Site of Whittlesea Mere u Pondersbridge 7 u Engine farm Holme Fen 9 NNR B660 5 uRamsey Fortyfoot A Journey Through Time 3 4 Chatteris u u 14 RAMSEY 2 1 Woodwalton Fen NNR A142 8 u Bury Upwood u 10 A141 Ramsey Abbey Community Archaeology Project u Wistow 12 11 u Warboys A1 (M) 13 Ramsey Abbey Pilgrims Trail Broughton u History Earith u Heritage © V&A Museum u St Ives 15 u Huntingdon 17 Artefacts 20 19 u Godmanchester 18 22 16 u Holywell u Over 21 A14 To Cambridge 6 Ramsey Abbey Community Archaeology Project’s aims are to research, survey and excavate the Abbey site. Through the Treasures of Ramsey Abbey exhibition and Pilgrims Trail we will highlight the significance of monasteries to Medieval England. This exciting project continues... A Heritage Trail you can explore both online and on foot Design: Coral Design Management 07821 198114. Printed by Printboxuk Limited on sustainably sourced material using an eco-friendly process. 2020. Ramsey Abbey Pilgrims Trail - 2020 Jon Cane © A guide to the history, heritage and artefacts of A B Ramsey Abbey, 969 – 1539 C D E F G H J I A Abbey B Monastic buildings C Hospitium (now St Thomas à Becket Church) D Guest range E Inner Gate house (remains still existing) F Outer Gate house and precinct wall G Great Whyte H The Great Bridge I High Street J Little Whyte Ramsey the Golden 1 ABBEY HOUSE, RAMSEY More than 1000 years ago, Benedictine Monks chose this There are several basement rooms and floors in original spot on the edge of the Fens to build an abbey. Building first medieval stonework, primarily Barnack stone walls and large began in 969 and the abbey grew to become one of the flagstones. The mid 13th century wall arcading in the richest of its kind in the country. There was no town here basement is known locally as the ‘Lady Chapel’, however before the Benedictines came but a settlement soon grew up some think it may have at its gates and along the High Street. The Great Whyte was been the monk’s Refectory then a waterway spanned by The Great Bridge. In the fens John Critchley or probably the Chapter © nearby lay Whittlesea Mere, once the largest lowland lake in House. This would be a Britain. The rich natural resources of the fens made the abbey separate building in which so wealthy it became known as Ramsey the Golden. It had the monks and abbot could a large library and a reputation for learning that lasted until the meet in privacy from the lay Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. people to discuss the running of the abbey, its estate and farms and the Benedictine Following ‘The Dissolution of the Monasteries’ much of the code of conduct. The house was for a time used by Abbey remains of the Abbey were scattered, but you can discover College. It is still the property of Lord and Lady Fairhaven. what happened to some of “the pieces of the jigsaw” by following the Pilgrims Trail and uncovering the treasures of Please note there are some worn steps and uneven flooring. Ramsey Abbey. Where In the grounds of Ramsey Abbey College, Abbey Road, Hollow Lane Ramsey PE26 1DG. Front cover photos: Ramsey Abbey Gatehouse Almost all that visibly remains of the When By arrangement with the administration office at 10th century Abbey. Situated on Abbey Green, Ramsey. Abbey College. Ramsey Abbey Silver and Silver gilt Incense Boat, 1350 and Opens April to October Incense Burner, 1325 – V&A Museum. These magnificent items The first Sunday of the month were among several other articles preserved in the mud of 1pm – 5pm Whittlesea Mere and discovered when it was drained in 1851. Admission Free. Mappa Mundi, 1400 from Ramsey Abbey World map by Ranulf How Telephone 01487 812352 or Higden – British Library, ‘Royal MS’. This manuscript has the email via the website ownership inscription of John Wardeboys, who was abbot of Ramsey at the time of its dissolution in 1539. See more www.ramseyabbey.co.uk 2 3 3 ST THOMAS À BECKET CHURCH, RAMSEY The lower walls of this Ramsey Abbey church and tower are part of the original Hospitium or Abbey Guest House, which was founded about 1180. It would have been used to accommodate visitors, merchants and pilgrims who were not allowed to mix with the monks. It was consecrated as a church in 1238. The clock face in the tower almost obliterates an early 13th century window. The 12th century font, of black Purbeck or Northampton marble, is probably of an earlier date than any part of the existing church. The lectern is probably the oldest double lectern in the country, dating from 1450. It was connected by an original chain to the great bible, the cover of which 2 RAMSEY ABBEY GATE HOUSE, RAMSEY has several Tudor style roses Almost all that visibly remains of stamped on both