Description

TF 83 NE NORTH CREAKE

5/36 Remains of Creake
5.6.53. Abbey Church
(formerly listed as
The Remains of St Mary's Aboey)

I

Remains of Abbey Church of St. Mary. Founded 1206 for Augustinian Canons,
first a Priory, then an Abbey. Dissolved 1507 after extinction of community
in the plague, given 1509 to newly founded Christ's College, Cambridge. Mostly
C13, some C14 and C15 evidence. Flint, ashlar and rubble stone. Formerly
nave and aisles with crossing, north and south transepts and choir. Church
perhaps lost nave and aisles in C15, transepts truncated and chapels added
at south east and north east. Nave and aisles survive as footings only.
South bondary of south aisle forms cloister garden wall of Abbey Farmhouse
(q.v.). North and south aisles end in C13 2-centred ashlar piers and arches,
at south with 2-light paired lancets inserted. Crossing survives to springing
of arches, at north-west to capital level, at north-east and south-west as
pier, capital and springing of arch, at south-east as capital and part
of arch. Polygonal projections and finely moulded arches. 6 bay chancel,
4 bays surviving to roof height. North and south arches next to crossing
with semi octagonal piers and moulded arches, perhaps C14 or C15 insertions.
Above 4 giant blank arcades, interrupted by north and south arches, rising
from dado to vault height, formerly with detached shaft colonnettes. South
crossing chapel has C13 arch from south transept, east and south windows.
North crossing arch blocked in C15. North transept replaced by 2 C14 north-east
chapels. Inner chapel parallel with choir has C13 south arch, 2 C14 quatrefoil
piers with moulded arches opening to outer chapel, south piscina. Substantial
outer north-east chapel has fine octagonal mid-C14 south pier, surviving south
side arch with mouldings dying into piers. Dado sill and segmental north
sepulchre arch. C14 east window without tracery, south side piscina. First
restored 1864 by R.M. Phipson, architect. Ancient Monument, County Number
196. See C.H. Compton Creake, Norfolk; its Abbey and Churches (Journal of
British Archaeological Association, 46 (1890), pp. 201-20; R.J. Simpson North
Creake Church and Abbey (Norwich 1896) and Bedingfield A L and Gilyard - Beer
R, Creake Abbey Norfolk (H.M. Ministry of Works Guide) (1970).

Listing NGR: TF8561339490

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Creake Abbey at Wikipedia
• Creake Abbey official website
• Wikidata Q5183328

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas