Monument record BUD 001 - St Clare's Nunnery; Bruisyard Abbey

Moat. Hall on site of St Clare's Nunnery. Long rectangular orchard enclosure, remains of another.
Foundations of Nunnery buildings found during trenching for new drains in February 1948 by Hon W Rouse. Glazed or encaustic tiles, broken, were also found and the one in IPSMG (S3) with armorial decoration from the collection of the late Rev H A Harris, is probably one of these (S1).
Site of Bruisyard College & Nunnery. College originated at Campsey Ash in 1348, removed to Bruisyard in 1354 by Maud, Countess of Ulster. Chapel dedicated Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Dissolved 1366. Surrendered to the use of Abbess & Sisters of NUNS MINORESSES on site of college. Founded by Lionel, Duke of Clarence. Valued at 56 pounds 2 shillings and 1 penny in 1534. Dissolved 1539. Traces remain near Manor House (S1).
Material from Nunnery said to be incorporated in Elizabethan S transept of St Peters Church - see BUD 002. Chantry or college nunnery of Campsey removed from Campsey `to the manor place of Rokehall, in Bruisyard parish, where a chapel of the chantry or collegiate church had .... a brief life; for in 1364.... it was agreed that this establishment should be surrendered for the use of an abbess and sisters belonging to the order of Nuns Minoressess or Sisters of St Clare...' Surrendered to nuns in 1366. Buildings listed in commissioners inventory of 1536 included church, parlour, several chambers, a butlery, kitchen, backhouse and brewhouse. Suppressed 1539. Details in (S4).
September 1989: Stonewalling & footings identified in site visit - details in file (S5).
December 1992: Mapped area of site increased to include earthworks, fishpond(?) and forecourt area.
1994: Scheduled (S6).
1994-1995: For various plans, details of site visits etc, see parish file and (S7) copy of C18 plan of Tom Martin.

January 1995: Monitoring of mechanical desilting of the moat revealed a timber structure at the northern end of the western arm. This structure was made up of a large squared timber lain across the base of the moat with two slightly smaller timbers at right angles running up to the two ends of the larger timber. There was some evidence that these timbers represent the base for a more extensive structure that could have operated as a sluice when the moat was part of a controlled water-flow system possibly associated with fish farming at the site. While there is no direct dating evidence for the timber structure it is likely to be of Medieval date. All of the structural timbers were left in situ as the water in the newly desilted moat will preserve them for future investigation. All noted finds were of 18th-20th century date indicating that the moat hade been desilted in this period (S10).