The Gilbertines

Amongst the many things for which Lincolnshire is remarkable, is the fact that the only English Monastic order – that of the Gilbertines – was founded by a Lincolnshire priest and later saint – Saint Gilbert of Sempringham.

Visit Sempringham today, and you might have trouble finding it, for only the church now remains of what was once a bustling village next to a great monastery precinct. The parish church of Sempringham, St Andrews, now stands majestic and alone in a landscape of fields – not even electricity has reached this spot, although the church is still used on a regular basis.

St Gilbert of Sempringham

St Gilbert of Sempringham was born around 1083, the son of a Norman knight, Jocelin of Sempringham who had fought under William the Conqueror. Gilbert had some type of deformity (possibly a twisted spine) which prevented him from following his fathers footsteps as a soldier and instead he travelled in Europe becoming first a teacher, and later a priest. When he returned to England he became priest at Sempringham and nearby West Torrington. His reputation as a man with special qualities soon spread and he was summoned by the Bishop of Lincoln to work in the diocese.

When Gilbert's father died in 1130 he became both the Lord, and the priest, of Sempringham. This was the time of the founding of the medieval monasteries and Gilbert, like many Norman lords, wished to demonstrate his piety by founding a Priory at Sempringham. However, his first novices were seven girls, but Sempringham was not to become a nunnery – within a few months, several local men had also offered themselves to Gilbert's growing monastery and he found himself faced with an unusual problem. Normally, it would be out of the question for monks and nuns to live and worship together in the same monastery, but Gilbert came up with the idea of a 'double' order – there were to be two of everything – a great church divided into two – two cloisters, two dining rooms, two dormitories and so on. The rule was strict about separation of men and women, and yet accepted that a mixed community could still exist within the rules adopted from the Cistercian order.

And so the order of the order of the Gilbertines was born and by the time of the Dissolution in 1538, twenty five priories in addition to the mother house in Sempringham, had been founded. Eleven of these were in Lincolnshire, including St Catherine's in Lincoln, and the priories at Haverholme, Catley, Bullington and Alvingham.

The canonisation of St Gilbert

2002 was the 800th anniversary of the canonisation of St Gilbert – the process of making him a saint. To celebrate the year, the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire, together with South Kesteven Council, arranged a series of special events, starting with a commemoration service in Lincoln Cathedral on 22nd June. A guided coach tour around several of the Gilbertine sites, included visits to the sites of Catley priory, Haverholme Priory, St Saviour's and to Sempringham itself. On the August Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday there was a medieval living history weekend at Sempringham with Lord Burgh's retinue helping to create a view of life in Gilbertine times.

Dave Start
Director, Heritage Lincolnshire