Monument Type(s):

• ABBEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• INFIRMARY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• DOVECOTE (13th century to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1200 AD to 1913 AD)
• MONASTIC DWELLING (13th century to 15th century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD) + Sci.Date
• COUNTRY HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• FARMHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument and Grade I Listed Building: The Abbot's lodging and infirmary of the medieval Buildwas Abbey, remodelled as a country house complete with dovecote in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4804 - 2001 Dendrochronological Dating at Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey by English Heritage
• ESA4872 - 2002 Earthworks survey at Buildwas Abbey by RCHME
• ESA6348 - 1997 Building recording at Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey by Arrol & Snell
• ESA7282 - 1996 structural survey of Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey by James Lupton Consultants
• ESA8071 - 2015 WB on cable trench at Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire by Archaeology Wales

Description

Abbot's lodgings and infirmary, later farmhouse and small country house, now private club house.
C13 and C14, re-modelled in C16/C17 with considerable additions and alterations of second half of C19. Coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings; plain tile roofs with stone ridge and end stacks.
Earliest part is to west comprising a first-floor hall aligned north-south over a vaulted undercroft; at right-angles to west on south is the late C14 parlour wing and to the east a 5-bay range considerably altered c.1850; further C19 additions in a medieval style in north-east angle with service ranges added to parlour wing. 2 storeys and attics; first floor hall: has three C19 paired lancets and one single lancet to first floor with a slightly pointed moulded doorway to right; ground floor has round-headed arch (late C12/early C13) with jamb shafts to right of centre and the blocking of another larger arch to right; C19 segmental brick arch to centre and one C16 and one C15 window to left; doorway to far left has a carved tympanum which may be re-set; left gable end timber framed to apex, C19 lancets and blocked openings below; right gable end has one original paired lancet with cusped trefoil opening above and a single lancet to east; an arcade of 4 cusped lancets linked by continuous hoodmould (partly destroyed by C20 fenestration) is continued into first bay of 5-bay range projecting to east: the pointed arcade of this is now blocked and has C20 casements in stone surrounds to first floor surmounted by C19 trefoil and quatrefoil openings, prominent early C20 canted bay window to left on ground floor; doorway to centre with blocked lancet and narrow trefoil-headed doorway to right, gable end has a prominent C19 oriel; to north the C19 additions include a twin-gabled range with a rectangular tower behind and a lean-to projection forming entrance passage-way; parlour wing: has blocked doorway to left and 2 segmental openings to centre, one with foliated boss, further blocked doorway to right; 3-light late C19 leaded casements with segmental heads and gabled dormer in roof slope to left; gable end has coped verges supported on moulded corbels to corners and an arrangement of statue niches to centre, the principal one of which rests on a carved stone head; below is a hatched opening and on the ground floor a wide C19 segmental arch with C20 folding glass doors.
Attached to north-west corner of house is an early C13 arcade of 5 Pointed arches on short circular piers aligned east-west: the 2 western arches are now blocked and a gabled brick dovecote (probably C16 or C17) protrudes between third and fourth bays from east; this is of pinkish brown brick on a coursed limestone plinth, the top heightened in Cl9 red brick and with a plain tile roof; roundheaded doorway on its south side (possibly monastic in origin) is now incorporated in a mid-Cl9 stone lean-to (not of special architectural interest). The arcade probably formed part of the north range of the infirmary court to Buildwas Abbey (q.v.).
Interior: considerably altered in Cl9 and C20; first- floor hall has a pointed doorway with dogtooth ornament at south end and decorated corbels formerly supporting roof structure; round-headed arch with jamb shafts at east end of 5bay projection (possibly re-set) has a recessed doorway with shouldered arch; on the ground floor of this range is a fine late C16 plaster ceiling similar to that at Belswardyne Hall (q.v. under Cressage C.P.) and the plaster work at Old Hall, Hughley (q.v. under Hughley C.P.); parlour-wing has arch-braced collar beam roof in 7 short bays with cusped windbraces; roof of first-floor hall now C16 or later, but the tie beams of an earlier roof have been reversed and re-used in its construction.
A detailed inspection of the interior was not possible at the time of re-survey (1985) and the building merits fuller study and interpretation; q.v. under Buildwas Abbey. B.o.E., p.90; V.C.H. II (1973), p.58; The Builder, Vol.79 (1900), Pp.292-4; H.M.S.O. Guide to Buildwas Abbey (2nd edn. 1978). <1>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, as one of less than 10 Dovecotes. <2>

