Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey,also known as theAbbey ofSaint Maryand Saint Rumon,is aruinedBenedictineabbeyinTavistock, Devon.[1]The Abbey was surrendered in 1539 during theDissolution of the Monasteries.Nothing remains of the abbey except therefectory,two gateways and a porch. The abbey church, dedicated toOur Ladyand St Rumon, was destroyed byDanishraiders in 997[1]and rebuilt underLyfing,the second abbot. The church was further rebuilt in 1285 and the greater part of the abbey between 1457 and 1458.[1]
History
[edit]
Foundation
[edit]Older historians thought the abbey was founded in 961 byOrdgar, Ealdorman of Devon,[1]but the modern consensus is that it was wholly the foundation of his sonOrdwulfin 974;[2][3]in 981 the charter of confirmation was granted by KingÆthelred the Unready,Ordwulf's nephew. It was endowed with lands inDevon,DorsetandCornwall,and became one of the richest abbeys in the west of England.
Account by Dugdale
[edit]William Dugdale'sMonasticon Anglicanum(1718 edition in English) states as follows concerning the foundation:[4]
In the reign of King Edgar an Earl call'd Ordulphus had a vision commanding him to build an oratory in a certain place mark'd out to him, which he did, making it large enough to contain 1,000 persons, and erecting habitations for several monks, whom he also plac'd there under an abbat. The lands he and his kindred and friends gave to this monastery were: Tavistock, Midleton, Hatherlege (Hatherleigh), Berliton, Leghe, Dunethem, Chuvelin, Lankinghorn, Home, Werelgete, Orlege (Orleigh), Auri (Annery), Rame, Savyock, Pannastan, Tomebiry, Colbrok, Lege, Wulsitheton, and Clymesland. These never to be alienated and to be free from all impositions, except an expedition undertaken and the repairing of forts and bridges. This was confirmed in the year 981 and in the reign of King Ethelred...The Bull of Pope Celestin dated 1193 confirms all donations made to these monks...
1193 papal bull
[edit]A "Bull of Exemption and Confirmation" dated 1193 granted byPope Celestine III(reigned 1191–1198) records the landholdings of the abbey thus:[5]
- Middelton(Milton Abbot,in Lifton, later Tavistock, hundred)
- Hatherlega(Hatherleigh)
- Boryngton(Burrington, a manor inNorth Tawtonhundred)
- Lega(Romansleigh)
- Abbedesham(Abbotsham)
- Weredeget(Worthygate,Parkham)
- Ordlegh(Orleigh)
- Auri(Annery)
- Tornebury(Thornbury,a manor inBlack Torringtonhundred)
- Rauburga/Roughburgh(Roborough,near Tavistock)
- One house in theCity of Exeter
- Wella(Coffinswell,a manor in Haytor hundred)
- Daggecumba(Daccombe, withinCoffinswell)
- Plymstok(Plymstock)
- Raddon(Raddon,Thorverton)
- Hundetorre(Hound Tor,Manaton)
- Odatrew(Ottery, inLamerton)
Later abbots
[edit]Abbot Lyfing and his successor AbbotEaldredboth becameBishops of Worcester,and the latter is said to have crowned KingWilliam the Conqueror.The thirty-sixth abbot, John Dynynton, was granted leave in 1458 to use variouspontificaliaand themitre,which latter gave him a seat inParliament.[6]The thirty-ninth abbot, Richard Banham or Baynham,[7]was made alord of Parliamentby KingHenry VIIIin 1513.
Dissolution
[edit]On 3 March 1539 the last abbot, John Peryn, together with twenty monks, surrendered the abbey to the king[8]and was granted a pension of a hundred pounds. The abbey was the second wealthiest in Devon at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536–1541), estimated at £902, only very slightly behind the wealth ofPlympton Abbey.Both were far wealthier than the next wealthiest,Buckfast Abbey,with an annual income of about £460.[9]In 1540 the abbey and its lands were granted by King Henry VIII toJohn Russell, 1st Baron RussellofCheniesinBuckinghamshire(created in 1550 1stEarl of Bedford).[10]The Russell family long maintained a close connection with Tavistock, and in 1694 the family received the additional titles ofMarquess of TavistockandDuke of Bedford.They erected many 19th-century public buildings and statues in the town at their own expense. Before 1810 the family had only one formal residence in Devonshire, namely thetownhouseof Bedford House in the City ofExeter.In 1810John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedfordbuilt to the designs of SirJeffry Wyattvillea new residence namedEndsleigh CottageatMilton Abbot,near Tavistock, a former manor belonging to the abbey. It was a largecottage ornéused as a summer holiday home, still standing but sold in the 20th century by the Russell family.[11]It is now the Hotel Endsleigh, managed byAlex Polizziand owned by her mother.[12]
Saint Rumon
[edit]St Rumon was probably a brother of StTudwalofTréguier,but little else is known of him beyond that he was probably an Irish missionary and many churches in Devon and Cornwall in England were named after him. Some authorities have identified him withSt Ronan(1 June) who is venerated in Brittany. At Tavistock, his feast day is kept on 28 or 30 August. The translation of St Rumon is celebrated on 5 January.[13]
Cornwall
[edit]The abbey had considerable land holdings in Cornwall and three churches there are dedicated to St Rumon:Ruan Lanihorne,Ruan Major and Ruan Minor.In the Domesday Book, the abbey held the manors of Sheviock, Antony, Rame, Tregrenna, Penharget and Tolcarne, while four other manors formerly theirs had been taken byRobert of Mortain.Only Sheviock was in the hands of the abbey while Ermenhald held five manors from it. Sheviock was worth 60s per annum and the holdings of Ermenhald were worth in all £8-15s. These were the same values as formerly suggesting the monks were good at administering their estate.[14]These lands in the extreme south-east of Cornwall were the reason for that district being part of Devon from the medieval period until 1844.
