The Abbey Church of Saint Mary & Saint Bartholomew & Saint Guthlac
Crowland is a small market town in the fenlands of south Lincolnshire, just south of Spalding, The town's two historical points of interest are the ruined medieval Croyland Abbey and the 14th-century three-sided Trinity bridge.
A monk named Guthlac came to what was then an island in the Fens to live the life of a hermit and he dwelt at Croyland between 699 and 714. Following in Guthlac’s footsteps, a monastic community came into being here in the 8th century. The Abbey was dissolved in 1539, the monastic buildings, including the chancel, transepts and crossing of the church appear to have been demolished fairly promptly but the nave and aisles had been used as the parish church and continue in that role to the present day.
Trinity bridge is a unique three-way stone arch bridge that stands in the town centre, while it once spanned the confluence of the River Welland and a tributary, the rivers have been re-routed and it now spans nothing. The current bridge dates to the 14th century, built between 1360 and 1390, and replaced previous wooden bridges.
Loading contexts...
