| Summary : Cluniac abbey of St Saviour, founded in 1147 by King Stephen who was buried there. It became a Benedictine abbey by the reign of Henry III and was dissolved in 1538. Excavations have located the layout of the church and claustral buildings. It was also found that the abbey was reduced in size with a large cemetery covering part of the original structure. Two 15th century houses, nos 80 and 81 Abbey Street nearby may have been part of the original abbey. The abbey was clearly one of the great abbeys of the realm. To the north of the immense church was a correspondingly large cloister and attached buildings including a Chapter House, Frater, Dorter, Cellar and West Range. The church and claustral buildings were reduced in size at a later date, and a large cemetery covered part of the original structure. The many small finds included carved stonework, window glass, lead, floor tiles and several coins. The tiles form an important series ranging in date from the 12th - 15th centuries. The glass, painted and coloured is some of the earliest of its type found. The abbey was surrendered in 1538, the royal tombs robbed, and thorough demolition of the church begun. |
More information : [TR 0182 6172] Remains of St. Saviour's Abbey [NR] (Benedictine
founded A.D. 1147.) [NAT] (1)
The Benedictine Abbey of St. Saviour, Faversham, was found in 1148 and dissolved in 1538. No. 80 Abbey Street, a 15th century timber framed building, was the guest house adjoining the outer gatehouse, and No. 81, a 15th century timber framed cottage, may also have formed part of the abbey building. (2-4)
Scheduled. (5)
The remains are as described. No. 80 is in excellent condition and No. 81 is in fair condition. Both buildings are private residences. See GP, AO/63/129/5 and 6. (6)
The plan of the church and claustral buildings of Faversham Abbey was revealed by excavation under the direction of B. J. Philp. (7)(8)
[TR 0198 6177] Site of Abbey indicated by Mr Philp. (9)
Nothing remains of the features excavated by Mr Philp. The site is now occupied by the playing fields of Queen Elizabeth's School. No.s 80 and 81 Abbey Street remain as described by Phillips (Authority 6) in 1963. (10)
The Royal Abbey, Faversham: excavations of this extensive site, covering 4-5 acres, undertaken during January and February 1965 in advance of development projects, located the site of the Abbey and examined its associated buildings. The abbey was founded by Stephen in 1147 for the royal sepulchres and work began in 1148. Although colonized by Cluniac monks, the monastery was an independent house. The church itself proved to be a vast structure - 361ft. in length and nearly 80ft. in width. Stephen, Matilda and Eustace were all buried within. It was clearly one of the great abbeys of the realm. To the north was a correspondingly large cloister and attached buildings including a Chapter House, Frater, Dorter, Cellar and West Range. The church and claustral buildings were reduced in size at a later date, and a large cemetery covered part of the original structure. The many small finds included carved stonework, window glass, lead, floor tiles and several coins. The tiles form an important series ranging in date from the 12th - 15th centuries. The glass, painted and coloured is some of the earliest of its type found.
The abbey was surrendered in 1538, the royal tombs robbed, and thorough demolition of the church begun. (See Illustration Card for plan.) (11)(12)
Additional bibliography. (13)
[TR 020 617] Faversham Abbey, scheduled. (14)
Arden's House, Grade II*, No. 80 Abbey Street (east side). This building was the guest house of Faversham Abbey and adjoins the outer gatehouse.
Wall enclosing garden behind Arden's House on the north side, Grade II. Wall of stone rubble, about 5ft. 5 inches high.
No. 81, Grade II*, Abbey Street (east side). 15th century timber-framed cottage that also was part of the Abbey buildings. (For full descriptions see list.) (15)
Faversham Abbey: Cluniac at first, but by the reign of Henry III had become Benedictine. Nothing remains of the church above ground. The plan was an aisled nave, with transepts, central tower and a choir of nine bays nearly as long as the nave, square at the east end but with three apsidal east chapels. The interpretation of the excavated evidence is disputed, though both the east and west ends were clearly curtailed. 81 Abbey Street has an original ground floor window. Number 80 is gabled towards the road and was originally part of the abbey gatehouse. The low stone building leaning against its north side is part of the gatehouse chapel. Six crown posts probably from the west range and frater of the abbey, demolished some time after 1671, are re-used in a 17th century warehouse at Standard Quay (TR 06 SW 59). (16)
Additional bibliography. (17)
The Outer Gatehouse (TR 0181 6174). This site is situated on what used to be house plots 34 a,b,c and d Abbey Street. The site occupies an area of flat, open ground at approximately 7m OD. In April 1979, the builder cleared what was then a derelict site and cut concreted foundation trenches. This resulted in the discovery of several masonry foundations relating to parts of three sides of a building, a cellar and two boundary walls, all apparently of Medieval date. These were instantly recorded and some minor excavation work revealed more detail. Further visits were made to monitor the builder's ground works, but no more evidence was forthcoming. The lengths of stone wall foundations relate to the west end of a building with an integral cellar partially under the building's west end. It is likely that the newly discovered building forms either part of the western section of the Outer Gatehouse Range (which was partially demolished in 1771) or another building immediately adjacent to it. Only six sherds of pottery fragments of peg-tiles and single roof slate were recovered. All pottery is of Medieval date c.AD 1100-1300. (18) |