Rushen Abbey
Encyclopedia
Rushen Abbey was an abbey on the Isle of Man
, located near Ballasalla
. Originally home for monks of the Savignac
order, it soon came under Cistercian control and remained so until its dissolution. The abbey is located two miles from Castle Rushen
; the most important political entity on the island in medieval times.
The abbey was founded in 1134, under King Olaf I
's control. He granted the land to Savignac monks from Furness Abbey
. In 1147 the abbey came under Cistercian rule following the merging of the Savignac and Cistercian orders. The abbey church dedicated to St Mary was completed in 1257. The abbey was dissolved in 16th century
. In the early 1900s, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination, famous for the strawberries and cream served in its gardens. After falling into disrepair after World War II
, the abbey was acquired by Manx National Heritage
in May 1998, and restorations have now been made. Soon after, excavations began and archaeologists were able to discover more about the monks' way of life and practices.
The abbey is now a heritage centre (part of the 'Story of Mann') with a building containing artefacts and telling the history of Rushen Abbey and the surrounding area. The remains of the original abbey have been restored and walkways constructed to allow visitors to get a close look. Between April and October the abbey is open to the public and an admission fee is payable. Before accessing the abbey gardens, visitors must walk through a museum that explains the role of the abbey. There is interactive, audio and video material available. At the museum's conclusion, there is an area designed for children, allowing them to build an arch and discover the monastery's history in a way that is more appealing to them.
The Chronicles of Mann were written at Rushen Abbey, as were many other important documents relating to the island. The abbey is significant in this respect, as it would have been the centre of knowledge and literacy on the island.
Monks from Rushen Abbey would sometimes have farms in the north of the island. A packhorse bridge
was built in around 1350 to allow the monks to cross the nearby Silverburn River. Known today as The Monks' Bridge (or The Crossag), it is one of few surviving pack-horse bridges in the British Isles.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, located near Ballasalla
Ballasalla
Ballasalla is a village in the parish of Malew in the south-east of the Isle of Man, close to the town of Castletown. The village was built mostly from the ruins of the nearby Rushen Abbey, a Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century and dissolved in the 16th century.-Governance:The local...
. Originally home for monks of the Savignac
Congregation of Savigny
The monastic Congregation of Savigny started in the abbey of Savigny, situated in northern France, on the confines of Normandy and Brittany, in the Diocese of Coutances. It originated in 1105 when Vitalis of Mortain established a hermitage in the forest at Savigny in France.-Founding:Vitalis was a...
order, it soon came under Cistercian control and remained so until its dissolution. The abbey is located two miles from Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown in the south of the island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east...
; the most important political entity on the island in medieval times.
The abbey was founded in 1134, under King Olaf I
Olaf I of the Isle of Man
Olaf Godredsson , sometimes known in secondary sources as Olaf I, was a 12th century ruler of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides. Some secondary sources style Olaf "King of Mann", or "King of Mann and the Isles"...
's control. He granted the land to Savignac monks from Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey, or St. Mary of Furness is a former monastery situated on the outskirts of the English town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind only Fountains Abbey in North...
. In 1147 the abbey came under Cistercian rule following the merging of the Savignac and Cistercian orders. The abbey church dedicated to St Mary was completed in 1257. The abbey was dissolved in 16th century
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 the early 1900s, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination, famous for the strawberries and cream served in its gardens. After falling into disrepair after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the abbey was acquired by Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage is the national heritage organisation for the Isle of Man. It was established in 1951 as the Manx National Trust, and its legal title is the Manx Museum and National Trust.-Overview:...
in May 1998, and restorations have now been made. Soon after, excavations began and archaeologists were able to discover more about the monks' way of life and practices.
The abbey is now a heritage centre (part of the 'Story of Mann') with a building containing artefacts and telling the history of Rushen Abbey and the surrounding area. The remains of the original abbey have been restored and walkways constructed to allow visitors to get a close look. Between April and October the abbey is open to the public and an admission fee is payable. Before accessing the abbey gardens, visitors must walk through a museum that explains the role of the abbey. There is interactive, audio and video material available. At the museum's conclusion, there is an area designed for children, allowing them to build an arch and discover the monastery's history in a way that is more appealing to them.
The Chronicles of Mann were written at Rushen Abbey, as were many other important documents relating to the island. The abbey is significant in this respect, as it would have been the centre of knowledge and literacy on the island.
Monks' Bridge
Packhorse bridge
A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry packhorses across a river or stream. Typically a packhorse bridge consists of one or more narrow masonry arches, and has low parapets so as not to interfere with the horse's panniers.Packhorse bridges were often built on the trade routes that...
was built in around 1350 to allow the monks to cross the nearby Silverburn River. Known today as The Monks' Bridge (or The Crossag), it is one of few surviving pack-horse bridges in the British Isles.
External links
- Rushen Abbey Centre for Manx Studies page about the abbey
- Rushen Abbey Information from Manx National Heritage
- Information about Rushen Abbey