LANERCOST PRIORY, CUMBRIA. REPORT ON GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY, MAY 1992

Author(s): Andy Payne

Geophysical survey was carried out at Lanercost Priory to inform the preparation of an analytical record of the monastic remains, partly in the care of English Heritage. Resistivity survey was employed in four separate areas of the monastic precinct, and a more limited magnetometer survey was carried out over a test area to the east of the remains of the Chapter House. There are wide differences in the background resistance over the site and this undulating response probably reflects variability of the local drift geology (conditioned by the river valley location in a heavily glaciated zone of the country) rather than the presence of archaeological features (which would be expected to produce anomalies of a less irregular form). More promising indications of buried walls, flooring or rubble were found extending south from the east claustral range and the cellarium (with refectory over) on the south side of the Priory. These anomalies may represent missing buildings of the monastic layout such as the kitchens and latrines. In addition, various low resistance anomalies were mapped within the Outer Court area, some of which relate to modern paths, while others may represent archaeological features of uncertain form possibly associated with the medieval Priory. Sections of a possible boundary defining the limit of the monastic precinct have perhaps been detected as high and low resistance linear anomalies in the far western and eastern areas of the survey. The magnetometer data suggests the possible presence of small-scale industrial activity in the south-eastern area of the monastic precinct, although to what period this belongs is unknown.

Report Number:
50/1998
Series:
AML Reports (New Series)
Pages:
12
Keywords:
Earth Resistance Geophysical Survey Magnetometer

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