| Summary : Site of Anglo-Saxon nunnery and Medieval chapel, Stow Green. The monument includes part of the the site of an Anglo-Saxon nunnery founded at Stow in the late seventh century by Aethelreda, Abbess of Ely (see TF 03 NE 31). During the Medieval period the site was occupied by a chapel dedicated to St Aethelreda and by a fair held annually on her feast day. A chapel survived on the site until the early 20th century. The remains of the nunnery are therefore overlain by those of a Medieval chapel with cemetery and precinct boundary, and traces of post-Medieval activity relating to the use of the site as a fair ground. The remains of the Medieval or Post medieval churchyard were visible as earthworks on early photography butlater as cropmarks. The churchyard and possibly associatedfeatures have been mapped from good quality air photographs. The churchyard was visible as a ditch defined rectilinear enclosure measuring 55m by 30m and centred at TF 0941 3508. The enclosure is bisected by a ditched boundary. The west and north ditches of the churchyard were filled with trees in 1946. The ruins of a, probably modern, derelict, roofless building used to sit on the south eastcorner of the enclosure but this has now been destroyed. The chapel sits in the corner of a field surrounded by ridge and furrow. No trace of earthworks or cropmarks associated with the early Medieval nunnery of AEthelreda (TF 03 NE 31) were visible on the available air photographs. Nothing positively identifiable as earthworks related to the fair were visible but the faint traces of a Medieval or post Medieval building were visible as arectangular bank defined enclosure measuring 5m by 5m and centred at TF 0946 3507. A possible hollow way cuts through ridge and furrow from the churchyard site for about 270m eastwards to the hamlet of Stow. |
More information : [TF 09403509] Chapel [GT] (Site of). (1)
Stow, a hamlet of three or four houses, once had a chapel or oratory,
the foundations of which may still be traced. (2) Site still visible.
A faint enclosure on the south side may be the churchyard. (3)
The site of the chapel has recently been levelled; much building
stone was seen but no foundations were traceable. (4)
Foundations, possibly relating to former chapel, planned. Post-
Medieval pottery and clay pipes found. (5)
Documentary evidence to locate 7th century "monastery" nunnery at
Stow Green (see TF 13 NE 31). Site of St Mary's church postulated.
(6)
Carved stone coffin lid found, now at Stow Farm with other carved
fragments. (7)
TF 09413507. Site of Anglo-Saxon nunnery and Medieval chapel, Stow
Green. The monument includes part of the the site of an Anglo-Saxon
nunnery founded at Stow in the late seventh century by Aethelreda,
Abbess of Ely (see TF 03 NE 31). During the Medieval period the site
was occupied by a chapel dedicated to St Aethelreda and by a fair
held annually on her feast day. A chapel survived on the site until
the early 20th century. The remains of the nunnery are therefore
overlain by those of a Medieval chapel with cemetery and precinct
boundary, and traces of post-Medieval activity relating to the use of
the site as a fair ground. Scheduled RSM no. 22610. (8)
The remains of the Medieval or Post medieval churchyard referred to
by authority 3 were visible as earthworks on early photography but
later as cropmarks. The churchyard and possibly associated
features have been mapped from good quality air photographs. The
churchyard was visible as a ditch defined rectilinear enclosure
measuring 55m by 30m and centred at TF 0941 3508. The enclosure is
bisected by a ditched boundary. The west and north ditches of the
churchyard were filled with trees in 1946. The ruins of a, probably
modern, derelict, roofless building used to sit on the south east
corner of the enclosure but this has now been destroyed. The chapel
sits in the corner of a field surrounded by ridge and furrow. No
trace of earthworks or cropmarks associated with the early Medieval
nunnery of AEthelreda (TF 03 NE 31) were visible on the available air
photographs. Nothing positively identifiable as earthworks related
to the fair referred to by authority 8 were visible but the faint
traces of a Medieval or post Medieval building were visible as a
rectangular bank defined enclosure measuring 5m by 5m and centred at
TF 0946 3507. A possible hollow way cuts through ridge and furrow
from the churchyard site for about 270m eastwards to the hamlet of
Stow. The hollow way is centred at TF 0954 3503 and it and the
building could relate to the use of the site as a fairground.
(Morph No. LI.823.10.1-3)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(9) |