Monument record 678/1 - Sulby Abbey

Premonstratensian abbey of Sulby, represented by buried and earthwork remains. Also included are the earthwork and buried remains of the enclosures, fishponds, watermill and warren associated with the abbey. The abbey was founded in 1155 by William de Wideville, and is sometimes referred to as Welford Abbey. (Knowles and Hadcock state that it was not originally founded in Welford; VCH misread the document quoted by them). The abbey may have been built on the site of an earlier settlement, recorded in the Domesday Book, which may already have been abandoned by the 12th century. The abbey was dissolved in 1538. The abbey is approached by a broad track, on either side of which are at least five large enclosures. These are believed to be the remains of the stock pens and animal enclosures of the abbey. The main building complex of the abbey is located at the southern end of the track and includes an area of low earthworks to the south east of Sulby Abbey Farm. This area is believed to include the buried remains of the abbey church and claustral range. To the south of Sulby Abbey Farm is a complex of small fishponds and associated water management features. A large earthen platform, measuring up to 25 metres square, is believed to be the location of a watermill. The rabbit warren includes a pillow mound measuring up to 20 metres long and 4 metres wide. Scheduled. Dependency: Kayland priory cell.

{1} Premonstratensian abbey at Sulby was founded in 1155 and dissolved in 1538, at 1155 it had an abbott and 12 canons. By 1158 there were 26 canons, 1475 there were 9, 1478 there were 11, 1488 there were 9, 1491 and 1494 there were 10, 1493 there were 13, 1500 there were 12.

{2} The exact site of Sulby Abbey is said to have been south east of the abbey farm [SP 6577 8009] but the ground affords no defnite evidence of this. A small modern building nearby contains a few architectural fragments and a fine coffin-lid.

{4} No foundation charter known to exist, but the founder is known to be William de Withville or Widville. Parent abbey was Newhouse. There were a large number of gifts made to the abbey in the first century of its existence, although most relate to small parcels of land in welford and adjoining villages and were made by people of comparatively small social standing.

{6} The present farm-buildings are of 18/19th C. date. mainly of brick but with some stonework containing re-used fragments of worked and moulded stone. A small out-building at SP 6578 8011 dated 1891 is built of reused stone with carved ornament, including heads, and contains a large number of finds made in the imemdiate vicinity of the farm (a). They include a stone coffin, a coffin lid with floreated cross and pastoral staff fragments of window tracery, columns and decorative detail, balls of lead and fragments of ironwork. Most of these finds were made before 1891 but an 'arch' was found immediately north of the farm in this century (e).
In the stream valley south of farm, is a large pond-bay, centred at SP 6574 7996, with small fish-ponds on its west side and traces of a large pond, now dry, to the east. An embanked 'road' leads from the modern road to the farm accompanied by the much smaller approach-track. In the rough pasture fields, north and south of the
farm, are a number of banks and ditches forming enclosures of presumably agriculture origin. There has been extensive quarrying for gravel to the east of the farm.
It seems most probable that the farmhouse and buildigns occupy the actual site of the monastic buildings. Surveyed 22-30.8.60.

{7} RCHM Records that Sulby Abbey SP 657800 was originally founded in the adjacent parish of Welford in 1155 and moved to the Sulby site soon afterwards, possibly on the site of an earlier village already deserted by the 12th century for one of the two entries for Sulby in Domesday Book is for a manor of 2 and a half hides held by geoffrey de Wirce as part of Welford, which was then waste. Finds of stonework from the 18th century onwards and 14th or 15th century floor tiles, including one possibly depicting the Wyke family crest, locate the site of the Abbey around the 18th-19th century farmhouse Earthworks include a boundary bank which may represent the monastic precinct boundary. However, most of the earthworks appears to be paddocks, ponds and water-courses
[RCHM plan and photography].

{8} Earthworks are not clearly visible on A.P.s.

{9} No change.

{10} (SP 658800). The site was claimed to be in good condition in 1980 with a rampart overlying early ridge and furrow (probably dated c.1155). On the edge of the site are village type earthworks which may be the location of Little Sulby.

{17} Further low earthworks identified on the south-eastern edge of the settlement on lidar imagery as part of Project K. Likely to be further remnants of paddocks situated either side of a watercourse.

{18} Drawings, possibly of tiles, from the Abbey;

<1> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.168 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<2> The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1921, Archaeologia (73), p.142 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN13294.

<4> COLVIN H M, 1951, The White Canons in England, /77-82 (Uncertain). SNN59804.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.597 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<6> Woodhouse, W C, 1960, Field Investigators Comments, F1 WCW 28-JUN-60 (Note). SNN113151.

<7> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 184 (Series). SNN77381.

<8> Aerial Photograph, APs (541/256 4080-1 10.5.49) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<9> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 16-JAN-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<10> 1980, Medieval Village Research Group (Vol.28), p. 8 (Annual Report). SNN13695.

<11> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Northamptonshire (Parts 5-8) (Schedule). SNN104787.

<12> ORAL REPORT, Oral: Mrs. A. Watts, Farmer's wife, Abbey farm (Oral Report). SNN53287.

<13> Aerial Photograph, A/P (RAF VAP 106G/UK/636 3177-8; CPE/UK/2109 3303-5) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<14> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP AEV26-9 NR 59-60 XT76) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<15> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.138-42 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<16> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889340 (Archive). SNN112900.

<17> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, Accessed 14/05/2024 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

<18> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/256/1-3,11 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:17PM