Latest Developments of Ramsey Abbey
Here are some of the latest developments in the interpretation of the layout and Precinct boundaries of Ramsey Abbey, the two new drawings below show a conjectural drawing very similar to the Tony Baggs model B, and another precinct enclosure drawing.
The first drawing shows a slight difference between the Baggs Model B plan, where the North end of the transept wall is tucked into the dog-leg of the church yard wall and this model which I will call Model C, which shows the West end of the North Nave wall being tucked into the dog-leg.
As you can see this shifts the whole Abbey building quite a distance to the East and near enough lines up the South transept with the 13th century fabric (Lady Chapel ?) in the Abbey School basement. This seems to support the theory that it more likely represents an infirmary chapel or a chapter house located on the south-east of the cloistral range, rather than the lost Lady Chapel as indicated in previous publications. This drawing also shows the proposed outer and inner courts of the Abbey.
New Precinct Drawing 2008
This Drawing shows a different interpretation to the 2006 precinct drawing. The biggest difference is that the SW boundary extends about 80m west of Hollow Lane and cuts across the High Street about half way down.
This is where it is thought, the original Main Gate of the Abbey would have been situated. It would have have led into the outer court which contained the guesthouse built c 1180-90, converted into the church for the new parish of Ramsey( the Thomas a Becket Church ) c1222. This suggests that the surviving gatehouse fragment could have been for linking the outer and inner courts which led to the main Abbey and it’s associated buildings.
Ref (29)
