Monument record TR 15 NE 1339 - The Vineyard. St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury

Summary

Vineyard created in 1320 at North Holmes to the north of St Augustine's Abbey by Abbot Ralph Bourne. The area was first cleared of dubious denizens. A common road was closed with a royal licence and then the land cleared of thorns and brambles and levelled. A wall was then built to enclose the area. The vineyard was still in existence circa 1500. The site was later used for Christ Church College.

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 1561 5789 (216m by 183m)
Map sheet TR15NE
County KENT
District CANTERBURY, KENT
Civil Parish CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT

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Type and Period (1)

Full Description

North of the Abbey buildings a new and large choice vineyard was planted in 1320 during the abbacy of Abbot Ralph Bourne. The annual costs for looking after the vineyard, and another at the Abbey's manor at Chislet, are recorded in detail in a surviving document. The vineyard was close to Nord Home (North Holmes Road) in an area where land was formerly a den of theives, a house of filthiness and fornication and to it a common road …etc. The bushes and brambles were cut down, shady holes filled, the road closed, and the area walled, then planted with choice vines.

In 1882, St. Augustine's College purchased the North Holmes Estate, along North Holmes Road, once the Abbey vineyard, which by then was a market garden with vineries and hothouses. Later it became part of Christ Church College. (1)

Description from record TR 15 NE 277:
(TR 15445789). Vineyard, shown on map of circa 1500. (2)


<1> Gem, R., 1997, St. Augustine's Abbey Canterbury, English Heritage (Monograph). SKE30335.

<2> CAT Topo maps of Cant 2nd ed 1982 c1500 (OS Card Reference). SKE38738.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1>XY Monograph: Gem, R.. 1997. St. Augustine's Abbey Canterbury, English Heritage. [Mapped feature: #1484 vinyard, ]
  • <2> OS Card Reference: CAT Topo maps of Cant 2nd ed 1982 c1500.

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Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (6)

  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological evaluation at The King's School ( St Augustine's Abbey), 1997 (Ref: Site codes: KS97 and KS397) (EKE13672)
  • Intrusive Event: Canterbury Christ Church College (Nursing Studies Building) (Ref: CAT: 118) (EKE13686)
  • Intrusive Event: Canterbury Christ Church University College (Ref: CAT: 118) (EKE13697)
  • Intrusive Event: King's School (North of Hervey House) (Ref: CAT: 118) (EKE13680)
  • Intrusive Event: King's School, St Augustine's Abbey (Ref: CAT: 118) (EKE13687)
  • Intrusive Event: North Holmes Road (Ref: CAT: 125) (EKE13696)

Record last edited

Jan 12 2022 2:55PM