbey
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 2003
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
The ruins of the medieval church of Kenilworth Abbey
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 2003
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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source SAM List Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically. back
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PRIORY * A monastery governed by a prior or prioress. Use with narrow terms of DOUBLE HOUSE, FRIARY, MONASTERY or NUNNERY. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ABBEY * A religious house governed by an abbot or abbess. Use with narrow terms of DOUBLE HOUSE, MONASTERY or NUNNERY. back
monument CLOISTER * A covered walk, walled on one side and usually arcaded on the other, surrounding or partly surrounding an open area in a monastery or similar complex of Christian buildings. back
monument TENNIS COURT * A prepared area, traditionally grass, where tennis is played. back
monument BELL TOWER * A tower or turret in which bells are hung. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument MUSEUM * A building, group of buildings or space within a building, where objects of value such as works of art, antiquities, scientific specimens, or other artefacts are housed and displayed. back
monument EFFIGY * A sculptured likeness, portrait or image, often found on a tomb or other memorial. back
monument BURIAL * An interment of human or animal remains. Use specific type where known. If component use with wider site type. Use FUNERARY SITE for optimum retrieval in searches. back
monument COLUMN * Use for free standing column. back
monument BARN * A building for the storage and processing of grain crops and for housing straw, farm equipment and occasionally livestock and their fodder. Use more specific type where known. back
monument MONASTERY * Houses specifically of monks, canons or religious men but not friars. back
monument PORTAL * A door, gate, doorway or gateway of grand or elaborate construction. Use specific type where possible. back
monument STEPS * A series of flat-topped structures, usually made of stone or wood, used to facilitate a person's movement from one level to another. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record