Bruton Abbey in Bruton, Somerset was originally founded as a Benedictine priory by Algar, Earl of Cornwall in about 1005. Bruton is a Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Brue seven miles south east of Shepton Mallet Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in It was subsequently refounded as a house of Augustinian canons in 1135, by William de Mohun, who later became the Earl of Somerset. The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430) are several Catholic Monastic orders and congregations The village used the north aisle of the priory church as their parish church. It was endowed with manors, churches and other properties in the area and also in France.
History
In 1260 the priory exchanged its french (Normandy) possessions for land held at Runcton in Sussex and in Gloucestershire, by the Abbey of Troarn (nr Caen). Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Caen (kɑ̃ is a commune in northwestern France. It is the Prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the There were allot of problems reported in the 15th century. John Schoyle became prior in 1419 and seems to have been unsuitable for the post being accused in 1423 of having committed serious offences. In 1428 Bishop Stafford seems to have removed the prior Schoyle from office, and in 1429, he was sent to live at the house of Augustinian Canons at Poughley in Berkshire. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South His successor, Richard of Glastonbury, proved to be equally troublesome and in 1430 and again in 1444, inquiries were conducted due to charges of immorality against the prior and the whole community. Under a later reforming prior various rules were introduced including; that the canons were no longer to sleep away from the house without permission, were no longer to hunt or play dice or allow women into the monastery.
It became an abbey in 1511. There seems to have been considerable problems both from within and outside of the monastery leading up to its dissolution in 1539, with criminal accusations against the abbott, Ely, and even possible plots against his life. The Abbot was known to have been a prisoner in the Tower of London, later in 1539. Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower) is a historic monument in central London
Post Dissolution
The abbey was originally granted to a John Drew of Bristol but later transferred to Sir Maurice Berkeley. He built a house on the site, incorporating some of the buildings, but this was demolished in 1786. Sir Maurice was a prominent courtier and his impressive Renaissance inspired tomb and that of his wives, is retained in the later chancel. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The present parish church is mainly a 14th-15th structure with an unusual feature in that the chancel at some point was replaced with a light, airy Georgian rebuilding. This contrasts rather strangely with the medieval remainder which some believe was part of the original abbey church however it is more likely that this was a separate building adjacent.
References
- 'Houses of Augustinian canons: The priories of Bruton and Burtle Moor', A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 2 (1911), pp. 134-39.
- Anthony New. 'A Guide to the Abbeys of England And Wales', p81-82. Constable.
- Colin Platt. 'The Travellers Guide to Medieval England', p132. Secker & Warburg.
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