In early times theIsles of Scillywere in the possession of a confederacy of hermits. King Henry I gave the hermits' territory to the abbey of Tavistock, which established apriory on Trescothat was abolished at the Reformation.[15]
Burials
[edit]Hurdwick quarry
[edit]The monks owned nearby Hurdwick quarry, the stone from which is notable for its greenish colour. Tavistock is built, in large parts, of this material. On close inspection, the stone appears to have a pitted surface that can be confused with decay.[16]
Modern day
[edit]The Abbey and grounds are open daily from 10 a.m, and is wheelchair accessible. The Abbey is managed by Tavistock Heritage Trust. A recent grant of £6,932 from government bodyHistoric Englandhas allowed restoration works to begin.
It is free to enter the Abbey.
See also
[edit]- Abbot of Tavistock
- Dartmoor crosses
- Morwellham Quay– was established by the monks
- List of monastic houses in Devon
- List of monastic houses in England
References
[edit]- ^abcdChisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)..Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 457–458.
- ^"Tavistock Abbey".Historic England.28 August 2001.Retrieved23 September2020.
- ^Freeman, Mary (2012). "Ordulf's Shadow in Tavistock". In Bliss, Jane; et al. (eds.).Aspects of Devon History.Devon History Society. pp. 23–36.ISBN978-0-903766-02-9.
- ^Dugdale, William,Monasticon Anglicanum,1718 edition, pp.115-16, "Additions made to the Benedictines" (i.e. addenda to his original work)[1].
- ^Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen.ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985, Part 2 (notes), chapter 5.
- ^A mitred abbot could sit in Parliament among the Lords and probably had the title Abbot-Sovereign.
- ^Richard Banham (1492–1523), the 39th Abbot, was more likely to have been Richard Baynham who was granted arms in the time of Henry VIII as follows: Gules a mace in bend sinister surmounted by a pastoral staff in bend dexter or on a chief argent three pierced mullets of five points sable (College of Arms Ms: 2G4/5b). Richard Baynham has been referred to as Richard Banham in a number of places. He was created Baron Hurdwick in 1514 (another name for the Hundred of Tavistock) (Richard Nicholls WorthA History of Devonshire:With Sketches of it Leading Worthies). See also -Oliver, George(1820)Historic Collections Relating to the Monasteries in Devon.Exeter: printed by R. Cullum.
- ^"MDV3919 Tavistock Abbey".Devon & Dartmoor HER.Heritage Gateway. 29 October 2019.Retrieved23 September2020.
- ^Holdsworth, Christopher (1999). "Ecclesiastical Institutions". In Kain, R.; Ravenhill W. (eds.).Historical Atlas of South West England.Exeter. p. 210.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.132.
- ^Pevsner, N., Buildings of England: Devon, 1991, p.354.
- ^"Relative Values: Olga Polizzi and her daughter Alexandra".Times Newspapers Limited.London: TimesOnline.co.uk. 6 July 2008.Retrieved29 August2009.
- ^"Keltic Kalendar", inCornish Church Guide.Truro: Blackford; pp. 9-16.
- ^Thorn, C. et al. (eds.) (1979)Cornwall.Chichester: Phillimore; entries 3,1-7.
- ^Cornish Church Guide;p. 194.
- ^Devon–Bridget Cherry&Nikolaus Pevsner,2002, p. 24ISBN9780300095968
Bibliography
[edit]- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913)..Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Tavistock".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 457–458.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Tavistock Abbey".Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Further reading
[edit]
- Victoria County History: Devonshire;
- Doble, Gilbert H.(1939)Saint Rumon and Saint Ronan; with notes on the parishes of Ruan Lanihorne, Ruan Major, and Ruan MinorbyCharles Henderson.Long Compton: King's Stone Press
- Kempe, A. J.(1830)Notices of Tavistock and its Abbey; from the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1830.London: J. B. Nichols (only 20 copies printed)
