Monument record 3884/2 - Croyland Abbey (Crowland Manor, Crowland Grange)

The main manor of Wellingborough was granted to Crowland Abbey in the 10th century. The location of the main manor properties within the township has not been fully resolved. See individual records for further information.

{1} Documentary references to the medieval grange of Crowland Abbey in Lincolnshire;

{2} The manorial organisation is extremely complex and has not been fully resolved either in terms of the descent of the manors from 1086, or in the location of the manor properties and their capital messuages within the township. The Crowland manor was always by far the largest but there were in the later 11th century at least three other manorial holdings in Wellingborough
The main manor is said to have been granted to Crowland Abbey as part of the foundation endowment c.948 AD by Turketelus son of Earl David, the benefactor who refounded the Abbey in the mid 10th century. In 1086 the Abbey held 5.5 hides in Wellingborough and this remained with the Abbey until the dissolution. During the medieval period several properties were added to this manor.The Abbey manor passed to the Crown at the dissolution and was given to princess Elizabeth. In 1573-4 part was acquired by Sir Christopher Hatton. When Hatton divided the property into two halves in 1616 the grange formed part of the portion which passed to the Earl of Warwick.
Within the court lay a hall, chamber, kitchen, barn, stable, oxhouse and granary. In addition there were two dovecotes worth 10/- per annum, and a garden of which the fruit and herbage was worth 2/- per annum. Reference is also made to the upkeep of the dairy, the chapel, the bakehouse, the malt kiln, to the thatching of the chancery (cancelli) and other buildings in the court. The various references imply the buildings stood around a single courtyard, and two of these buildings survive: the tithe barn, an imposing 15th century structure, and two and a half bays of the Hall itself. The surviving Tithe Barn and main range may define the western and southern limits of the main court. On the north and east the tenements of the town gives the boundary. For further details of the manor see main report.

{11} Wellingborough was a large medieval town dominated from before Domesday by the Croyland Abbey manor. The Abbot of Croyland Abbey promoted the town as a place of settlement and founded the market in 1201.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p.171 (unchecked) (Report). SNN41605.

<2> Foard G, 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Wellingborough (Medieval + Post Medieval), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100339.

<3> 1771, Survey of Wellingborough Hatton manor 1771, (unchecked) (Document). SNN100360.

<4> James, W., 1803, Wellingborough Town 1803, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100362.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2025 9:02AM