Gloucester Abbey was a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conce ...

in the city of

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Since 1541 it has been

Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishment of a minster dedicated to S ...

History

Early period

A Christian place of worship had stood on the abbey site since Anglo-Saxon times. Around 681, with the consent of

Æthelred of Mercia Æthelred (; died after 704) was king of Mercia from 675 until 704. He was the son of Penda of Mercia and came to the throne in 675, when his brother, Wulfhere of Mercia, died from an illness. Within a year of his accession he invaded Kent, wh ...

Osric of Hwicce Osric was a king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the Hwicce in the late 7th century, perhaps reigning jointly with his presumed brother Oshere. Osric was probably a son of Eanhere, a previous King of the Hwicce, by Osthryth, daughter of Osw ...

, founded a monastery at Gloucester in honour of St. Peter and St. Paul. A relative, Kyneburg, was consecrated as the first abbess by Bosel,

Bishop of Worcester A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

. Monastic life flourished, and the possessions of the house increased, but after 767 it seems probable that the nuns dispersed during the confusion of civil strife in England.

Beornwulf of Mercia Beornwulf (died 826) was King of Mercia (roughly the Midlands of England) from 823 to 826. His short reign saw the collapse of Mercia's supremacy over the other kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Biography A man named Beornwulf is mentio ...

is said to have rebuilt the church, and to have endowed a body of secular priests with the former possessions of the nuns."Houses of Benedictine monks: The abbey of St Peter at Gloucester". ''A History of the County of Gloucester'', Volume 2. (William Page, ed.) London: Victoria County History, 1907. 53-61. British History Online
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Benedictine monastery

In 1022 Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, had the

Benedictine rule The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' ( la, Regula Sancti Benedicti) is a book of precepts written in Latin in 516 by St Benedict of Nursia ( AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. The spirit of Saint Benedict's Ru ...

introduced and the abbey dedicated to St Peter. Knowles, David; Brooke C. N. L.; and London, Vera C. M. ''The Heads of Religious Houses: England and Wales 940–1216'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1972 p. 52 The monastic buildings were destroyed by fire, and in 1058 Bishop Aldred of Worcester rebuilt the church, but seized a number of holdings to compensate for the expense. In 1072 the convent consisted only of two monks and eight novices, and Abbot Wilstan had gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Abbot Wilstan died in 1072, and St. Peter's was invigorated when King William I appointed the energetic Norman monk Serlo to be abbot. Serlo had been a monk at

Mont Saint-Michel Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. The island lies approximately off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is ...

, and had been recommended by

Osmund Osmund (Latin ''Osmundus'') is a Germanic name composed of the word ''Os'' meaning "god" and ''mund'' meaning "protection." Osmund or Osmond may refer to: Pre-modern era :''Ordered chronologically'' * Osmund of Sussex (), a king of Sussex * Osm ...

, Bishop of

Old Sarum Old Sarum, in Wiltshire, South West England, is the now ruined and deserted site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury. Situated on a hill about north of modern Salisbury near the A345 road, the settlement appears in some of the earliest re ...

. The monastery prospered under Serlo's rule. William the Conqueror gave the convent the manor of Barnwood and the church of

St Peter Mancroft St Peter Mancroft is a parish church in the Church of England, in the centre of Norwich, Norfolk. After the two cathedrals, it is the largest church in Norwich. It was originally established by the then Earl of East Anglia, Ralph de Gael between ...

at Norwich. Walter de Lacy and his wife were generous benefactors. Upon his death in 1085, he was buried in the

chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...

. In 1130, their son Walter, who had entered the monastery at the age of seven, became abbot.

Ernulf de Hesdin Ernulf de Hesdin (died 1097), also transcribed as ''Arnulf'' and ''Ernulphe'', was a French knight who took part in the Norman conquest of England and became a major landholder under William the Conqueror and William Rufus, featuring prominent ...

gave the manor of

Linkenholt Linkenholt is a village near Andover in Hampshire, England with about 40 inhabitants. It is in the civil Parish of Faccombe. The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as ''Linchehou'', when it was part of the land of the Abbey of St Peter of Glouces ...

in 1081. In 1093 when William II lay sick at Gloucester in 1093, he gave the church of St. Gundelay at Newport. William held Christmas court at

that year. In 1095, with the aid of the king, Serlo compelled

Thomas of Bayeux Thomas of Bayeux (died 1100) was Archbishop of York from 1070 until 1100. He was educated at Liège and became a royal chaplain to Duke William of Normandy, who later became King William I of England. After the Norman Conquest, the king ...

Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...

, to restore all the lands in the possession of the see of York since 1058, when Aldred seized them. Serlo built the abbey Church of St Peter. Tomb of King Edward Ii

In the Middle Ages the abbey became rich and powerful. King Henry III was crowned there in 1216 at the age of nine.

King Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to the ...

, who had died in nearby

Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle ( ; historically sometimes spelled as ''Berkley Castle'' or ''Barkley Castle'') is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The castle's origins date back to the 11th century, and it has been desi ...

