Merevale Abbey Church

1 In 1849 the foundations of the abbey church, the site of which was used as a stack-yard, were exposed to view in a number of places by Henry Clutton, and Bloxam produced a tentative ground plan of the church. The plan was plain and simple – a long narrow nave, with narrow aisles, two short transepts and a short choir. The structure appears to have been rebuilt, perhaps in the 14th century, although the original ground plan of the Norman church was not altered greatly. The church was 75m long, the nave 9.2m wide, the aisles 5m wide. The transept was 29m long and 9.2m wide and the choir 13m by 7m.
2 Plan of 1904.
3 Of the great abbey church no masonry whatever remains above ground, except possibly a little of the S wall of the S aisle, and its site is indicated only by excrescences in a field E of the farmyard. Mr Bloxam’s plan shows a large church of cross plan with N and S aisles to the nave. The proportions of the plan as drawn do not tally with the sizes mentioned.
4 In the area of the ‘chapel’ (i.e. church) the ground is much disturbed, probably the result of the 1849 excavation. Surface indications, suggesting outlines of presbytery and S transept, are visible but not surveyable.
5 A rubble core of a high wall, which may have been part of the S aisle of the monastic church, is embodied in the farm buildings.
6 In 1967 a barn was built over the remains of the church etc. A ‘watching brief’ showed extensive foundations.
7 The standing remains of the church include only the south wall of its south aisle. It is approximately 4m high and 10m long.