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Summary

Tavistock Abbey conformed to a traditional monastic plan in which an abbey church and three ranges of buildings were grouped around a central open cloister. A small part of the south wall of the nave and part of the inner wall of the west claustral range survive in St Eustachius' graveyard.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020401: Tavistock Abbey
• Listed Building (I) 1162792: REMAINS OF NORTH-WEST CORNER OF ABBEY CLOISTER AND CHURCH WALL IN ST EUSTACHIUS' CHURCHYARD

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref: 93400

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CLOISTER (XIII - 1201 AD to 1300 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

'Abbey Wall' marked. Map object based on this source.

The Tavistock and District Local History Society, 1994, About Tavistock: An Historical Introduction and Six Town Walks, 35 (Monograph). SDV354806.

Stead, P. M., 1999, Archaeological Investigations at Tavistock Abbey 1997-1999, Figure 11 (Article in Serial). SDV336200.

Figure 11 shows a conjectural reconstruction of the possible extent of the main ranges of the abbey buildings, based on the 1885 Ordnance Survey 1:500 town plan of Tavistock. The cloister is shown adjacent to the south side of the Abbey Church, with the east, south, and west ranges of the abbey buildings forming the other three sides. Map object based on this source.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Tavistock Abbey (Schedule Document). SDV344375.

The abbey conformed to a traditional monastic plan in which an abbey church and three ranges of buildings were grouped around a central open cloister. In St Eustachius' graveyard, a small part of the south wall of the nave and part of the inner wall of the west claustral range survive as Grade I Listed standing masonry remains. Opposite St Eustachius' graveyard, on the south side of Plymouth Street, lies the Bedford Hotel which occupies the position once filled by the south range of the cloisters.

Steinmetzer, M., 2012, Gas Main Replacement, Plymouth Road, Tavistock: Programme of Archaeological Works (Report - Watching Brief). SDV352335.

The watching brief identified the remains of features and deposits associated with the Benedictine Abbey. The works confirmed the presence, and identified the location of features, known from historical sources and previous excavations. To the south-west of the abbey church, Trench 1 exposed the truncated remains of the west wall of the western claustral range and floor make-up material associated with it. Two probable pits were identified within the western range. It is possible that a grave identified immediately outside the western wall was contemporary with the monastery.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Map object based on this source.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Remains of North-West Corner of Abbey Cloister and Church Wall in St Eustachius' Churchyard. Thirteenth century. L-shaped fragment of wall including the upper part of a moulded 13th century arch with cusped arcading below. The longer part of wall belonged to the Abbey Church. Excavation in 1914 (now filled in) revealed more of the church walls and some early 14th century floor tiles.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6254 - Programme of Archaeological Works Associated with Gas Main Replacement at Plymouth Road, Tavistock (Ref: 3793)

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