Peeking through the trees stands Biggin Abbey. But hold on a moment. Biggin Abbey was never actually an abbey. It was a manor house. It served as the summer home for the Bishops of Ely.
Originally built in the mid-13th century by Bishop Hugh de Northwold. Biggin Abbey fell into disrepair. It was almost entirely rebuilt in the 14th century. Then again in the 17th century.
In its early days, Biggin Abbey hosted royalty. Kings like Henry III, Edward I, and Edward II stayed here. They sometimes stayed for weeks. They passed through East Anglia.
The estate at Fen Ditton centred on the manor of Biggin. It was one of Ely’s pre-Conquest possessions.
In 1251, Bishop Northwold extensively rebuilt the buildings. A license to crenellate was granted in 1276. The moat surrounding Biggin Abbey was almost completely destroyed in the 1970s.
Biggin Abbey was once owned by the Willys family of Eye Hall. Later, Thomas Panton owned it. Then Sir Peter Burrell.
The manor of Biggin remained in episcopal hands until 1600. It then passed to the Crown by exchange. The Crown sold it in 1605 to Thomas Willys.
Another manor, later called Mochettes, originated with 1 knight’s fee. William Muschet held it from the bishop of Ely in 1166. In 1619, Edward, Lord Vaux, sold it to Thomas Willys. The manor then became part of the Fen Ditton estate.
During the 13th and early 14th centuries, Biggin Abbey offered a residence. It was close to Cambridge for the Bishops of Ely. King Henry III may have stayed at Biggin in 1238. He spent three days in Fen Ditton. Edward II was here for three weeks in 1315.
In 1478, Biggin Abbey was occupied by the bishop of Ely’s physician. The Abbey was remodelled in the 17th century. It included an internal chimney stack and a winding stone staircase.
There is also a small attic room known as the ‘Monks Prison’. William Cole described it and said it may have been used as a chapel.
Today Biggin Abbey stands as a farmhouse. Sadly it is not open to visitors at this time. Though the walls of Biggin Abbey may not whisper tales of monks. They echo with stories of bishops, kings, and centuries of change.