clasps and th the 10 century Benedictine Abbey bosses. The tower contains a is a rebuilt entrance gate, an medieval Sanctus or priest bell, ornate carved exterior with a cast in 1510. The original glorious oriel window and an medieval roof was boarded over adjacent house for the gatekeeper. by the Victorians but can be seen from inside the tower. High up Inside is a late 13th century effigy above the organ a wall painting of the Abbey’s founder, Ealdorman of a praying figure in red has been Ailwyn (or Æthelwine), carved in uncovered. There are several Portland stone. carved stone coffin lids (reused as The information board on the lintels in the tower, on the wall and green is worth reading, it gives flooring near the organ) and a more details about the Abbey stained-glass window to Ailwyn. including the historic time line. A base and pillar of a 14th century medieval cross is at the East end Where On Abbey Green of the church graveyard. It was by Hollow Lane, Ramsey. possibly a preaching cross or When National Trust property. market cross, or even a Moot Opens April to October Post. The first Sunday of the month Where St Thomas à Becket 1pm – 5pm Church, Abbey Green, Admission Free. Ramsey, PE26 1DE or by appointment When Open daily from How Contact David Cozens on 01480-301494 10am – 4pm in summer, and daylight hours in winter. See more www.ramseyabbey.co.uk See more www.ramseyabbey.co.uk 4 5 RAMSEY ABBEY LIBRARY & SCHOOL OF LEARNING 4 RAMSEY RURAL Abbeys were some of the earliest recorded centres of MUSEUM, RAMSEY learning, preceding colleges and Universities. Peterborough On display are Ramsey (Medeshamstede), Ely and Ramsey became renowned Abbey artefacts donated Benedictine schools of learning, for the high born and by the public, particularly intellectually gifted. Men and women were segregated but carved limestone, unique were offered education based around Christian doctrines. wall tiles, and glazed Abbo of Fleury, an expert in the scientific disciplines of pottery found during the Quadrivium (geometry, astronomy, arithmetic, music) and archaeological excavations. the arts of grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic – renowned as the greatest scholar of his time, came to Ramsey Abbey in 985 The barn display exhibits and stayed until 987. He became the abbot and director of a narrative of the Abbey’s the school bringing with him a comprehensive range of texts land ownership, power, from the ‘Fleury curriculum’, grammar, logic and cosmology. wealth and influence. No other religious house in England at this time had received This illustrates the simple such a personal and detailed instruction in the new learning. items of early and later Byrhtferth, a monk of Ramsey, was a biographer, chronicler, medieval life, with replicas historian, mathematician, monk, prose writer, poet and teacher. of pottery and the beauty He began as a novice, and eventually became Ramsey Abbey’s of 3D imagery to show first schoolmaster. The two-year visit by Abbo of Fleury proved the buildings and iconic highly influential on the young Byrhtferth, he became well religious items such as versed in Aristotlian Philosophy, and wrote commentaries on an incense burner and several works by the venerable Bede. Byrhtferth’s first work incense boat. (988-96) written in Latin, a computistical commonplace book There is also a description called ‘Computus’, included tables on arithmetic formulae for of the Ramsey Abbey the calculation of the date of Easter. His ‘Enchiridion’ or Community Project manual (1010-1012), written in Latin and Old English, was excavations and significant more like a teaching resource, designed to explain the historical information about intricacies of computistical theory to ill-educated students. the Abbey and how it In his time, Byrhtferth would have known Bishops Oswald functioned. and Germanus, Earldorman Æthelwine (Ailwyn), Eadnoth Senior and Eadnoth Junior and would have had Where Ramsey Rural access to the Abbey's extensive archives. He was Museum, Wood Lane, commissioned by Archbishop Wulfstan of Worcester and York Ramsey, Cambs in the late 10th century to write the life of St Oswald, known as PE26 2XD the ‘Vita S Oswaldi’ – in it he tells us that services were rich When and elaborate, with sophisticated choir and organ. Also, that Thursdays 10am – 5pm. a school had taken root and its scriptorium had built up a Saturday, Sunday & capability for producing manuscripts of the highest quality. Bank Holidays 2pm – 5pm Gregory of Huntingdon, a monk of Ramsey in 1255, bought an Admission charges, see extensive collection of both Hebrew and Greek books when the website link below. Huntingdon Synagogue was forced to close under Edward I.