®n tfje IXccrut GBxcaoatuws on tyz Site of 

 43 ale &&fccg, ®txbvsf)ixt. 



By W. H. St. John Hope. 



N laying before the Society an account of the recent 

 excavations on the site of Dale Abbey, it may 

 be as well first to show how the work came to be 

 undertaken at all, before entering into detail as to what 

 discoveries were made. 



Some years ago the writer discovered, in a private library in 

 Derbyshire, a small rough pen-and-ink sketch of the ground 

 plan of the Abbey, taken by Dr. Stukeley, in 1730, which will 

 be described further on. 



On the formation of the Society, last year, a proposal was 

 made to the Council that excavations should be made at Dale, 

 taking the doctor's plan as a guide. The suggestion being 

 favourably received, Earl Stanhope was communicated with, as 

 Lord of the Manor, and readily gave the requisite permission 

 to dig, subject to the consent of the tenant of the Abbey field, 

 Mr. William Malin, junr. Mr. Malin kindly assented, and a 

 small grant being made by the Council for a preliminary 

 investigation, operations were commenced on September 9th, 

 1878, on the southern side of the western face of the existing 

 arch. The result of the first week's work showing that further 

 excavations would fully repay the trouble and expense, it was 

 decided to continue the work, and to open a subscription list 

 to defray the cost. This was accordingly done, and in seven 

 weeks' work the areas of the greater part of the Church, and 