From the revised Scheduling description for Buildwas Abbey: ->

-> The Abbey] was surrendered to the king by Abbot Stephen Greene in 1536, and three years later the site and most of its property were granted to Edward, Lord Grey of Powys. The infirmary and abbot's lodging were subsequently converted into a dwelling, with gardens to the south and south west, and this building is Listed Grade I. ->

-> The east range was extended in the 13th century to form the west range of the infirmary court, which has a five-arched arcade to the north. The west end of this arcade has been incorporated into the north wall of a post-medieval stable with a dovecote. The arcade itself is included in the scheduling, but the stable is in use and the rest of its structure is excluded. Much of the abbot's house also dates to the 13th century, and includes the substantial remains of a first-floor hall which retains two pointed windows and two round- arched doorways with early 13th century ornamentation. The 14th century parlour wing has an arch-braced collar-beam roof. ->

-> The area south and south east of the house was been landscaped to create formal gardens, probably in the 16th or 17th century. These gardens take the form of a series of separate terraces into the slope to the south of the abbot's house. Each terrace is surrounded by a raised walkway from which the formal layout of the garden on the terrace below could be inspected. Fragments of standing walls and buried foundations around the gardens probably represent the original boundary of the post-medieval garden belonging to the Grey family house. The area to the north of the house, now a car park, was originally a semicircular terraced garden of the same date and type surrounded by a stone wall overlooking the river. ->

-> Abbey House and the stable block to the west, the medieval arcade which forms the north wall of the stable building, the modern environmental resource centre, and all modern surfaces, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features is included. <3>

Dendrochronology survey carried out in 2002 on timbers from the Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire. The ruins of Buildwas Abbey sit on the Banks of the River Severn. Lying to the northeast of the abbey ruins, a grade I listed building, Abbey House may well incorporate a 13th century Abbot’s residence. The ground plan of Abbey House can be though of in terms of four main units, the main two forming the L-shaped 2-storey integrated residence. 19 timbers were sampled from three areas of the Abbey House. The roof over the east block produced two precise felling dates of Spring AD 1377 and a chronology spanning the years AD 1311 – 1376. The roof over the west block produced two precise felling dates also, Winter AD 1547/48 and six other timbers with incomplete sapwood have felling date ranges consistent with this date. Finally, two samples from a staircase within the west block produced an average felling date range of AD 1688 – 1717 and a chronology spanning AD 1563 – 1687. <4>

Field survey of earthworks carried out at Buildwas abbey and its environs in January and February 2002 in conjunction with the publication of a new guide book for the site. Three areas of earthworks were examined, labelled ‘the pond field’, ‘the west field’ and ‘the south field’. A range of features were identified. <5>

A building survey was carried out in 1997 to identify urgent and second priority repairs that needed to be carried out to the external fabric of Abbey House. It made a number of recommendations for remedial works. <6>

Various SABC planning correspondence regarding Buildwas Abbey and Abbey House (1967-1997), including 1996 structural survey of Abbey House. <7>

A structural survey was carried out into the condition of the fabric at Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey in October 1996, as referred to in <7>. <8>

Further information on the dendrochronological work carried out the Abbey House (see also <4>). The west block encompasses the original abbot’s hall, the east block includes the abbot’s parlour. Both ranges were originally constructed in the 13th century and appear to be coeval. ->

-> The east block included a row of at least five trefoil-headed lights, and evidence of five mini-gables, with alternating trefoil and quatrefoil openings, in dormers not dissimilar to the 13th -century hall at Stokesay Castle. The original roof of five bays has been lost and was replaced by the present six-bay structure now dated to 1377. This is an excellent example of arch-braced construction, with a clasped purlin on each side, diminished principals, and cusped wind braces. The truss numbering is not sequential, but runs from west to east: I, II, IIII, III, VII, V, with the east end obscured (VI). The wind braces are also numbered, I–XII, from west to east on the north side, returning I–XII east to west on the south side. The sides of the arch braces are all chamfered, except for those in truss 2. Only these two arch braces could be dated, but there is no reason to think that they are not coeval with the rest of the frame. ->

-> The west block roof was replaced in 1547/8 with a four bays of two tiers of purlins and high collars. The ceiling at tiebeam level has been reset and now comprises a series of moulded beams and joists, possibly of the same period. The small staircase serving both ranges has splat balusters (felling date range 1687-1717). A number of possible 13th-century carved timbers are reused underneath the staircase, but were inaccessible at the time of sampling. <9><10><10a>

