According to a newspaper article in the Wisbech Standard, 7 Nov. 1980, Upwell used to have three religious houses. One was Meremound Priory where Marmont Priory Farm is now. The farm dates from the 18th century, but is said to still have signs of a small Gilbertine community founded in 1189/99.
St Christopher’s Hermitage was apparently near Upwell Bridge and then you could see traces of an early English doorway and broken pilasters on a house on the Cambridge side. It seems that it was a waterside cell, possibly the one referred to as a cell granted in the 22nd year of the reign of Edward III where hermits watched and prayed and ferried travelers over the floods and rivers.
The third was Thirling Priory. All that new remains in Thirling’s Drove, down Pious Drove are some old yew trees and a little grey stone of the Benedictine Priory.
According to various people in Upwell there was a burial ground at the back of Moss’ garage. The priory house was opposite Mallets along School Road in March Riverside.
Pricilla and Justin Davies’ House used to be three houses. Now the Hollies Ickworth. According to Justine Davies, St Christopher’s Hermitage was his house. Part was built in 1650, with a bread oven.
This may fit in with other ides that the Monks used to be near where the the paper shop now stands. Others have suggested that there used to be a tunnel from the Davies’ and from the Priory to near the Queen’s Head Pub. There is an archway in the wall of the Welle Creek, near the bridge.
When I was growing up I heard stories that there used to be a tunnel from the Priory to Queenshead to Outwell and to Beaupre Hall. My Nanna’s Aunt Phoebe (Phoebe Mott) was maid to Miss Newling who lived at Beapre Hall. Phoebe scared my grandmother (and she then scared me!) with stories of blood on the floor and which appeared on the wall, and there was also said to be a headless horseman.
Ann Piddou (nee Purrell) says that there is or was a room in the Priory House that they were not allowed to touch, where they used to lock the Monks up.
