Great Malvern Priory
Encyclopedia
Great Malvern Priory in Malvern, Worcestershire
, England
, was a Benedictine
monastery
c.1075-1540 and is now an Anglican
parish church
.
, County Fermanagh
was excavated from the grounds of the Priory. It is now housed in St Ann's Chapel. A Celt
(a prehistoric axe-like tool) was also excavated during the 18th Century.
During the reign of Edward the Confessor
, Saint Wulfstan
, the Bishop of Worcester
, encouraged a hermit
named Aldwyn
to found a monastery in what was then the wilderness of Malvern Chase
. According to the Worcester Monastic Annals this work began in 1085.
Aldwyn was succeeded by Walcher of Malvern
, an astronomer and philosopher from Lorraine
.
Walcher's tomb lid was rescued from burial at the site of the South Transept
cloister
garth
c. 1711. It is now housed in St Anne's chapel. The inscription on the lid reads:-
The Priory was built for thirty monk
s on land belonging to Westminster Abbey
. A charter from Henry I
in 1128 AD refers to Great Malvern Priory as 'the Priory of St. Mary'. In 1154–1156, Westminster Abbey obtained a Papal bull
from Pope Adrian IV
which confirms a strong dependency of the priory of St Mary, Malvern, on the Abbey of Westminster.
An 18th century document in the Worcester County Record Office states that in the 18th year of King William's reign (1083?), the priory was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. Within the 'Victorian History of the Counties of England: A History of Worcester', edited by W. Page, there is an account of the foundation of the monastery in Bishop Guilford's Register of 1283. It describes how hermit Aldwyn petitioned Urse d'Abetot
, the Earl of Gloucester
, for the original site (of the Priory) in the wood, and land "as far as Baldeyate"; that he collected monks, and adopted the Rule of St. Benedict; dedicating the monastery to the Virgin Mary - but occasionally under patronage of both St. Mary & St. Michael.
On the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in 1541, local people raised £20 to buy the building to replace their decaying parish church.
The present building dates from 1085, with mainly 15th century structure, floor, and wall tiles. Extensions to the original Norman architecture
church began around 1440 in the Perpendicular style and work continued until 1502. The great square central tower is very similar to that of the nearby Gloucester Cathedral
; it was built by the same masons. It was redesigned in Perpendicular
style by Sir Reginald Bray) and has a very plain interior. The chancel is also Perpendicular in style, and contains the monument of John Knotsford (died 1589), a participant in the dissolution of the former monastic foundation. It is largely thanks to his patronage that the church, and particularly its medieval glass, survived so well.
The fine collection of stained glass
ranges from medieval to modern, and includes 15th century and 19th century windows. The north transept
window, depicting the Coronation of St. Mary, was a gift from Henry VII
in 1501, and another from the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III
. A careful restoration
was carried out in 1860 under the direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott
, the famous architect
, who also designed the roof of the nave
in imitation of the medieval original.
The current incumbents are the Vicar of Malvern, Rev. John Barr, and his wife Rev. Dr. Mary Barr. A past incumbent was the Christian writer Anthony C. Deane
.
from 1879, but was heavily rebuilt and restored by Rushworth and Dreaper
in 1927 and 1977. It was further overhauled by Nicholson in 2003 and is a Certified Historic Organ. The specification of the organ is listed at the National Pipe Organ Register.
The twenty-two 15th century misericord
s and twelve 19th century misericords are divided into three subsets: a modern set that do not seem to follow a pattern, depictions of mythical beasts and representations of the "Labours of the months". It appears that some of the modern misericords replaced 5 of the labours, but this is still a useful record.
It is possible that the same person who carved the misericords at Worcester Cathedral
and Ripple St Mary, was responsible for the 15th century misericords, as they bear more than a family resemblance.
. ISBN 1436728525 (Note: this is the full title and sub-title of the book as found on the title page, displayed here to give a sense of the writing style while still being readable).
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
c.1075-1540 and is now an Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
.
History
An ancient carved head and shoulders similar to the Lustymore Island figure on Boa IslandBoa Island
Boa Island is an island near the north shore of Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is 25 kilometres from Enniskillen town....
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
was excavated from the grounds of the Priory. It is now housed in St Ann's Chapel. A Celt
Celt (tool)
Celt is an archaeological term used to describe long thin prehistoric stone or bronze adzes, other axe-like tools, and hoes.-Etymology:The term "celt" came about from what was very probably a copyist's error in many medieval manuscript copies of Job 19:24 in the Latin Vulgate Bible, which became...
