| Summary : The remains of the Premonstratensian abbey at Coverham, situated on the north bank of the River Cover four miles west of Middleham. The abbey was founded in 1212 by Ranulph Fitz-Robert when it moved from Swainby. By the early 14th century the house was facing near collapse following the loss of lands and income, fire and the consequences of raids by the Scots in 1314-1318. This prompted a phase of rebuilding and by 1350 the abbey had recovered. In 1536 Coverham Abbey was dissolved. The abbeys main buildings lie on a low river terrace. Some of the core buildings survive as upstanding remains, further remains are incorporated into buildings constructed after the dissolution, and other remains will survive below ground. Of the standing remains, the earliest are those of the early 13th century abbey church (Listed Grade I) which was rebuilt in the mid 14th century. The west range of the cloister housing the guest house was rebuilt in the late 15th century, and substantial medieval fabric still survives within the existing Garth Cottage (Listed Grade I). The inner court was defined by a stone wall, of which only the western gatehouse is currently visible. The inner precinct gatehouse, which is Listed Grade I, stands 125 metres to the west of the cloister buildings and dates to the early 16th century. The line of the precinct wall has been identified by analysis of local topography and road patterns, but only one section of the wall is currently visible 100 metres to the north east of the abbey, where the top of the buried remains of the wall are exposed at ground level. Scheduled. |
More information : (SE 10608639) Coverham Abbey and remains of
(NAT) Abbey (NR) (Premonstratensian) (NAT)
(SE 10478632) Abbey Gate (NR)
(SE 10718635) Fish Ponds (NR) (1)
The Abbey for Premonstratensian Canons at Coverham was
established between 1197 and 1202 (2) or 1212-13 (3) on being
moved from its original site at Swainby (SE 38 NW 2). In 1331-2
it had apparently been destroyed by the Scots and impoverished,
it was suppressed in 1536. Most of what little remains of the
abbey has been incorporated in later buildings. The only free
standing parts are four portions of the 13th - 14th century
abbey church (see plan). To the southwest is the abbey gatehouse,
circa 1500, consisting of a pair of ashlar arches.
Amongst the later buildings is Abbey House (SE 10598637) an 18th
century stone building containing Medieval carvings in the east
side wall, with an early, 17th century back wing. A 18th or 19th
century curtain wall to the southeast of the house is almost
entirely composed of Medieval carved stonework from the abbey.
Remains of the Abbey Guest house are incorporated in the 16th
century Garth Cottage (SE 10588638). The abbey ruins are grade 1,
the abbey gatehouse, Abbey House and curtain wall are grade 2*
and Garth Cottage is Grade 2. (2-4)
Only part of the north archway to the south aisle is free
standing, all other extant fragments of Coverham Abbey have
incorporated into the modern house, farm or walls. The gate
house is in good condition (see GP from the SW). To the south
and east of the Abbey are the remains of fields and sunken
trackways. A single fish pond, encroached on by farm buildings
in the north and very much weathered down survives at SE
10728636.
Published survey (25") revised. (5)
SE 106 864. Coverham Abbey. Scheduled No NY/2. (6)
Coverham Abbey was visited by English Heritage field investigators in June 1999 during the course of the National SAMs Survey Pilot Project.
The abbey is situated in the valley bottom at the eastern end of Coverdale near where the valley runs into Wensleydale (8). The abbey ruins are situated at the foot of a prominent scarp which drops down from the edge of an ancient river terrace situated above the site on the N and NW. Some of the abbey buildings have been incorporated into later buildings while the remains of the abbey church forms a romantic ruin in a garden. No actual survey took place but the abbey and its environs were perambulated and Monarch records revised or created as appropriate.
The boggy pasture field centered SE 1066 8645, immediately NE of the abbey ruins, is crossed by the remains of a drain. It is oriented approximimately NNW-SSE and still contains flowing water - the latter probably comes from the stream in Cotescue Park which has been culverted under Coverham Lane at SE 1060 8661. In places the roof of the drain has collapsed inwards revealing a structure of dressed stone, capped with flags. The drain may have carried at least some of the water required for the abbey and could also have supplied the former fishpond at SE 1072 8636 (SE 18 NW 35). A spread bank, with stone protruding through its top, is visible a short distance to the east of this drain. It may the remains of the precinct wall and measures 5m to 6m across and 0.7m high on its downslope side. It follows an approximately SE-NW course and towards its north end it appears to start turning towards the west. The area N of the abbey, including the foot and much of the slope of the river terrace scarp, was obscured by seasonal vegetation growth at the time of the visit. The fishpond and other earthworks (S and E of the abbey) referred to by authority 5 (see above) have now been included in the record for SE 18 NW 35. (9) |