| Summary : The subsurface and standing remains of the Benedictine Abbey of St John are located in Colchester, Essex. It was founded in 1095 by Eudo de Rie, steward of William the Conqueror, however evidence suggests a church stood on the site prior to the abbey's establishment.The elaborate 15th century gatehouse is the only abbey building to remain standing. The building, of two stories and corner turrets, is built in stone with panels of flint flushwork. To the east of the gate is the now roofless, two storied porter's lodging, which is accessible via a square headed doorway in the eastern wall of the carriageway.The abbey church stood to the south of the gatehouse while the cloister was originally located on the northern side of the church but, following a fire in 1133, it was moved to the southern side. Its possible, however, that this occurred earlier. South of the church, the eastern claustral range contained the chapter house, dormitory and privy house. The south range would have contained the refectory and kitchens, and the cellarer's range would have stood to the west. The abbot's house will have been located elsewhere in the precinct, probably to the west. The abbey would also have contained an infirmary, guest house and a variety of other domestic buildings, stabling and barns. The monks' cemetery would have been located near the eastern end of the abbey church. The abbey was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539 and in 1544 it passed to Sir Thomas Darcy. In 1548 some of the buildings were converted to a residence, while part of the precinct is thought to have been converted to a formal garden. The house served as a Royalist stronghold during the siege of Colchester in 1648, and following the imprisonment of Dutch prisoners in the 1660s, the remaining buildings, except the gatehouse, were demolished. The grounds passed to various owners prior to being acquired by the War Office in 1860. The gatehouse is currently under the guardianship of English Heritage. |
More information : TL 998247 Site of St John's Abbey (NR) (Benedictine Founded AD 1095) (NAT)
TL 99772475 Abbey Gate (NR) (1)
The Benedictine Abbey of St John was founded in 1096-7 and dissolved in 1539. The only remains consist of the north gatehouse and part of the perimeter wall. The gatehouse dates from the 15th century with extensive 19th century restoration. Grade I. The perimeter wall of 16th century date remains standing on the north, east and south sides, built of brick, moulded stones and rubble. In the north east angle is the site of a well represented by a brick projection with stone pointed head arch and date panel: "Abbey Well 1817". (2-4)
St John's Abbey Gatehouse. Built in the later 15th century, the back of the building was rebuilt in brick in the 17th century because of damage sustained during the siege of 1648. Grade I. (5)
TL 997247 St John's Abbey Gate; scheduled. (6)
Documentary sources indicate that a parish church, founded by a priest named Sigeric, stood on the site prior to the Norman Conquest. A small structure was partly uncovered during the 1972 excavations in the area. This area has since been landscaped to form the steep verge on the south side of St Botolph's Circus. The building, which had rubble foundations and reused Roman masonry incorporated in the lower course of the walls, is considered to be Sigeric's Church of St John the Evangelist. The excavations revealed a narrow structure, around 6m wide, orientated east to west and divided into three cells, the eastern cell, or chancel, having an apsidal east wall. The southern edge of the building and the greater part of the western cell were not excavated. These remain preserved toward the top of the verge, and are included in the scheduling.
The Benedictine Abbey of St John was founded by Eudo de Rie, Dapifer (or steward) of William the Conqueror, in August 1095. The extent of the abbey is recorded on historic maps, particularly on John Speed's map of Colchester in 1610, and can still be traced on the ground. The south western quarter of the precinct is overlain by a 20th century building complex. Elsewhere, the majority of the precinct is largely undeveloped and will contain buried foundations of the abbey buildings and other related features.
The 15th century gatehouse, situated towards the centre of the northern precinct boundary and now the principal entrance to the Officers' Club, is the only abbey building to remain standing. The building, of two stories and corner turrets, is built in stone with panels of flint flushwork. The lower part of the structure is substantially original, retaining the elaborate lierne vaulting above the carriageway and pedestrian access which run between four-centred arches to north and south. The upper chamber, northern facade and turrets were heavily restored in the mid 19th century, and are believed to be faithful copies of the original work. It is in the care of the Secretary of State.
