1. Conducted by Sir William H. St John Hope, started 9 Sept. 1878 with permission of Earl Stanhope and the consent of the tenant of Abbey field, Mr William Malin jnr. The work was inspired by finding Stukeley's ground plan sketch of 1730 and lasted nearly 2 months (COX18).
Work began on the South side of the West face of the arch, cleared the greater part of the church and some of the conventual buildings (sacristry, vestry, chapter house, slype and part of the warming house (C43) in 7 weeks, laying bare the foundation walls. They found lots of tiles, 2 Abbey tokens, a large and very rusty key, bronze corner clasps and 1 of the bosses of a book cover, a large brass lamp ring, an old razor, various bits ornamental pottery.
Many mouldings were found, all whitewashed, as were the S and E walls and the high altar.
2. Resumed 2 July 1879, ended Ist week Aug 1879.
They cleared the site of the nave and aisle, followed up the W wall of the transepts, parts of the Common Room and Cloister. The slype and the chapter house W end had also been cleared in the spring.
They found parts of the tile paving of the cloister alley at 2 different levels; a drain and fireplace in the Common Room; 2 processional doors into the nave, much of nave pavement in situ and many finely carved and moulded stones (H80).
The whole area was drained and levelled (H80).
‘A west doorway of great richness has been unearthed, and also a memorial stone of an abbot. This bears a richly-sculptured cross, by the side of which there is cut a pastoral staff, as significatory of the rank of the old Premonstratensian prelate’ (TRUEMAN pp. 117-8).
3. Colvin July 1937, with permission of Stanton and the tenant Mr Falder; continued summer 1938. He intended to continue in the summer of 1939.
In the Abbey field to the east of the slype, a passage 125’ long from the doorway level with the E wall of the common room. Remains of what appeared to be an infirmary. The N Wall was doubled in width at some date (C38).
4. Trent and Peak Archaeological Trust, spring 1985. The area now occupied by Abbey House's garage.