Access changes to the church during archaeological investigations May & June 2024
When: From 29th May – 10th June 2024 (approx.)
Where: Blanchland Abbey Churchyard
Access into the Abbey will be affected by exploratory excavations in the churchyard later in May and June. We need to improve the drainage from the church roof to stop the damp inside the building, also we want to improve the facilities for people using the church, and ease the access into the church. So that our experts can take full account of what is hidden beneath the surface of the churchyard when making their designs, we are excavating in several places along the west wall, outside the east tower door, and also along the main path from the roadside.
Access to the church by one or other of the doors will be maintained at all times, but while the archaeologists are working on the path, we will have to walk along the road to the east churchyard gate and come in through the churchyard to the east door. This path is grassy and so you may want to consider your footwear.
The archaeologists plan to start their excavations along the path, so that it can be quickly reinstated with concrete slabs. These will be a temporary measure while we use the information we uncover to make plans and get permissions for reprofiling the slope of the path down to the church. You can read the approved plans for the excavations below:
Read the report of the 2023 excavations looking beneath the Abbey floor:
A community archaeology approach was used, with up to five volunteers digging at any one time, plus a volunteer steward, and three supervising archaeologists. Three trenches were dug inside the Abbey, and one to the east of the tower to evaluate the underlying archaeology to inform decisions being made about prospective heating and extension options for the church. The Written Scheme of Investigation was informed by documentary sources and a geophysical survey which were compiled into a Heritage Management Plan completed in 2019 as part of the Blanchland Abbey Resilience Project.
In February 2024 the leader of the excavations, Dr Rob Young, ably assisted by lead volunteers Dr Sheila Severn Newton and Dr Andrew Newton, presented the conclusions of the 2023 excavations to the public at a meeting in Blanchland Village Hall. You can see his presentation below:
The documents for the 2023 excavations can be downloaded here:
Written Scheme of Investigation
Archaeological Assessment 2017
The supervising archaeologists kept a weekly dig diary which can be read here:
