Ramsey Abbey: Excavations at Ramsey Abbey School, Cambridgeshire, 1998-2002

Excavations at Ramsey Abbey in 1998 (14th of April - 1st of June) and 2002 (25th of September - 19th of October) were conducted by Cambridgeshire County Council's CAM ARC (formerly the Archaeological Field Unit). The excavated area covered part of the former abbey precinct, with a new school building being built in 1998 and a related extension in 2002. Four main phases of Late Saxon to Medieval activity were revealed, the earliest being two or three small timber buildings of possible domestic origin in the extreme south of the site, with an adjacent field boundary ditch. The buildings were replaced by a short-lived large enclosure containing an internal watering hole. During the 12th century the house was captured, looted and fortified by Geoffery de Mandeville. Perhaps dating to this time was a large defensive ditch and associated bank. A trackway may have led towards a large building possibly used as a storehouse as well as two other structures. A lode was later constructed and presumably connected to other lodes within and around Ramsey, permitting goods to be brought to and from the abbey. A possible crane may have been used to off-load goods. At the dissolution the lode was backfilled with domestic rubbish from the abbey and demolition rubble was strewn across the site. The area reverted to agricultural land until it recently became part of the land held by Ramsey Abbey School.