Local Information

Crowland is a small historic market town (population 3,600) situated just inside the Lincolnshire border between Peterborough and Spalding. For residents it is best summed up as offering a village community environment with an excellent range of facilities for day to day life. Bigger centres for employment, recreation and retail are just a short commute away; Peterborough and Spalding both being 9 miles away. A new bypass is currently under construction. The 14 mile route is progressing ahead of schedule and the £80.3m scheme is due for completion in summer 2010. The new road will provide a safer alternative to the current narrow and twisting route and improve links to surrounding areas.

Historic Landmarks

Crowland Abbey - The town is dominated by the partly destroyed Abbey. The Abbey ceased to exist in 1539, when Henry VIII’s government had it closed down. Pre 1539 Croyland was the largest monastery in Lincolnshire and one of the most important monasteries in England. It had a large and beautiful church of which the nave still stands as a picturesque ruin. What is today known as Croyland Abbey was only the north aisle of the old abbey church. This aisle was saved from destruction because it was in use as the church of the local population well before 1539. As the town of Croyland grew up beside the abbey, the monks eventually allowed the north aisle to be walled off from the rest of the abbey church in order that the monks and the townspeople could each carry out their distinct patterns of prayer without the one group disturbing the other. Although popularly known as Croyland Abbey, the proper name for this church is the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Bartholomew, and Saint Guthlac.

Trinity Bridge – This is one of the town’s unique features which dates from the 13th century. This bridge has three stairways that converge at the top. Originally it spanned the River Welland and a tributary that once flowed through the town. The bridge is an unusual and economical solution to the crossing of two watercourses at their confluence, reducing the need for three separate bridges to a single structure with three abutments. The bridge is now a scheduled monument and is grade I listed.

Local Facilities

Town Centre Shopping includes a Co-op supermarket, Spar incorporating the Post Office, hardware store, fishing tackle shop, florist, newsagent, bakers, gift shops, pharmacy, Crowland Cancer Fund charity shop, hairdressers, a market (Fridays) and Crowland Homes Estate Agents. There are five take-away outlets, a tea shop, Italian restaurant, a hotel and two pubs.

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Surrounding Area

Crowland is situated midway between Peterborough and Spalding:

Peterborough

Situated in north Cambridgeshire, Peterborough has easy access by road to both London and the North via A1M (road) and East Coast Main Line (rail 45 minutes).

The modern-day city of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, contains a wealth of history including:

Flag Fen Bronze Age Centre where archaeologists found the oldest wheel in Britain
Peterborough Cathedral with the largest surviving example of a painted wooden ceiling from the Middle Ages.
Peterborough Museum is the city's most haunted building. They also have one of the best collections of marine monsters in the world.
Nene Valley Railway – standard gauge railway and home of wide variety of steam locomotives and rolling stock.

Leisure Facilities/Activities include:

Spalding

Spalding is a peaceful market town on the river Welland in South Holland. It has an attractive waterfront with fine Georgian buildings and riverside walks. It is particularly pleasant when the spring flowers are in bloom.

The annual Spalding Flower Festival and Spring Fair is held at the beginning of May. Carnival floats decorated with and spring flowers, marching bands, street markets, funfairs, a huge country fair, music, arts and entertainment spanning the three days of the spring bank holiday, attracts thousands of visitors.

There is a street market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

For more information on the towns facilities visit spaldingnet.com.