Urban Archaeology has just been awarded £1,000 by the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society to fund documentary research by Rebecca Phillips and Helen Timlin of Shorter and Timlin Archivists Ltd as part of a publication project on Gloucester Cathedral’s Project Pilgrim.
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| Chiz Harward recording the tile pavement at the south door of Gloucester cathedral |
The Heritage Lottery Funded Project Pilgrim delivered major improvements to the internal and external accessibility, layout and appearance of the cathedral with a new cathedral entrance lobby and welcome area, cathedral shop, and access improvements into the east end and access and conservation works in the Lady Chapel. Urban Archaeology carried out excavations during the internal works and significant discoveries were made including evidence for immediate structural failure in the north ambulatory during its construction by Abbot Serlo in the last years of the 11th century; for the layout of the original east end chapel; of a subsequent ‘lost’ 13th century Lady Chapel; and a pavement of reused medieval decorated floor tiles at the south door.
Analysis of the excavation results will be led by Chiz Harward of Urban Archaeology who has worked at the cathedral on several projects over the last decade. Shorter and Timlin Archivists/Rebecca and Helen will search archives for documents relating to the findings including monastic records, account and Chapter books, plans and illustrations.
The B&GAS funded research will place the excavated findings in their full context, adding to our understanding of the development of the building during its time as St Peter’s Abbey, and as the present cathedral. These are exciting times for the archaeology and history of the cathedral site, with several projects nearing completion, and new ones about to start. Gloucester Cathedral is an absolutely fascinating site, and there is so much more to find out! The final paper will be published in the Society’s prestigious annual Transactions.
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