History of Lincolnshire - The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages

The Witham valley between Boston and Lincoln had the highest concentration of Abbeys and monastic foundations in the country. The principle foundations were Barlings Abbey, Bardney Abbey, Catley Abbey, Nocton Abbey, Stainfield Abbey, Stixwould Abbey, Tupholme Abbey, Kirkstead Abbey, Kyme Abbey . The rest of the county was not left out, there were houses at Bourne Abbey, Sempringhm Abbey and many other places. But the clustering along the Witham was extraordinary.

Fewer Castles were built, although some of the manors were fortified in early years. Given the size of the county it is perhaps just as surprising that there are so few castles, as that there are so many Abbeys up the Witham. Boston, for example, appears to have had seven friaries, and to be defended only by the town walls. There appears to have been no garrison.

Fairs at Stamford, Grantham, and Stow Fair were established, and lasted throughout the period. Corby Glen sheep fair has been held more or less unchanged every year since 1238.

Sheep farming and the wool trade brought untold wealth to the area. Churches of breathtaking beauty were built.

In this period the Queen's Champion was appointed, and the post is still held by his successor, and many great estates and schools were founded. The Middle Ages were as rich and colourful in Lincolnshire as anywhere else. Events like the accusations against the Jews or the Lincolnshire rebellion show that life was not all a sybaritic idyll.

An important medieval book, the Luttrell Psalter forms the basis for nearly every schoolbook illustration of the period. It lay unregarded in the church at Irnham until the early 20th century when it was saved for the nation: a public subscription in a popular newspaper raised enough to buy it before it was sold overseas.

Grantham's St Wulfram's church has a fine example of a Chained library still extant within the church.