Tupholme Abbey
Encyclopedia
Tupholme Abbey was a Premonstratensian
abbey
close to the River Witham
some 17 km east of the city of Lincoln
, England
. It was founded between 1155 and 1165 by Gilbert and Alan de Neville. An abbot
and twelve canons
were sent from Newsham Abbey
, also in Lincolnshire
, to found Tupholme. The Witham valley in Lincolnshire is notable for its high concentration of monasteries—there were six on the east bank and three on the west—all presumably drawn to the area by the usefulness of the River Witham
for transport and by the wealth (in wool
) that it transported.
in Leicestershire
as he had become involved with a local woman called Philippa and fathered her a child. In 1482 the behaviour of the canons had evidently been unruly, as they were forbidden to leave the precincts of the abbey without prior permission, or to sit up drinking after Compline
. The penalty for such crimes was to be three days on bread and water.
Tupholme was a small house and was suppressed in the first wave of the Dissolution of the Monasteries
, in 1536. The last abbot, John Acaster, was given a pension
of £18 and the other canons received £1 each. The site of the abbey, together with the church, bell tower
and church yard, was granted to Sir Thomas Heneage of Hainton
. Sir Thomas built a grand house, based on the monastic buildings, for his daughter Elizabeth and her husband William Willoughby. This mansion passed through the Willoughby family until it was sold in 1661 by the fifth baron Willoughby and became the property of the Vyner family. Around 1700 the Vyners demolished the Tudor
mansion and built a new hall (Tupholme Hall, demolished 1976) nearby. They retained one wall of the medieval abbey/house as an eye-catching ornament in their surrounding parkland.
From the 18th century, a farmyard developed around the site of the remaining wall which developed into a busy farmstead by the start of the 20th century. But by the mid 20th century the site was used only for labourers' housing, and by the 1970s it was empty and derelict. However, Tupholme Abbey was to have one more moment of fame, for in 1972 one of the country's biggest pop festival
s, starring Rod Stewart
and the Beach Boys (among many others), was held there.
In 1988 the site was acquired by the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire, and the ruin was repaired and opened to the public. It may be visited, free of charge, any day, from dawn until dusk.
The surviving monastic ruin at Tupholme comprises a single wall, standing two storeys high, virtually to eaves
height. It has small square headed windows lighting the lower storey which was a vaulted
undercroft
. The upper floor was the refectory
of the abbey and has beautiful lancet window
s and a very fine reader's pulpit
. The reader's pulpit has clearly been 'prettified', presumably as part of Vyner's landscaping scheme—but thankfully so, as it would not otherwise have survived in such a stone-hungry region.
There is a list of Abbots' names in the Victoria County History
.
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
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,...
close to the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
some 17 km east of the city of Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, 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...
. It was founded between 1155 and 1165 by Gilbert and Alan de Neville. An abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
and twelve canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
were sent from Newsham Abbey
Newsham Abbey
Newsham Abbey was an abbey in Newsham, a small hamlet north of Brocklesby village in Lincolnshire, England.The abbey of Newsham or Newhouse was the first Premonstratensian house established in England, in 1143, the founder being Peter of Gousla, who held in Newsham one knight's fee of Ralf de...
, also in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, to found Tupholme. The Witham valley in Lincolnshire is notable for its high concentration of monasteries—there were six on the east bank and three on the west—all presumably drawn to the area by the usefulness of the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
for transport and by the wealth (in wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
) that it transported.
History
Tupholme was never a prosperous house—in 1347, when the abbey was heavily in debt, an enterprising abbot was accused of "forgery and counterfeiting of coin of the realm", apparently using the proceeds to buy corn and wine, which he sold for a profit. Records of visitations in the later years of the abbey also show some misdemeanours—in 1497 Thomas Pynderwelle was banished to Croxton AbbeyCroxton Abbey
Croxton Abbey, near Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire, was a Premonstratensian monastery founded before 1160 by William, Count of Boulogne.Croxton was the mother house of the monasteries of Blanchland Abbey in County Durham and Cockersand Abbey in Lancashire....
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
as he had become involved with a local woman called Philippa and fathered her a child. In 1482 the behaviour of the canons had evidently been unruly, as they were forbidden to leave the precincts of the abbey without prior permission, or to sit up drinking after Compline
Compline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
. The penalty for such crimes was to be three days on bread and water.
Tupholme was a small house and was suppressed in the first wave of 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...
, in 1536. The last abbot, John Acaster, was given a pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
of £18 and the other canons received £1 each. The site of the abbey, together with the church, bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and church yard, was granted to Sir Thomas Heneage of Hainton
Hainton
Hainton is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the A157, west from Louth and south-east from Market Rasen.Hainton is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Haintone", with "9 villagers. 2 smallholders...
. Sir Thomas built a grand house, based on the monastic buildings, for his daughter Elizabeth and her husband William Willoughby. This mansion passed through the Willoughby family until it was sold in 1661 by the fifth baron Willoughby and became the property of the Vyner family. Around 1700 the Vyners demolished the Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
mansion and built a new hall (Tupholme Hall, demolished 1976) nearby. They retained one wall of the medieval abbey/house as an eye-catching ornament in their surrounding parkland.
From the 18th century, a farmyard developed around the site of the remaining wall which developed into a busy farmstead by the start of the 20th century. But by the mid 20th century the site was used only for labourers' housing, and by the 1970s it was empty and derelict. However, Tupholme Abbey was to have one more moment of fame, for in 1972 one of the country's biggest pop festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s, starring Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
and the Beach Boys (among many others), was held there.
In 1988 the site was acquired by the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire, and the ruin was repaired and opened to the public. It may be visited, free of charge, any day, from dawn until dusk.
The surviving monastic ruin at Tupholme comprises a single wall, standing two storeys high, virtually to eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
height. It has small square headed windows lighting the lower storey which was a vaulted
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
. The upper floor was the refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
of the abbey and has beautiful lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s and a very fine reader's pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
. The reader's pulpit has clearly been 'prettified', presumably as part of Vyner's landscaping scheme—but thankfully so, as it would not otherwise have survived in such a stone-hungry region.
There is a list of Abbots' names in the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
.