Eynsham Abbey facts for kids

Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, England. A monastery is a special place where monks live and work together. This abbey was active for over 500 years, from 1005 to 1538.

King Æthelred allowed a man named Æthelmær the Stout to start the abbey in 1005. Some people think the abbey was built where an older church, called a minster, once stood. That minster might have been built as early as the 600s or 700s. Today, the site of Eynsham Abbey is a protected historical place.

History of Eynsham Abbey

The first leader of the abbey was an abbot named Ælfric. He was a very famous writer who lived from about 955 to 1010.

Moving the Diocese

Eynsham Abbey was part of the Diocese of Dorchester. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. In 1072, a new Norman bishop named Remigius moved his main church, or "see," from Dorchester to Lincoln. Lincoln was much further away.

In 1091, Bishop Remigius tried to take control of Eynsham Abbey. He wanted its money and resources for his new abbey in Stow. This might have been a plan to bring monks into the Lincoln cathedral. However, the next bishop, Robert Bloet, did not continue this plan. So, the monks returned to Eynsham.

New Buildings and Growth

When the monks came back, the bishop gave Eynsham Abbey more land. After 1109, the old abbey buildings were taken down. Many new buildings were constructed in the 1200s.

The abbey became very successful during the Middle Ages. Even so, there were probably never more than 25 to 30 monks living there. One well-known abbot was Adam of Eynsham. He was a writer who wrote about Saint Hugh of Lincoln.

Records from 1390 show that the abbey earned over £772. They made money from renting out land and selling wool and animals. By 1406, their income had grown to over £812.

The Abbey's Closure

By the 1500s, it seems there were only a few monks left at Eynsham Abbey. In 1538, the abbey was closed. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed many monasteries in England.

Anthony Kitchin was the last abbot of Eynsham Abbey. Some of the abbey buildings were destroyed. This was done to stop the monks from coming back. Some of the monks found new jobs in the Protestant church. Abbot Anthony Kitchin himself became a bishop in the Church of England in 1545.

The abbey's land was given to a man named Sir George Darcy. By 1657, only two ruined towers and part of a wall remained. Later, the Earl of Derby owned the land. Stones from the abbey buildings were then used to build houses in the nearby village.

Discoveries at the Site

From 1989 to 1992, archaeologists dug up the site. They found many interesting things, including human bones. Some of the items found at the abbey are now kept at a museum center in Standlake.

People Connected to Eynsham Abbey

Many people were connected to Eynsham Abbey over its long history. Some notable individuals buried at the abbey include:

• Robert D'Oyly (Osney)
• Anchetil de Greye and his wife Matilda de Redvers
• Fulk De Oyly