Fragment Of Barlings Abbey Church

The fragment of Barlings Abbey Church is a significant architectural remnant from the early 14th century. It consists of a part of the wall located between the nave and the north aisle of the abbey church. The structure is made of coursed limestone ashlar and limestone rubble.

Notable features include the north-east respond, which has three rolls, with the central roll being larger and filleted, alternating with two smaller fluted shafts. These are adorned with rich stiff-leaf capitals that feature acorns, abaci, and the springing of a sexpartite filleted rib vault above, along with a wall rib that rises to a broken pointed head to the east. Above, there are two roof corbels and a fragmentary string course.

The ashlar wall is set back slightly to the east and has a broken irregular opening that exposes the rubble core. To the east, there is a projecting ashlar wall with a weathered, richly foliated corbel that supports the springing of the sexpartite filleted rib vault, with the rib to the west carried over the wall recess. The rubble core is exposed to the east, featuring a large, richly moulded eastern respond that has a cluster of three small rolls to the north, supported by a richly carved corbel with leaves and fruit.

To the south, two broken shafts project, accompanied by a large filleted roll flanked by two smaller shafts. The south respond is richly moulded, combining two large filleted rolls with five smaller rolls. The ashlar wall continues to the east with an irregular broken opening. A corbelled bust of a man to the west supports three filleted roll shafts, which are topped with a richly decorated stiff-leaf capital featuring acorns. These capitals support the springing of the sexpartite filleted rib vault, with a broken wall rib to the east and a string course above to the west.

This abbey church was established for the Premonstratensian order in 1156.