256 Report of Meetings for 1880, by James Hardy. 



Hard by it is a venerable asb-tree, of vast bulk of stem, but 

 stunted by storm and ag^ ; wbicb measured 14 feet in circum- 

 ference at five feet from the ground. 



The plan of the buildings, according to tbe Eev. J. T. Fowler, 

 in bis Introduction to tbe " Cbartularium de Novo Monasterio," 

 published for the Surtees Society, 1878, was almost identical 

 with that of Fountains, in Yorkshire, of which it was the first 

 born daughter, " as originally laid down, and closely correspond- 

 ing to it in dimensions." There had been some previous exca- 

 vations on or near the site. "In digging for limestone in the 

 vicinity, coffins both of lead and stone have been discovered."*' 

 (( Mr "Woodman dug into the chapter-house some years ago, and 

 found some fine Transitional capitals, and portions of vaulting 

 ribs, now preserved in his garden. They are extremely charac- 

 teristic examples of early Cistercian work. The floor was found 

 laid with small black and red tiles, and some fragments of ruby 

 glass appeared among the debris."! ^^ Fergusson of Morpeth, 

 who has made the subject his particular study, gave the mem- 

 bers an account of the explorations instituted two years ago by 

 the Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland, and 

 pointed out the sites of the various parts of the sacred building, 

 adding no little interesting information respecting the purposes 

 which they served in the religious and moral economy of the 

 edifice. To him I owe the following summary : — 



"Excavations at Newminster Abbey were carried out in the 

 summer of 1878. The cost was met by subscription, and the 

 work was conducted under the personal direction of the Eev. J. 

 T. Fowler of Durham ; Mr W. Woodman, Stobhill, Morpeth ; 

 and Mr T. W. Middlemiss, Borough Surveyor, Morpeth. The 

 work was done most effectually on the site of the Chapter House, 

 which was thoroughly cleared of debris, several feet in depth. It 

 was found to measure forty feet by fifty. The lower corners of 

 the door jambs were found in situ ; the ribs of the vaulting and 

 the corbels from which it sprung were discovered ; and the bases 

 and part of the shafts of three of the four pillars were found in 

 position. Portions of the floor, formed of paving-tiles fitting 

 into geometrical patterns, were laid bare round the base of one 

 of the shafts. Towards its eastern side an empty stone coflB.n 



* Mackenzie's Hist, of Northd., ii., p. 202. 

 f Chart. Nov. Mon. Introd., p. xiv. 



