| Summary : A Premonstratensian Abbey was founded at Swainby in 1187, but was removed to Coverham between 1212-14. It is thought that the land was retained by the abbey and used as a monastic grange. An area north east of Swainby Grove has been identified as the site of the abbey buildings. The site is represented by a complex of earthworks which lie over a 100 metres north of the area marked as the site of the abbey on the 1:10 000 OS map. The remains include building platforms, possibly representing the site of the church, the cloistral range and a watermill, and a dam, fishponds and embanked leats which formed part of a water management system. Some of these earthworks are visible on air photos. |
More information : The abbey of St Mary of Charity for Premonstratensian Canons was first founded in or before 1187 at Swainby, by Helewisia, daughter of Ranulfde Glanville (justicar of England), and it was translated to Coverham (see SE 18 NW 6) between 1196 and 1202. (A site east of Swainby Grove- SE 335855 - see SE 38 NW 2 and the earthworks near Allerthorpe - SE334867 - see SE 38 NW 3 have each been associated with the abbey site, but there is no substantial evidence available to accept either of these sites). (1 - 3)
A Premonstratensian Abbey was founded at Swainby in 1187, but was removed to Coverham between 1212-14. It is thought that the land was retained by the abbey and used as a monastic grange. An area north east of Swainby Grove has been identified as the site of the abbey buildings. The site is represented by a complex of earthworks which lie over a 100 metres north of the area marked as the site of the abbey on the 1:10 000 OS map. The remains include building platforms, possibly representing the site of the church, the cloistral range and a watermill, and a dam, fishponds and embanked leats which formed part of a water management system. Scheduled. (4)
Some of these earthworks are visible on air photos but cannot be directly correlated with the features discussed above so no attempt has been made to index the monument types from this survey. However most features appear to be of medieval date. A broad hollow way runs south to north from SE3363 8560 to SE3360 8577, where it appears to join the trackway described in UID 53847. Between the hollow way and Healam Beck there are possible fishponds at SE3366 8549 and a group of sub-circular mounds or platforms around SE3369 8573. West of the hollow way there are small fields of ridge and furrow at SE3360 8551. At SE3360 8561 there is an arrangement of substantial rectilinear hollows and banks, these have previously been interpreted as either fishponds or the robber trenches of a substantial structure. To the north of these are a series of tofts that may be a continuation of the settlement discussed in UID 53847. The most northerly of these is a more substantial ditched enclosure (SE3361 8574) with a large platform at its north-eastern corner. Some of these earthworks are cut or overlain by later features such as a short causeway at SE3369 8569 and a possible footpath at SE3356 8563. (5-8)
The western edge of these earthworks is bounded by a field boundary or trackway that runs parallel to the hollow way. |