Sulby Abbey facts for kids

Sulby Abbey was a special kind of monastery in Northamptonshire, England. It was founded in 1155 for a group of monks called the Premonstratensians. This abbey was like a "daughter house" to a bigger abbey called St. Mary and St. Martial in Newsham.

History of Sulby Abbey

Sulby Abbey was started around 1155 by a person named William de Wideville. It was first built in a place called Welford parish. Later, it moved about two miles west to Sulby. This move probably happened when King Henry III was ruling. At that time, a knight named Sir Robert de Paveley gave the monks the church and land in Sulby. This land was quite large, over 1,500 acres! The abbey might have been built where an older village once stood, which was empty by the 1100s. The abbey was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Helping the Poor

The abbot (the head monk) at Sulby Abbey had a special tradition. On a day called Maundy Thursday, he would wash the feet of 26 poor men. He would also give each of them a small coin, a loaf of bread, and a herring (a type of fish). On the same day, about 500 other poor people would also receive a loaf of bread and a herring from the abbey. This shows how the abbey helped people in need.

Royal Visits to Sulby

King Edward II found Sulby Abbey to be a good place to stay. He often stopped there during his travels and even did official royal business. For example, King Edward stayed at Sulby on August 3, 1310, when he was traveling north for a military trip to Scotland.

Rules and Visitors

The leader of the Premonstratensian order, called the Abbot General, was in a place called Prémontré. He believed he could ask for money from all the abbeys to help the order. But in 1306, the English king said that no money should be sent to leaders in other countries. So, the English abbots sent two of their own, Abbot William of Langdon and Abbot Henry of Sulby, to explain why they couldn't send money. The king even helped Abbot Henry of Sulby travel safely. This problem about sending money continued for some years.

Later, a person named Richard Redman visited the English Premonstratensian abbeys. He was like an inspector for the order. In 1478, he noted that Sulby Abbey had six churches that it supported, and these churches had their own priests.

Unusual Studies

During a visit on October 28, 1500, a monk named Thomas Wright was found studying some unusual books. These books seemed to be about strange experiments, maybe like trying to find a "Philosopher's Stone" (something that was believed to turn metal into gold). Thomas admitted he studied them but said he hadn't tried to do the experiments. The visitor allowed him to stay at the monastery but told him to say a special prayer book (a psalter) as a punishment.

In 1481, a powerful person called Sir William Hastings was allowed to give some churches and land to Sulby Abbey. This was to help the abbey, and it meant the abbey could use the money from these churches to support itself and help the poor people in the area.

Dissolution of the Abbey

Sulby Abbey was closed down in 1538. This was part of a time when many monasteries in England were dissolved by the king. After it closed, the property was bought by William Cradock. Later, in 1567, it was owned by Christopher Hatton. By 1869, most of the old abbey was gone, and the land was used for farm buildings. Today, only some buried remains and earthworks are left.

Abbots of Sulby

Here are some of the abbots who led Sulby Abbey over the years:

• John, around 1207
• Walter, removed in 1232
• William, chosen in 1232
• Hugh, chosen in 1276
• Henry, around 1301
• John of Welford, chosen in 1314
• Walter, around 1326
• William Gysburgh, around 1414
• John Coventry, left in 1447
• William Knolles, chosen in 1447
• John Halley, started in 1452
• John Middleton, around 1487 and 1500
• Robert Goodall, around 1513
• Ralphe Armonte, started in 1534