ELLERTON PRIORY, SWALEDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY Ed Dennison Archaeological Services Ltd 18 Springdale Way Beverley East Yorkshire HU17 8NU ELLERTON PRIORY, SWALEDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY Report no: 1996/19.R01 Version: Final Date: September 2011 Author: Ed Dennison Ed Dennison Archaeological Services Ltd Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority 18 Springdale Way Yoredale Beverley On behalf of Bainbridge East Yorkshire Leyburn HU17 8NU North Yorkshire DL8 3EL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY, ELLERTON PRIORY, SWALEDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................1 2 SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND INTERVENTION ......................................5 3 EARTHWORK AND GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS.............................................................10 4 ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY ............................................................................................18 5 INTERPRETATIVE DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ...............................................29 6 RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................................................................36 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................38 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................42 Appendix 1 Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority project brief Appendix 2 EDAS project design c:edas/ellerton.19/report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In October 1996 Ed Dennison Archaeological Services (EDAS) were commissioned by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) to undertake an archaeological survey of the remains of Ellerton Priory, located c.10km west of Richmond, in Swaledale (NGR SE 079 974 centred). The project comprised topographic earthwork and geophysical surveys, a detailed architectural survey of the ruined church, and a written description and report. Ellerton Priory, founded in c.1200 possibly by the Eaglescliffe family, was one of the poorest and smallest of all the Yorkshire nunneries. As a result, the priory is unlikely to have contained the full range of structures and features seen at other larger sites. Nevertheless, the earthwork survey was able to suggest that the precinct, containing both inner and outer courts, measured c.120m-130m east-west by c.150m north-south. The ruined church stands in the approximate centre of this precinct, and the geophysical survey clearly established that its cloisters lay to the south - the data revealed internal sub-divisions in the west range while other anomies at the south end of the east range suggest a refectory, kitchen or dorter. Within the rest of the inner court a variety of structures and features were identified by the earthwork survey, including a possible reredorter, an isolated building which might be a small infirmary or the prioress/guest house, and a possible garden space and fishponds. Within the outer court, which would have been accessible to the secular population, are a number of presumably agricultural barns and structures, some associated with small yards or enclosures, as well as two potential gatehouses. A holloway approaches the precinct from the west, and there is another isolated farmstead or large house on the west side of the precinct. The now ruined church has a total length of 34.5m and a maximum width of 8.1m, and the west tower stands 14.7m high above ground level. The north-east corner of the chancel wall stands to 5.9m high, while the north wall of the nave is only 1.5m high and the south wall is ruined and visible only in plan. The earliest ?13th century church appears to have had a very simple plan, with an undivided and aisleless nave, a square-ended chancel and, unusually, a western tower. The tower is architecturally complex. Initially constructed in the ?13th century, it was remodelled in the 15th century when new windows were added along with the angled buttresses and stair tower - this rebuilding may have been a delayed reaction to the destruction caused by the Scottish raids in the mid 14th century. A second phase of alteration then took place in the 19th century, when it was raised by up to 1.5m in height and embattled; a comparison of sketches suggest that this work was done between 1843 and 1911. Other associated works at this time appear to have included the reconstruction of the tower roof, the replacement of dressings in the tower buttresses, the re-erection of the central part of the nave’s north wall, and alterations to the string course in the east wall of the nave. These alterations were probably carried out by the Erle-Drax family, who also built the adjacent Ellerton Abbey (house) in c.1830, to turn the ruined medieval church into a romantic Gothic ruin. The survival of the priory remains is significant because the site has not been altered, improved or subsequently developed, in contrast to many other Yorkshire monastic sites. This is in part due to the fact that the site has remained in a single ownership and tenancy. Although the church ruins were altered to create a Gothic ruin in the 19th century, there appears to have been little disturbance to the surrounding earthworks. However, while many of the earthworks can be interpreted, no evidence for a burial ground has been found (assuming one was present), and the extensive water supply system located around Juniper Gill on the hills to the south needs examination. In addition, little detail is known about the history and development of the priory, where and how extensive its landholdings were, and what was its relationship with the adjacent (now deserted) village of Ellerton. c:edas/ellerton.19/report 1 INTRODUCTION Background to the Project 1.1 In October 1996 Ed Dennison Archaeological Services (EDAS) were commissioned by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) to undertake an archaeological survey of the remains of Ellerton Priory, located c.10km west of Richmond, in Swaledale. 1.2 The project, which was defined by a brief prepared by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and a subsequent EDAS project design (see Appendices 1 and 2), was to include a general topographic survey of all features considered to be of archaeological, architectural and historic interest, a detailed architectural survey of the ruined church, and a written description and report. Some limited documentary research, using readily-available published sources, was also carried out. A geophysical survey of the area immediately surrounding the ruined church was also undertaken as a later addition to the project. The Survey Area 1.3 The remains of Ellerton Priory are located at NGR SE 079 974, on the south bank of the River Swale and north of the B6270 Downholme to Reeth road, some 10km to the west of Richmond and c.3km east of Grinton (see figure 1). The site lies within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and it is scheduled as an Ancient Monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (Monument Number 31353); the area of the scheduled monument was increased significantly in November 2000 to include the remains of a deserted village to the west of Ellerton Abbey (house) and water management features to the south of the B6270 road (DCMS 2000). The church ruins are also listed as being of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Grade II. The site is recorded on the National Archaeological Record (site SE09NE1) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Historic Environment Record (site MYD 34854). 1.4 The survey area originally measured c.250m by 200m, and took in most of the northern half of a large pasture field (OS field number 0029); the area was subsequently extended to the west to include earthworks immediately to the north of Ellerton Abbey (house) (see figure 2). The north side of the survey area is bounded by the River Swale and the east and west sides marked by drystone walls; there is also a coniferous shelter belt along the east side. 1.5 The area stands above the River Swale at c.170m AOD and the pasture field was grazed by sheep at the time of the survey (see plate 1). The underlying geology is fluvio-glacial gravel over Carboniferous Limestone (IGS 1979), and the soils are typical brown earths of the East Keswick association (Soil Survey 1983). Aims of the Survey 1.6 In accordance with the brief provided by the YDNPA (Appendix 1), the aims of the survey were to: • gather sufficient information to establish the extent, nature, character, condition, quality and date of the surviving archaeological and historical features within the survey area; page 1 c:edas/ellerton.19/report • identify any archaeological and historical features, and assess their interpretation potential; • establish the functional relationships between the archaeological and historical features; and • provide a detailed record of the complex. Survey Methodology 1.7 The methodology employed by the survey was in accordance with the brief prepared by the YDNPA and a subsequent project design submitted by EDAS in June 1996 (see Appendices 1 and 2). It was subsequently decided that it was not necessary to complete the gazetteer of sites. Documentary research 1.8 A basic documentary and historical survey for the site was undertaken. This included an examination of any readily available cartographic sources and any other appropriate published or unpublished literature, but did not encompass any