Denny abbey, central crossing of Benedictine church (Religious Houses of Cambs, 1988)

Denny (Denney) Abbey, Ely Road, Waterbeach

History of Denny Abbey

Listed building:

Benedictine abbey church remains c.1150; later C12 and C13 additions by Knights Templars. Converted to Franciscan nunnery in C14 by the Countess of Pembroke (d.1377), and farmhouse after the Dissolution with further C18 and C19 alterations.

Refectory of Franciscan nunnery c.1340

Rebuilt C16 and C17, and west wall C17 and C18. Converted before 1730 to an eight-bayed barn with thatched roof.

Aisled barn. C17. Reused medieval limestone ashlar blocks and gault brick.

‘For Her Good Estate‘ by Frances A Underhill (2020) describes the friendship of Elizabeth de Burgh and Mary de St Pol. Mary exercised control over the nunneries at Denny and at Waterbeach. The Waterbeach community she eventually relocated to Denny.

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Denny is a small island of high ground surrounded by low historically waterlogged land. Archaeologists have found fragments of Roman pottery and a raised earth track. This a suggests a farm in Roman times. Rubbish pits and grinding stones from this time have been found.

Sometime before 1159 a church dedicated to St James and St Leonard was built at Denny by one Robert, Chamberlain to Duke Conan 4th of Brittany. It was first lived in by Benedictines from Ely, but in 1170 the priory was transferred to the Knights Templar. In the early 13th century it became a hospital exclusively for the old and inform members of the Order. The templars built a separate small house adjoining the house.  They also construacted many of the earthworks, ponds and water channels.When the order was suppressed in 1308, ten or eleven brethren were arrested here.

In 1327 Denny Abbey was given to the Countess of Pembroke. It was not reoccupied until 1339 when Mary de Valence, the Countess of Pembroke, moved the Franciscan Order of Minoresses, known as the Poor Clares, from Waterbeach to Denny. She built a new large church and refectory for the nuns. She put a floor into the original church and joined the separate Templar priest house into the building with a two-storey extension. This enabled the older church to be converted into domestic quarters for herself and also guest accommodation.

At the time of the Dissolution there were 35 nuns. The estate was sold to Edward Elrington. In the 16th century most buildings were destroyed but the nave of the church was converted into a barn. Because part of the building had been converted in the 12th cent to a high status dwelling, this part survived as a farmhouse.

Between 1830 and 1854 the Abbey was leased to the Witt family. John George Witt was born in 1836 and lived at the Abbey until the age of 14. He recalled the Irish who came during the harvest to work. They cooked outside and slept in the barns.

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1647

Text:

ELIZABETH KNIGHT LAR OF DENNEY ABBEY BY HER LAST WILL DATED 18 OF MAY ????? 1647 & RECORDED IN Y PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBUREY DID NOT ONLY GIVE THESE 6 HOUSES WITH £18 P ANNU TO BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONGST THOSE THAT SHALL INHABIT THEM BUT ALSO £160 TO THE CORPORATION OF CAMBRIDGE TO BE LENT GRATIS TO EIGHT YOUNG TRADESMEN ACCORDING TO HER SAID WILL

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The 1773 sketch shows the first floor window inserted in the crossing (14th cent) that enabled the occupant to watch services in the nuns’ church.

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1841 census: Denny Abbey

James Witt, 40, farmer

Sarah, 35,

Adelisa, 6,

John, 4,

George, 2,

Gertrude, 7 ms,

Jane Houston, 20, governess,

Sarah Covile, 20, servant,

Charles Spicer, 30, servant

Thomas Mansfield, 50, ag. lab.

In 1861 the Witt family are occupying the Manor House, Swaffham Prior. exactly which Manor House is uncertain.

