Osney Abbey
Encyclopedia
Osney Abbey or Oseney Abbey, later Osney Cathedral, was a house of Augustinian canons
at Osney
in Oxfordshire
. The site is south of the modern Botley Road
, down Mill Street
by Osney Cemetery
, next to the railway line just south of Oxford station
. It was founded as a priory
in 1129, becoming an abbey
around 1154. It was dissolved in 1539 but was created a cathedral
, the last abbot Robert King becoming the first Bishop of Oxford
. The see was transferred to the new foundation of Christ Church
in 1545 and the building fell into ruin. It was one of the four renowned monastic houses of medieval Oxford, along with St Frideswide's Priory, Rewley
and Godstow.
, Norman governor of Oxford, prompted by his wife, Edith Forne
, who, to expiate the sins of her former life as the mistress of Henry I
, solicited her husband to this pious work with a story of the chattering of magpies interpreted by a friar as souls in purgatory who needed a church in which to rest.
Edith was buried in Osney Abbey, in a religious habit, as John Leland describes upon seeing her tomb as it was on the eve of the dissolution: ‘Ther lyeth an image of Edith, of stone, in th' abbite of a vowess, holding a hart in her right hand, on the north side of the high altaire’. The legendary dream of magpies was painted near the tomb.
Osney was (along with St Osyth, Cirencester
, Llanthony, and Holy Trinity, London), one of the great Augustinian houses of medieval England. It provided six of the canons of Henry II
’s re-foundation of the Church of the Holy Cross, Waltham
as an Augustinian house in 1177. When Waltham became an abbey in 1184, the first abbot was a canon of Osney. In 1199, the church of St George in Oxford Castle
was translated and annexed to the abbey.
The most significant event in the history of the abbey came in April 1222 when a provincial council met there, charged with applying the Lateran
decrees in England. When in July 1237, the papal legate
Otto Cardinal Candidus came to Osney, a brawl broke out between a group of scholars from the university and the cardinal's men in which the legate's cook was killed. Otto himself was locked for safety in the abbey tower, emerging unscathed to lay the city under inderdict in reprisal.
The current navigation of the River Thames
replacing the old navigation to the east side of Osney Island, is believed to have been engineered by the monks of the Abbey to turn their mill.
After the abbey's surrender
in 1539, it was, from September 1542 until June 1544, the seat of the new Bishops of Oxford
before the see transferred to the new foundation of Christ Church
. It has been described as the greatest building Oxford has lost. Great Tom, the bell described as the 'loudest thing in Oxford', now hanging in Tom Tower
at Christ Church, was taken from the tower of Osney Abbey on its dissolution. A good deal of the monastic property was also transferred to Christ Church, and the remains of the abbey remained as a source of building material for the city and by Charles I
during the Civil War
. Remains were drawn by Thomas Hearne
of St Edmund Hall
in 1720 (see illustration above).
On the same site is the now disused Osney Mill
, close to Osney Lock
. To the west is Osney Cemetery
and to the south is Osney Mill Marina
, on a 500m long island originally formed for the mill. To the north are the busy arterial road leading west out of Oxford, Botley Road
, and Oxford railway station
.
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
at Osney
Osney
Osney, Osney Island, or Osney Town is a riverside community in the west of the city of Oxford, England. It is located off the Botley Road, just west of the city's main railway station, on an island surrounded by the River Thames, known in Oxford as the Isis. Osney is part of the city council ward...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. The site is south of the modern Botley Road
Botley Road
Botley Road is the main arterial road into Oxford, England from the west. It stretches between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road to the west of the city, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station, close to central Oxford....
, down Mill Street
Mill Street, Oxford
Mill Street is a street in Oxford, England. It is a cul-de-sac that runs south from the Botley Road close to Oxford railway station. It includes residential houses, mainly terraced, and some office space....
by Osney Cemetery
Osney Cemetery
Osney Cemetery is a disused Church of England cemetery in Osney, west Oxford, England. It is in Mill Street south of Botley Road and near the site of Osney Abbey. It borders the Cherwell Valley Line railway a short distance south of Oxford railway station....
, next to the railway line just south of Oxford station
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
. It was founded as a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
in 1129, becoming an abbey
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,...
around 1154. It was dissolved in 1539 but was created a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, the last abbot Robert King becoming the first Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
. The see was transferred to the new foundation of Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
in 1545 and the building fell into ruin. It was one of the four renowned monastic houses of medieval Oxford, along with St Frideswide's Priory, Rewley
Rewley Abbey
The Cistercian Abbey of Rewley was an Abbey in Oxford, England. It was founded in the 13th century by Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall. Edmund's father, Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, founder of Hayles Abbey, had intended to establish a college or chantry of three secular priests to pray for his...
and Godstow.
