Gisborough Priory - Excavations

Excavations

Gisborough Priory has been excavated on a number of occasions. In 1865–1867 Captain Thomas Chaloner and William Downing Bruce carried out the first major excavation by cutting a trench across the site. A number of features were discovered, including a stone coffin containing the skeleton of a tall man thought to be Robert de Brus, the remnants of a monumental shrine and painted roof bosses. Evidence of the 1289 fire was discovered in the form of pieces of fused metal – an amalgam of lead, silver and iron that had melted and penetrated the floor of the building in the heat of the fire. The Office of Works carried out excavations in 1932 in conjunction with work to consolidate the walls and grounds so they could be opened to the public. Further work was carried out by Roy Gilyard Beer between 1947–54 for the Ministry of Works, which exposed more of the site and cleared away material from the 19th century.

In 1985–86 Cleveland County Archaeology Section carried out a major excavation of the west end of the nave to consolidate an area of subsidence. Its cause was the collapse of a previously unrecorded burial vault. They found more evidence of the fire of 1289 including scorched masonry, a shattered bell and broken grave-slabs. The remains of 47 people – 21 men, 17 women, 6 children and 3 of undetermined gender – were discovered, some of whom had been buried with grave goods including a gold finger ring and jet crosses. Two chalices and pattens were found alongside the remains of two priests. The skeletons were cremated and the ashes scattered in the centre of the Monks' Walk in the Priory Gardens. A geophysical survey was carried out to the west and east of the west range, indicating the existence of the buried remains of other monastic buildings which have yet to be excavated.