Building record 66/1/9 - Norton Priory - Undercroft (West Range)

<1> Brown, F & Howard-Davis C., 2008, Norton Priory: Monastery to Museum Excavations 1970-1987 (Monograph). SCH7585.

The west range at Norton Priory comprises the undercroft – the only standing element of the medieval prior - and an outer parlour. It was saved from demolition through its incorporation into the 16th century mansion house.

The west range dates to the second phase of construction at Norton Priory (mid 12th century) and represented one of the most public claustral building of the precinct, probably housing the prior on the upper floor, and was where secular visitors were received. The ground floor – the undercroft itself – stored provisions and fuel for the priory. It was rebuilt at least once. As it was still standing, there was only limited archaeological investigation of the undercroft, however. West Range I consisted of a single large chamber with a small outer parlour at the north end. Although no extant traces of this phase have been identified, it is possible that some original masonry may survive in the east wall.

In around 1180-1190 AD the west range was rebuilt some 4m to the west to accommodate a larger cloister with the west wall of the original range becoming the east wall of the new build. The main chamber was also extended some 7.5m to the south to join with the new south range. Undercroft II remained plain in construction and comprised seven bays in length and two aisles in width with a central line of pier bases. Two pier bases were original features, confirming the presence of an upper floor. The vaulting indicates some variation in design throughout the undercroft, the three southern most bays are more narrow than the rest and are plainer in design being plain rectangular ribbed vaults. The remainder of the bays are square groined vaults with plain semi-circular transverse and central ribs. There is evidence of some displacement of the east wall of the undercroft. Currently there is no evidence of direct access from the west range into the cloister. Floor surfaces within the undercroft suggested a long period of use, with finds including a beakhead voussoir and an Edward III penny. Although the basic frame of Outer Parlour II remained the same, it was now more elaborately decorated with blind arcading and stone benches along both walls.

There is no clear evidence of alteration to the west range until the late 13th century when minor repairs and refurbishments were identified including the insertion of an internal wall creating a separate cellarium at the northern end of the undercroft. The early 15th century then saw the addition of an Abbot’s Tower to the front facade of the west range following the raising of the priory to abbey status. However, despite cartographic and documentary evidence confirming the presence of this feature, the archaeological remains continue to be limited consisting of just traces of a possible staircase tower and a single wall element.

<2> The Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1957-Present, Medieval Archaeology, Greene J P 1974 18/188 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2131.

<3> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 128/97-112 Greene J P 1978 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<4> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1845-Present, Archaeological Journal, 123/62-8 Thompson F H 1966 (Journal/Periodical). SCH338.

<5> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Report). SCH1934.

<6> Greene J P, 1989, Norton Priory (Book). SCH2262.

<7> Thompson F.H, 1971, Norton Priory : Excavation 1970 (Report). SCH2267.

<8> Greene J P, 1973, Norton Priory : Excavation 1972 (Report). SCH2269.

<9> Greene J P, 1974, Norton Priory : Excavation 1973 (Report). SCH2270.

<10> Beamont, W, 1873, A history of the Castle of Halton and the Priory or Abbey of Norton (Book). SCH7586.

<11> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2009, Subsidence in the undercroft Floor at Norton Priory, Runcorn, Cheshire: A Programme of Archaeological Investigation and Recording, R2939 (Client Report). SCH5232.

Two test trenches were excavated in 2009 within the undercroft at Norton priory in order to investigate areas of floor subsidence. Investigation showed that the subsidence was due to the sinkage of the wet, organic deposit which underlay the sequence of floors and overlay natural boulder clay. Subsidence had occurred where a network of foundation walling linking the pillars supporting the vaults were absent.

<12> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2016, Construction of a New Museum Building at Norton Priory, Runcorn, Cheshire. A Programme of Archaaeological Mitigation and Investigation, R3931 (Client Report). SCH8124.

Archaeological investigations were conducted in 2016 prior to the commencement of building work associated with a new museum building at Norton Priory. In order to resolve subsidence issues in the Undercroft floor, deeper excavations resulted in the identification of well-preserved timber building remains, pre-dating the stone buildings of the priory; tree-ring analysis allowed the timbers to be dated accurately to the mid-twelfth century. Elsewhere, surfaces, drains, foundations and other features relating to the stone priory and its subsequent post-Dissolution transition to a large country house, were exposed but generally left undisturbed. The retrieval of finds and the identification of activity relating to previous excavations carried out on the site during the 1970s and 1980s are also of interest.