A friend of mine forwarded me a local newspaper article that explained that this artefact had been kept (in storage) for over 30 years at the Wandle Industrial Museum, before an expert realised what it was! Chapter House is a building in a car-park opposite a very large supermarket – but the entire grounds of an Augustine monastery lie under this car-park with only part of it currently being visible to the general public! This project requires a major input of money and expertise so that the entire complex can be excavated and enjoyed by the general public! I suspect the car-park needs to be removed and rebuilt at a higher level – so that the monastic ruins can be exposed and preserved in a safe and protected underground environment that the general public can visit. At the moment, adults and children can visit for ‘free’ with the exhibition being open only on Sundays between 11 am – 4 pm! The people that administer this project are friendly, knowledgeable and are willing to engage absolutely EVERYONE who finds their way into the Chapter House!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 