Kirkstead Abbey

Kirkstead Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Kirkstead, Lincolnshire, England.

The monastery was founded in 1139 by Hugh Brito, (or Hugh son of Eudo), lord of Tattershall, and was originally colonised by an abbot and twelve monks from Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire.^[1] The original site was not large enough however, and Robert, son of Hugh, found a better site a short distance away in 1187.^[1] The 1187 date is probably completion of the Abbey, as the architecture dates it to around 1175.^[2] The monks were granted the lordship of Wildmore by the lords of Bolingbroke, Scrivelsby and Horncastle, although they did retain the right of common pasture for themselves and their tenants.^[1]

The abbey remained in existence until 1537, when it was dissolved; the last abbot, Richard Harrison, and three of his monks were executed by Henry VIII following their implication (probably unjustly) in the Lincolnshire Rising of the previous year.

The land passed to the Duke of Suffolk and later to the Clinton Earls of Lincoln, who built a large country house. By 1791 that too had gone and all that remains today is a dramatic crag of masonry - a fragment of the south transept wall of the abbey church - and the earthworks of the vast complex of buildings that once surrounded it, which is Grade I listed,^[3] and an ancient scheduled monument.^[4]

See also

• St. Leonard's Without (the 13th century chapel next to the abbey)
• Woodhall Spa

References

Monasteries in Lincolnshire
Augustinian	Boston Austin Friars Bourne Abbey Elsham Priory Grimsby Abbey Grimsby Nunnery Grimsby Austin Friars Hough Priory Hirst Priory Kyme Priory Lincoln Austin Friars Markby Priory Newstead Priory Nocton Priory Stamford Austin Friars Thornholme Priory Thornton Abbey Thwaite Priory Torksey Priory Wilsford Priory
Benedictine	Alkborough Priory Bardney Abbey Barrow Monastery Bonby Priory Boston Priory Burwell Priory Covenham Priory Croyland Abbey Deeping St James Priory Freiston Priory Haugham Priory Henes Cell Humberston Abbey Ikanho monastery Lincoln - St. Mary Magdalen Priory Minting Priory North Hykeham Priory Partney Cell Repingas Monastery Sandtoft Priory Skendleby Priory Spalding Priory Stainfield Priory Stamford All Saints' College Stamford Cell in Burghley Park Stamford - St Leonard's Priory Stixwould Priory Stow Abbey Throckenholt Priory Wilsford Priory Winghale Priory
Brothers of Penitence	Lincoln Friars of the Sack Stamford Friars of the Sack
Carmelite	Boston Whitefriars Lincoln Whitefriars Stamford Whitefriars
Carthusian	Axholme Priory Haugham Priory
Cistercian	Bytham Abbey Cammeringham Priory Fosse Priory Gokewell Priory Great Limber Priory, Limber Magna Greenfield Priory Haverholme Priory Kirkstead Abbey Knaith Priory Legbourne Priory Long Bennington Priory Louth Park Abbey Nuncotham Priory Revesby Abbey Stixwould Priory Swineshead Abbey Vaudey Abbey
Crutched Friars	Whaplode Friary
Dominican	Boston Blackfriars Lincoln Blackfriars Stamford Blackfriars
Franciscan	Boston Greyfriars Grantham Greyfriars Grimsby Greyfriars Lincoln Greyfriars Stamford Greyfriars
Gilbertine	Alvingham Priory Bridge End Priory Bullington Priory Catley Priory Haverholme Priory Lincoln - St. Catherine's Priory Newstead-on-Ancholme Priory North Ormsby Priory Sempringham Priory Sixhills Priory Tunstall Priory
Knights Hospitaller	Aslackby Preceptory Bottesford Preceptory Eagle Preceptory Great Limber Preceptory, Limber Magna Maltby Preceptory Skirbeck Commandery Temple Bruer Preceptory Willoughton Preceptory Witham Preceptory
Knights Templar	Aslackby Preceptory Bottesford Preceptory Eagle Preceptory Horkstow Camera Lincoln Commandery Temple Bruer Preceptory Willoughton Preceptory Witham Preceptory
Premonstratensian	Barlings Abbey Broadholme Priory Cammeringham Priory Hagnaby Abbey Newbo Abbey Newsham Abbey Orford Priory Stixwould Priory Tupholme Abbey West Ravendale Priory
Savigniac	Revesby Abbey Swineshead Abbey
Tironensian	Humberston Abbey
Independent	Partney Monastery Stamford Monastery St Æthelreda's nunnery, Stow Green Threekingham Nunnery

Coordinates: 53°08′18″N 0°13′23″W / 53.138463°N 0.223131°W / 53.138463; -0.223131