Fishtoft was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, thought by the name Toft (meaning hill or high ground). The land in the vicinity of the church is definitley raised compared to the surrounding countryside, and it is likely the original Anglo-Saxon settlement would have been located on this higher land surrounding the church.

A reference to the village in 1550 (Leland) calls it Fischetoft. Before the drainage of the local fens and the construction of the protective Haven high bank, a tidal creek flowed through the parish, passed near the church and joined the river upstream of the present Hobhole sluice. Local fishermen were able to reach the village on this creek at high tide and they even used the church wall to dry there nets.

A short history of St. Guthlac from beginning in nobility to his simple life in Crowland  More .....

A detailed history of the Church at Fishtoft  More .....