The Abbey of St Benet's is situated on a sand and gravel island called Cow Holm, surrounded by grazing marshes beside the River Bure. The name is derived from St Benedict, a Catholic saint. The abbey remains are not what I would call one of the more exciting ruins - there really is not all that much to see and also, they are a tourist attraction and accordingly 'sanitised'. However, where else is it possible to see a ruined abbey gatehouse with a drainage pump built into the middle of it?
In the Middle Ages the site was approached by land along a broad causeway from the village of Horning to the north west and by river along the Bure, and there is no doubt that before the marshes were drained in the eighteenth century it was more often than not a true island. The abbey grounds comprised gardens and fish ponds, the outlines of which are still visible on the ground, between the abbey buildings and the gatehouse.
St Benets was the only Anglo-Saxon monastery in the county which continued in use throughout the Middle Ages, and moreover, the site was left undisturbed after the Dissolution because of its inaccessible location. When the surrounding marshes were drained in the early eighteenth century, the precinct ditch formed part of the drainage system and a mill was first erected at the eastern outflow to pump water into the river. Later in the same century the old drainage mill was replaced by the present one which was built onto the front of the abbey's gatehouse. The upper floor of the gatehouse was removed to provide room for the sails so boats were able to turn around. The medieval gatehouse and adjoining eighteenth-century windmill are well known and have become an icon for the county's historic landscape.
Interior of the drainage pump's tower.
One of the abbey gatehouse's carved stone roof bosses.
Gatehouse and drainage pump merged into one.
Another one of the gatehouse's carved stone roof bosses.
This view shows a small section of wall of the abbey church, the ruins of which are located a sort distance to the east of the gatehouse.
In the Middle Ages the site was approached by land along a broad causeway from the village of Horning to the north west and by river along the Bure, and there is no doubt that before the marshes were drained in the eighteenth century it was more often than not a true island. The abbey grounds comprised gardens and fish ponds, the outlines of which are still visible on the ground, between the abbey buildings and the gatehouse.
St Benets was the only Anglo-Saxon monastery in the county which continued in use throughout the Middle Ages, and moreover, the site was left undisturbed after the Dissolution because of its inaccessible location. When the surrounding marshes were drained in the early eighteenth century, the precinct ditch formed part of the drainage system and a mill was first erected at the eastern outflow to pump water into the river. Later in the same century the old drainage mill was replaced by the present one which was built onto the front of the abbey's gatehouse. The upper floor of the gatehouse was removed to provide room for the sails so boats were able to turn around. The medieval gatehouse and adjoining eighteenth-century windmill are well known and have become an icon for the county's historic landscape.
Interior of the drainage pump's tower.
One of the abbey gatehouse's carved stone roof bosses.
Gatehouse and drainage pump merged into one.
Another one of the gatehouse's carved stone roof bosses.
This view shows a small section of wall of the abbey church, the ruins of which are located a sort distance to the east of the gatehouse.
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