Basingwerk Abbey
Encyclopedia
Basingwerk Abbey is the ruin of an abbey
near Holywell
, Flintshire
, Wales
, in the care of Cadw
(Welsh Heritage).
The abbey was founded in 1132 by Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester
, who brought Benedictine monks from Savigny Abbey
in southern Normandy
. In 1147, the abbey became part of the Cistercian Order and therefore a daughter house of Buildwas Abbey
in Shropshire
. In 1157, the abbey was given the manor of Glossop
by King Henry II
. The hilltop Monks' Road and the Abbot's Chair
in Glossop is a reminder of the monks' efforts to administer their possession. Earlier on, they had received the manor of West Kirby
from the Earls of Chester. In the 13th century, the abbey was under the patronage of Llywelyn the Great
, Prince of Gwynedd
, and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn
gave St Winefride's Well
to the abbey. The monks harnessed the power of the Holywell stream to run a corn mill and to treat the wool from their sheep. In 1536, abbey life came to an end with the Dissolution of the Monasteries
. Its dissolution was made lawful by the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries Act
.
Two centuries earlier a Welsh seer, Robin Ddu ("Robin the Dark") said the roof on the refectory would do very nicely on a little church under Moel Famau
. It did: when the abbey was sold, the part of the roof went to Cilcain
church. The other section of roof was reportedly given to the Collegiate and Parochial Church at Ruthin
, where it covers the North Nave and can be seen today. The amazing Jesse window went to the church at Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch
.
Today, the abbey ruin is part of Greenfield Valley Heritage Park
.
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
near Holywell
Holywell
Holywell is the fifth largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.-History:The market town of Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well, a holy well surrounded by a chapel...
, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, in the care of Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
(Welsh Heritage).
Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester
Ranulf II was an Anglo-Norman potentate who inherited the honour of the palatine county of Chester upon the death of his father Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester...
, who brought Benedictine monks from Savigny Abbey
Savigny Abbey
Savigny Abbey was a monastery near the village of Savigny-le-Vieux , in northern France. It was founded early in the 12th century. Initially it was the central house of the Congregation of Savigny, who were Benedictines; by 1150 it was Cistercian.-History:It was situated on the confines of...
in southern Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. In 1147, the abbey became part of the Cistercian Order and therefore a daughter house of Buildwas Abbey
Buildwas Abbey
Buildwas Abbey is located along the banks of the River Severn in Buildwas, Shropshire, England, about two miles west of Ironbridge.-Early history:...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. In 1157, the abbey was given the manor of Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
by King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. The hilltop Monks' Road and the Abbot's Chair
Abbot's Chair
The Abbot's Chair is the common name of a former monastic cross, the Charlesworth Cross. Only the socket remains of this boundary cross, built by the monks of Basingwerk Abbey in North Wales. Henry II of England gave the manor of Glossop to the monks, and they gained a market charter for Glossop in...
in Glossop is a reminder of the monks' efforts to administer their possession. Earlier on, they had received the manor of West Kirby
West Kirby
West Kirby is a town on the north-west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, England, at the mouth of the River Dee across from the Point of Ayr in North Wales. To the north-east of the town lies Hoylake, with the suburbs of Grange and Newton to the east, and the village of Caldy to the...
from the Earls of Chester. In the 13th century, the abbey was under the patronage of Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
, Prince of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
, and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn was Prince of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. He was for a time recognised as Prince of Wales.- Descent :...
gave St Winefride's Well
St Winefride's Well
St Winefride's Well is a holy well located in Holywell, in Flintshire in North Wales. It is the oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Great Britain....
to the abbey. The monks harnessed the power of the Holywell stream to run a corn mill and to treat the wool from their sheep. In 1536, abbey life came to an end with the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. Its dissolution was made lawful by the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries Act
Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries Act
The Act for the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries – was an Act of the English Reformation Parliament of 1535/36, the beginning of the legal process by which King Henry VIII set about the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
.
Two centuries earlier a Welsh seer, Robin Ddu ("Robin the Dark") said the roof on the refectory would do very nicely on a little church under Moel Famau
Moel Famau
Moel Famau is the highest hill within the Clwydian Range on the border between Denbighshire and Flintshire in North Wales. The hill, which also gives its name to the Moel Famau country park, has been classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1985...
. It did: when the abbey was sold, the part of the roof went to Cilcain
Cilcain
Cilcain is a small community, near Mold in Flintshire, north-east Wales. The village has an industrial history and includes the Millennium Woods, a post office, a public house, a parish church and a village hall....
church. The other section of roof was reportedly given to the Collegiate and Parochial Church at Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
, where it covers the North Nave and can be seen today. The amazing Jesse window went to the church at Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch
Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch
Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch is a village and local government community in Denbighshire, Wales. It lies in the Vale of Clwyd near the A525 road between Denbigh and Ruthin...
.
Today, the abbey ruin is part of Greenfield Valley Heritage Park
Greenfield Valley Heritage Park
Greenfield Valley Heritage Park is a country park in Britain. It is located near the town of Holywell, in north Wales...
.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Wales
- The Form of PreachingThe Form of PreachingThe Form of Preaching is a 14th century style book or manual about a preaching style known as the "thematic sermon", or "university-style sermon", by Robert of Basevorn...
, 14th century style book or manual about a preaching style
Further reading
- Edward Hubbard Buildings of Wales: Clwyd, ISBN 0-14-071052-3
- Gordon Emery, Curious Clwyd (1994) ISBN 1-872265-99-5