| Summary : Premonstratensian abbey, also known as Oxeney Abbey. Founded in 1154-5 by Ralph de Haya, first on a site called Barling Grange, (TF07SE37), but soon after on the island of Oxeney in the same parish. After the Lincolnshire Rising, the abbot, who was also the suffragen bishop, and 6 of the canons, were executed, the abbey being suppressed by attainder in 1537. A section of the abbey wall remains. Earthworks surrounding the site include fishponds and an extensive drainage system as well as the remains of a 17th century house and gardens. The wall part is from the early 14th century and is believed to be a part which stood between the nave and the north aisle. The wall was built of coursed limestone ashlar and limestone rubble. The north east respond has three rolls, the central one is large and filleted, alternating with two small fluted shafts, all of which have rich stiff-leaf capitals with acorns, abaci and the springing of a sexpartite filleted rib vault above. There are two roof corbels above and a fragmentary string course. |
More information : [TF 08917351] Remains of Barlings Abbey [G.T.]
(Premonstratensian Founded AD 1154)
Fish Pond [GT]. (1)
The original site of the Premonstratensian abbey of Barlings, or Oxeney, was at Barlings Grange [Grange Farm at TF 075749] but was soon moved to Oxeney in the same parish.
Founded in 1154, the house was suppressed in 1537.
Scheduled.
[See Illustrations Card for A.P.]. (2-6)
Only one free standing section of the Abbey wall survives, at
TF 08947358 (see GP AO/64/61/2 & 3), surrounded by grassed over
rubble, but faced stones and architectural details have been reused in several adjacent cottages.
Earthwork remains are extensive and consist principally of outbuilding foundations, stretches of the old boundary ditch, and a fishpond complex.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
The original site of the abbey was not located. (7)
The earthworks survive much as portrayed by F1 in 1964 save that the ditched field to the N has been ploughed, and heavy rainfall has meant that the ditches and pools to the SE are almost permanently waterfilled.
Which part of the church the standing section comprised is not certain but the massive remains at its E end suggest that they may have been the NW crossing pier. (8)
The earthworks associated with Barlings Abbey, described by
authority 7, were recorded as part of a field survey for publication
(9a) and were also mapped from good quality air photographs as part
of Lincolnshire NMP. The precinct is bounded by a complex network of
interlocked ponds and water channels (9a). There are a couple of
large reservoirs (TF 0878 7337 and TF 0869 7353) and an extensive
series of drains, (TF 0913 7365, TF 0873 7330, TF 0863 7362 and TF
0828 7349) feeding the numerous (up to twenty) ponds and fishponds
(TF 0873 7365, TF 0887 7368, TF 0906 7342).
Amongst the amorphous earthworks to the north and north east of the
site, certain features associated with the abbey can be recognised
- the possible remains of the church (TF 0898 7358), a cloister (TF
0894 7354) and gardens (TF 0902 7354, TF 0882 7350).
In the 17th century the site was reoccupied by a house and gardens.
This reoccupation inevitably led to the reuse and modification of
features of the abbey site. However, certain features associated
with the Post Medieval house (TF 0893 7344) can be recognised - a
water garden (TF 0898 7344) reusing some of the abbey's ponds, and
two buildings, possibly barns (TF 0887 7344, TF 0890 7340).
(Morph Nos. LI.535.13.1 - 13.17, 14.1 - 14.4, 15.1 - 15.5)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(9-9a) |