Welcome to Hyde900

Hyde900 is a community project in Winchester, Hampshire, to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the founding of Hyde Abbey. For more details see the "What is Hyde900?" page.

2021 Dig Bookings now open!

Bookings now open for the 2021 Hyde900 Community Dig August 19 to 22

Hyde900 are organising a fifth community dig event to take place August 19^th to 22^nd following previous years’ highly successful events. This year’s event returns to what was the Inner Precinct of Hyde Abbey, on the outskirts of Winchester, and once again we are exploring the remains of the abbey’s medieval cloisters.

We already have enough householders offering their gardens to be confident that this year’s dig will reveal more about the layout and architecture of the abbey. We anticipate that once again finds from the dig will help illuminate the life of the inhabitants of the abbey, which flourished from 1110 to the Dissolution in 1538/9.

We very much hope you will take part or visit the dig on the Open Day on Saturday August 21st.

The event is open to all, although under 18s need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Full training will be given.
The cost per 2 hour session is £12 unless you are a member of Hyde900, in which case the cost is £8. Children 11 and under are free.
Membership of Hyde900 costs £10/year for individual members, £15/year for households.
Please click HERE to book your session(s) You can take advantage of the reduced fees for members by joining on line when you make your booking(s).

Previous digs have established the locations of the east and south sets of cloister buildings. What is still unknown is the position and extent of the west arm of the cloister. This is where, traditionally, the cellarer operated and had his storerooms. It also sometimes housed the monk’s dormitory – or was accommodation for the abbot.

However for a grand monastery such as Hyde, having at one time a mitred abbot, it is likely that in later years that he would have had separate accommodation – perhaps in the two storied building found just outside the cloister area at last year’s dig. We will be exploring an adjacent area during the dig.

Another new area to be explored is the south end of the east range of cloister buildings. This was the typical location for the monks’ dormitory – which often had the washing and toilet facilities – so we might just be finding the foundations for the abbey’s latrines!

To read the latest press releases click HERE

For answers to Frequently Asked questions about participating in the dig please click HERE

For the dig location and public parking details please click HERE

CBA Festival 29 July to 1 August City Museum, Winchester

Meet the experts who have supported and advised Hyde900’s community digs on the site of Hyde Abbey on the outskirts of Winchester. Have a guided tour of the 12th century cloister arch in the City Museum and its amazing discovery just centimetres below the grass in a Hyde garden!

Event opening times are 10am to 5pm each day.

There will be a rota of experts in areas including pottery and ceramics, geophys surveying, medieval glass, stonemasonry, monastic archaeology and others. Children are also catered for with opportunities to rebuild the Abbey and sort the finds from previous digs!

Archaeologists will be available to explain the background to the latest Hyde900 Community Dig (August 19 to 22) and you can even enrol to take part. All those 5 years and older can participate in either digging the trenches and sieving for finds or work with the experts learning to process the finds and record them.

Hyde900 publications will be on sale as well as the excellent Excavations at Hyde Abbey 1972 to 1999, just published by Hampshire Cultural Trust. Members of the Winchester Excavations Committee will be joining us outside the City Museum with a selection of publications for sale.

STOP PRESS!

A new book on Hyde Abbey has just been published and is on sale at the Winchester City Museum. Entitled ‘Excavations at Hyde Abbey 1972 to 1999‘. This book not only covers the history and the investigations in the remains, but also features descriptions of the Hyde900 digs 2016 to 2018, and our discovery of the 13^th century roof in Olde Hyde House, reused from an abbey building. The book, published by the Hampshire Cultural Trust costs £30, but is available to Hyde900 members at a discounted price of £22.50.

Not a member? Hyde900 membership costs £10 per year (individual) and £15 (family).Please click here to join online.

Those wanting to take advantage of the offer please email David Spurling at [email protected] for a discount code.

Visitors to a previous Hyde900 exhibition

Medieval Tile Making – Progress Report

Despite the problems of the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to report that the tiles made by over 80 tilemakers at the September Hyde900 Heritage Open Days event have now been glazed and fired. We can also report that the level of tile making expertise has improved with fewer losses in the firing process than ever before.

This year we have arranged that your tiles can be collected from a central Winchester location. As soon as COVID-19 regulations allow this we will be in contact with you by email or phone.