# Winchcombe Abbey

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Former Benedictine monastery in Gloucestershire, England

Winchcombe Abbey Saxon stone cross dating to 1020-1050 in St Catherine's Church, Wormington. It is thought to have originated from Winchcombe Abbey. Interactive map of Winchcombe Abbey Monastery information Full name Monastery of St. Mary at Winchcombe Order Benedictine Established 798 Disestablished 1539. Scheduled monument Official name Winchcombe Abbey Designated 18 October 1962 Reference no. 1019146 Reestablished 970 Dedication St. Mary Consecrated 811 People Founder King Coenwulf of Mercia Abbot First: Livingus After Reestablishment: Germanus of Winchester Last: Richard Ancelme Site Location Winchcombe, Gloucestershire Coordinates 51°57′12″N 1°58′1″W / 51.95333°N 1.96694°W / 51.95333; -1.96694 Visible remains The main abbey is now gone, however the attached Parish Church of St. Peter is in active use Public access Inaccessible

**Winchcombe Abbey** is a now-vanished [Benedictine](/source/Benedictine) [abbey](/source/Abbey) in [Winchcombe](/source/Winchcombe), [Gloucestershire](/source/Gloucestershire); this abbey was once in the heart of [Mercia](/source/Mercia), an [Anglo Saxon](/source/Anglo_Saxon) kingdom at the time of the [Heptarchy](/source/Heptarchy) in [England](/source/England). The Abbey was founded c. 798 for three hundred Benedictine [monks](/source/Monk), by King [Offa of Mercia](/source/Offa_of_Mercia) or King [Coenwulf of Mercia](/source/Coenwulf_of_Mercia). In its time, it was the burial place of two members of the Mercian ruling class, the aforementioned Coenwulf and his son Cynehelm, later venerated as [Saint Kenelm](/source/Saint_Kenelm).[1]

According to more recent research, the original foundation by Offa in 787 was for a community of nuns, to which Coenwulf added a community of men in 811 to create a double monastery. The nunnery ceased to exist sometime after 897.[2]

The abbey was refounded in 970 after the disruptions of the Danish invasions, and the first abbot of the new establishment was [Germanus of Winchester](/source/Germanus_of_Winchester).[3]

The abbey itself was in the grounds to the east end of the [parish church](/source/Parish_church) of St Kenelm. Many [pilgrims](/source/Pilgrim) visited St Kenelm's tomb in the [Early Middle Ages](/source/Early_Middle_Ages), and the Abbey thus became very rich. At its heyday, Winchcombe Abbey alone owned 25,300 [acres](/source/Acre) (102 km2) in 13 parishes. Indeed, [Snowshill Manor](/source/Snowshill_Manor) was owned by Winchcombe Abbey from 821 until the [Dissolution of the Monasteries](/source/Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries). In the early sixteenth century Winchcombe Abbey was known as a centre of learning under Abbot Richard Kidderminster (1488–1527), who was also a renowned preacher and acted as an ambassador for Henry VII. The quality of the stonemasons at Winchcombe was known to be very high, and it was a Winchcombe master mason who built the [Divinity School](/source/Divinity_School%2C_Oxford) at Oxford.

Winchcombe Abbey was surrendered to the Crown and then demolished in 1539.[1] Some of its stones can still be found in Winchcombe; for example the [lintel](/source/Lintel) over the abbey gate now rests over the gate of what was once the George Inn. Fragments of the abbey can still be seen in various places in Winchcombe, notably the Corner Cupboard Inn on the Cheltenham road.

It is believed that [Edmund Brydges, 2nd Baron Chandos](/source/Edmund_Brydges%2C_2nd_Baron_Chandos) used the ruins as a quarry during his redevelopment of [Sudeley Castle](/source/Sudeley_Castle) in the 1570s; a collection of abbey stone that was retrieved from the castle gardens are displayed in its dungeons.

A stone cross was erected in the 19th century to mark the centre of the abbey tower.[4] Very little now remains of the Abbey; more remains of its great nearby rival, [Hailes Abbey](/source/Hailes_Abbey).

## Timeline for Winchcombe Abbey

- 798 – King Kenulf of Mercia gives instructions for building an abbey

- 811 – Winchcombe Abbey is dedicated by Wulfred, [Archbishop of Canterbury](/source/Archbishop_of_Canterbury)

- 1042–1066 – During [Edward the Confessor](/source/Edward_the_Confessor)'s reign Winchcombe Abbey becomes one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in the country

- 29 August 1151 – Fire destroys much of Winchcombe, including the Abbey

- 1239 – Re-building of the Abbey completed

- 23 December 1539 – Winchcombe Abbey is surrendered to the crown and the monks are pensioned off. The Abbey buildings are quickly demolished the stone being re-used in other buildings

## See also

- [List of monastic houses in Gloucestershire](/source/List_of_monastic_houses_in_Gloucestershire)

- [List of abbeys and priories in England](/source/List_of_abbeys_and_priories_in_England)

