Monument record MDO6 - Abbotsbury Abbey - Pynion End

Gable-end of one of the monastic buildings associated with Abbotsbury Abbey. It is located approximately at the SE corner of the former cloister and dates from the late 14th century. The gable was restored in 1846. Ashlar outer (east) face; squared and coursed rubble-stone inner face. Diagonal buttresses and central gable buttress with set-offs and a plinth moulding.

Gable-End of monastic building, approximately at south-east corner of former cloister. Late C14. Gable restored in 1846. Ashlar outer (east) face. Squared and coursed rubble-stone inner face. Diagonal buttresses and central gable buttress with set-offs and a plinth moulding. Stump of south side wall survives, with remains of a door-jamb leading to an undercroft. Internal floor level 0.5 metre above present ground level. Ground-floor fireplace with ovolo-moulded jambs and square head. Smaller first floor fireplace to right of centre with moulded stone jambs and segmental rubble-stone head. C12 stone set into back of ground floor fireplace. Scheduled Ancient Monument.

This description is derived from the associated designation record, the validity of which has not been checked.

The ruined gable, locally known as a pynion-end is possibly a fragment of the refectory. In a print, dated 1773, which hangs in the vestry of the south aisle of the church this feature is shown with portions of its side wall still standing. It is said that Sir J Strangeways residence stood on this spot, but was destroyed in 1644. <1>

Situated to the south of the parish church is a substantial eastern gable which is the only upstanding structural remnants of the cloister block of St Peter's Abbey. The gable dates to the 14th century and is probably a fragment of the refectory. It has an ashlar outer east face and a squared and coursed rubble stone inner face with diagonal buttresses and a central gable buttress. A fragment of a south side wall survives, with the remains of a door jamb leading to an undercroft. Internal features include a ground floor fireplace with moulded stone jambs and square head along with a smaller fireplace situated at first floor level. The gable end is known locally as The Pynion End.

[SY 57788515] Pynion End. This is a surviving fragment of one of the buildings surrounding the cloister. It consists of the east gable building of a building of circa 1400. This gable is called the Pynion End, and has diagonal buttresses and a small central buttress.

The gable was restored in 1846 and is now in the charge of the Ministry of Works. <2>

The remains of this building are correctly described above. See ground photograph, showing the interior face of the wall, and
plan. <3>

<1> Moule, Rev W S, 1946, Abbotsbury The Church Abbey and Other Points of Interest, 16-17 (Monograph). SWX1589.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 4-8 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(3) ABBOTSBURY ABBEY, remains of church, out-buildings, gatehouses, barn, pigeonhouse, etc., stood mostly to the S. of the church (1). The surviving walls are of local rubble with ashlar and dressings of the same materials. The Abbey was founded by Orc in the time of Edward the Confessor for Benedictine monks. No remains seem to have survived of any building of this period, but there are remains of late 12th-century carved decoration and of architectural features of the 13th century built into walls on the site. The N.E. outbuilding is partly of early 14th-century date and the E. outbuilding was built later in the same century. The Gatehouses are also of the 14th century and the Great Barn of c. 1400. The surviving remains of the church appear to be part of a 15th-century reconstruction of the N. aisle of the nave. The Abbey was dissolved in 1539 and the site was bought by Sir Giles Strangways in 1543, who built or adapted a house out of part of the monastic buildings. This was besieged and largely destroyed in 1644 by the Parliamentary party. Some excavations were made in 1871 and subsequently on part of the site of the church which at that time lay immediately to the S. of the parish churchyard; the churchyard has now been extended over most of the site of the nave. … The Cloister must have stood on the nearly level platform to the S. of the church, but no traces survive of it and its surrounding buildings except for the E. gable of a building a few feet to the E. of the supposed line of the E. range. This gable, called the Pynion End, is of c. 1400 and is ashlar-faced; it formed the E. end of a narrow building and has diagonal buttresses and a small central buttress. On the inside face is a fireplace-recess with a moulded segmental head. In the stump of the S. wall are remains of a doorway, perhaps to an undercroft. The gable was restored in 1846. It is now in the charge of the Ministry of Works. …’

<3> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GC Swatridge 22/03/1955 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881612 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Earthworks in the immediate vicinity of the village, Abbotsbury, Dorset. 2 pieces of draughting film taped together

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F88/3 (Index). SDO14738.

14THC REMAINS OF MONASTIC BUILDING AT ABBOTSBURY TAKEN FROM THE NORTH WEST

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450452 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 2:42PM