Archaeological Monitoring at Langley Abbey, Norfolk

On the 25th-27th November 2009, OA East carried out an archaeological watching brief at Langley Abbey, Langley Green, Langley, Norfolk, NR14 6DG (TG 3623 0286). The monitoring was carried out during an ongoing development including the repair of a barn formed from a substantial medieval abbey building, and the creation of educational access and interpretative displays. These works include the installation of a soakaway and drainage trenches, the construction of a new stairway and the removal of two concrete pads, a concrete floor and a modern brick wall.
Features were also identified at the junction of the northern wall of the gatehouse and the north-western corner of the barn/western range, and these are interpreted as being contemporary with the original use of the Abbey. These comprise a buttress surviving below ground level, and subsequent reinforcement at a later date.
The monitoring identified features in the barn/western range that post-date the dissolution of the Abbey including: a porch leading to a door in the eastern wall, a retaining wall blocking a further door in the eastern wall and a heavily truncated internal stair leading leading to a door in the western wall. A brick wall was also identified to the north of the gatehouse.