Hulton Abbey facts for kids

Hulton Abbey is an important historical site in the United Kingdom. It used to be a monastery located in Abbey Hulton, which is now part of Stoke-on-Trent. A monastery is a place where monks live and dedicate their lives to religious practices.

This abbey was founded in 1223 by Henry de Audley. It was a "daughter house" of Combermere Abbey, meaning it was started by monks from that older monastery. Hulton Abbey belonged to the Cistercian order of monks. It was always quite small and didn't have much money compared to other religious houses in Staffordshire.

In 1538, Henry VIII closed down Hulton Abbey, along with many other monasteries in England. This event is known as the Dissolution of the monasteries. After it closed, the abbey's land and everything it owned were sold.

Today, not much of the original abbey building remains. However, archaeologists have dug up the ground and found the foundations of some of its main buildings. They have also found human burials there. In 1963, Hulton Abbey was made a scheduled monument. This means it's a nationally important historical site that is protected by law. Because it's in poor condition, it's also listed as "Heritage at Risk", meaning it needs special care to preserve it. The site is currently managed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

History of Hulton Abbey

Monasteries in Medieval England

Between the late 500s and the 1500s, over 700 monastic communities were built in England. At least 75 of these were founded by the Cistercian order. These communities varied greatly in size, from hundreds of members to just a few.

During the Middle Ages, monasteries were very important to the areas around them. They were centers for education, helping the poor, and worship. The biggest and richest monasteries even had some political power. Cistercian monks focused on a life of hard work, prayer, and being self-sufficient. Many of their abbeys supported themselves by farming.

Founding the Abbey

Hulton Abbey was started in 1223 by Henry de Audley, a local landowner. It was a new monastery created by monks from the Cistercian Combermere Abbey in Cheshire. The place chosen for Hulton Abbey was quite remote, located on the eastern side of the upper Trent valley. Henry de Audley used some land he inherited and bought more to create the abbey.

Hulton Abbey was the last of three Cistercian monasteries built in Staffordshire. The other two were Croxden Abbey and Dieulacres Abbey. Like many noblemen of his time, Audley founded the abbey to benefit his family's spiritual well-being. The monks were expected to hold church services to pray for Henry, his family, and all who had passed away. Other local landowners later gave more land to the abbey in the mid-1200s. These included Simon de Verney and Henry de Verdon, who gave land in Normacot and Bucknall.

The Dissolution of the Monasteries

The English Reformation began when Henry VIII wanted to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This led to the Church of England separating from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534. Henry VIII then became the head of the church in England through the Act of Supremacy.

In 1535, the parliament passed a law called the Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535. This law ordered that all religious houses with an annual income of less than £200 should be closed. Their money and lands would then go to the King.

Hulton Abbey's income in 1535 was only about £87. This meant it should have been closed down. However, the King allowed it to stay open for a while in exchange for a fine of £66. In 1538, Brian Tuke, a royal official, asked the King to give the abbey and its lands to his son-in-law, George Tuchet, 9th Baron Audley. He claimed the abbot was willing to give up the abbey.

However, when the abbot, Edward Wilkyns, officially surrendered the abbey in September 1538, the property was not given to Lord Audley. Instead, it was sold to Edward Aston. The monks were given pensions, with Abbot Wilkyns receiving £20 a year. After the abbey was closed, it quickly fell into ruin. Its bells were sold, the lead was taken from its roof, and its stones were used to build other things.

Abbey Architecture

Archaeological digs show that Hulton Abbey had several main buildings. These included the abbey church, a chapter house (where monks met), dormitories (where they slept), and a refectory (dining hall). These buildings were arranged around a square cloister, which is an open courtyard. The church was located on the north side of this courtyard.

The church had a standard cross-shaped design. It was about 42.5 meters long and 32 meters wide. It was built of stone and had a relatively short nave (the main part of the church). Each end of the transept (the arms of the cross shape) had two small chapels next to it. It's thought that the chancel (the area around the altar) and the south transept were built first, with the rest of the church constructed later. The chapter house was rectangular and built in 1270.

Excavations have also shown that the chapter house and church had some of the earliest examples of "bar tracery" windows in Britain. This is a type of decorative stone work in windows. Evidence suggests these tracery bars were replaced several times during the 1300s.

Archaeology and Preservation

By the 1800s, the abbey site was being used entirely for farming. It wasn't until 1884, when drainage work was being done, that the abbey was rediscovered. Small archaeological digs happened throughout the 1900s. The first major excavation project took place between 1987 and 1994, led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

These digs uncovered the eastern half of the church's nave and its north aisle. They also found the chapter house, dormitories, a kitchen, and a refectory. The church foundations are still visible today. Most of the other abbey structures are well-preserved underground.

In 1963, Hulton Abbey was officially named a Scheduled Monument. This means it's a very important historical site protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. However, Historic England has also identified the site as "Heritage at Risk". The parts of the abbey that are visible are vulnerable to weather and stone decay. The site's condition is described as "poor" and needs repair work.

Burials at the Abbey

The main graveyard at Hulton Abbey was located to the north-east of the church. The excavations between 1987 and 1994 uncovered the remains of 91 people. Most were men, but the remains of women and children were also found.

Some interesting items were found with the burials. These included a pilgrim's staff and a wax chalice (a cup used in religious ceremonies). A wax seal was found with one set of remains. It had an impression of the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome. Professor John Cherry suggested that this seal was attached to an indulgence, which was a special religious document obtained during a pilgrimage.

The graves of the Audley family, other important local families, and senior clergy members were found inside the church itself. Originally, only the Audley family could be buried there. But by 1322, this right was extended to anyone who had helped pay for the church's construction.

Hugh Despenser the Younger

In the 1970s, the remains of a man were found at Hulton Abbey. His body was missing several bones and his head. Because of where they were found in the church, it was thought the bones belonged to a wealthy person or a member of the family who supported the abbey. In 2004, the remains were moved to the University of Reading for study. Tests suggested the body had been subjected to a very harsh execution. Radiocarbon dating showed the body was from between 1050 and 1385, and later tests suggested it was a man over 34 years old.

In 2008, Dr Mary Lewis, an archaeologist, identified the remains as belonging to Hugh Despenser the Younger. Despenser was related to the Audley family by marriage. He was a close friend and advisor to King Edward II and had a lot of power in the royal court. However, Despenser made many enemies, including the King's wife, Queen Isabella.

These enemies led to his downfall. In 1326, Queen Isabella and her ally, Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, removed Edward II from power. They then sentenced Despenser to death as a traitor. He was executed on Isabella's orders.

Dr. Lewis identified the remains based on several things. These included Despenser's connection to the abbey's founders, the age of the bones, and how the person died. The missing bones also helped prove her theory. In 1330, Hugh de Despenser's wife, Eleanor de Clare, asked the King to return her husband's remains. However, she was only able to get his head, a thigh bone, and some vertebrae.

Other Notable Burials

• Henry Audley, and his wife Bertha, daughter of Ralph de Mesnilwarin
• James Audley, 2nd Baron Audley
• Nicholas Audley, 3rd Baron Audley
• Elizabeth Beaumont de Audley, daughter of Henry de Beaumont and Alice Comyn, Countess of Buchan