The site of the medieval abbey church looking east. The mounds cover what remains of the bases of the nave piers.

Part of the abbey cloister can be seen on the right.

Frank Robinson, December 2014

Bird's eye view of Bardney Abbey looking from east to west. The Lincoln Gap and the cathedral are seen in the distance.

This speculative drawing by David Vale incorporates information derived from excavations of the abbey and its layout together with general knowledge of English Benedictine monasteries.

A small waterleaf capital of high quality set on a square jamb block.

Below the main waterleaf it has a lower tier of leaves with a spiral pattern of decoration and drilled centres.

This piece is of early Gothic design and north-French style and as such probable originated in the transepts of the church.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

A niche head canopy with a miniature vault under an ogee-fronted arch.  The arch is decorated with foliate designs and has a foliate finial.

This engages with an embattled parapet over a cornice studded with miniature fleurons.  The crenellations have miniature merlons pierced with cross loops with drilled ends.

This splendid piece is probably 14th century in date.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

A square planned abacus from the top of a pier capital with a moulded rim.

This is decorated with a band of small pyramid nailhead pellets over a shallow hollow and lower roll.

Probably from a broad rectangular respond in the aisles of the church the profile is essentially Romanesque in form.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

A large grotesque corbel head, probably of Romanesque date and from the eaves of the church, it has a well-defined mouth and teeth with the tongue showing in the centre.  At the sides are small ears.

The over-large and exaggerated features indicate it was set at a considerable height.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

A transom bar from a perpendicular window.

This shows two soffit cups with glazing grooves.  The upper face is embattled and also has a well-defined glazing groove.

The glazed light was relatively wide and it seems possible that this was simply one light from a much larger window.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

The apex stone from an acutely pointed lancet arch of 13th century date.

It shows extensive use of claw tooling and probably originated in the blind arcading applied to the lower part of the west front of the church.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

A large leaf decorated capital from a corner position or the side of a respond pier.  Notably it is angled to receive the vault rib it was designed to support.

The broad leaves have a tie across them and the central loop is decorated with a smaller leaf.  The faces of the broad leaves are marked out for cutting facets into them and for some reason this was never done.

The style is north-French and early Gothic.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

Part of the base of a 14th Century screen with major and minor bases for filleted shafts flanked by side fillets and on the minor bases single smaller filleted shafts.

Heavy claw tooling is visible on the tool bed face.

From the display in St Lawrence Church, Bardney, 2013

Stone head from Bardney Abbey

David Miles, 2012

Kelly's Directory 1919 states :-

"Here was once a Premonstratensian abbey, founded in 1154 by R. de Haya, and dedicated to St. Mary:

the church of the monastery was 300 feet in length, and a column, supposed to belong to the tower, together with an arcading pierced with windows, and some other portions, still remain :

Makerel, the last prior, was hanged in consequence of his participation in the insurrection called the "Pilgrimage of Grace," 1536-7:

at the dissolution of the abbey there were 14 canons, and revenue estimated at £242"

DB 30 March 2021

"Corbelled bust of man"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1064017 

DB 30 March 2021

Richly carved stiff-leaf decoration.

DB 30 March 2021

Manor Farm which was the site of Broadholme Priory.

"The Premonstratensian Broadholme Priory was founded adjacent to the village at sometime after 1154.

The priory was one of only two female priories of that order in England (the other being Orford Priory).

The priory was dissolved in 1536 as part of King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The site is currently occupied by Manor Farm, which may incorporate part of the former monastic buildings, although none are visible"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadholme 

DB 23 October 2018 

The Benedictine monastery was largely destroyed following the Dissolution.  Still standing are the impressive remains of the nave west front with the present church, Croyland Abbey, being the north aisle.

The church has a huge west window, and a graceful interior with a vaulted roof.

July 2011

The Cistercian abbey of Kirkstead was founded in 1139 and moved to its final site in 1187.

All that remains now above ground is this fragment - the south-east angle of the south transept of the church.

Frank Robinson, 2010

The chapel of St Leonard was built in 1230-40 near the gates of Kirkstead Abbey, and is said to be one of the finest examples of 13th century architecture in the county.

The interior has a vaulted roof, high quality carving, and a rare wooden screen that is probably as old as the building.

Frank Robinson, 2010

The interior of the church of St Leonard, Kirkstead, showing the thirteenth century vaulting and the screen.

Frank Robinson, 2010

St Mary's Knaith overlooks a bend in the river Trent.

The square building, with walls of the 11th and 14th centuries, is all that remains of the medieval church of Heynings Priory.

Within are a 14th century font, a Jacobean pulpit and pews, and a Victorian canopy over the altar.

May 2008

This is the unbuttressed chancel of the original 12th century abbey church. The windows seen here on the south side, with their Perpendicular tracery, were renewed c.1400.

April 2016

Monks' Abbey, (correctly entitled the Priory of St Mary Magdalene), on Monks Road, was a cell of St Mary's Abbey, York, a Benedictine foundation.

It was probably built in the mid-twelfth century for a prior and one or two monks who managed the abbey's estates in the area.

The ruined stone structure which remains today is part of the chancel.

Postcard, 1922

This feature in the garden of the Priory was built with masonry from the ruins of Louth Park Abbey, a Cistercian foundation of 1137, situated about a mile away to the east.

Pearl Wheatley, 2012

Orford Priory Farm, and part of the site of Orford Priory, which straddles the boundary between Binbrook and Stainton Le Vale. 

"A nun from Orford was excommunicated in 1491 by Bishop Redman for breach of her vow of chastity, her partner being a canon of Newsham.

There were seven nuns and a prioress when the priory was Dissolved in 1539"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orford_Priory  

DB 10 October 2018

Part of the site of Orford Priory which straddles the boundary between Binbrook and Stainton Le Vale.

"The remains of the Premonstratensian nunnery of Orford survive as a substantial group of earthworks"

"The Premonstratensian canonesses at Orford first appear in documents of the period 1155-1160.

The nunnery church and land were traditionally granted to Newsham Abbey by Ralph de Aubigny in the time of Henry II (1154-1189).

At its dissolution in 1539 the nunnery was granted to Robert Tyrwhitt who, in common with his successors, let the site"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1007809 

DB 10 October 2018

St Leonards was founded c1100 by the monks of Durham to administer their southern estates.

The west front, seen here, and the north arcade, survive from the original Norman church.

September 2014

St Leonards was founded c1100 by the monks of Durham to administer their southern estates.

The west front, seen here, and the north arcade, survive from the original Norman church.

On the north side can be seen the sturdy piers and round arches of the Norman north arcade.

There were six bays - the two westernmost being an extension built in the late 12th century.

See other images of this building

September 2014

Next to a farmyard on the Lincoln Heath stands a tower of the Knights Templar church which was built here in the early 13th century amid their extensive estates.

The church had a circular nave and a chancel flanked by two towers.

The photo shows the N and E faces of the surviving S tower.

Frank Robinson, 2009

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 Premonstratensian abbey of Tupholme was founded in the 12th century.

Still standing is this 13th century south wall of the refectory, with the windows of the undercroft below.

Built into the wall towards its eastern end is a reader's pulpit.

Frank Robinson, 2010