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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 November 2011
The Excavation Committee have been aware for some time that building development was likely in the extensive grounds of St. Mary's Abbey. In 1964 the planning authorities granted permission for a limited amount of new building work, and although this was subsequently withdrawn, it brought matters to a head. A major excavation was planned and carried out on the supposed site of the Abbey Church, and thus for the first time since its formation the Committee have undertaken work on an important medieval site. Our grateful thanks are due to Mr. Richard Chester Master for allowing the work to take place and for his keen interest during its progress. The excavations at the Abbey prevented continuation of research excavations at the Amphitheatre, but did not halt the rescue excavations at present habitual in the town, involving the following four sites. A vacant garden in Chester Street, which was scheduled for building, and was excavated by kind permission of Mr. Sutton, yielded information about both fort and town; the site of the old Gaumont Cinema at the corner of London Road and Victoria Road was excavated by kind permission of its present owners, who for the time being wish to remain anonymous, and produced interesting information about late changes in the Roman town-plan; a single trench in the garden behind Lloyds Bank, where excavation was made possible by the kind offices of the Manager, Mr. J. K. Hollinghurst, tested the line of a postulated street; while the garden of Ashcroft House, excavated by kind permission of the Pinnacle Development Company, produced, in a limited area, three mosaic pavements and part of an extensive town house. Excavation on this scale could only be carried out with large resources and the sum of nearly £3,000 was expended,1 while about 150 people gave their services in one capacity or another.
page 97 note 1 Grants were received from the Society of Antiquaries of London; H.M. Ministry of Public Building & Works; the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society; the Craven Fund and Haverfield Trust of the University of Oxford; while generous contributions were made by private donors and the general public.
page 97 note 2 Mrs. A. Wacher, Misses A. Bachelier, E. Dowman, M. Hewitt, C. Mahany, J. Mellor, J. Ruff, and H. Smith acted as site supervisors; Miss M. Owers was again in charge of the pottery shed; Miss G. Jones was the photographer; and Mr. A. Pacitto gave his technical services in lifting the Ashcroft mosaic pavement. The excavations could not have functioned without Mr. W. A. Blythe who was again responsible for all financial matters. The Cirencester Archaeological and Hisdonors Historical Society provided an almost continuous series of guides for the public, organized by Miss Radway, on the abbey and Ashcroft sites, an invaluable and remunerative service to the committee.
page 99 note 1 Antiq. Journ. xliii, 21.
page 99 note 2 Ibid. xlii, 3.
page 99 note 3 Ibid. xliii, 15.
page 99 note 4 By proton magnetometer survey in 1962, ibid.
page 99 note 5 Professor R. G. Collingwood, in J.R.S. xiv, 252;K.M. Kenyon: The Jewry Wall Site, Leicester, p. 38; I. D. Margary: Roman Roads in Britain, i, 134; Dr. G. A. Webster, in Arch. J. cxv, 50.
page 100 note 1 Excavation in 1962 showed that this end of the town was probably flooded from time to time, and would not have been suitable for a fort site. Antiq. Journ. xliii, 22.
page 101 note 1 Antiq. Journ. xliv, 15.
page 102 note 1 Arch. lxix, 176, no. 21.
page 104 note 1 Arch. lxix, 176, no. 10.
page 105 note 1 The writer would like to record his grateful thanks to Dr. Joan Evans, P.-P.S.A., Mr. W. I. Croome, F.S.A., Mr. R. Neville Hadcock, F.S.A., and Mr. Arnold Taylor, F.S.A., who all visited the site and gave him invaluable advice. Mr. R. Gilyard-Beer, F.S.A., kindly read this report and commented on it.
page 105 note 2 Itinerary, v, 64.
page 106 note 1 K. J. Beecham, History of Cirencester, facing barrelp. p. 66.
page 106 note 2 Numbers in brackets in this section refer to the Connumbers on the plan (pl. xli).
page 106 note 3 Mr. Gilyard-Beer points out that apsidal chapter-houses of this date may have no vestibule. The roof of such a building would usually be barrel-vaulted in a single span, which made them so high that the dormitory did not extend over them. Consequently there would be no night stairs in the transept.
page 107 note 1 At Hexham Priory, where the dormitory was carried over the chapter-house vestibule. But see p. 106 n. 3 above.
page 108 note 1 Like the Augustinian foundations at Bolton, Brinkburn, Haverfordwest, Kenilworth, Kirkham, Lesnes, Llanthony Prima, Portchester, &c. Information provided by Mr. Gilyard-Beer.
page 108 note 2 Numbers in brackets in this section refer to the number on the plan (pl. XLII). Mr. Gilyard-Becr suggests that this arrangement of ‘vestibules’ flanking an entrance passage is like that at Furness and possibly Fountains, where they were used as libraries.
page 109 note 1 A suggestion I owe to Dr. Joan Evans.
page 109 note 2 Mr. Gilyard-Beer points out that similar arrangements occur at Castle Acre, Chester, Bolton, and Battle.
page 109 note 3 Mr. W. I. Croome kindly drew my attention to this.