Nestled in the English county of Lincolnshire lies the village of Crowland, best known for the imposing ruins of its medieval abbey. But beneath this visible chapter lies a hidden history, a story etched in the land itself, meticulously unearthed by archaeologists from Newcastle University.
Local legend whispers of Saint Guthlac, an Anglo-Saxon hermit who established his solitary refuge here in the 8th century. Guthlac’s fame, fueled by a life of piety and his incorrupt body discovered after death, sparked a pilgrimage movement that culminated in the 10th century abbey dedicated to him.
While historical accounts like the “Vita Sancti Guthlaci” (Life of Saint Guthlac) documented his life, the location of his hermitage remained shrouded in mystery. Traditionally, Anchor Church Field was pegged as the most likely spot, but definitive proof remained elusive.
A recent excavation at Anchor Church Field, led by a team from Newcastle University and the University of Sheffield, shattered expectations, revealing a far more intricate and ancient tapestry than anticipated.
The most unexpected discovery was a previously unknown Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age henge – a massive circular earthwork, one of the largest ever found in eastern England. Dating back millennia, this colossal structure would have dominated the landscape, serving as a prominent center for ceremonial activities.
Interestingly, Crowland itself was once a peninsula, embraced by water and marshes on three sides. The henge stood proudly on a jutting point, a highly visible landmark amidst the vast Fenlands.
Though seemingly abandoned for centuries, the henge’s significance persisted. Its imposing presence, a testament to a bygone era, likely resonated with hermits like Guthlac, imbuing the site with a sense of sacredness.
Evidence suggests the henge’s reoccupation around Guthlac’s time. The excavation yielded a treasure trove of artifacts – pottery, bone combs, and fragments of a high-status drinking vessel. While frustratingly, no physical structures from this period survived, these objects offer a tantalizing glimpse into the Anglo-Saxon utilization of the henge.
“The reuse of prehistoric monuments by Anglo-Saxons is known,” explains Dr. Duncan Wright, a medieval archaeology lecturer at Newcastle University. “But encountering a henge, especially one previously unknown, being used in this way is exceptionally rare.”
Though a definitive link between Guthlac and the unearthed objects remains elusive, their presence during this period, coupled with the later medieval activity, reinforces the notion of Crowland as a sacred space, revered for millennia.
The excavation’s crown jewels were undoubtedly the remnants of a 12th-century hall and chapel, constructed by the Crowland abbots, likely to venerate the hermits who resided here. The grand hall served as elite accommodation, perhaps for distinguished pilgrims visiting Crowland.
While most of the stone from these structures succumbed to 19th-century looting, historical records reveal the chapel’s dedication to Saint Pega, Guthlac’s sister and a revered hermit herself. These same sources suggest the chapel’s decline by the 15th century, possibly coinciding with the waning popularity of pilgrimages during the Reformation.
Directly facing the hall and chapel, the archaeologists unearthed a curious meter-deep, stone-lined pit, previously misidentified as a well in the 19th century. Given the newfound understanding of the site’s history, the archaeologists believe this pit could have served as a flag post holder or, more likely, the base for a large cross.
The landscape itself underwent a dramatic transformation after the 12th century. Extensive draining of the surrounding marshes drastically altered the area’s topography. Anchor Church Field, once an island, became arable land. Agricultural activity intensified, gradually diminishing the hall’s significance, though it persisted longer than the chapel.
Despite this shift in use, the site’s sacred aura endured. As late as the 18th century, documents record the owner of a cottage built on the hall’s remains continuing to revere the hermits, offering prayers in his backyard every Sunday.
“By piecing together archaeological evidence and historical texts,” concludes Dr. Hugh Willmott from the University of Sheffield, “we gain a clear understanding of how Anchor Church Field continued to be perceived as a sacred space worthy of veneration for centuries.”
The excavations at Crowland have not only shed light on Saint Guthlac’s legacy but also unveiled a remarkable palimpsest – a sacred landscape where prehistoric rituals intertwined with medieval piety, offering a glimpse into the deep wellspring of veneration that has resonated in this place for millennia.
The study is published in the Journal of Field Archaeology.
Source: Newcastle University