Newminster Abbey. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1981.


Earthworks at Newminster Abbey. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1981.

(NZ 18928584) Newminster Abbey (in ruins). (1)

A Cistercian abbey founded 1138 and dissolved 1537. (2)

Its importance can be seen from the fact that it was the principal daughter house of Fountains and the mother of Roche. The church was of the usual Cistercian plan, with square Chapter House and the cloisters (considerable parts of which have been re-erected) south of the nave. The range west of the cloisters had the usual vaulted undercroft, and the floor of what was probably the Abbot's Chapel has the finest 13th century tiles in the country. Plenty of fragments lie about, but they are still awaiting more thorough research. (3)

Extensive amateur excavation and rebuilding has taken place but no reports have been published. See annotated plan. (4)

Newminster Abbey (remains Grade I)
First abbey founded from Fountains 12th, 13th, late 14th and early 16th centuries. Lower parts of walls remain, buried in mounds of debris. At least one tile pavement exists untouched. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (5)

1418 MITFORD ROAD
Newminster Abbey (remains)
NZ 1885 4/53A 11/8/50

First abbey founded from Fountains C12, C13, late C14 and early C16. Lower parts of walls remain, buried in mounds of debris. At least one tile pavement exists untouched. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (5)

Excavation by Harbottle and Salway in 1963 revealed the outline plan of the abbey church and the north part of the east range. The 12th century church was an aisleless square-ended presbytery of three bays, and a nave of nine bays. (6)

Excavation by Harbottle and Salway in 1965 completed the outline of the infirmary hall. (7)

Newminster Abbey, founded 1137 by Ranulph de Merlay after visiting Fountains Abbey. 1138 burnt by the Scots, later restored. Fell into ruin after Dissolution. Excavation by Morpeth Society of Antiquaries find include a coin hoard and two medieval silver brooches. (8)

Newminster Abbey, grade II listed building. Ruins of a Cistercian Abbey. Parts of the cloister have been re-erected. (9)(10)

Site noted in a desk-based assessment of the area. It is noted as both as a multi-phase site, both scheduled and listed. (11)

As part of the 'Trowels to the Rescue' initiative, Archaeological Research Services Ltd were commissioned to undertake a desk-based assessment, analytical field survey, consultation and reporting for Newminster Abbey, Morpeth. The work comprised a Level 3 survey and investigation of the c.8 hectare core of the abbey including analysis and recording of the standing buildings remains and surviving earthworks. A Level 1 survey was also carried out of the wider area (up to an additional c. 20 hectares). Documentary and cartographic research was carried out along with a review of previous archaeological investigations and management of the site. The final report will be used to guide and support the immediate conservation needs and long-term management of the Scheduled Monument. (12)

Earthworks and structural remains are visible on the site of Newminster Abbey on historical and recent air photos and on lidar imagery. The core of the site is however obscured by trees on most of the conventional air photos. The site has been subject to a number of archaeological investigations (see source 13 for a summary) thus many of the earthworks that can be seen on the site are the grassed over remains of archaeological excavation trenches and spoil heaps. Despite this and with the benefit of plans of the 1964 excavations it is possible to recognise the main areas: the cloister, church, lay brother's range, chapter house and dorter. The spoil heaps may conceal further archaeological details. (13) (14) (15) (16)

NZ 189 857. Newminster Abbey. Scheduled No ND/165. (17a)

Additional source (17b)

In March 2010, English Heritage's Archaeological Survey and Investigation team undertook a Level 1 analytical field survey to inform a programme of research and conservation at Newminster Abbey by the North of England Civic Trust, likely to include a Level 3 field survey (10). The core of the site is as described by previous sources; grassed-over spoil heaps from the excavations, some taking the form of `finger dumps', are prominent on the north and east sides of the claustral nucleus, which is overgrown with scrub. The abbey occupies a low rise isolated between the River Wansbeck on the north and a boggy former oxbow lake on the south. This former river channel has cut deeply into the valley side, creating a steep escarpment which naturally encloses the complex. It seems likely that the oxbow lake was entirely water-filled in the medieval period, possibly serving as a fishpond, and also perhaps as a precinct boundary in the early life of the monastery. At its western end, the natural palaeochannel has been deliberately recut to form a moat-like channel which extends northwards towards the edge of the river terrace. Beyond this, a steep scarp followed by the present hedgeline continues the boundary as far as the river. Outside the oxbow lake, at the foot of the escarpment immediately to its south, a concrete spring-head marks the position of what is referred to as the `abbey well' on 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps. Adjacent to this, and now conjoined with the oxbow lake is what appears to have once been a separate rectangular fishpond. A series of wall lines surviving as low banks radiate out from the claustral nucleus as far as the inner edge of the oxbow lake; these have been depicted on Ordnance Survey maps from the 19th century onwards. These define closes, within which various building remains, almost certainly all of monastic origin (some attached to the radiating wall-lines), are equally well preserved. The wall-lines broadly correspond to the boundaries of, but stratigraphically overlie, several small fields of broad ridge and furrow, in most cases exhibiting a typical `reverse-S' pattern despite their short length. The overall pattern of these fields seems to respect the claustral nucleus, suggesting that the agriculture was contemporary with the monastery, but the relationship with the wall-lines suggests that the arable fields may have been put down to pasture as the complex expanded. Only on the west does it appear that ploughing continued after the abandonment of the monastery, since a wall-line and s stretch of the adjacent oxbow lake seem to have been overploughed. A bank surmounted by veteran trees runs parallel to the top of the escarpment, with a right of way following the intervening strip; this bank may mark an expansion of the outer precinct which formalised the boundary previously only defined by the natural feature. Beyond this, a second, parallel curving boundary may mark a further expansion. The monastery is approached from the west by a long, straight causeway that follows the edge of the river terrace, surmounted by a hedgeline of the inclosure period. The stone-built house known as Abbey Kennels, which appears to be of late medieval origin, lies at the eastern end of this. However, the main approach historically must have been from Morpeth, from the east, probably via the predecessor of the current Lowford Bridge (formerly Abbey Bridge) which was ruinous by 1680 (see 23236). An outer gatehouse may have been located immediately south of the bridge. (17c)

General association with HER 2834, HER 10820, HER 10948, HER 11071 and HER 11902 and is referred to by HER 11079. (17)