Elstow Abbey

The Abbey Church of St Mary and St Helena was restored in 1880 and was once part of a 13th century monastery.
Bunyan's mother, father and sister are buried in the churchyard. The stained-glass windows, belfry, door and wicket gate all feature in "Pilgrims Progress".
The niece of William the Conqueror, Countess Judith, founded an Abbey here for the nuns of St. Benedict around 1076.
The convent flourished, although not without its share of problems as the Bishop of Lincoln found out when in 1530 he had to reprimand the abbess for allowing the sisters to wear low-cut red dresses, and entertaining!.
John Bunyan was baptised, rang the bells and worshipped here.
The church is the remaining part of a Norman Benedictine nunnery and has perpendicular windows and a large detached bell tower dating from the 15th century.