More information : TL 382008. Veresmead, an outer monastic close associated with Waltham Abbey, lies directly to the north of the monastic precinct. The land lies east of the river Lea and is partly made of recent deposits of silt, peat and marshy clay. The east and south part is on a well-drained gravel terrace.
The Cornmill stream, which forms the eastern boundary, would have supplied water to the mill, to flush the monastic sewers and to the Abbey fishponds in Veresmead. A slightly raised causeway runs across Veresmead from the incomplete medieval Stony bridge (TL 30 SE 128) over the Cornmill stram to the remains of the bridge over the lower mill stream. This causeway connects the Grange yard (TL 30 SE 126) with the Abbey gateway (TL 30 SE 79).
The only mention of Veresmead by this name is in 1220-22 when the trench cut across the south-west corner was re-turfed. After the Dissolution it seems to have been called Dovehouse Close.
Excavations by the Waltham Abbey Historical Society between 1970 and 1972 in Veresmead revealed a two-bay timber framed aisled hall and two successive dovecotes.(1)
Cropmarks of foundations of buildings, probably connected with the Abbey, were photographed and surveyed during the dry summer of 1933. (see plan attached to OS card TL 30 SE 8) (2)
The Abbey fishponds were found by RCHME investigators to be dry in 1921 but were waterfilled in 1964. (3,4)
Originally recorded as part of TL 30 SE 8. (5) |