Editing Gisborough Priory (section)

==Excavations==

In 1865–1867 Captain [[Thomas Chaloner (admiral)|Thomas Chaloner]] and William Downing Bruce carried out the first major excavation by cutting a trench across the site. A number of features were discovered, including a stone coffin containing the skeleton of a tall man thought to be Robert de Brus, the remnants of a monumental shrine and painted roof bosses. Evidence of the 1289 fire was discovered in the form of pieces of fused metal – an amalgam of lead, silver and iron that had melted and penetrated the floor in the heat of the fire.<ref name="Proceedings" /> The Office of Works carried out excavations in 1932 in conjunction with work to consolidate the walls and grounds so they could be opened to the public. Further work was carried out by Roy Gilyard Beer between 1947–54 for the Ministry of Works, which exposed more of the site and cleared material from the 19th century.<ref name="RCBC" />

In 1985–86 Cleveland County Archaeology Section carried out a major excavation of the west end of the nave to consolidate an area of subsidence.<ref name="RCBC">{{cite web
 |title=Gisborough Priory – Archaeological Investigations 
 |url=http://redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcmuseums.nsf/Web?ReadForm&id=A1140C2C9F6AA0E580257673005D431E 
 |publisher=Museums in Redcar & Cleveland 
 |access-date=1 August 2011 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328095422/http://redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcmuseums.nsf/Web?ReadForm&id=A1140C2C9F6AA0E580257673005D431E 
 |archive-date=28 March 2012
}}</ref> Its cause was the collapse of an unrecorded burial vault. The excavations found more evidence of the fire of 1289 including scorched masonry, a shattered bell and broken grave-slabs.<ref>{{harvnb|Greene|2005|page=220}}</ref> The remains of 47 people – 21 men, 17 women, 6 children and 3 of undetermined gender – were discovered, some of whom had been buried with grave goods including a gold finger ring and [[jet (lignite)|jet]] crosses. Two [[chalice]]s and [[paten]]s were found alongside the remains of two priests.<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Gisborough Priory – Objects found with human burials 
 |url=http://redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcmuseums.nsf/Web?ReadForm&id=7B008507EF8CD4058025767400394D8F
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328095447/http://redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcmuseums.nsf/Web?ReadForm&id=7B008507EF8CD4058025767400394D8F
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=28 March 2012
 |publisher=Museums in Redcar & Cleveland 
 |access-date=1 August 2011 
}}</ref> The skeletons were cremated and the ashes scattered in the Monks' Walk in the Priory Gardens.<ref>{{cite news|last=Branagan|first=Mark|title=Medieval dead laid to rest once more|work=Yorkshire Post|date=20 March 2009}}</ref> A [[geophysical survey]] carried out to the west and east of the west range indicated the existence of the remains of other monastic buildings which have yet to be excavated.<ref name="NHL">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1007506|desc=Gisborough Priory Augustinian monastery: late Saxon settlement, cemetery, monastic precinct and dovecote|access-date=6 August 2011}}</ref>