(a prehistoric axe-like tool) was also excavated during the 18th Century.
During the reign of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
, Saint Wulfstan
Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester
Wulfstan , Bishop of Worcester, was the last surviving pre-Conquest bishop and the only English-born bishop after 1075. Wulfstan is a Christian saint.-Denomination:His denomination as Wulfstan II is to indicate that he is the second Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester...
, the Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
, encouraged a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
named Aldwyn
Aldwyn of Malvern
Aldwyn was the historical founder of Great Malvern Priory, in Malvern, Worcestershire in the 11th century.A hermitage was established there before the Norman Conquest of England...
to found a monastery in what was then the wilderness of Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase occupied the land between the Malvern Hills and the River Severn in Worcestershire and extended to Herefordshire from the River Teme to Cors Forest....
. According to the Worcester Monastic Annals this work began in 1085.
Aldwyn was succeeded by Walcher of Malvern
Walcher of Malvern
Walcher of Malvern, also known as Walcher of Lorraine or Doctor Walcher, was the second Prior of Malvern and a noted astrologer-astronomer and mathematician....
, an astronomer and philosopher from Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
.
Walcher's tomb lid was rescued from burial at the site of the South Transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
garth
Garth
A garth is an enclosed quadrangle or yard, especially one surrounded by a cloister .-Garth is a given name::*Garth Brooks, top-selling American country music artist...
c. 1711. It is now housed in St Anne's chapel. The inscription on the lid reads:-
Philosophus bonus dignus Astrologus lotharingus, Vir pius et humilis, Monachus prior hujus ovilis Hic jacet in cista Geometricus et Abacista, Doctor Walcherus. Flet plebs, dolet undique clerus. Huic lux prima mori Dedit Octobris seniori; Vivat ut in coelis Exoret quisque fidelis. MCXXXV.
A good philosopher, a worthy Astrologer of Lorraine, A pious and humble man, the prior monk of this fold, Here lies in a casket, a geometer skilled in the abacus, Doctor Walcher. The people weeps, the cleric grieves everywhere. To him, our elder, the first day of October brought death; That he should live in heaven may every faithful soul pray. 1135.
The Priory was built for thirty monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s on land belonging to Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. A charter from Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
in 1128 AD refers to Great Malvern Priory as 'the Priory of St. Mary'. In 1154–1156, Westminster Abbey obtained a Papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
from Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
which confirms a strong dependency of the priory of St Mary, Malvern, on the Abbey of Westminster.
An 18th century document in the Worcester County Record Office states that in the 18th year of King William's reign (1083?), the priory was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. Within the 'Victorian History of the Counties of England: A History of Worcester', edited by W. Page, there is an account of the foundation of the monastery in Bishop Guilford's Register of 1283. It describes how hermit Aldwyn petitioned Urse d'Abetot
Urse d'Abetot
Urse d'Abetot was a Norman as well as a medieval Sheriff of Worcestershire and royal official under Kings William I, William II and Henry I...
, the Earl of Gloucester
Earl of Gloucester
The title of Earl of Gloucester was created several times in the Peerage of England. A fictional earl is also a character in William Shakespeare's play King Lear. See also Duke of Gloucester.-Earls of Gloucester, 1st Creation :...
, for the original site (of the Priory) in the wood, and land "as far as Baldeyate"; that he collected monks, and adopted the Rule of St. Benedict; dedicating the monastery to the Virgin Mary - but occasionally under patronage of both St. Mary & St. Michael.
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...
in 1541, local people raised £20 to buy the building to replace their decaying parish church.
The present building dates from 1085, with mainly 15th century structure, floor, and wall tiles. Extensions to the original Norman architecture
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church began around 1440 in the Perpendicular style and work continued until 1502. The great square central tower is very similar to that of the nearby Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
; it was built by the same masons. It was redesigned in Perpendicular
Perpendicular
In geometry, two lines or planes are considered perpendicular to each other if they form congruent adjacent angles . The term may be used as a noun or adjective...
style by Sir Reginald Bray) and has a very plain interior. The chancel is also Perpendicular in style, and contains the monument of John Knotsford (died 1589), a participant in the dissolution of the former monastic foundation. It is largely thanks to his patronage that the church, and particularly its medieval glass, survived so well.
The fine collection of stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
ranges from medieval to modern, and includes 15th century and 19th century windows. The north transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
window, depicting the Coronation of St. Mary, was a gift from Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
in 1501, and another from the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
. A careful restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
was carried out in 1860 under the direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
, the famous architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, who also designed the roof of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
in imitation of the medieval original.