To the east of the gate is the now roofless, two storied porter's lodging, which is accessible via a square headed doorway in the eastern wall of the carriageway. Traces of a spiral staircase to the upper floor are visible in the north east corner, although the floor itself is only evident from the series of joist holes in the walls. A doorway in a recess on the western side of the entranceway originally provided access to a second building, now demolished. The foundations will be preserved beneath the garden of the Officers' Mess.
A map of 1610 shows the location of the abbey church to the south of the gatehouse, and the lines of some of the buried foundations of the church and claustral range were recorded as grass parch marks here in 1958.
The cloister was originally located on the northern side of the church but, following a fire in 1133 which destroyed a large part of southern Colchester as well as part of St John's, it was moved to the southern side. However, some sources suggest that the move happened earlier, and was intended to distance the monks from the noise of the town. Benedictine abbeys were invariably built to a standard plan and it is therefore possible to reconstruct the probable layout of the abbey after the fire. To the south of the church, the range along the eastern side of the cloister would have contained the chapter house, dorter (dormitory) and reredorter (latrines). The south range would have contained the frater (refectory) and kitchens, and the cellarer's range would have stood to the west. The abbot's house will have been located elsewhere in the precinct, probably to the west of the claustral buildings. The abbey would also have contained an infirmary, guest house and a variety of other domestic buildings, stabling and barns. The monks' cemetery would have been located near the eastern end of the abbey church. Part of the 12th century parochial cemetery was revealed during the 1972 excavations. This had been established on raised ground overlying the area of the pre-Conquest church, the soil containing fragments of burnt masonry suggesting that the landscaping took place after the fire in 1133. A total of 15 lined graves and 18 shallow unlined graves were found cut into this surface, and it was evident that the graveyard continued to the south and probably to the west around the Parish Church of St Giles which was constructed in the northern part of the precinct between 1133 and 1171. The church still stands, having been converted into a masonic centre in the late 20th century.
The abbey was dissolved in 1539 and passed into the hands of Sir Thomas Darcy in 1544. In 1547 the site was under the control of John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and was then bought by John Lucas in 1548, who converted some of the abbey buildings, probably the abbot's house, into a residence which remained the family seat until the mid 17th century. During this period the precinct wall was repaired, using stone from the abbey buildings which, with the exception of the church, were gradually demolished. The broad terraces which survive across the eastern part of the former precinct are thought to represent a formal garden associated with the Lucas' house. The terraces, utilised by tennis courts in the latter part of this century, descend from a level area in the south east corner of the precinct, forming part of a symmetrical pattern bisected by a narrower terraced walkway extending across the centre of the slope from east to west. The principal buildings of the post-Dissolution house are thought to have been located towards the western side of the precinct, where ranges are shown on both Speed's 1610 map and Chapman and Andre's town plan of 1777. The terraced walkway would therefore have originally led from the house providing the main axis of the garden in a manner characteristic of the period. Traces of the pattern of terraces can still be seen in the areas of lawn surrounding the northern perimeter of the DCTA complex, clearly demonstrating that the garden earthworks formerly spanned the full width of the precinct.
The house served as a Royalist stronghold during the siege of Colchester in 1648, suffering considerable damage as a result. The remaining abbey buildings (with the exception of the gatehouse), appear to have been demolished after the site was used to house Dutch prisoners in the 1660s and, there are no references to occupation after the mid 18th century. The abbey grounds passed to various owners prior to being acquired by the War Office in 1860. (7)
Additional source. (8)
The boundary wall of St John's Abbey was excavated in 1971-2 and found to be Norman and refaced, probably in the 16th century. (9-10)
This is the website for the Colchester Garrion Officers' Club which is reached via the 15th century abbey gate. (11)
The site is listed in the English Heritage members' and visitors' handbook 2009/10. (12) |