| Summary : The Cistercian Abbey of Robertsbridge was founded in 1176 and dissolved in 1538. It appears to have changed its site from "the chapel in the vill." of Salehurst in the 13th century. The remains of the Abbey have been incorporated in, or obscured by the later Abbey Farm. The building now used as the farmhouse was erected circa 1250 and is usually described as the Abbott's House. Remains of the warming house, frater and lay-brothers range are still extant. The outline of the abbey church is marked by lines of parched grass, visible on an air photographs. The moat to the north may have delimited the precinct, and the parallel depressions to the north-west were probably fishponds. The position of a possibly subordinate gatehouse South-East of the claustral complex, was traced during clearing operations along the South boundary of the precinct. Foundations of a gatehouse have also been revealed, and parts of the moat survive. |
More information : [TQ 754238] CISTERCIAN ABBEY (remains of) AD.1176 [G.T.]. (1)
The Cistercian Abbey of Robertsbridge was founded in 1176 and dissolved in 1538. It appears to have changed its site from "the chapel in the vill." of Salehurst in the (?) 13th cent. The remains of the Abbey have been incorporated in, or obscured by the Abbey Farm. The building now used as the farmhouse was erected c.1250 and is usually described as the Abbott's House. Remains of the warming house, frater and lay-brothers range are still extant. The outline of the abbey church is marked by lines of parched grass, visible on an air photograph [See A0/LP:63/73]. The moat to the north may have delimited the precinct, and the parallel depressions to the north-west were probably fishponds.
Scheduled. (2-4)
The position of a (subordinate?) gatehouse SE of the claustral complex, was traced during clearing operations along the S boundary of the precinct. The unique 13thc roof of the abbots house built in French fashion was surveyed, and near-by a broken inscription in Lombardic lettering was found, dated November (12)90 and apparently recording the obit of Queen Eleanor of Castile. (5)
"Robertsbridge Abbey", a large private residence, owner, Mrs Heath, incorporates the Abbott's House, which has a very find undercroft and a king-post roof. To the SE are fragmentary remains of the S range as previously described, (not a "chapel" as on OS 25"). There are no visible remains of the church or of the remainder of the claustral complex which is under pasture or under the modern farm complex.
Demolition of an old farm cottage at TQ 75592377 to the SE of the abbey revealed foundations of a gatehouse. These were later covered in as was a short stretch of moat adjoining on the W and the land is now under pasture. The gatehouse was probably to give access to the nearby forge (TQ 72 SE7) which, till the Dissolution, was operated by the abbey. A further stretch of moat remains, new dug and overgrown at the SW corner of the site, and its northerm limits are marked by a now-dry constructed watercourse which served the dual purpose of moat, and leet to four parallel fishponds, also new dug and under grass, which lie along th N side. They appear to have been fed from both ends as a branch leet which seems to have been adapted from an old natural watercourse, encloses the ponds around the N end.
Published 1:2500 survey revised. (6)
II Abbey Farmhouse together with oast house and the
ruins of Robertsbridge Abbey
* The Cistercian Abbey of Robertsbridge was founded by Alvred Alioe de St. Martin in 1176. The main portion of the Abbey surviving is the Abbot's house of about 1250 which comprises the present residence, formerly a farmhouse. This has a crypt of 3 double bays of quadripartite ribbed stone vaulting with 2 round stone cols. The bdg. above is mainly of stone rubble with some red brick and brick buttresses at the back, and the East gable end is weather-boarded. Steeply-pitched tiled roof. Casement ws. 2s. 4 w. In the West wall is a pointed stone medieval doorway and a small ogee-headed w. On the South side a small T-wing has been added in the early C. 17. This is weather-boarded and has a half-hipped gable. To the South East of the House are the ruins of a rect. bdg. of stone rubble with the remains of a pointed recess and 2 round-headed ws. This was part of the Frater. To the East again was the warming house, subsequently converted into an oast house. (7) |