## External links

- [The Winchcombe Psalter](https://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/concern/works/9s161f248), created in Winchcombe in Gloucestershire (mid 12th century), located at the [Library of Trinity College Dublin](/source/Library_of_Trinity_College_Dublin).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-VCH_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-VCH_1-1) [*Victoria County History, Gloucestershire*, ii, 66-72](https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol2/pp66-72#anchorn16).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Monastic Matrix: Winchcombe](https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/monasticmatrix/monasticon/winchcombe)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Heads78_3-0)** [Knowles, David](/source/David_Knowles_(scholar)); London, Vera C. M.; [Brooke, Christopher](/source/Christopher_N._L._Brooke) (2001). [*The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales, 940–1216*](https://archive.org/details/headsreligiousho00know) (Second ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. [78](https://archive.org/details/headsreligiousho00know/page/n93). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-80452-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-80452-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["St Kenelm's Trail"](http://www.john-price.me.uk/Kenelm/StkBackground.htm). Retrieved 9 May 2009. The great Benedictine Abbey, known as St Mary and St Kenelm from 969, has disappeared more completely than almost any other of comparable stature. The land on which it stood is now in private ownership and inaccessible. From the churchyard however may be seen a stone cross in the grounds of the adjacent property. This was erected in the nineteenth century to mark the centre of the tower of the former monastery.

v t e Monasteries in Gloucestershire Augustinian Beckford Priory Cirencester Abbey St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester Horsley Priory Lechlade Priory Leonard Stanley Priory Llanthony Secunda Priory Benedictine Boxwell Priory Brimpsfield Priory Deerhurst Abbey Gloucester Abbey Horsley Priory Leonard Stanley Priory Minchinhampton Priory Newent Priory Prinknash Abbey Tewkesbury Abbey Winchcombe Abbey Carmelite Gloucester Whitefriars Carthusian Hatherop Priory Cistercian Farmcote Grange Flaxley Abbey Hailes Abbey Hazleton Abbey Kingswood Abbey St Briavels Chantry Tetbury Abbey Crutched Friars Wotton under Edge Friary Dominican Gloucester Blackfriars Franciscan Gloucester Greyfriars Gilbertine Poulton Priory Knights Hospitaller Quenington Preceptory Knights Templar Temple Guiting Preceptory Temple Guiting Grange Independent Berkeley Abbey Blockley Monastery Daylesford Monastery Kinley Priory Tetbury Monastery Twyinging Monastery Winchcombe Nunnery Withington Monastery Woodchester Monastery Yate Monastery

v t e Benedictine abbeys and priories in medieval England and Wales Independent houses Abbotsbury Abergavenny Abingdon Alcester Athelney Bardney Bath Battle Bedford Birkenhead Bradwell Brewood (Black Ladies) Buckfast Burton Bury St Edmunds Canterbury (Christ Church) Canterbury (St Augustine's) Canwell Cerne Chertsey Chester Cholsey Colchester Coventry Crowland Durham Ely Evesham Eynsham Farewell Priory Faversham Glastonbury Gloucester Humberston Luffield Malmesbury Milton Monk Bretton Muchelney Molycourt Norwich (Holy Trinity) Pershore Peterborough Ramsey Reading Repton Rochester St Albans St Benet of Hulme Sandwell Selby Sherborne Shrewsbury Snelshall Tavistock Tewkesbury Thorney Upholland Walden Westminster Whitby Winchcombe Winchester (New Minster) Winchester (St Swithun) Worcester York (St Mary's) Dependent houses Aldeby Alkborough Alcester Alvecote Beadlow Bedemans Berg Belvoir Binham Breedon Brecon Bristol Bromfield Cardiff Cardigan Cranborne Darenth Deeping Dover Dunster Earls Colne Ewenny Ewyas Harold Exeter Farne Felixstowe Finchale Freiston Great Malvern Hatfield Peverel Henes (Sandtoft) Hereford Hertford Holy Island Horton Hoxne Hurley Jarrow Kidwelly Kilpeck King's Mead Kings Lynn Lammana Langley Leominster Leonard Stanley Lincoln Little Malvern Littlemore Lytham Middlesbrough Monkwearmouth Morville Norwich (St Leonard's) Oxford (of Canterbury) Oxford (of Durham) Oxford (of Gloucester) Penwortham Pilton Redbourne Richmond Rumburgh St Bees St Ives Scilly Snaith Snape Stamford Studley (Oxfordshire) Studley (Warwickshire) Tickhill Tynemouth Wallingford Westbury-on-Trym Wetheral Wymondham Yarmouth Alien priories Allerton Mauleverer Andover Andwell Appuldurcombe Arundel Astley Aston Priors Atherington Avebury Axmouth Blyth Boxgrove Brimpsfield Burstall Burwell Caldy Carisbrooke Chepstow Clatford Cogges Corsham Covenham Cowick Creeting (St. Mary) Creeting (St. Olave) Debden Deerhurst Dunwich Ecclesfield Edith Weston Ellingham Everdon Eye Folkestone Frampton Goldcliff Grovebury Hamble Harmondsworth Hatfield Regis Haugham Hayling Headley Hinckley Holbeck Horsham St Faith Horsley Lancaster Lapley Lewisham Isleham Livers Ocle Llangennith Llangua Loders Minster Minster Lovell Minting Modbury Monks Kirby Monk Sherborne (Pamber) Monmouth Newent Ogbourne Otterton Panfield Pembroke Pill Ruislip Runcton St Cross St Dogmells St Michael's Mount St Neots Sele Spalding Sporle Standon Steventon Stogursey Stoke-by-Clare Stratfield Saye Swavesey Takeley Throwley Tickford Titley Toft Monks Totnes Tutbury Tywardreath Upavon Ware Wareham Warminghurst Warmington Wath Weedon Beck Weedon Lois West Mersea Wilsford Wing Winghale Wolston Wootton Wawen York (Holy Trinity)

[51°57′12″N 1°58′1″W / 51.95333°N 1.96694°W / 51.95333; -1.96694](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Winchcombe_Abbey&params=51_57_12_N_1_58_1_W_type:landmark)

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