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Gloucester Cathedral Archaeological Reports |
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Gloucester Cathedral has had an archaeological consultant, Carolyn
Heighway, since 1983. The reports which result from archaeological
interventions, including observation of masonry repairs, have
seldom been formally published (a bibliography of published
reports is given below), but are retained in the archaeological
archive at the cathedral. Copies are in the Cathedral library
and have also been deposited in Gloucestershire Archives and
with the Heritage Environment Record at Gloucester Museum. The
reports are prefixed GCAR for Gloucester Cathedral Archaeological
Reports. All are the copyright of the author and Gloucester
Cathedral. With the permission of the copyright holders, a selection of these reports is presented here in downloadable pdf form. If users require higher resolution images, the reports are available on CD for a nominal charge from Past Historic. Please note that some files are very large (10 MB) and may take a few minutes to download even with a broadband connection. Unfortunately during the download period it likely that you will not get any indication that this is happening. Please see the note below for further information. |
| GCAR
1997/B
[ 0.6 MB PDF] |
Heighway, C M, 1998, Gloucester
Cathedral North Aisle Roof Summary: In 1997-8 the north aisle roof covering was removed and replaced and minor repairs made to roof timbers. A record was make of the east gable wall, which retains evidence of earlier Romanesque design. |
| GCAR
1999/A and /B [ 0.9 MB PDF] |
Heighway, C M, 1999, South transept
and South choir elevations 1999 Summary: Observation before and during repairs recorded details of the re-use in 14th-century architectural contexts of Romanesque material. |
| GCAR
1999/G [ 1.5 MB PDF] |
Heighway, C M and Mychalysin P, 2001, Gloucester
Cathedral Cloister Lavatorium: record of repair 2001-3 Summary: The original lavatorium or monks washing place in the north walk of the cloister was built in the late 14th century. In 2000 the lavatorium buttresses were in a poor state of repair and all pinnacles were missing. A programme of conservation and repair was carried out, revealing details of medieval construction techniques. |
| GCAR
2000/F
[ 3.9 MB PDF] |
Bagshaw, S 2002, Archaeological recording
at the south-east end of Gloucester Cathedral 2000 Summary: In 2000 the south side of the eastern arm of the building from the east side of the south transept to the Lady Chapel was scaffolded for stone replacement and repairs. The report defines the wall-heightening and other alterations which took place in the 14th century as part of the major building works which converted the Romanesque structure into a Gothic one. An analysis of the petrology shows that local materials were used including extensive use in the earliest fabric of Roman brick. A record of masons marks was made, which will be added to the corpus being created for Gloucester Cathedral. One stone was inscribed with a measuring scale. |
| GCAR
2001/F
[ 2.5 MB PDF] |
Bagshaw, S, 2002, The south clerestory
of the nave of Gloucester Cathedral: archaeological recording
in 2001 Summary: In 2001 repairs were carried out to the south clearstorey of the nave and a programme of archaeological recording was carried out. The stonework of three major periods was identified and analysed, late 11th-century, 12th century, and 14th century. A survey of the roof space interior revealed important evidence for the Romanesque building in the large amount of re-used stone, including chevron, roll moulding, and circle patterns. A description is given of a 13th-century carved head found at this level in 1952, now unfortunately stolen from the Cathedral exhibition. |
| GCAR
2001/G [ 1.8 MB PDF] |
Bagshaw, S, 2001a, Archaeological recording
of the monastic infirmary at Gloucester Cathedral
Summary: In 2001 a programme of repair was carried out on the infirmary arches, which are the ruined remains of the monastic infirmary hall built in the 13th century. Recording noted a complex patchwork of up to ten separate phases of alteration and repair. The hall space was subdivided in the late medieval period, first with timber screens and later with stone. A proportion of the extant stonework derives from 19th century restoration. Parallels with other monastic infirmaries are cited. |
| GCAR
2002/C [ 6.4 MB PDF] |
Bagshaw, S, 2003b, The south transept
of Gloucester cathedral 2002-3; archaeological recording
Summary: Archaeological recording was carried out during repairs to the west elevation of the south transept 2002-2003. The report is in two parts: 1. external west face, 2. internal. 1. Externally, two periods of Romanesque construction were identified. The first (1089-1100) includes the wall below the west window and the south west turret up to 36.5m AOD. In the second period, at some time during the 12th century, the upper two stages of the turret with their decorative blind arcading were built. Stones removed from this arcading had Romanesque decoration cut on their inward-turned faces. The 12th-century string course dividing the two upper stages of the turret originally consisted of a distinctive green sandstone, later obscured by Victorian repairs. The remainder of the medieval masonry belongs to the Perpendicular re-modelling of the transept c.1329-37. The two 14th-century windows have inverted Romanesque capitals used as bases and Romanesque roll mouldings combined with early Perpendicular mouldings in their moulded surrounds. 2. Internally, the stonework dating to the 14th century alterations was identified, and it was established that the flying buttresses are integral to the 14th century work. Some unusual masons’ marks were also recorded. |
| GCAR
2006/B [ 4.8 MB PDF] |
Heighway, C M, 2006, The Abbey Wall,
Kings School, Pitt Street, Gloucester: Archaeological Recording
2006 Summary: Repairs were carried out in 2003 and 2006 by The Kings School on a section of the Gloucester abbey precinct wall which also formed part of the 13th-century town defences. A survey of the historic fabric was made before repair by Past Historic. The lower 2m of the wall comprised the town/abbey wall of the early 13th century, which may have been topped by crenels. In the 16th century the wall was heightened and windows inserted to form part of the abbot’s lodging and subsequently the bishops palace. In 1860 the bishop’s palace was demolished and a new one constructed: the precinct wall was retained with its 16th-century detail. |
| GCAR/OAA
[ 10.1 MB PDF] |
Heighway, C M, 2003, Gloucester Cathedral
and Precinct: an archaeological assessment (3rd edition)
Summary: This is a survey of the archaeological potential for Gloucester’s cathedral precinct; it includes summaries of the history and documentary evidence for the cathedral. It includes archaeological recording up to the year 2000, and minor revisions up to 2003, when it was reissued to accompany the cathedral’s Conservation Plan. |
Bibliography of Published Works on Archaeological Projects at Gloucester Cathedral
Copies of articles in the Transactions of the Bristol
and Gloucestershire Archaeolgical Society (TBGAS) may
be downloaded by clicking here. Note on Downloading large PDF files Unfortunately during the download period it likely that you will not get any indication that this is happening (it depends on the software your computer uses). If you are concerned, try downloading the file GCAR 1997/B (0.6 MB) which should not take more than 40 seconds. If all is well then you can be confident that larger files will be successfully downloaded, if you wait. Unfortunately it is not straightforward to use the time for the 0.6 MB download to estimate the time needed for larger files. However, with a very slow broadband system (and speed will depend on the level of traffic therefore the time of day) the 10 MB file might take 5-7 minutes.
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