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Description: | There are no visible remains of the buildings, but the site is marked by a complex of v-shaped ditches about 18 feet deep, with internal banks, which appear to be at least three rectangular enclosures with a fourth, smaller one to the north. The site is under grass. The house of Cistercian nuns was founded during the episcopate of Henry Murdac of York (1147-1153) by Alan de Boncels. The maximum number of nuns was to be thirty, with twelve lay brothers, but between 1377 and 1539 the figure varied between 12 and 15. The priory was dissolved in 1539. The income in 1535 had been 46 pounds 17s. 7d. {1}
A superb series of earthworks; the four enclosures are clearly defined although the smaller earthworks are less clear. Linear fishponds are at the north-east end of the site 1.5m deep. Earthworks continue to the west of the scheduled area with traces of an enclosure bank at the west boundary of the field, and includes a mound, probably a windmill mound. {2}
An investigation of the evidence suggests that the area of scheduled monument number 158 does not include the whole site of the nunnery. Mapped earthworks exist throughout this extended area. {3}{11}
The Cistercian priory of St Mary was founded between 1147 and 1153. It grew fast and this lead to a numerical limit being placed on the size of its community. It suffered severely at the Black Death and afterwards at any time numbered few more than the twelve nuns and a prioress who surrendered the priory to Henry VIII in 1539 at the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The site is a single pasture field of over twelve hectares (thirty acres) that preserves excellent earthworks including clear building ranges with appended rectangular walled enclosures and large ditched or moated and embanked closes. No monastic conventual plan is obvious in this, and much if not the whole of the well-preserved complex probably belongs to the post-Dissolution house. {7}
An archaeological survey was undertaken on lands forming part of the Brocklesby Estate, comprising field observation and rapid fieldwalking (on a non-collecting basis) and a desk-top assessment. This was done to appraise the archaeological resource of the estate as part of a wider Heritage Landscape Management Plan. A survey of Nun Cotham Priory proved that the earthworks extend beyond the scheduled area to the north where a ploughed out moat is visible on aerial photographs. Stonework found in this vicinity may indicate the position of a former gatehouse. {13}
Tile pits are recorded in the late twelfth century and the thirteenth century at Habrough (North-East Lincolnshire) in the place names ‘Tigelpittes’ and ‘Tygelpitgate’. It is likely that there were also tile kilns there at this time. Given the date of the place-name evidence it is possible that the tile-making site at Habrough may be linked to the monasteries at Newsham and Nuncotham, and perhaps Thornton (North Lincolnshire) too. {14}{15} | Subjects: | General Archaeology | Temporal: | 1150 - 1539 | Source: | Lincolnshire County Council | Identifier: | http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/Re... | Go to resource |
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