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Abingdon Abbey
Also known as, or recorded in historical
documents as; Abyndon
In the civil parish of Abingdon.
In the historic county of Berkshire (Modern Authority of Oxfordshire, 1974 county of Oxfordshire).
Norman and later Benedictine monastery, one of the most important monastic centres in England. Built on the site of an earlier minster and Benedictine monastery. Following the collapse of the central tower in 1091, the church was rebuilt, and the fromer monastic buildings demolished and rebuilt. The abbey was suppressed in 1538. Trial excavations located the great church built in the Norman period from 1091-1120. Robbing after the Disssolution had been so extensive that even the foundations were removed. Reconstruction of the plan from the original excavation notes shows the church to have been aisled with transepts and arectangular chancel. However, much detail is still uncertain. The cloister and monastic buildings were arranged to the South of the church. Abbey buildings extant include the late C13 or early C14 century guesthouse, and the late C15 gatehouse. Abbey granted licence to crenellate in 1330.
This site has been described as a;
Fortified Ecclesiastical site.
The confidence
that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Nothing visible remains.
A Royal licence
to crenellate was
granted in 1330 July 23.
This site is a
Grade 1 listed
building protected by law*. (Images
of England number 250510, 250266)
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU50119714
PastScape number;
237919
Books
- Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p43-8
Knowles, David and Hadcock, R. Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman) p58
Page, Wm. and Ditchfield, P.H.,assisted by Cope, John Hautenville (eds), 1924, VCH Berkshire Vol4 p430-2
Page, Wm. and Ditchfield, P.H. (eds), 1907, 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The abbey of Abingdon' VCH Berkshire Vol2 p51-62 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40056
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p278, 409
Journal Articles
- Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100
Biddle, M., 1968, Medieval Archaeology Vol12 p60-9
Preston, A.E., 1922, Antiquaries Journal Vol2 p386-7
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents
- This section is far from complete and the secondary
sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Calendar of Patent Rolls (1327-30) p547
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
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to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant |
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*The listed building
may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site
of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
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