Dig Updates
Follow all the archaeology action from onsite at Lesnes Abbey as it happens.
A Day in the Life: Lesnes Abbey Edition
Always wanted to give archaeology a whirl, but not sure where to start? Come and see what a day with DigVentures looks like!
You might know us for our crowdfunded digs, but not everything we do works that way. Thanks to heritage grants and our brilliant project partners, sometimes we can offer free opportunities for the local community to get involved too – like our dig at Lesnes Abbey!
Tempted? Check out our 2026 calendar to see how you can get stuck in this year. We’d love you to join us!
Later, Lesnes!
“This used to be a palace, didn’t it?”
“Didn’t Henry VIII live here?”
“Was this a castle?”
Over this past week at Lesnes Abbey, we’ve been blown away by the huge amount of support and engagement the local community has for and with this space.
From the volunteers who joined us in the trenches and at our finds station, to the passers-by who took an interest (and even rolled their sleeves up to get involved!) we’re so grateful to everyone who has taken an active role in helping us to understand this site, so it can continue to be protected for the future.
We’re now armed with a lot more knowledge for any future digs we might wish to pursue here to investigate the Abbey’s extent, layout and condition – so this was a great success for our first dig of 2026!
The last day of our first dig!
Here’s Harriet and Darcey in the final stages of shifting a ton of dirt to help us characterise the anomalies identified on earlier geophysics by Historic England, achieving our research aims, and reaching the earlier horizon (a distinct layer of material from a specific period) containing possible Abbey rubble.
After the Abbey
In our search for whether undiscovered Abbey or subsequent reuse remains could still be waiting beneath the soil here at Lesnes, we’ve found a number of post-medieval and potentially even modern finds, including:
- A piece of metal, that looks like it could be the hinge from a door or a chest
- A threaded bolt
- A George V coin
- A buckle
- Lots of nails
We’ve also made a number of discoveries hinting at Victorian (or perhaps even later) domestic waste disposal, including a culvert (a covered channel or pipe structure)m providing a clear indication of how the landscape here may have been modified and managed at a later stage.
These finds all point to the site having a busy life well after the Abbey itself was dissolved!
Bexley YAC takes Lesnes
The Young Archaeologists’ Club is a UK-wide initiative offering young people aged 8-16 the chance to get involved with real archaeology.
Today, we were lucky enough to be joined on-site by budding archaeologists from Bexley YAC, who were absolutely essential in helping us to make real progress (and uncovering some brilliant finds, like this button!)
From sea to soil?
Our dig site this week has also offered up a number of animal finds, such as this piece of animal jaw (likely sheep) and shark teeth below. Yep, you read that right – shark teeth!
We’ve also uncovered a range of other aquatic remains, such as oyster and clam shells.
But why are we making water-dwelling creature discoveries here, in the middle of a park in Greater London?
The land around Lesnes Abbey rises above former marshland, but much earlier in its history this area was covered by a shallow sea. These shells and shark teeth were buried in ancient seabed layers, including the London Clay Formation, which now lie just beneath the surface.
Getting a better understanding of these earlier layers helps us to contextualise what was built on top of them.
CBM, CBM...and more CBM!
One of our most prominent finds from our week at Lesnes Abbey has to be the sheer number of ceramic building material (CBM) we’ve found, including roof tiles with peg holes, and floor tiles with remnants of mortar.
This material is noticeably different in colour and composition to the stone used for the sections of the Abbey that still stand today, so it’s likely to be building material from a later building such as a possible farmhouse.
Bonus Echo. Because we LOVE her!
Another day, another cohort of fab volunteers
The sun continues to shine here at Lesnes Abbey today as we’re joined by two new cohorts of volunteers, bringing fresh energy to the trench.
Later, we’ll kick off our second afternoon spoilheap rummage for children – where getting dirty isn’t just allowed, it’s actively encouraged…
A stoneware surprise
During this afternoon’s session in the trenches, Tom was absolutely chuffed to uncover this lovely stamped piece of English stoneware!
Finds like these may be small, but they can reveal a surprising amount – from insights into dating and trade, to the everyday objects people once relied on before they slipped out of use.
We’re excited to see what more this sherd has to say during our analysis!
Follow our progress
Follow the latest archaeology action from our dig at Lesnes Abbey as it happens.
