Croxton Abbey earthworks

Our thanks to Helen Wells, Assistant Planning Archaeologist/Historic Environment Record Officer at Leicestershire County Council, for sending this extract from ‘The Medieval Earthworks of Central Leicestershire’ by RF Hartley, detailing various historical earthworks at Croxton Park.

The easiest way to identify the various points mentioned in the text is to download a pdf of the map shown below right by clicking here.

Croxton Park and Abbey (SK 823276)

“This celebrated monastery of the Premonstratensian order, delightfully situated in the midst of an extensive and pleasant park was founded soon after the Conquest.

“William, Earl of Bologne, Moretaigne and Warren … gave them the Church of Croxton”, an orchard, and various lands including “a piece of ploughed land, in demesne, to build a house for the abbey, and his own house, with all the waste land at Croxton behind the park, and about the spring called Halliwell, on both sides of the valley, with full right to the mill and watercourses, pasturage, and all advantages thereunto adjoining”. (Nichols 1795, 151.)

William Parcarius de Liuns finished their building in 1162 and bestowed on them two thirds of the part at Croxton “with all his rights and liberties therein, in wood, pain, meadow and pasture, lying within the park wall”.

The site of the abbey is marked at the centre of the present group of buildings on the Ordnance Survey Map (a). North and East of this point are traces of a great number of building foundations and old enclosures, including the site of a large tithe barn (b) surrounded by closes. Southwards from the latter point is an area of uneven ground with numerous traces of quarrying. (c)

The approach from the south-east (d) is flanked by earthwork banks of unknown date (see photo above). The approach is aligned on a low circular mound (e) and also, on the far side of the valley, on the ditched mound (f) called “Punch’s Grave” on old maps of the park. The origin and purpose of these mounds is unknown.

Along the valley bottom is a magnificent flight of ponds, of which three still contain water. Six extended in continuous line (g, h, j, k, m, n) and north of the main road are one, or possibly two more (u, v). the dam of another large drained pond (p) crosses a side valley to the west, and opposite the abbey site are earthworks of three smaller ponds. (q). On the ridge called Windmill Hill is a large tree-covered mound (r), presumably the site of the mill, although it appears to be a good candidate as a possible round barrow. (Click here for more information on Windmill Hill.)

To the south of Punch’s Grave (f) a hollow way (t) climbs the hillside, forming the present boundary of the wood. On the north side of this feature are three parallel banks of unknown origin and purpose. Another enclosure bank (w) used to join the centre bank, but has since been ploughed away and is reconstructed here from aerial photographs. (RAF CPE UK 1932 4326-7)*.

Upon the Dissolution of the Abbey in 1541, the manor was granted to Thomas, Earl of Rutland, who built a mansion house from the materials of the demolished Abbey. This mansion has “since given way to a pleasant hunting-seat, built between the years 1710 and 1720, by John, the second Duke of Rutland.” (Nichols 1795, 148.) This third building, Park House, has itself long been derelict. (Click here for more information on Park House.)

The site of the Abbey was excavated by the Duke of Rutland in 1922-6 and a detailed plan of the foundations prepared. (Herbert 1941-45 289-291). Click here to view.

The Medieval Deer Park belonging to the Abbey is mentioned in 1162, when it appears to have had a wall. In 1264 it comprised “all the wasteland about the spring called Holiwell, and all the heath from the great road leading from Croxton to Waltham, to the bounds of Branston westwards. Whether it was disparked or continued through to become the modern deer park is not clear. In 1867 the park contained 570 acres with 350 fallow deer, and was enclosed by a stone wall, much of which is still in evidence (Cantor 1976-7, 73.)

Notes:
*It would be wonderful to trace these RAF aerial photos, but unfortunately I’ve drawn a complete blank. If anyone can suggest where we could try, please get in touch.
There’s a lot more information about Croxton Park and the abbey on this website. Click here for the main links.