Croxden Abbey is one of our nearest English Heritage sites. I've written a couple of posts about it over the years but I thought it could be featured again as it is a beautiful and atmospheric place.
We visited on Wednesday after a visit to Uttoxeter and then a walk around the JCB Lake at Rocester. We saw some wonderful water birds at the lake so I'll write about those in a later post.
Croxden Abbey was founded in 1179 on land granted by local nobleman Bertram de Verdun, Lord of the Manor of Alton. By the 13th century it housed about seventy Cistercian monks. In 1538 after the Dissolution it became a farm and farmland. In 1539 the site was leased to Francis Bassett a servant of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
The ruins comprise remains of the Abbey Church, Infirmary and Abbot's lodging.
Above and below show remains of the Warming House, Refrectory and Kitchen.
West Range
Latrines
West Door
Above what is left of the site of the bookroom and Sacristy.
Remains of the church.
It's said that some of the burials close to the high altar in the church are those of Bertram III de Verdun the founder of the Abbey and his wife Rohese. Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Baron Verdun and his first wife Matilda or Maud Mortimer daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer.
As you can see from the photos it was a bright, sunny day. It wasn't cold either. Rain came later as the sky darkened in the late afternoon and evening.
No idea how I missed this post Rosie but I've only just spotted it. What a super post and abbey. My son and I would love it there - I will have to check how far it is from here as he was only saying the other day we haven't been to many EH places again this year. Fascinating about the Mortimer connection too! Great photos - thanks so much for sharing. There is always something special about abbey/priory ruins :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, I thought you would like both Abbey and the Mortimer connection although when I looked at the genealogy pages on the Mortimer Society's website I couldn't spot Matilda or Maud. It's free to visit - very limited parking on a country lane but beautiful in all seasons:)
DeleteI am sure there was a Matilda or Maud. When I next go back to caravan I will check my books on the Mortimers and let you know. All books there at the moment. I am just checking now how far the abbey is from here!
DeleteI forgot to mention that there are no facilities there. It's just a walk onto site, there is a long shed/hut but I've never seen it open, I expect it is for site management rather than visitors:)
DeleteI do love a good abbey ruin. Don’t think I’ve visited that one. So sad to think so many were destroyed during the reformation. Henry viii had a lot to answer for . B x
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes Abbey and Priory ruins are always special. It is a bit out of the way down narrow country lanes but well worth geting there:)
DeleteBeing from the U.S., I have a hard time wrapping my head around something being founded that long ago. What an incredible and fascinating history.
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes we are lucky to have some amazing buildings left over here and many ancient remains. Glad you enjoyed the photos and history:)
DeleteOh wish I could have seen that while I was in the UK in August. I love historic sites like that. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandy, this is quite a small site compared to some of the larger ruined abbeys but very beautiful in it's rural setting:)
DeleteLovely old ruins. I would have stayed well clear of the sheer drop! I wonder if anyone has fallen down it before? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, I wonder- animals too. I assumed it was the well s it was close to the kitchen range:)
DeleteThank you for sharing your visit to Croxden Abbey. I wonder what stories those ruins could tell!
ReplyDeleteThank you Beverley. So many stories I'm sure over all the years:)
DeleteBeautiful ruins looking very atmospheric in the sunshine, it must have looked magnificent. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you, it was a lovely day and the ruins looked wonderful:)
DeleteMarvelous ruins.
ReplyDeleteThey are:)
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