More information : (TF 28239302) Site of (NAT) Priory (NR) Gilbertine (NAT). (1)
North Ormsby. The Gilbertine Priory of St Mary was founded as a double house circa 1148-1154. After the Black Death the revenue of the house was greatly diminished and after the surrendering of 30.9.1538, pensions were granted to the Prior & five canons and the Prioress and 8 nuns. (2-3)
Centred at TF 281930 is an extensive area embracing the site of the Priory and the shrinkage or desertion of North Ormsby Village. The secular buildings of the Priory were at TF 28239302 where the foundations of the church and cloisters are clearly identifiable as grassed mounds.
Similarly the site of the gate house may be seen at TF 28259310 and to the west of the gatehouse a minor building probably indicated the hospital. Fragmentary stonework of the House is rebuilt into the modern farm buildings adjacent to the site.
The working fields and terraces are extensive and their plan elaborate (Such as may be anticipated in a double house); a fishpond complex is evident and centred to TF 27839303 and a well engineered series of south facing cultivation terraces probably indicates former vineyards (not surveyed). To the immediate east and co-joined to the Priory complex, there is a large area of desertion indicating North Ormsby to have originally been a village of some stature. Field individual crofts, house sites and roads are clearly defined and to the north, in a freshly ploughed field, there is a wide and long scatter of building debris together with the odd sherd of Md pottery.
Local research was negative regarding the history of the village and it is not recorded/listed by M Beresford or the DMV Research Group. The present church is 19th century. The probability is that the Black Death (noted above) was responsible for the village decline. Relevant
features surveyed at 1:2500. (4)
MOW excavations in 1966 by A Dornier exposed foundations and a tomb. Pottery taken to Lincoln City and County Museum. (5)
TF 2282 930. Site of Gilbertine priory at North Ormsby Abbey. Scheduled no. LI/177. (6)
The Medieval Gilbertine priory referred to by the previous authorities was seen as earthworks and mapped from good quality air photographs. The ecclesiastical buildings of the priory are centred at TF 2830 9305. The church, cloisters, gatehouse, possible hospital and other buildings are all visible as rectilinear enclosures defined by low banks or earth covered walls. The church measures 70m by 15m and is centred at TF 2819 9301. The cloister, attached to the east side of the church, measures 20m by 20m, and is centred at TF 2821 9302. Two small buildings, both measuring 10m by 10m, are attached to the east side of the cloister and three
more buildings are visible to the east of these. The gatehouse is only partially visible on the north side of the precinct and is centred at TF 2823 9309. The building identified as a hospital by the previous authority could be also be a guest house because of its proximity to the gate. It measures 45m by 10m and is centred at TF 2820 9308. The possible remains of a precinct boundary are visible as broad ditches to the north south and east of the buildings. Precinct boundaries defined by broad ditches are common in Lincolnshire.
The Medieval settlement remains referred to by the previous authorities have been recorded in TF 29 SE 12 and form a quite separate group and type of earthworks to the priory remains. The cultivation terraces or "vineyards" referred to by authority 4 seem to relate to the Medieval settlement rather than the priory but could of course have served both the priory and the settlement. The fishpond complex also referred to by authority 4 is a Post medieval ornamental pond (TF 29 SE 4). (Morph No. LI.331.2.1-13)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
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