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NEWBO ABBEY

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Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1198 by Richard de Malebisse and dissolved in 1536. An irregular enclosure demarks the site, and there are cropmarks of indiscernible features within.

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[Area SK 862379 (3)] The Premonstratensian Abbey of Newbo, between Barrowby and Sedgebrook, was founded about 1198 and suppressed in 1536.

Sir John Markham, founder of the Sedgebrook line of Markhams, was Lord Chief Justice in Edward IV's reign. "More conspicuous .... than either church or manor house, [see SK 83 NE 4] in his day, must have been the abbey of Newbo, which lay a short distance to the east .... Nothing now remains above ground, although the name is commemorated by what is called the Abbey House" [SK85873788].

Earthworks and crop marks visible on air photographs (3) suggest quite an extensive site, but the actual site of the abbey buildings cannot be determined.

1st Edition 1" shows the representation of a large moated site in this area (5) and on OS 2" this is called 'Site of Newbo Abbey' (6). (1-6)

Abbey House carries a datestone - 1700.

The owner Mr. J. Ward said that the area to the east (as indicated by A/Ps and early maps) is known as the site of the abbey and that large moat-like ditches existed before it was levelled and ploughed about ten years ago.

Very little building debris was found but an octagonal decorated bowl with drain holes probably a 13th c piscina, was turned up. At present it is situated on the rockery of a new house at SK 85853774.
See GP AO/65/37/5.

Stone coffins were dug up in the same field about 1920 by the then Duke of Rutland and are believed to be at present in Belvoir Castle. (7)

The Premonstratensian abbey, referred to by the previous authorities, was seen as earthworks and subsequent to ploughing, as cropmarks, and mapped from poor quality air photographs. A rectangular area, 400m by 250m, made up of at least nine conjoined ditched enclosures, ranging in size from 40m by 40m to 120m by 80m, are centred at SK 8620 3796. The possible remains of a building are visible as an embanked enclosure, measuring 10m by 8m, centred at SK 8615 3804. The air photographs were too poor to ascertain the site of any claustral buildings. No obvious precinct moat, as is found at many other monastic sites in Lincolnshire, was visible but the ditches of the enclosures are substantial. It is likely, again as at other sites in Lincolnshire, that the earthworks of the monastery may have been remodelled, or at least reused, in the Post Medieval Period e.g. as gardens. Nothing, however, positively identifiable as Post Dissolution House or garden remains is
ascertainable from the available air photographic evidence alone. (Morph No. LI.721.17.1-4)

This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) edited by William Page 1906 The Victoria history of the county of Lincoln, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)207-9

( 2) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1953 Medieval religious houses : England and Wales

Page(s)167

( 3) Aerial photograph

CPE/UK/2073, 17.5.47, 4240, 4241

( 4) Country Life

A. Oswald 21-JAN-1954 Page(s)152

( 5) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1" 1825

( 6) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 2" 1814

( 7) Field Investigators Comments

F1 BHS 19-FEB-65

(8) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(9) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)190

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