Hailes Abbey facts for kids
 |
|
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 1246 |
| Disestablished | Christmas Eve 1539 |
| Mother house | Beaulieu Abbey |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Richard, Earl of Cornwall |
| Abbot |
|
| Site | |
| Location | Parish of Stanway, Gloucestershire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°58′6″N 1°55′41″W / 51.96833°N 1.92806°W |
| Public access | Yes: the ruins are owned by the National Trust but managed by English Heritage. |
| Official name | Hailes Abbey and ringwork |
| Designated | 1 October 1936 |
| Reference no. | 1018070 |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Official name | Hailes Abbey |
| Designated | 4 July 1960 |
| Reference no. | 1154262 |
Hailes Abbey is an old Cistercian abbey located in the small village of Hailes, England. It's about two miles northeast of Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire.
The abbey was started in 1246. It was a "daughter house" of Beaulieu Abbey, meaning it was founded by monks from there. King Henry VIII closed the abbey down in 1539. Not much of the original abbey building is left today. It is now a very important historic site, protected as a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument.
The land where the abbey stands belongs to the National Trust. However, English Heritage looks after the ruins. There's also a museum on the site. It displays many interesting items found from the abbey.
Contents
History of Hailes Abbey
Hailes Abbey was founded in 1246 by Richard of Cornwall. He was the younger brother of King Henry III of England. Richard started the abbey to thank God. He had survived a shipwreck and felt very grateful.
King Henry gave Richard the land at Hailes. Richard then brought twenty Cistercian monks and ten lay brothers from Beaulieu Abbey to live there. A Cistercian monk belongs to a strict religious order. Lay brothers were people who lived and worked in the monastery but were not monks.
The grand Cistercian abbey was built quite quickly, finishing in 1277. A big royal ceremony took place to officially open it. King Henry III, the Queen, and 15 bishops attended. Hailes Abbey was one of the last Cistercian monasteries built in England.
The Holy Blood Relic
Hailes Abbey became a very popular place for pilgrimage after 1270. Richard's son, Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall, gave the monks a small bottle (a phial) said to contain the Holy Blood. He had bought this special item in Germany.
A "relic" is an object believed to be connected to a saint or holy event. This relic was thought to be from the Crucifixion of Jesus. It attracted many pilgrims, who were people who traveled to holy places. The money from these pilgrims helped the monks rebuild the abbey. They made it even more magnificent.
However, not all was peaceful. In 1408, one of the abbots (the head monk) of Hailes was executed. This happened after a battle called the Battle of Bramham Moor.
The Abbey's Closure
During the time of King Henry VIII, many monasteries in England were closed. This was known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries. King Henry's officials said the famous Holy Blood relic was a fake. They claimed it was just duck's blood that was regularly replaced.
The abbot, Stephen Sagar, even admitted the Holy Blood was a trick. He hoped this would save the abbey from being closed. But it didn't work. Hailes Abbey was one of the last religious places to give in. The abbot and his monks finally handed over their abbey to King Henry's officials on Christmas Eve, 1539.
After the abbey closed, the western part of the building was turned into a house. The Tracy family lived there in the 1600s. But these buildings were later pulled down. Today, only a few low arches and outlines in the grass remain. A small church for the local village still stands. It has old medieval wall paintings that have not been restored.
In 1937, the site was given to the National Trust. Then, in 1948, the Ministry of Works took over. This group later became English Heritage. They are now in charge of looking after the abbey ruins.
People Buried at Hailes Abbey
Several important people were buried at Hailes Abbey. These include:
- The founder, Richard of Cornwall.
- His second wife, Sanchia of Provence.
- His sons, Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall and Henry of Almain.
Hailes Church
| Hailes Church | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
Hailes Church
|
|
| Built | 1175 |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Official name: Church (dedication unknown) | |
| Designated | 4 July 1960 |
| Reference no. | 1154315 |
Right next to the abbey ruins is Hailes Church. This church is actually older than the abbey itself. It was officially opened in 1175.
The church was used as a "chapel outside the gates" for the abbey. This continued until the abbey was closed in 1539. Inside the church, you can see beautiful wall paintings from the 1300s. On the north wall, there are paintings of St Catherine and St Christopher. On the south wall, you can see St Margaret and scenes of hunting.
Hailes Church is also a Grade I listed building, just like the abbey. It is still part of the local church group (called a benefice). Sometimes, church services are still held there.
