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Beaulieu Abbey Jan 5 1872

[Darwin's son William examined the base of stones at the ruins of the abbey in Beaulieu, Hampshire.]

1872 [-] 19 [=] 1853

The whole of the Abbey has disappeared except a portion of the South aisle wall. The position of nave transcept [that] has been ascertained by excavation of foundation and is now marked by stones let into the turf where the abbey stood is now entirely grass tile those of well kept field, the old man, who showed me over, who is now porter at the Palace lodge (& I think shared the steward call him the old bailiff) was 74, & had lived in the neighbourhood all his life, said the surface had not been touched within memory.

19 years ago the D. of Buccleuch opened the turf in 3 places at the West end of the nave and exposed the old tesselated pavement, this was protected by a trap door and by being bricked round.

Hole no 1 The tiles or tesselated movement were 6 3/4 inches between the level of turf

Hole no 2 [do] 10 inches — do-

Hole no 3 11 1/2 inches — do-

The general surface of turf was level, and the 3 holes were within a few yards of each other — No 2 being only 3 1/2 yards from No 1 and No 3 8 yards from No 2 in No 1 & 2 & I think No 3, worm castings were coming thru the intersection between the tiles, No 1 which measured 2 ft 3 3/4 x 2 ft 3 5/8 contained 8 oz avoirdupois (less 3 drachm apoth) of mould from castings which was said to have accumulated in about 6 months. These castings contained minute particles of slate tile, mortar, thus showing that the same rubbish that is found in

[insertion by Darwin:] How by square feet

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March 3 1872 examined.

The [illeg] composing the earth castings found in the 5 square holes over the old tessalated pavements, consisted of small particles of brick mortar and great quantity of sand (transparent quartz) varying in size up to ½ a small pins (inch pin) head, and lots of flint, one or two almost the szie of pin's head.

Weighed 33 grains of solid castings then dissolved them in water many times and washed away all [illeg] as far as possible —the residue weighed 19 grains consisting of sand quartz brick, slate, bits of composition

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2

Beaulieu Abbey

other places without tiles above it exists underneath these tiles and is penetrated by the worms (this should be confirmed by crumbling a casting under a magnifying glass)

About 15 to 20 from this spot & 5 yards from W End of Nave. I had a hole dug; the depth was 8 3/4 inch down to a solid concrete pavement, the first 2 3/4 being pure worm mould the remaining 6 inches being full of rubbish tiles, stones, slates, bits of concrete or hard mortar, an oyster shell, but all mixed with worm mould; worm castings about — the surface had not been touched within memory.

Hole 1/2 way down the nave — 2 inches of pure worm mould 11 inches of mixed rubbish as before — Evidently made earth or rubbish filled up by worm mould, did not come to any bottom of concrete the

Hole 10 yards from E. end / ie altar) — 2 1/2 inch mould rubbish, stones, tiles, mortar, flints.

Hole outside N. transcript — same rubbish mixed with mould

Hole 20 yards further N from N. transcript (is quite away from abbey) 11 inches of rich mould, then came up a few broken pieces of tile.

Hole old Brewery — surface never touched as far as the man knew — 1 1/2 inch of mould, then tiles rubbish &c very closely packed.

Hole — Mould in old cloister 11 — but I do not know how deep it went

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[page in Darwin's hand]

Jun 22d 1877 Visited the Abbey

Abbey very large — Tiles about 5 1/2 inch square. The cement by which joined in most places quite sound & impenetrable by worms; but they have brought castings up in certain points when they have been able to penetrate; & there was a good many in 2 of the square places (the 3d place permanently closed), although the place had be cleared out about a month ago! — The general appearance of turf over whole surface like that of most of field. It is incredible that earth would have been spread [initially] over whole surface of aisles.

I begin to doubt whether an old wall would ever sink — (The foundation of column of aisles are now quite covered with mould & turf, but then when Henry VIII removed, as is said, all the stones for building castle, we do not know whether he tunnelled below the sunken of the field — When Arch. Soc. visited the site a few years ago — a large surface of the tiles was cleared & exhibited. — The tiles must I think have badly sunk. —