Pictures of Bardney

About Bardney

The village of Bardney lies on the eastern banks of the River Witham a short distance from Lincoln. Like many of the lovely Wold villages Bardney has aviation associations from the 20th century. But stretching back into the mist of history, the village is thought to have developed from Saxon times, and was named after a Saxon chief called Bearda.

An important abbey existed here almost from Saxon times. It was believed to have been originally endowed by Ethelred, King of Mercia and his wife Osthryd. This was subsequently destroyed by Viking raiders in 870, and was not re-instated until later in the 10th century. The new monastery belonged to the Benedictine order, this flourished until the time of the persecution, when following a fight against the Crown to try to preserve the abbey, six monks were put to death, and the abbey finally surrendered in 1538.

After the Dissolution the monastic buildings and land were acquired by Sir Robert Trywhitt who built a splendid house for himself and his family out of the former abbot's lodgings. The cloister was turned into a walled garden, and the rest left to fall into decay. By the 18th century the whole site was derelict including Tyrwhitt's house. In the ensuing centuries various excavations have taken place and the site is now scheduled as an ancient monument, which is open to the public. English Heritage have provided informative display boards which explain in detail the history of the site. The local church possess many artefacts and a miniature plan of the abbey, this is well worth seeing, so too is the church. St.Lawrence's church can be found in Church Lane.

On a note of latter day history, a Sugar Beet factory existed in Bardney between the years 1925 and 2001, during which time many local people were employed at the plant, and its closure was a sad event for many.

The River Witham flows alongside the village, and Bardney Lock is just one of the area's hidden treasures. This is always a lively scene where visitors can often enjoy watching a colourful flotilla of boats. A floating pontoon provides moorings for the village, and as you would imagine the banks of the river are home to many species of wildlife. Beyond the river banks you can catch a glimpse of some interesting old properties, one being the popular Riverside Inn.

Bardney lies around 35 miles from the coast, it is a pleasant rural area which offers peaceful past-times of quiet walks, fishing, boating, and there is a near-by falconry, a farm park, and plenty to do with aviation and antiques.

Those wishing to pay an extended visit will find a good selection of accommodation to suit all tastes.