Present day
The church has around 500 on the parochial council electoral roll. Services are a mixture of traditional elements with some modern elements. The choir is well established. There are several active groups for children and young people. The church sponsors several "Mission Partners".The current incumbents are the Vicar of Malvern, Rev. John Barr, and his wife Rev. Dr. Mary Barr. A past incumbent was the Christian writer Anthony C. Deane
Anthony C. Deane
Anthony Charles Deane was Canon of Worcester Cathedral, poet and writer of religious books. He did undergraduate studies at Clare College, before he became vicar of Malvern...
.
Organ
The organ is by Nicholson of MalvernNicholson & Co (Worcester) Ltd
Nicholson & Co Ltd is a company that manufactures pipe organs.The Nicholson's were a family of organ builders originating from Rochdale, Lancashire in the North of England. When John Nicholson moved to Worcester in 1841 he obtained permission from the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral to...
from 1879, but was heavily rebuilt and restored by Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper was a firm of organ builders based in Liverpool, England Upon its bankruptcy, its archives were mostly destroyed, and the Victorian clock in the works tower was removed...
in 1927 and 1977. It was further overhauled by Nicholson in 2003 and is a Certified Historic Organ. The specification of the organ is listed at the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists
- 1818 John Southall
- 1836 William Reeves
- 1840 Mrs William Walker
- 1843 Thomas Bissell
- 1843 George Norman
- 1847 John Boulcott
- 1847 Alfred Wheeler
- 1850 William Haynes
- 1893 Allan Pattison (formerly organist of St. Michael's College, TenburySt. Michael's College, TenburyThe College of St. Michael and All Angels, in Tenbury Wells Worcestershire was a boys school founded by Frederick Ouseley in 1856 to provide a model for the performance of Anglican church music. Choral services were performed daily in term time, and the college possessed a library that contained...
) - 1895 Charles de Sousa
- 1899 Alban Claughton
- 1904 Frederic Wadely
- 1910 Louis Hamand
- 1946 John Durham Holl
- 1973 Harold Hullah
- 1977 Richard Dacey
- 1980 Graham Davies
- 1983 Tony Hemson
- 1984 David Cooper
- 1996 Nicholas Woods
- 1999 Nigel McClintock
- 2000 Andrew Wilson
- 2006 Martyn Lane
- 2008 David Iliff
Misericords
Misericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s and twelve 19th century misericords are divided into three subsets: a modern set that do not seem to follow a pattern, depictions of mythical beasts and representations of the "Labours of the months". It appears that some of the modern misericords replaced 5 of the labours, but this is still a useful record.
It is possible that the same person who carved the misericords at Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
and Ripple St Mary, was responsible for the 15th century misericords, as they bear more than a family resemblance.
Labours of the Month
- NH-02 Swine-heard, dressed in the usual flat cap, doublet and hose, and pointed shoes, knocking down acorns. Representing October.
- NH-06 Man with bag fastened to a strap over his shoulders with a seed container on his left. He is a seed-sower and represents March.
- NB-01 Man seated at a table holding up a wine cup in each hand. Probably representing January.
- NB-02 Man reaping or weeding. In his hands he holds two implements to tend the corn. Possibly representing April, June or August.
- NB-04 Man with a scythe. Representing June.
- NB-05 Smiling man carrying a bunch of grapes in his left hand and a basket in his right. Representing September.
- SB-06 Man holding a large bunch of flowers in each hand. Representing May.
Further reading
Also published in 2008 by Kessinger PublishingKessinger Publishing
Kessinger Publishing is a publisher that offers for reprint rare, out of print and out of copyright books originally issued by other publishers. They are located in Whitefish, Montana.The original dates of publication of the titles are usually prior to ca...
. ISBN 1436728525 (Note: this is the full title and sub-title of the book as found on the title page, displayed here to give a sense of the writing style while still being readable).
- Louis Arthur Hamand, The Ancient Windows of Great Malvern Priory Church, Campfield Press, St. Albans, 1947.
- Gordon McNeil Rushforth, Medieval Christian Imagery as Illustrated by the Painted Windows of Great Malvern Priory Church Worcestershire, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1947.
- Heather Gilderdale Scott, Lay figures in sacred spaces: the 15th-century 'donor figures' at Great Malvern Priory, Worcestershire, The Journal of Stained Glass, 29, 12-23, 2005.