Discover Sawtry’s Abbey History and Natural Surroundings

Two main themes can help you choose Sawtry as a destination: the history of the abbey, churches and a designated monument, and the natural environment and local walking routes. Dates help distinguish the historical themes, while Aversley Wood and the paths offer a different focus, with their wildlife and plant life. Consider whether local heritage, nature watching or walks are likely to be the focus of your trip. These interests offer different perspectives on Sawtry.

Abbey, Churches and Medieval Heritage

Sawtry Abbey is the only Cistercian abbey in Cambridgeshire. Monks from Warden Abbey in Bedfordshire founded it in 1147. The founders’ origins and the year of its foundation provide two specific points of reference for the abbey’s history: a connection to Warden Abbey and a fixed date. For travellers interested in religious history, the abbey is a clearly defined subject in Sawtry.

Sawtry All Saints Church offers a different historical point of reference. It was rebuilt in 1880 using stones from two earlier churches in Sawtry and is the only surviving one of the three original parish churches. The year 1880 marks the rebuilding; the two earlier churches form part of the building’s history. All Saints therefore brings both the treatment of older churches and the later rebuilding into focus.

“Sawtry moat and shrunken medieval village” is also designated as a Scheduled Monument. Its name refers to a moat and a shrunken medieval village; its formal designation makes this a separate monument alongside the abbey and All Saints. Taken together, the abbey’s foundation, the rebuilding of the church and the medieval monument offer different historical perspectives on Sawtry.

Aversley Wood and Local Walking Routes

Aversley Wood is home to over 37 bird species, at least 12 butterfly species and a colony of great crested newts. The description of its wildlife covers different groups of animals: birds and butterflies are listed with species counts, alongside the great crested newt colony. If nature watching is among your travel interests, Aversley Wood is a specific point of reference when choosing Sawtry.

The oldest parts of the wood are thought to date back to the Ice Age. This cautious description explicitly applies to the oldest parts, not the entire wood. It adds a dimension of time to the wildlife: as well as the species found in Aversley Wood, the wood’s presumed long history is one of its described characteristics.

A walking route at Greenfields in Sawtry includes a fishing lake. Local paths also follow old tracks once used by agricultural workers, passing through areas with wildlife and plant life. The old tracks connect the walks with their former use, while the Greenfields route has the fishing lake as a specific point of reference. As recreational facilities can change, it is advisable to check the current status of the path and fishing lake if you have specific plans.

You can distinguish the themes when choosing where to visit: the abbey, churches and Scheduled Monument give Sawtry a historical focus; Aversley Wood and the local paths are more suited to nature watching and walks. You can use these themes to weigh up which interests should shape your trip, without combining the individual places and themes into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Pidley, Cambourne, March, Milton, Chatteris, Swaffham Bulbeck, Stow Cum Quy, Elton

For the wider travel overview: Cambridgeshire.