Abbot of Peterborough facts for kids
A abbot was the leader of an abbey, which is a special kind of monastery where monks live and pray. The Abbey of Peterborough in England was once known as "Medeshamstede". This list tells you about the important abbots who led Peterborough Abbey throughout its history. They were responsible for guiding the monks, managing the abbey's lands, and overseeing its buildings.
Abbots Who Led Peterborough Abbey
| Name | Dates | What They Did | Interesting Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sexwulf | c. 654–c. 676 | Founded the abbey. | Later became an important church leader, the Bishop of Mercia. |
| Cuthbald | c. 676 | ||
| Egbald | before 716 | ||
| Pusa | |||
| Botwine | ?x765–779x? | ||
| Beonna | ?x789–805x? | ||
| Ceolred | |||
| Hedda | 870 | ||
| Ealdwulf | 972–992 | Later became the Archbishop of York, a very high-ranking church official. | |
| Cenwulf | 992–1006 | Built a wall around the abbey. | Became the Bishop of Winchester in 1006. |
| Ælfsige | 1006–1042 | Traveled with King Æthelred the Unready and Queen Emma to Normandy. | |
| Earnwig | 1042–1052 | He was described as a "very good and sincere man" and chose to step down even though he was healthy. | |
| Leofric | 1057–1066 | Gave many gifts to the monastery. | His gifts made the monastery so rich it was called 'Golden Borough'. |
| Brand | 1066–1069 | ||
| Turold of Fécamp | 1069–1098 | He used the abbey's wealth for himself and his friends, giving away a lot of its land. | |
| Godric | 4 days in 1099 | ||
| Matthias | 1103–1104 | ||
| Ernulf | 1107–1114 | Started new building projects. | Later became the Bishop of Rochester. He helped improve the abbey's money situation. |
| John de Séez | 1114–1125 | Continued building work. Rebuilding started in 1117 after a big fire in 1116. | |
| Abbey held by King Henry I | 1125–1127 | The king managed the abbey during this time. | |
| Henry de Angeli | 1128–1133 | Did not help with rebuilding. | He wasted the abbey's resources and was sent away. |
| Martin de Bec | 1133–1155 | Continued construction work. | He was a monk from Bec and a leader at St Neots before coming to Peterborough. |
| William of Waterville | 1155–1175 | He was removed from his position. | |
| Benedict | 1177–1194 | He was a chronicler, meaning he wrote down historical events. | |
| Andrew | 1194–1199 | Worked on the west front of the church. | |
| Acharius | 1200–1210 | Worked on the west front of the church. | |
| Robert of Lindsey | 1214–1222 | ||
| Alexander of Holderness | 1222–1226 | ||
| Martin of Ramsey | 1226–1233 | ||
| Walter of Bury St. Edmunds | 1233–1245 | The church building was finally completed and officially dedicated on October 6, 1238. | |
| William of Hotoft | 1246–1249 | ||
| John de Caux | 1250–1262 | ||
| Robert of Sutton | 1262–1273 | ||
| Richard of London | 1274–1295 | ||
| William of Woodford | 1295–1299 | ||
| Godfrey of Crowland | 1299–1321 | A chapel dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury was built. | |
| Adam of Boothby | 1321–1338 | ||
| Henry of Morcott | 1338–1353 | ||
| Robert of Ramsey | 1353–1361 | ||
| Henry of Overton | 1361–1391 | ||
| Nicholas of Elmstow | 1391–1396 | ||
| William Genge | 1397–1408 | ||
| John Deeping | 1409–1439 | ||
| Richard Ashton | 1439–1471 | ||
| William Ramsey | 1471–1496 | ||
| Robert Kirton | 1496–1528 | Oversaw the building of "the new building," the latest part of the church at the east end. | |
| John Chambers | 1528–1539 | He was given a special role as the first bishop of Peterborough because he helped with the changes during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many monasteries were closed. The care for the church then passed to the dean of Peterborough. |
Sources
- 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The abbey of Peterborough', A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 2 (1906), pp. 83–95. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40221. Date accessed: 29 May 2007.
- Peterborough Chronicle.
- Stenton, F.M., "Medeshamstede and its Colonies", in Stenton, D.M. (ed.), Preparatory to 'Anglo-Saxon England'being the collected Papers of Frank Merry Stenton, OUP, 1970.
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Abbot of Peterborough Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.