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1851 Denny Abbey

John Wyatt, 54, Ag bailiff, b Southey

Elizabeth, 44, b Pidley

Mark, 14, b Pidley

Jonathan Howel, lodger, 28, b Southey

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1861 Denny Abbey

Henry Wiles, 56, farmer 594 acres employing 25 men and 10 boys, b Southoe

Sarah, 42, b Landbeach

Katharine J, 1, b Swavesey

Alice Sarah, b Swavesey

Annette Laura, 11, b Swavesey

Anna Maria N Rowbottom, 29, governess, b London

Susan M S Crocke, 19, b Soham

Ann Clark, 21, servant, b Burwell

Mary Ann Nottage, 20, servant, b Bottisham

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1871

Henry Wiles, 56, farmer of 594 acres employing 22 men and 6 boys, b Southam

Sarah, 52,

Katharine Joanna, 26,

Alice Sarah, 24,

Mary Dever, 22, servant, b Suffolk

Mary Waites, 68, b Willingham

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1881

Richard Toller, 53, farmer of 600 acres employing 15 men and 8 boys, b Lapley Hunts

Sarah, 40, b Cambridge

Sarah, 11, b Trumpington

Edith, 9, b Trumpington

Lucy, 6, b Waterbeach

Mabel R, 2, b Waterbeach

Louisa M Lovell, governess, 25, b Huntingdon

Martha Coulson, 20, b Cottenham

Amelia Butler, 17, b Cottenham

Julia Leach, 16, b Warerbeach

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1883

William Dimock became tenant then later bought the farm.

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1891 Denny Abbey

Edward Dimock, head, 51, farmer, b Stretham

Matilda, 47, b Stretham

John, 21, b Downham

Sarah, 20, b Wicken

Claud, 19, dental student, b Wicken

Gertrude, 16, b Stretham

Florence, 13, b Stretham

Roger, 10, b Stretham

Charles Cudworth, head, 40, agricultural labourer, b Waterbeach

Elizabeth, 39, b Cottenham

George Edmond, 15, agricultural labourer, b Waterbeach

Beatrice Elsie, 14, b Waterbeach

David Charles, 11, b Waterbeach

Ernest James, 8, b Waterbeach

Amelia Ellen, 7, b Waterbeach

Elizabeth Sarah, 5, b Waterbeach

Emma Eliza, 5, b Waterbeach

William Thomas, 4mos, b Waterbeach

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1891

Edward Dimock, head, 51, farmer, b Stretham

Matilda, 47, b Stretham

John, 21, b Downham

Sarah, 20, b Wicken

Claud, 19, dental student, b Wicken

Gertrude, 16, b Stretham

Florence, 13, b Stretham

Roger, 10, b Stretham

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1901

John Charles Dimock, head, 32, farmer, b Downham

Sarah Elizabeth, 30, b Wicken

Charles Cudworth, head, 50, foreman at farm,  b Waterbeach

Elizabeth, 49, b Cottenham

Ernest James, 19, labourer, b Waterbeach

Emma Eliza, 13, b Waterbeach

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1911

John Charles Dimock, 42, farmer, b Downham

Elizabeth Geraldine Miriam, 26, wife, b Scotland

Edward Millar, 6, b Waterbeach

Humphrey Roger, 4, b Waterbeach

John Robert, 3, b Waterbeach

Elizabeth Blanche Mervyn, 1.5, b Waterbeach

Suzanne Alice Marie Yang, visitor, 25, b France

Emily Jane Merryweather, 33, cook, b Hadstock

Violet Primula Watts, 25, nurse, b Waterbeach

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1928

The Dimocks sold the land to Pembroke College. Chivers, the jam makers became tenants until the Second World War. During WWII Italian prisoners worked at the farm. After the war the site was taken over by the government to protect it. The farm wa sold off separately to the Martins who were farmers at Littleport.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Abbey

The refectory was built by the Countess of Pembroke circa 1350. The floor was made of tiles. After the Dissolution, 1539, the building was used for hundreds of years to store grain. Parts of the building were rebuilt in brick.