Haughmond Abbey

, showing the king on horseback. Alan FitzFlaad, founder of the FitzAlan family, seems to have made his fortune as part of Henry's military retinue.]] , who reigned 1135–1154. The civil wars of his reign were the context for the abbey's establishment. Although it was distinctively an Angevin house, he confirmed some of its early endowments.]] , Stephen's rival for the throne, depicted holding a charter. William FitzAlan endured two decades of exile in her cause. She and her son, Henry II, were important benefactors to the abbey.]] , flanked by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the Emperor's wife, pictured within a letter E, as part of a manuscript illumination.]] and his wife, Eleanor of…

The Augustinian rule allowed for many different styles of religious life. Haughmond was certainly a community of Canons Regular but only a little is known about the precise interpretation of the rule that prevailed or how well it was followed. Generally, a financially solvent house was likely to have a better religious life, The so-called white habit was probably simply of undyed wool As the canons were all ordained priests, they could also officiate at chapels in the extra-parochial areas to the west, although secular clergy were appointed as soon as these communities became viable. Eyton traced in detail how the chapel at Knockin evolved, under the abbey's control, into a parish church…