HER 1970 DESCRIPTION:- Blackfriars Church, Gloucester, extent in the 13th to 16th centuries prior to 16th century remodelling as a private house. 1977 - "In the north east corner of the clositers a heraldic pavement was exposed. The indications are that this floor extends substantially along the north and east alleys. Within the nave a few areas of tile impressions survived with numerous grave depressions. An infant burial was also recorded." {Quoted from Sourcework 686}. The location of this area of excavation suggests that this tiled surface could have lain within the demolished south aisle of the church prior to the mid 16th century remodelling, although with reference to the excavation in 1978 in the same location, this is possibly the same surface later interpreted as post-Medieval. "GLOUCESTER, BLACKFRIARS (SO 830184). Excavation at the Dominican friary by P. J. Brown and G. M. Hey for D.o.E. (cf. Medieval Archaeol., xx (1976),177) revealed a tiled pavement in the NE. corner of the cloisters. It was largely intact, although badly worn, and contained heraldic tiles. The robber trench of the arcade wall was found. In the S. aisle the blocking of the S. arcade appears to be very late or immediately post-monastic. Evidence of an earlier screen was found. Some medieval tiles and an inscribed block, reused as a step, were found in situ. The W. end of the nave was shortened and a bay window inserted in the N. wall immediately after the Dissolution. Although most of the monastic floor levels have been removed, three stratified surfaces of mortar bedding were found, all with tile impressions. Several graves included one of an infant" {Quoted from Sourcework 10880.} 1978 - Excavation of the south aisle and west end of the nave of the Friary church of Blackfriars, Gloucester. The west wall of the south transept was identified along with the graves of at least ten individuals, a trench possibly suggesting a plan to shorten the nave further and several medieval floor layers. In the south aisle the remains dating to the time of the friary included four graves (one of a child), a possible charcoal burial, and the remains of three individuals in a grave recess in the south wall as well as traces of a floor. A pit at the junction of the nave and east range contained a second foundation, showing a period of rebuilding. There was some post-medieval truncation of remains associated with the friary and a well had completely removed the medieval stratigraphy of the aisle’s east end. {Sourcework 1916}. 1979 - Excavation of area north of the nave of Blackfriars Church, Gloucester revealed the former existence of a north aisle. The excavation of the north aisle area contained three tiled floor levels, demonstrating that it had been internal to the church throughout it’s religious life from the 13th to the 16th century, becoming external when the building size was reduced in the 16th century. The earliest surviving floor was of 14th century date and incorporated patterned and plain tiles diagonal to the axis of the church. An area of subsidence in this floor contained evidence of a floor (or possibly repair?) above this before the latest surviving tile floor, of 15/16th century date. This was of black glazed tiles but in many areas only the mortar in which the tiles were set had survived. Above this a fragment of 13th century tile suggested that a tile floor existed here in the earliest phase of the church’s development. The structural alterations of the 16th century are also demonstrated in the use of spolia in the blocking of the north wall of the nave and a grave slab in the west wall of the north transept {Sourcework 1969}. 1995 - An evaluation trench and two test pits were excavated in the garden immediately to the west of the nave of Blackfriars Church, Gloucester. The works identified robbed out foundations for a previous western extent of the Blackfriars church, graves relating to the medieval burial ground and remains associated with a later stonemason’s workshop. The earliest phase identified in the evaluation trench at Blackfriars Gloucester was that of the 13th century church. Elements of a compacted earth floor with traces of mortar and plaster were found towards the east of the trench, lying to the west of a robber trench for a wall interpreted as forming the northern side of the nave [north wall of the north aisle?]. West of this surface were two square features interpreted as the locations of foundations for two columns. One of these was filled with limestone slabs and sand, suggesting an intact foundation, whilst the other was filled with a loose loam suggesting that a foundation had been robbed out. Further west the trench contained graves and fragments of redeposited ceramic floor tile {Sourcework 15110}. Two small areas of excavation were also carried out on the construction trench of the perimeter wall. These took place near the 14th century gate and showed that the wall base flared slightly and that it contained re-worked stone from a previous structure, suggesting that the wall postdates the 1538 dissolution. The gate itself is thought to have been moved from it’s original location {Sourcework 15110}. 1999 - Drain 1 extended from the northeast corner of the church to the north end of the east range. Its excavation revealed features relating to the Medieval church including the nightstair {Sourcework 6405}. |