Monument record 0175100000 - MEDMENHAM ABBEY

Summary

Site of the medieval Cistercian abbey of Medmenham, possibly with evidence for earlier occupation

Protected Status/Designation

Planning Notification Area: Site of Medieval abbey at Medmenham

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Type and Period (3)

ABBEY (13th Century to 16th Century - 1200 AD to 1599 AD)
CISTERCIAN MONASTERY (13th Century to 16th Century - 1200 AD to 1599 AD)
MONASTERY? (9th Century to 11th Century - 800 AD? to 1099 AD?)

Description

ABBEY FOUNDED 1204 ON LANDS GRANTED TO WOBURN ABBEY. FIRST FOUNDATION FAILED, BUT HOUSE BUILT & INHABITED BY 1213. AT DISSOLUTION ONLY THE ABBOT & 1 MONK REMAINED. DEDICATED TO ST MARY (B1-4).
INCOMPLETE LIST OF ABBOTS 1256-1536 (B3).
SUPPRESSED BEFORE 8/7/1536 (B5).
NO ARCHITECTURAL REMAINS (B2,B6).
Evidence from a series of watching briefs carried out by Mike Farley in 1999-2000 results in re-interpretation of abbey plan. Finds of pottery, burials and buildings pre-dating the 13th century, suggests use of the site for a pre-Cistercian phase of the monastic complex or possibly the presence of a mid to late Saxon Christian structure, built on an eyot in the Thames. See report for detail (B19).

Sources (24)

<1>SBC20460 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1905. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume I. Volume 1. pp376-377.
<2>SBC7341 Bibliographic reference: LANGLEY T 1797 HISTORY & ANTIQUITIES OF THE HUNDRED OF DESBOROUGH PP340-344.
<3>SBC26953 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 3). Volume 3. pp614-615.
<4>SBC7988 Article in serial: Rev Charles Lowndes. 1871. 'THE MANOR & ABBEY OF MEDMENHAM', IN RECS OF BUCKS 4 PP57-64. Vol 4, part 2.
<5>SBC7153 Bibliographic reference: KNOWLES D & HADCOCK R N 1971 MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES IN ENGLAND & WALE-S 2ND EDIT PP13, 122.
<6>SBC20466 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1912. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 1. p255.
<7>SBC4242 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1987. LIST OF BUILDINGS OF SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC INTEREST; BUCKS: WYCOMBE DISTRICT: PARISHES OF CHEPPING WYCOMBE &C.
<8>SBC16431 Bibliographic reference: WATERCOLOURS NOTED IN COLLECTIONS OF SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON, BURLINGTON HOUSE.
<9>SBC4314 Article in serial: R S Downs. 1906. 'OLD COINS: RECENT FINDS IN OR NEAR HIGH WYCOMBE', IN RECS OF BUCKS 9 PP208-221. Vol 9, part 3.
<10>SBC5505 Bibliographic reference: G E SCRIMGEOUR JULY 1988 FROM B7.
<11>SBC4886 Unpublished document: Mike Farley (BCM). 1991. NOTES AND PLAN MADE DURING VISIT FOR WATCHING BRIEF.
<12>SBC4836 Unpublished document: 1992. FARLEY M E (BCM) AUG 1992 WATCHING BRIEF (SEE NOTES, FILED).
<13>SBC4854 Unpublished document: Mike Farley (BCM). 1993. WATCHING BRIEF NOTES & PLAN.
<14>SBC2347 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum Archaeological Service. 1993. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES AT MEDMENHAM ABBEY, BUCKS: A PRELIMINARY REPORT.
<15>SBC5556 Bibliographic reference: GADSDEN & TREHERNE, OSBORN & MERCER. 1895. THE DANESFIELD ESTATE ON THE BANKS OT THE THAMES NEAR HENLEY (AUCTION CATALOGUE).
<16>SBC19256 Bibliographic reference: Browne Willis. 1717. An History of the Mitred Parliametary Abbies. Vol 2. p29.
<17>SBC19423 Bibliographic reference: Britton J & Brayley EW. The Beauties of England and Wales I. p376.
<18>SBC22186 Unpublished document: Thames Valley Archaeological Services. 2004. Ferry Nab, Ferry Lane, Medmenham: An Archaeological Watching Brief.
<19>SBC22264 Unpublished document: Michael Farley Archaeology. 2001. Medmenham Abbey, Medmenham: results from some archaeological watching briefs.
<20>SBC19002 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum Archaeological Service. 1998. Historic Parks and Gardens Register Review.
<21>SBC23358 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2006. NMR Buildings Reports.
<22>SBC24129 Unpublished document: John Moore Heritage Services. 2010. Archaeological Watching Brief: Ferry Nab, Ferry Lane, Medmenham.
<23>SBC24399 Unpublished document: John Moore Heritage Services. 2012. Archaeological Watching Brief at Ferry Nab, Ferry Lane, Medmenham.
<24>SBC25897 Article in serial: CBA South Midlands Group. 2019. South Midlands Archaeology 49. Vol 49. p56.

Location

Grid reference	SU 80700 83800 (point)
Civil Parish	MEDMENHAM, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire