Summary : An Augustinian monastery, founded circa 1146 and dissolved in 1538; no visible remains except a possible garden earthwork. There is evidence that in the Middle Ages there were two churches adjoining one another. The Parish Church of Saint Michael, mentioned in 1229 and the conventual Church of Saint Mary, attached to the Abbey. Dependencies: Halywell, Mobberley and Leyes priory cells. Probable earthworks associated with the Abbey consisting of platforms and building platforms, potential elements of the precinct boundary and a number of other bank earthworks, are visible on air photographs and were mapped as part of the Staffordshire National Mapping Programme project. The earthworks are extant on the latest 2010 vertical photography. Scheduled. |
More information : (SK 11163929) Abbey (NR) (Site of) (1)
Rocester. There are no remains of the Abbey above ground, but the site evidently lies on the south side of the churchyard. The four sided figure shown in this area by Cambs University. (Committee for aerial photography) nos R1 64 65 is probably post-Medieval. "Founded 1146, dissolved 1538. Augustinian (3).
Sometime between 1141 and 1146 Richard Bacon, the nephew of Ranulph, Earl of Chester founded the Abbey of Saint Mary at Rocester - an Augustinian house for an Abbot and eight Canons.
There is evidence that in the Middle Ages there were two churches adjoining one another. The Parish Church of Saint Michael, mentioned in 1229 and the conventual Church of Saint Mary, attached to the Abbey.
In 1538 Cranmer, on behalf of Henry VIII, demanded the suppression of the Abbey of Rocester, along with Tutbury and Croxden, and in October of that year Saint Michael's Chapel was sold.
It seems that part of the Abbey Church was retained as the Parish Chuch of Saint Michael's. It was in 1823 that the Church was enlarged and partially re-designed. (2-4)
An encaustic tiled floor was found c 1917, and worked sandstone blocks are found in spoil heaps on the traditional site. (5)
There are no visible surface remains of this House; the field to the south of the parish church (the 'traditional site' - authority 5) shows much disturbance and evidence of early quarrying but no worked stone is evident. The "four-sided figure" (authority 2) is an earthwork apparently representing formal gardening, with an adjacent perimeter bank. The works may have been associated with the general domestic gardening of the inmates. The church of St Michael shows no visible structural evidence of a monastic building and the site of the conventual church of St Mary was not located.
Earthworks surveyed on MSD at 1:2500. (6)
Probable medieval earthworks associated with Rocester Abbey and probable post medieval extractive pit are visible on air photographs centred at SK 1117 3929. The Abbey earthworks consist of probable platforms including building platforms, potential elements of the precinct boundary visible as elements of bank and a number of irregular shaped bank earthworks. The extractive pit was probably produced by the robbing out of the Abbey building materials. Adjacent earthworks to the west are likely to be post medieval garden features and are now recorded separately in UID 1585198. The earthworks were mapped as part of the Staffordshire National Mapping Programme project and are extant on the latest 2010 vertical photography. (8) |