Outbuildings To Watton Abbey

WATTON CHURCH LANE TA 04 NW (north side, off)

15/70 Outbuildings to Watton Abbey

GV II

Priory buildings, now outbuildings. Probably late C16, with later additions and alterations. Pinkish-yellow brick with moulded brick and ashlar dressings, some ashlar infill and remains of plain tile roof. 2 storeys, the upper of which is recessed slightly, 11 bays. Ashlar plinth. Entrance to third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth and between tenth and eleventh bays. Those to fourth, fifth and sixth are C20 inserted cart and stable openings: that to fourth a cart opening with basket arch and plank door; that to fifth a stable opening under cambered head; that to sixth a cart entrance with timber lintel and plank door. Otherwise original entrances but now all partly infilled. Those to third, seventh and nineth bays have Tudor arches with chamfered surrounds under rubbed brick hoodmoulds with label stops; that to ninth bay now has inserted pointed plank door. Between tenth and eleventh bay a basket-arched opening with roll-moulded ashlar surround, within chamfered brick surround and under rubbed brick hoodmould with label stops. Window openings to first, second, eighth and tenth bays: mainly remains of square wooden casements with chamfered brick inner jambs, chamfered ashlar sills and jambs to two-thirds height and chamfered brick heads under rubbed brick hoodmoulds with label stops. To eleventh bay are remains of an original window of 2-ogeed-lights with eroded chamfered ashlar mullion within similar brick and ashlar surround and under hoodmould. Rubbed brick first-floor band. First-floor openings,similar windows with rubbed brick sills (some now cemented over), chamfered brick jambs and lintels and rubbed brick hoodmoulds with label stops; some have remains of C20 casement windows. Stepped eaves band. Ashlar kneeler and brick copings to left gable, remains of centre front stack. Remains of roof to left. To left gable end a C20 opening and above a pitching door under cambered arch. Tumbled-in brickwork to left gable end. To rear: remains of a now blocked opening to eleventh bay. Inserted off-centre entrance. To tenth bay a now mainly blocked pointed arch over stream with chamfered hoodmould. Stream emerges to front from round arch with chamfered ashlar surround within C19 brick wall approximately 2 metres to front of building. Tunnel has chamfered ribs. Part of the priory founded c1150 for the Gilbertian order. Pevsner N, Yorkshire, York and The East Riding, 1978, p 361.

Listing NGR: TA0230849906