Abbot of Bury St. Edmunds was the title used by the head of the Benedictine monastery Bury St. Edmunds Abbey in the county of Suffolk, England. The following table lists the abbots from the foundation of the abbey in 1020 until its dissolution in 1539.
Abbots of Bury St. Edmunds | From | To | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Uvius/ Ufi | 1020 | 1044 | Founded St. George's Priory, Thetford. |
2 | Leofstan | 1044 | 1065 | |
3 | Baldwin | 1065 | 1097 | |
4 | Robert I | 1100 | 1102 | Son of Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester |
5 | Robert II | 1102 | 1107 | |
6 | Alebold of Jerusalem | 1114 | 1119 | |
7 | Anselm of St Saba | 1121 | 1146 | Nephew of Anselm of Canterbury. Elected bishop of London in 1138, but was not consecrated bishop |
8 | Ording | 1146 | 1156 | See note on dates of Anselm above - elected abbot while Anselm was bishop-elect (1138), then re-elected after Anselm's death |
9 | Hugo/Hugh I | 1157 | 1180 | Refounded St. George's Priory, Thetford c. 1160. Discussed at length in the Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond. |
10 | Samson of Tottington | 1182 | 1211 | Discussed at length in the Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond. |
11 | Hugh of Northwold | 1215 | 1229 | 1213 locally, 1215 with Papal consent; became Bishop of Ely |
12 | Richard | 1229 | 1234 | Also known as 'Richard of the Isle of Ely' |
13 | Henry of Rushbrook | 1235 | 1248 | |
14 | Edmund of Walpole | 1248 | 1256 | |
15 | Simon of Luton | 1257 | 1279 | |
16 | John of Northwold | 1279 | 1301 | |
17 | Thomas of Tottington | 1302 | 1312 | |
18 | Richard of Draughton | 1312 | 1335 | |
19 | William of Bernham | 1335 | 1362 | William died the last day of February 1361 – 1362 |
20 | Henry of Hunstanton | 1362 | 1362 | Henry's abbacy was very brief |
21 | John of Brinkley | 1362 | 1379 | John of Brinkley elected on Henry's demise |
22 | John of Timworth | 1379 | 1389 | The Papal nominee for Abbot was Edmund Bromefield for 5 years of this time |
23 | William of Cratfield | 1390 | 1415 | |
24 | William of Exeter | 1415 | 1429 | |
25 | William Curteys | 1429 | 1446 | |
26 | William Babington | 1446 | 1453 | |
27 | John Bohun | 1453 | 1469 | |
28 | Robert Ixworth | 1469 | 1474 | See Ixworth Priory, Ixworth |
29 | Richard Hengham | 1474 | 1479 | |
30 | Thomas Rattlesden | 1479 | 1497 | See Rattlesden |
31 | William Cadenham | 1497 | 1513 | |
32 | John Reeve | 1513 | 1539 | Sometimes 'John Reeve of Melford'; died on 31 March 1540 |
On 4 November 1539, the abbey was surrendered. The surrender is signed by Abbot John Reeve, Prior Thomas Ringstede (alias Dennis), and by forty-two other monks. All were awarded pensions, of varying amounts.
Notes
- 1148 is given in one source.
References
- ^ Knowles, David; London, Vera C. M.; Brooke, Christopher (2001). The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales, 940–1216 (Second ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 31–33. ISBN 0-521-80452-3.
- Page, William, ed. (1975). "Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Bury St Edmunds". A History of the County of Suffolk. Vol. 2. pp. 56–72. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- A History of the County of Suffolk: Volume 2 Pages 85-86: Houses of Benedictine nuns: Priory of St George, Thetford www.british-history.ac.uk, accessed 13 January 2021
- NICHOLAS ROGERS Scraps from Bury St Edmunds www.thericardian.online, accessed 25 September 2020
- ^ Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Bury St Edmunds Pages 56-72 www.british-history.ac.uk, accessed 25 September 2020