, was buried there in 1327 and a shrine erected over his tomb. The additional funds this generated enabled the east end of the church to be rebuilt in the new perpendicular style and the west end to be remodelled. Later work created the south porch and the present tower and Lady Chapel. It is recorded that the abbey lost about a quarter of its complement of monks in 1377 due to the

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

. In 1378, when Parliament was held in Gloucester, the king stayed at the abbey.

Dependencies

* In 1134, William Fitznorman gave the church of St David, Kilpeck, and the Chapel of St Mary at Kilpeck Castle to Gloucester Abbey, and a priory cell was established about 400 yards south east of the church, to house some monks displaced from

Llanthony Priory Llanthony Priory ( cy, Priordy Llanddewi Nant Hodni) is a partly ruined former Augustinian priory in the secluded Vale of Ewyas, a steep-sided once-glaciated valley within the Black Mountains area of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Mo ...

by attacks of the Welsh. Kilpeck Priory closed in 1422. * The Priory of Saints Peter, Paul and Guthlac in

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

was a dependency of Gloucester Abbey. *

Ewenny Priory Ewenny Priory ( cy, Priordy Ewenni), in Ewenny in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, was a monastery of the Benedictine order, founded in the 12th century. The priory was unusual in having extensive military-style defences and in its state of preserva ...

was founded by

Maurice de Londres Maurice de Londres (died 1166) was an Anglo-Norman noble. He was a son of William de Londres (died 1131), who was one of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan, and his wife Matilda. During his father's lifetime he took control of Ogmore, where he b ...

in 1141. Maurice granted the

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

church of St. Michael to the

of St. Peter at Gloucester, together with the church of St Brides Major and the chapel at Ogmore "in order that a convent of monks might be formed". * In 1146 the college of Augustinian canons at Stanley St. Leonard was given to the monastery by Roger de Berkeley III, with the consent of the prior and canons, and became St. Leonard Priory. His grandfather, Roger de Berkeley I, had retired as a monk to St Peter's Abbey around 1091.

Dissolution

On 2 January 1540, the abbey was dissolved by

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and granted to the newly created

Bishop of Gloucester The Bishop of Gloucester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the County of Gloucestershire and part of the County of Worcestershire. The see's centre of governan ...

who had previously been the last Abbot of

Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury–commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey–is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of Nor ...

. It became The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity in Gloucester the following year. Many of the former abbey buildings have been

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

, including the Cathedral, the Cathedral Cloisters, Cathedral Treasury and the Cathedral Chapter House, together with the Little Cloister, Little Cloister House, the Infirmary and Church House, the former Abbot's Lodging.

Notable burials

Notable people buried in St Peter's Abbey included: *

Osric, king of the Hwicce Osric was a king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the Hwicce in the late 7th century, perhaps reigning jointly with his presumed brother Oshere. Osric was probably a son of Eanhere, a previous King of the Hwicce, by Osthryth, daughter of Osw ...

Robert Curthose Robert Curthose, or Robert II of Normandy ( 1051 – 3 February 1134, french: Robert Courteheuse / Robert II de Normandie), was the eldest son of William the Conqueror and succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 1087, reigning until 1106. ...

, eldest son of William the Conqueror (c.1051–1134)

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the ...

gave the manor of Rodley to fund a candle at the high altar for his brother's soul. *

Edward II of England Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to ...

, seventh

Plantagenet The House of Plantagenet () was a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. The family held the English throne from 1154 (with the accession of Henry II at the end of the Anarchy) to 1485, when Richard III died in batt ...

king of England (1307–1327). *

Walter Froucester Walter Froucester (died 1412), was abbot of St. Peter's, Gloucester. Froucester had previously officiated as chamberlain of the monastery. On the death of John Boyfield in January 1382, Froucester was elected his successor, being the twentieth ab ...

(died 1412), Abbot of Gloucester * Walter de Lacy (died 1085), Anglo-Norman baron *

Bernard de Neufmarché Bernard de Neufmarché (), also Bernard of Newmarket or Bernard of Newmarch was the first of the Norman conquerors of Wales. He was a minor Norman lord who rose to power in the Welsh Marches before successfully undertaking the invasion and co ...

(c.1050–c.1125), Norman Lord, creator of Breconshire. *

Roger de Pitres Roger de Pitres (also called Roger de Pistri) (d. bef. 1083), a Norman, was the Sheriff of Gloucester under William the Conqueror and constable of Gloucester Castle. Life Roger's origins are confirmed in his territorial appellation, de Pitres; h ...

(died bef. 1083), Norman Constable of Gloucester Castle

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gloucester Abbey Benedictine monasteries in England Anglo-Saxon monastic houses Monasteries in Gloucestershire 1022 establishments in England 1540 disestablishments in England History of Gloucester 11th-century church buildings in England Christian monasteries established in the 11th century Burial sites of the De Lacy family