Walden Abbey
Encyclopedia
Walden Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Saffron Walden
, Essex
, England
founded by Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
between 1136 and 1143. Originally a priory
, it was elevated to the status of an abbey
in 1190.
Soon after its founding, Earl Geoffrey was arrested by King Stephen
. When released on surrender of his castles, the earl launched a rebellion that lasted over a year. When he was killed, he had also been excommunicated
and could not be buried at the priory. Walden suffered without a clear patron through the rest of Stephen's reign. Even when Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
regained his father's title and lands under King Henry II
, he did little to assist his father's foundation. Nonetheless, when he died in 1166, his body was taken to Walden Priory for burial despite a suggestion that his mother Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
send her men to seize her son's body and have it buried in the monastery she had founded at Chicksands
.
Walden's relations with Geoffrey's brother and heir William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
were slightly better, although the member of the community who wrote the Book of the Foundation of Walden claimed that Countess Rohese turned him against Walden. On his death in 1189, the monastery was again left without a clear patron for a number of years. The earldom of Essex was eventually inherited by the husband of a distant cousin of earl William's, Geoffrey fitz Peter
, the patronage of Walden along with the Mandeville lands and titles. The monks quarrelled with him, however.
The abbey eventually came under the patronage of the Duchy of Lancaster
in the later middle ages, and thus passed to the crown in 1399.
After the dissolution
of Walden during the reign of Henry VIII
, the abbey property was purchased by Sir Thomas Audley
, who built his house Audley End
there. The current Jacobean mansion was built for his grandson, Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk
, however.
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, 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...
founded by Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
between 1136 and 1143. Originally 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...
, it was elevated to the status of 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,...
in 1190.
Soon after its founding, Earl Geoffrey was arrested by King Stephen
Stephen, King of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
. When released on surrender of his castles, the earl launched a rebellion that lasted over a year. When he was killed, he had also been excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
and could not be buried at the priory. Walden suffered without a clear patron through the rest of Stephen's reign. Even when Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex was an English nobleman. He was the son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. He inherited the Earldom of Essex from his father after his elder brother was disinherited. He died childless and was succeeded by...
regained his father's title and lands under 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...
, he did little to assist his father's foundation. Nonetheless, when he died in 1166, his body was taken to Walden Priory for burial despite a suggestion that his mother Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman.-Life:She was daughter of Aubrey de Vere II and Adeliza/Alice of Clare. She married twice. Her first husband, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, became earl in 1140, and Rohese thereafter was styled countess...
send her men to seize her son's body and have it buried in the monastery she had founded at Chicksands
Chicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
.
Walden's relations with Geoffrey's brother and heir William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. After his father's death while in rebellion , William grew up at the court of the Count of...
were slightly better, although the member of the community who wrote the Book of the Foundation of Walden claimed that Countess Rohese turned him against Walden. On his death in 1189, the monastery was again left without a clear patron for a number of years. The earldom of Essex was eventually inherited by the husband of a distant cousin of earl William's, Geoffrey fitz Peter
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, Earl of Essex was a prominent member of the government of England during the reigns of Richard I and John. The patronymic is sometimes rendered Fitz Piers, for he was the son of Piers de Lutegareshale, forester of Ludgershall.-Life:He was from a modest landowning family that...
, the patronage of Walden along with the Mandeville lands and titles. The monks quarrelled with him, however.
The abbey eventually came under the patronage of the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
in the later middle ages, and thus passed to the crown in 1399.
After the dissolution
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...
of Walden during the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, the abbey property was purchased by Sir Thomas Audley
Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden
Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, KG, PC, KS , Lord Chancellor of England, born in Earls Colne, Essex, the son of Geoffrey Audley, is believed to have studied at Buckingham College, Cambridge...
, who built his house Audley End
Audley End House
Audley End House is largely an early 17th-century country house just outside Saffron Walden, Essex, south of Cambridge, England. It was once a palace in all but name and renowned as one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. Audley End is now only one-third of its original size, but is still...
there. The current Jacobean mansion was built for his grandson, Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk
Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk
Admiral Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, KG, PC was a son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Margaret Audley, Duchess of Norfolk, the daughter and heiress of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden....
, however.