Athelney Abbey

Infobox monastery
name = Athelney Abbey


order = Benedictine
mother =
established = 888
disestablished = 1540
diocese =
churches =
founder = King Alfred
dedication =
people =
location = Athelney, Somerset, England
oscoor = gbmappingsmall|ST346293
remains =
public_access = Location map
Somerset
lat= 51.0596
long= -2.9336
width=180
float=right
caption="Athelney Abbey shown within Somerset"
(gbmapping|ST346293)

Athelney Abbey, established in the county of Somerset, England, was founded by King Alfred in 888, as a religious house for monks of the Order of St. Benedict. It was dedicated to our Blessed Saviour, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Egelwine.

History

Originally Athelney was a small island in swampland, in what is now the parish of East Lyng, covered with alders and infested by wild animals. It was inaccessible except by boat, according to William of Malmesbury. Here Alfred found a refuge from the Danes; here he built the abbey. The dedication to St. Egelwine suggests that it may have been an enlargement of a hermitage or monastery already in existence. [cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40922|title=The abbey of Athelney|publisher=British History Online|accessdate=2008-08-12]

He peopled it with foreign monks, drawn chiefly from France, with John of Saxony (known as Scotus) as their abbot. The original church was a small structure, consisting of four piers supporting the main fabric and surrounded by four circular chancels. Little is known of the history of the abbey from the eleventh century up to the time of its dissolution except that monks of Glastonbury Abbey attempted to annex it or have it placed under the Glastonbury jurisdiction.

It was not a rich community. An indulgence of thirty days was given in 1321 for those who should assist in the rebuilding of the church, and the monks humbly petitioned Edward I of England to remit "corrod" for which they were unable to find the means of payment. The last abbot was Robert Hamlyn. With eight monks of his community, he surrendered February, 8, 1540, receiving a pension of £50 per annum and retaining his prebend of Long Sutton. The revenues (26 Hen. VII) were £209. 0s. 3/4 d.

Following the dissolution it was acquired for use as his private residence by Lord Audley. This did not happen and the church was demolished and other buildings fell into disrepair, leaving nothing visible at the site today. [cite web|url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/culturecommunity/museums/explore/thecradleofengland/abbey/|title=Athelney Abbey|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-12] Several geophysical surveys have been carried out to explore the remains which still exist below ground level. [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=11117|title=Athelney Abbey|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-12]

References

*William Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum;
*Asser, De Rebus Gestis Alfridi;
*Hearne, Script. Hist. Angl. XXVIII (1731), 587-90.