Finchale Priory, County Durham
Client: E.B & C.A. Welsh Ltd

Archaeo-Environment undertook an evaluation at Finchale Priory, Durham commissioned by E.B. & C.A. Welsh Ltd, owners of the Finchale Abbey Caravan Park. The evaluation site lay to the south of the surviving priory ruins in an area believed to have originally formed part of the 13th century monastic precinct.

The precinct would have been central to the self sufficiency and economic survival of the ecclesiastic community at Finchale. It usually contained an array of buildings and facilities including guesthouses, stables, barns, cattle sheds, pigsties, dovecotes, fishponds, barns and granaries. Generally these were enclosed by a substantial precinct wall, evidence for which still survived at Finchale.

A four trench evaluation was undertaken, in response to a brief prepared by English Heritage, to determine the presence or absence of any buried archaeology associated with the site. Two separate phases of occupation were established the earliest and most significant of these dating to the 13th century expansion of the monastery. This phase was predominantly represent by the footing of a large precinct wall, possibly part of a southern gatehouse, which was located in the south east corner of the site (Trench 1).

To read a full copy of the evaluation report, please follow the link below.

< download the Finchale Evaluation report