Creake Abbey facts for kids
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| Location | King's Lynn and West Norfolk, East of England, Norfolk, England |
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| Coordinates | 52°55′12″N 0°45′33″E / 52.91994°N 0.75925°E |
| Type | Abbey |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Managed by English Heritage |
| Public access | Open all year round, at any reasonable time, Monday to Sunday North of North Creake, off B1355 |
| Website | http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.12428 |
Creake Abbey is the amazing ruin of an old abbey in Norfolk, England. It stands next to the River Burn, about a mile north of North Creake village. The abbey church was dedicated to Saint Mary. Today, the ruins are a very important historical site, protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled monument.
History of Creake Abbey
The site where Creake Abbey stands today was first used as an almshouse. This was a special place where poor people could live and be cared for.
Around the 12th century, a group of religious people called the Augustinians started a priory here. A priory is a smaller type of monastery.
Over time, generous people from local families gave money and gifts. These gifts helped the priory grow bigger and more important. In 1231, it became a full abbey.
King Henry III helped Creake Abbey a lot in its early years. He gave them many gifts, including control over several local churches. This helped the abbey become even stronger.
The abbey was at its most successful during the 1300s. Even though it was an abbey, it still helped people. It continued to run its hospital function as late as 1397.
In 1483, a big fire swept through the abbey. It badly damaged the church and many other buildings. The monks living there couldn't afford to fix it all by themselves.
The abbot asked King Richard III for help. The king felt sorry for them and gave the abbey a large sum of money. This money was meant to help rebuild the damaged parts.
A new abbot, Robert Walsingham, started a big rebuilding project in 1491. He focused on repairing the main church areas. Another important person, Sir William Calthorpe, also left money to help finish the work.
By 1503, the rebuilding was going well. However, in 1506, a terrible illness called the 'sweating sickness' hit the abbey. Sadly, all the monks died from this disease, including the abbot.
After this tragedy, the abbey site was given to Lady Margaret Beaufort in 1507. Eventually, it became owned by Christ's College in Cambridge.
What Remains of Creake Abbey Today?
Today, only parts of the abbey church walls are still standing. You can see how they were built using traditional Norfolk flint stone. Some beautiful carved details are still visible in the window arches and doorways.
Most of the other buildings are gone, with only their foundations remaining. The site is now looked after by English Heritage. This means it's open for everyone to visit and explore for free.
The abbey ruins are considered a Grade I listed building. This means they are very important historically and are protected. Four sections of the main church still stand almost to roof height.
The ruins are part of a larger historical area called a Scheduled monument. This means the entire site is nationally important. Nearby, there's also an old farmhouse, Creake Abbey Farmhouse, which is also a Grade I listed building.
Right next to the abbey ruins, there's a modern business called Creake Abbey. It has a café and a farm shop. They also host a farmers' market on the first Saturday of every month.
