Thornton Abbey

In the civil parish of Thornton Curtis. In the historic county of Lincolnshire (Modern Authority of North Lincolnshire, 1974 county of Humberside).

Impressive brick gatehouse constructed late C13. licensed in 1382, from which Gatehouse was enlarged and barbican built. Little remains of Abbey and precinct wall, which would have been to large to be readily defensible, but gatehouse remains intact and is large and more military than most other abbey gateways. It is a three storey structure built largely of brick with limestone ashlar dressings and decorative details. It was built in the 1360s and enlarged and defended after licence to fortify was granted to the abbey in 1382 and appears to have had an administrative function since it contained the Abbot's exchequer and courthouse. Licence repeated in 1388

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 165878)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TA11511896

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 80449
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Web site links
  • http://www.magicjon.fsnet.co.uk/thornton.htm
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.386
• Books
  • Harrison, Peter, 2004, Castles of God (Woodbridge; Boydell Press) p85-6
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p69 [slight]
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p316
    Brooke, C.J., 2000, Safe Sanctuaries (Edinburgh; John Donald) p8
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p147-8
    Platt, C., 1990, The Architecture of Medieval Britain (New Haven and London: Yale University Press) p210
    Pevsner, N. and J Harris, 1978, The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (London) p400-2
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p4-6
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p231-3, 419, 420
• Journal Articles
  • Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
• Guidebooks
  • Clapham, Alfred and Reynolds, P.K.Baillie, 1989, Thornton Abbey (London: English Heritage)
    Clapham, Alfred and Reynolds, P.K.Baillie, 1951, Thornton Abbey (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1381-85) p166
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1389-92) p28
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/lincseng.html#lincs24]
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Thornton Abbey and Gatehouse Information for teachers (English Heritage) http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Thornton_Info_for_teachers.pdf?1248952699