View of the abbey gatehouse from the east.

undated postcard

Postcard dated 1905.

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states "About a mile and a half east of the village are the ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary, founded by William-le-Gros, Earl of Albemarle, on the festival of St. Hilary, January 13, A.D. 1139 and in the following year, on the day of the same festival, the founder brought hither an  establishment of twelve Augustinian, or Black Canons, from Kirkham Priory, one of the number being their constituted prior :

in 1148 the monastery was raised by Pope Eugenius III. to abbatial rank, and in 1517 became a mitred abbey:

in 1541 it was dissolved and refounded by Henry VIII. as a college for a dean and twenty prebendaries, in honour of the Holy Trinity; it was visited by the king in person in the same year, when he stayed several days :

this new foundation however, lasted only till 1547, when the site was granted to Henry Holbeach, Bishop of Lincoln the clear yearly income being estimated at £594"

The impressive brick and stone barbican and gatehouse of Thornton Abbey were built in the late 14th century.

They are considered by English Heritage to be 'the largest and among the finest in England'.

This is the earliest surviving brick structure in Lincolnshire.

Frank Robinson, 2010

The tower of the thirteenth-century church has twin bell-openings and a fifteenth century top with pinnacles.

Jews' Court collection, 1977

Parts of St Lawrence's church date from the twelfth century; it was extensively restored by James Fowler of Louth in 1884.

September 2019

https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101227786-church-of-saint-lawrence-thornton-curtis#.YFT_WdynyUk

The mixture of building material used in the construction of the church - limestone, ironstone and chalk - are apparent in this view from the south-east. The east window (right) has four lights and is in pointed style with intersecting tracery.

September 2019

Detail of the restored stiff-leaf capital and dog-tooth moulding with the shaft at the porch entrance.

September 2019

The porch on the south side of the building has a pointed shafted outer arch, and a blind arcade of round arches in the gable.

September 2019

The tower of St Lawrence's was built in the thirteenth century, with battlemented parapet added about two hundred years later.

September 2019