Walden Abbey facts for kids
Walden Abbey was a special place where monks lived in Saffron Walden, Essex, England. It was a type of monastery called a Benedictine monastery. A powerful man named Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex started it between 1136 and 1143.
At first, it was a smaller monastery known as a priory. But in 1190, it became a bigger, more important monastery called an abbey.
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Early Challenges for Walden Abbey
Soon after it began, Earl Geoffrey, who started the abbey, was arrested by King Stephen. When he was set free, he started a big fight against the King. This fight lasted for over a year.
When Earl Geoffrey died, he had been "excommunicated." This meant he was no longer allowed to be part of the church. Because of this, he could not be buried at the priory. Walden Abbey struggled without strong support during King Stephen's rule.
New Leaders and New Problems
Later, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex, who was the first Earl Geoffrey's son, got back his father's lands and titles. This happened when King Henry II was in charge. However, this second Earl Geoffrey did not help the abbey much. Even so, when he died in 1166, his body was brought to Walden Priory for burial.
Walden Abbey had slightly better relations with the second Earl Geoffrey's brother, William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex. But a writer from the abbey claimed that their mother, Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex, turned William against Walden. When William died in 1189, the monastery was again without a clear supporter for some years.
The title of Earl of Essex eventually went to Geoffrey fitz Peter. He was a distant cousin's husband and also gained control over Walden Abbey. However, the monks at the abbey had many disagreements with him.
Later Years and Closure
In the later Middle Ages, Walden Abbey came under the support of the Duchy of Lancaster. This was a powerful group of lands owned by the royal family. Because of this, the abbey became property of the King in 1399.
Later, during the time of King Henry VIII, many monasteries in England were closed down. This was called the dissolution. Walden Abbey was also closed.
After it closed, a man named Sir Thomas Audley bought the abbey's land. He built his own house there, which was called Audley End. The large house you see there today was built later for his grandson, Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk.
People Buried at Walden Abbey
Many important people were buried at Walden Abbey, or the priory before it became an abbey. These include:
- Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
- Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden
- Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford
- Joan de Bohun, Countess of Hereford
- Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, Countess of Hereford, who was a daughter of Edward I of England
- Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk
- Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk (in the Howard family burial area)
- James Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk (in the Howard family burial area)
- William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
- Henry Howard, 6th Earl of Suffolk, and his wives (in the Howard family burial area)
