Wilton Abbey facts for kids

Wilton Abbey was a very important Benedictine convent (a place where nuns lived) in Wiltshire, England. It was located near Salisbury, where Wilton House stands today. The abbey was active for over 700 years, from 802 until 1539.

It was one of the most powerful nunneries in Medieval England. It was also one of only four nunneries that held a special status called a "barony". This meant it had a lot of land and power, similar to a noble lord. Other powerful nunneries included Shaftesbury Abbey, Barking Abbey, and St Mary's Abbey, Winchester.

History of Wilton Abbey

How Wilton Abbey Started

The first religious group at Wilton was a college of priests around 773. This was started by Wulfstan, Ealdorman of Wiltshire. After he died in 802, his wife, Saint Alburga, changed it into a convent for twelve nuns.

Saint Alburga was the sister of Egbert of Wessex, a powerful king. Because King Egbert gave his permission, he is often seen as the first founder of the abbey. Saint Alburga herself joined the community and lived there until she died.

Later, King Alfred founded a new convent on the site of the royal palace. He joined it with the older foundation. This happened after he fought the Danes in Wilton in 871.

Anglo-Saxon Times at the Abbey

Near contemporary drawing of Edith.

The convent grew to have 26 nuns. It was connected to St Mary's Church, Wilton. Two daughters of King Edward the Elder and Ælfflæd, named Eadflæd and Æthelhild, likely joined the community. Eadflæd became a nun, and Æthelhild was a lay sister. They were buried at Wilton with their mother.

Their half-brother, King Æthelstan, gave land to the Wilton community in the 930s. One gift in 937 was to help make up for his sins and those of Eadflæd. In 955, King Eadwig gave the nuns of Wilton Abbey an estate called Chelke. This land included areas in Broad Chalke and Bowerchalke.

The Time of Wulfthryth

Wulfthryth of Wilton was the abbess (the head nun) of Wilton Abbey from the early 960s to about 1000. She was connected to King Edgar, who ruled England from 959-975. Wulfthryth had a daughter with King Edgar named Saint Edith. King Edgar recognized Edith as his daughter and supported her.

Wulfthryth returned to Wilton Abbey as abbess and raised her daughter there. King Edgar gave the abbey many gifts, including treasures and land. Wulfthryth used her wealth and royal connections to help Wilton Abbey. For example, she helped free two Wilton priests who had been put in prison.

Her daughter, Edith, died when she was about 23 years old. After her death, many people, including her mother and members of the royal family, believed she was a saint. This led to her being honored as a saint.

Wilton Abbey in the Middle Ages

In 1003, Sweyn, King of Denmark, destroyed the town of Wilton. We don't know for sure if the abbey was also destroyed. However, Edith of Wessex, the wife of Edward the Confessor, had been educated at Wilton. She later rebuilt the abbey in stone, as it had been made of wood before.

The Abbess of Wilton was very powerful. She held an entire "barony" from the king. This was a special privilege shared by only three other nunneries in England: Shaftesbury Abbey, Barking Abbey, and St Mary's Abbey, Winchester. Because she held a barony, the abbess had to provide knights for the royal army when asked.

The abbess also had the right to appoint people to important jobs in her area. This made her a very important person who could help others. Her most important power was choosing the deacon for the abbey's church, which had many clergymen.

Wilton Abbey was a favorite of the royal family. Many kings and queens, like Henry I and Queen Maud, gave it rich donations. The king, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Salisbury, and sometimes the queen, could choose nuns to join Wilton. The king used this right when he was crowned or when a new abbess was chosen.

In 1143, King Stephen used the abbey as his headquarters during a battle. However, he was defeated by Empress Matilda's forces, led by Robert, Earl of Gloucester.

During the 1200s, Wilton Abbey faced some money problems. Between 1246 and 1276, the king and the church gave gifts to help repair the buildings. At this time, the buildings were in bad condition.

There were also some known problems at Wilton Abbey. In 1284, 1302, and again in 1379, some nuns were found to have behaved improperly.

In 1528, the king got involved in choosing a new abbess. The abbey wanted to elect Isabel Jordayne, who was described as 'wise and discreet'. However, Anne Boleyn wanted her brother-in-law's sister, Eleanor Carey, to be the abbess. King Henry VIII eventually chose Isabel Jordayne because Eleanor Carey had serious moral issues. In 1535, the abbess complained that she couldn't leave the convent to manage the abbey's business, which was causing debt.

The End of the Abbey

Cecily Bodenham, who was the last abbess, gave control of the convent to King Henry VIII's officials on March 25, 1539. This happened during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries in England.

The land where the abbey stood was given to Sir William Herbert. He later became the Earl of Pembroke. He started building Wilton House on the site, which is still the home of his family today. Sadly, there are no remains of the old abbey buildings left.

Abbesses of Wilton

An abbess was the head nun of the convent. Here are some of the important abbesses of Wilton Abbey:

• Saint Alburga: The first prioress (a leader before it was called an abbess) around 802.
• Wulfthryth of Wilton: Abbess who died in 1000, mother of Saint Edith.
• Edith of Wessex: Rebuilt the abbey in stone.
• Isabel Jordayne: Elected in 1528, chosen by King Henry VIII.
• Cecily Bodenham: The last abbess, who surrendered the abbey in 1539.

Burials at Wilton Abbey

Many important people were buried at Wilton Abbey, including:

• Saint Iwig (died around 690 AD)
• Edith of Wilton (around 963 – around 986), the patron saint of Wilton.
• Saint Wulfthryth (died 988 AD), mother of St. Edith of Wilton.
• Ælfflæd, wife of Edward the Elder, Eadflæd, and Æthelhild (members of the royal family).