Leach gives a photograph of the building and a brief description of it.<11>

Built in the late C13, of sandstone ashlar. It is an L in plan, with C13 evidence in the S wall of the E range and the W wall of W range. Tree ring analysis has shown that the E range was re-roofed immediately after 1377, and the W range has an immediately post-Dissolution roof of trees felled in 1548. The mid-Victorian block which infills the crook of the L maintains the C13 style, with the main entrance under a low tower. [Further description and pl. 64 shows the late C16 plaster ceiling]. <12>

The building appears to consist of two rectangular blocks at right-angles to each other, the later one grafted on to the earlier to form a wing. Certain features of the earlier range such as a blocked doorway at first-floor level, the paired lancet windows and the decorated doorhead at ground level below what would be the solar end, suggest a building date of between c.1180 and c.1280. The roof has been renewed but a few other internal features remain, including a shafted doorway with nail-head ornament at first floor level and the remains of another at ground level. The six-bay open first-floor hall has truncated principals, clasped purlins, cusped windbraces and is dendro-dated to 1377. Alterations in the C15 and C16 and extensions and further alterations of the C19. The main room at ground level within the later range has a fine plastered ceiling of late C16 date which was probably done for Lord Powis who acquired the site and made the Abbot's House his residence. 1867 print of exterior, interior and exterior photographs. <13>

A watching brief was undertaken in September 2015 during the machine-excavation of a 90m long cable trench at the Sports and Social Club, Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey. The watching brief revealed significant archaeology, especially in the NW area of the car park and to the immediate N of the abbey infirmary wall. The results demonstrate that in situ medieval architectural remains survive in a good state of repair close to Abbey House. ->

-> Two substantial medieval walls were recorded in the NW corner of the modern car park, with a possible floor surface recorded between them. These features were interpreted as an annex-type structure. A truncated ceramic tiled surface was also recorded, to the N of the abbey infirmary wall, representing an intact medieval floor. These may have originally extended up to substantial stone foundations; these features are possibly associated with the abbey infirmary. <14>

<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, SMR Sheets Collection, SMR Sheet for PRN SA 04427 (Card index). SSA20723.

<01> Department of the Environment (DoE), 1986-Feb-24, 38th List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p11-12 (List of Buildings). SSA1461.

<02> Horton Wendy B, 1990/ 1991, MPP Evaluation File (TEXT). SSA20084.

<03> English Heritage, 1997, Scheduling Papers (Revised Scheduling, 14/03/1997) (Scheduled Monument notification). SSA21201.

<04> Miles D W H, 2002, The Tree-Ring Dating at Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire (Scientific dating report). SSA20817.

<05> Brown G, 2002, Earthworks at Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire (Field survey report). SSA20886.

<06> James Lupton Consultants, 1996, Survey of Abbey House for Eastern Generation, Ironbridge Power Station (Non-archaeological specialist report). SSA27259.

<06> Arrol and Snell Ltd, 1997, Survey and report on the exterior of Abbey House, Buildwas Abbey (Field survey report). SSA23399.

<07> Various, 1967-1997, SABC conservation/ planning correspondence regarding Buildwas Abbey and Abbey House (1967-1997) (Correspondence). SSA24553.

<08> James Lupton Consultants, 1996, Survey of Abbey House for Eastern Generation, Ironbridge Power Station (Non-archaeological specialist report). SSA27259.

<09> Worthington M, 2011, Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory List of Dated Buildings (Shropshire) (Online database). SSA27695.

<10> Miles D W H and Worthington M, 2002, List 128: Shropshire Dendrochronology Project - phase nine, p.95 (Article in serial). SSA28143.

<10a> Miles D W H and Bridge M, 2017, Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory (Shropshire), p.11 (Online database). SSA29391.

<11> Leach F, 1891, The County Seats of Shropshire, opp. P.369 and p.372 (Monograph). SSA535.

<12> Newman J & Pevsner N, 2006, Buildings of England: Shropshire, p.183 (Monograph). SSA23518.

<13> Moran Madge, 2003, Vernacular Buildings of Shropshire, pp.15-17, 114, 125 (Monograph). SSA22146.

<14> Davies I and Pitt K, 2016, Ironbridge Power Station, Shropshire: archaeological watching brief (Watching brief report). SSA29204.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.