Stixwould Priory

Stixwould Priory marks the site of a medieval nunnery in the village of Stixwould, Lincolnshire, in the East Lindsey district of eastern England. No grand monastic buildings remain, but the ground is a protected archaeological site, and a 17th-century farmhouse, Abbey Farm, stands within it.

What was Stixwould Priory?

Lucy, Countess of Chester, founded the house, most likely in the 1130s (sources give dates between 1129 and 1135). It began as a Cistercian nunnery, home to somewhere between a dozen and a few dozen nuns over its life. By the 13th century canons and a prior were also attached to it. A medieval world map labels the community Gilbertine, though modern historians lean towards Premonstratensian.

How did the priory end?

The house was suppressed in 1536, but the Crown moved Benedictine nuns from Stainfield in. In 1537 it was refounded for Premonstratensian canonesses, and it closed for good in 1539. The estate later passed to Robert Dighton. The present house was built on the site in the early 1600s. The gatehouse survived until 1849, and some priory stone went into the church at Woodhall Spa in 1845.

What can you see today?

• Earthworks and moats left by the monastic precinct. The site has never been excavated, so much of it is thought to survive intact below ground.
• Abbey Farm House, Grade II listed, with many fragments of medieval masonry built into its walls, some of them carved. Its roof also reuses smoke-blackened medieval timbers.

The site has been a scheduled monument since 1994. The farmhouse, a bungalow and the outbuildings are private homes and working premises, and there is no organised visitor access. Treat it as a short stop to take in the setting from public roads, respecting private property.

How do you get there, and when should you visit?

The village lies between Woodhall Spa and Horncastle. A car is the easiest way to reach it, as public transport in this part of the county is sparse. Spring and summer suit a visit best, when long days make it easy to combine it with other villages and monastic sites in the area.

Frequently asked questions

Can you enter the Stixwould Priory site? The land is privately owned and has no official opening hours. Look from public roads and do not enter the properties.

Who founded the priory? Lucy, Countess of Chester, in the 1130s.

Which order did the nuns belong to? It started as a Cistercian nunnery. It was refounded for Premonstratensian canonesses in 1537 and finally dissolved in 1539.

Does the original priory survive? Not as standing buildings. What remains are earthworks, plus medieval stone and timber reused in Abbey Farm House.