History
The house was founded by Robert D'Oyly the youngerRobert D'Oyly (Osney)
Robert D'Oyly was a 12th century English nobleman, son of Nigel D'Oyly, and nephew of Robert D'Oyly, founder of Oxford Castle.Robert married Edith Forne, daughter of Lord Greystock, who had been King Henry I of England's concubine, in 1120...
, Norman governor of Oxford, prompted by his wife, Edith Forne
Edith Forne
Edith Forne was an English noblewoman who was the concubine of King Henry I of England and the foundress of Osney Abbey in Oxford.She was the daughter of Forn Sigulfson, Lord of Greystoke, Cumberland.Edith had two children by King Henry:...
, who, to expiate the sins of her former life as the mistress of 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...
, solicited her husband to this pious work with a story of the chattering of magpies interpreted by a friar as souls in purgatory who needed a church in which to rest.
Edith was buried in Osney Abbey, in a religious habit, as John Leland describes upon seeing her tomb as it was on the eve of the dissolution: ‘Ther lyeth an image of Edith, of stone, in th' abbite of a vowess, holding a hart in her right hand, on the north side of the high altaire’. The legendary dream of magpies was painted near the tomb.
Osney was (along with St Osyth, Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
, Llanthony, and Holy Trinity, London), one of the great Augustinian houses of medieval England. It provided six of the canons of 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...
’s re-foundation of the Church of the Holy Cross, Waltham
Waltham Abbey (abbey)
The Abbey Church of Waltham Abbey has been a place of worship since at least 1030, and is in the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. The Prime Meridian passes through its grounds. Harold Godwinson is said to be buried just outside the present abbey...
as an Augustinian house in 1177. When Waltham became an abbey in 1184, the first abbot was a canon of Osney. In 1199, the church of St George in Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined Norman medieval castle situated on the west edge of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. The original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced with stone in the 11th century and played an important role in the conflict of the Anarchy...
was translated and annexed to the abbey.
Fourth Council of the Lateran
The Fourth Council of the Lateran was convoked by Pope Innocent III with the papal bull of April 19, 1213, and the Council gathered at Rome's Lateran Palace beginning November 11, 1215. Due to the great length of time between the Council's convocation and meeting, many bishops had the opportunity...
decrees in England. When in July 1237, the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
Otto Cardinal Candidus came to Osney, a brawl broke out between a group of scholars from the university and the cardinal's men in which the legate's cook was killed. Otto himself was locked for safety in the abbey tower, emerging unscathed to lay the city under inderdict in reprisal.
The current navigation of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
replacing the old navigation to the east side of Osney Island, is believed to have been engineered by the monks of the Abbey to turn their mill.
After the abbey's surrender
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 1539, it was, from September 1542 until June 1544, the seat of the new Bishops of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
before the see transferred to the new foundation of Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. It has been described as the greatest building Oxford has lost. Great Tom, the bell described as the 'loudest thing in Oxford', now hanging in Tom Tower
Tom Tower
Tom Tower is a bell tower in Oxford, England, named for its bell, Great Tom. It is over Tom Gate, on St Aldates, the main entrance of Christ Church, Oxford, which leads into Tom Quad. This square tower with an octagonal lantern and facetted ogee dome was designed by Christopher Wren and built 1681–82...
at Christ Church, was taken from the tower of Osney Abbey on its dissolution. A good deal of the monastic property was also transferred to Christ Church, and the remains of the abbey remained as a source of building material for the city and by Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Remains were drawn by Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
of St Edmund Hall
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
in 1720 (see illustration above).
Today
All the buildings have now been destroyed except a rubble and timber-framed structure which may date from the 15th century. The remnants were Grade II listed in 1954.On the same site is the now disused Osney Mill
Osney Mill
Osney Mill is a disused flour mill on a branch off the River Thames in Oxford, England. It is located south from the Botley Road down Mill Street.Close by is Osney Lock.To the east is Osney Cemetery and to the west is Osney Island....
, close to Osney Lock
Osney Lock
Osney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is close to Oxford where the village or island of Osney is next to the river.The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790....
. To the west is Osney Cemetery
Osney Cemetery
Osney Cemetery is a disused Church of England cemetery in Osney, west Oxford, England. It is in Mill Street south of Botley Road and near the site of Osney Abbey. It borders the Cherwell Valley Line railway a short distance south of Oxford railway station....
and to the south is Osney Mill Marina
Osney Mill Marina
Osney Mill Marina is a private marina on a branch off the River Thames in Oxford, England. It is located south from the Botley Road down Mill Street and close to the site of Osney Abbey and Oxford railway station to the north....
, on a 500m long island originally formed for the mill. To the north are the busy arterial road leading west out of Oxford, Botley Road
Botley Road
Botley Road is the main arterial road into Oxford, England from the west. It stretches between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road to the west of the city, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station, close to central Oxford....
, and Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
.
External links
- Records from the UK National Archives
- Ruins of Osney Abbey
- Photograph of the abbey plaque for remembrance of Robert of Reading, a Jew who died for his faith
