Price: To Be Established

Publication Date: Summer 2008

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Summary:

The Millennium Project at Southwark Cathedral involved Pre-Construct Archaeology (PCA) undertaking a very important archaeological investigation around the cathedral. This revealed more about the little-known but major Roman highway approaching Roman London Bridge, as well as the methodology of the road’s construction across the low-lying landscape and subsequent land reclamation and construction of domestic buildings. The excavations provided a window on elements of the medieval monastic complex with its pre-Norman origins, including the chapter house and associated burials, elements of the cloisters, the construction of the southwest doorway and the Mary Magdalene chapel. The unexpected discovery of well-preserved structures at the east end of the cathedral proved to include the substantial remains of the Lady Chapel, and the 17th century brick barrel-vaulted crypt used for the burial of Bishop Andrewes, which had been demolished in 1830 for the construction of the new London Bridge. Further remains of the 17th-century Delftware pottery industry on the north side of the cathedral were encountered, including kilns and pottery production waste. The surviving in situ remains of the Lady Chapel, and elements of the Roman Road, priory and pottery kiln are now featured in public displays.

Archaeological building recording was instigated by Southwark Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee who invited the London Archaeological Research Facility to record the floor plan and ledger slabs at the east end of the Cathedral and some of the surviving medieval fabric of building as part of a student training programme.  This then led to the setting up of the Southwark Cathedral Archaeological Research Project (SCARP), under the direction of the Museum of London and Institute of Archaeology, to further record the medieval and post-medieval masonry of the east end of the Cathedral, and to interpret the early history and development of the priory buildings. So great was the actual survival of medieval structural elements, especially the in situ masonry in the triforium and tower, as well as in collections of moulded stone fragments and wooden roof bosses, that three university dissertations were undertaken on the material. Together the Millennium and SCARP projects have revealed details of the long history of this key site, and the construction, use and development of the priory into the modern day cathedral.