Newsham Abbey facts for kids
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Premonstratensian |
| Established | 1143 |
| Disestablished | 1536 |
Newsham Abbey was a special kind of monastery in a tiny village called Newsham. This village is in Lincolnshire, England. It was started way back in 1143 by a person named Peter of Gousla.
Newsham Abbey was the very first place in England for a group of monks called the Premonstratensians. It was like a "daughter house" of another abbey in France, near Calais.
Contents
The Abbey's Beginning
The Abbey of St. Mary and St. Martial at Newsham, sometimes called Newhouse, was founded in 1143. This made it the first home for the Premonstratensian monks in England.
Who Started Newsham Abbey?
Peter of Gousla was the founder of Newsham Abbey. He owned land in Newsham and got permission from his lord to start the abbey. Monks from Liegues Abbey in France came to live here. The first leader of Newsham Abbey was Abbot Gelro.
Important people helped the new abbey. William, Earl of Lincoln, welcomed the monks. He also confirmed gifts of land given by Peter of Goxhill, Ralph de Halton, and Geoffrey de Tours. Other helpers included William de Romara and Elias d'Albini.
Even bishops, like Alexander of Lincoln and Robert de Chesney, gave their support. They promised to protect the new monastery.
A Mother Abbey
Newsham Abbey was like a "mother" abbey to many others. It started eleven other Premonstratensian monasteries across England. Some of these included Barlings, Tupholme, and Newbo.
By 1385, the monks at Newsham Abbey faced tough times. They were quite poor and had to host many visitors. Also, bad storms had badly damaged their buildings.
In 1472, the abbot (the head monk) was criticized. He hadn't sent a new abbot to Alnwick, which was one of Newsham's "daughter" houses.
Leaders of the Abbey
The official seal of Newsham Abbey showed an abbot holding his special staff, called a crozier. The seal said: Sigill. Conventus Sci Marcialis. Ep. Li. De Newhouse.
We know the names of twenty-six abbots who led Newsham Abbey. The last one was Thomas Harpham. He was abbot from 1534 until the abbey was closed down by King Henry VIII in 1536.
Spreading the Order
In the Middle Ages, Lincolnshire was a very busy part of England. It had nine Premonstratensian monasteries, which was a lot! Besides Newsham Abbey, these included:
- Barlings Abbey
- Broadholme Priory (for women)
- Cammeringham Priory
- Hagnaby Abbey
- Newbo Abbey
- Orford Priory (for women)
- Stixwould Priory
- Tupholme Abbey
- West Ravendale Priory
Newsham Abbey played a big role in spreading the Premonstratensian order. It became the "mother house" for eleven other Premonstratensian abbeys in England. Between 1147 and 1200, about 100 monks left Newsham to start new monasteries.
Here are some of the Premonstratensian abbeys that were started from Newsham Abbey:
- Alnwick Abbey, Northumberland (started in 1147)
- Barlings Abbey, near Lincoln (started in 1154)
- Beeleigh Abbey, near Maldon, Essex (started in 1180)
- Coverham Abbey, North Yorkshire (started in 1190)
- Croxton Abbey, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (started in 1163)
- Dale Abbey, Derbyshire (started in 1204)
- Easby Abbey, near Richmond, Yorkshire (started in 1152)
- Newbo Abbey, near Sedgebrook, Lincolnshire (started in 1198)
- Sulby Abbey, Northamptonshire (started in 1155)
Important Burials
Some important people were buried at Newsham Abbey:
- Philip le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer and his wife Elizabeth Spencer Despencer
- Joan Cobham, who was the mother of Philip le Despencer
The Abbey's End
Newsham Abbey was closed down in 1536. This happened during the time when King Henry VIII was closing many monasteries in England.
Later, in the 1700s, the famous landscape designer Capability Brown used the abbey's land to create a beautiful park. Today, you can still see parts of the abbey's old boundaries and foundations. There are also many scattered building materials on the site.
