Abbeys & priories · South West England
Muchelney Abbey
Muchelney Abbey is an English Heritage property in the village of Muchelney in the Somerset Levels, England. The site consists of ruined walls showing the layout of the abbey buildings constructed fro
Bill Harrison — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
About
Muchelney Abbey is an English Heritage property in the village of Muchelney in the Somerset Levels, England. The site consists of ruined walls showing the layout of the abbey buildings constructed from the 7th to 16th centuries, and the remaining intact Abbot's House. It is next to the parish church in which some of the fabric of the abbey has been reused. It comprises the remains and foundations of a medieval Benedictine abbey, the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon abbey, and an early Tudor house dating from the 16th century, formerly the lodgings of the resident Abbot, which is now a Grade I listed building. The ruins of the abbey have been designated as a scheduled monument. The abbey was founded in the 7th or 8th century, damaged by Viking raids and rebuilt and refounded in the 10th century. It owned and managed local land. The buildings were expanded from the 12th to 16th centuries until its dissolution in 1538. Most of the buildings were demolished and the stone used in local buildings, although the Abbot's House and reredorter survive. Some of the tiles and other decorative features from the monastic church were reused in the adjacent parish Church of St Peter and St Paul. Since 1927 the ruins have been in public ownership.
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From the Wikipedia article
Muchelney Abbey is an English Heritage property in the village of Muchelney in the Somerset Levels, England. The site consists of ruined walls showing the layout of the abbey buildings constructed from the 7th to 16th centuries, and the remaining intact Abbot's House. It is next to the parish church in which some of the fabric of the abbey has been reused. It comprises the remains and foundations of a medieval Benedictine abbey, the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon abbey, and an early Tudor house dating from the 16th century, formerly the lodgings of the resident Abbot, which is now a Grade I listed building. The ruins of the abbey have been designated as a scheduled monument. The abbey was founded in the 7th or 8th century, damaged by Viking raids and rebuilt and refounded in the 10th century. It owned and managed local land. The buildings were expanded from the 12th to 16th centuries until its dissolution in 1538. Most of the buildings were demolished and the stone used in local buildings, although the Abbot's House and reredorter survive. Some of the tiles and other decorative features from the monastic church were reused in the adjacent parish Church of St Peter and St Paul. Since 1927 the ruins have been in public ownership.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The site of the Abbey was effectively an island in the marshy and frequently flooded Somerset Levels. There is believed to have been a religious building erected on the site as early as 693, with a charter being granted by Cynewulf in 762, although the Benedictine monks were not established there until the 10th century. Viking raids in the area damaged some of the fabric of the abbey and necessitated rebuilding. The refounders of the Abbey are not completely clear; however in a document of 1535 (drawn up following the Valor Ecclesiasticus), Centwine, Ine, Æthelstan and Æthelred are claimed as founders. Tradition suggests that Æthelstan's contribution was penance for the murder of Atheling…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.0203, -2.8158
- Address
- Muchelney, Somerset, England
Sources
- wikipedia: Muchelney Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
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Nearby
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Medieval Monument 1 Metre East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Medieval Monument 1 Metre East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Taylor Monument In Churchyard, 7 Metres East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Taylor Monument In Churchyard, 7 Metres East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul — a memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Taylor Monument In Churchyard, 7 Metres East North East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Taylor Monument In Churchyard, 7 Metres East North East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Stuckey Monument In Churchyard 16 Metres East North East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Stuckey Monument In Churchyard 16 Metres East North East Of Chancel, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South West England
Stuckey Monument In Churchyard, 6 Metres North North West Of Porch, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul
Stuckey Monument In Churchyard, 6 Metres North North West Of Porch, Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic churches · South West England
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Muchelney
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Muchelney — church in Muchelney, Somerset, England, UK.
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Athelney Abbey
Athelney Abbey — abbey in Somerset, England, UK.
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Axminster Monastery
Axminster Monastery — monastery in Devon, England, UK.
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Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey — Benedictine abbey in Buckfast, Devon.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Muchelney Abbey?
- Muchelney Abbey is in South West England, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 51.0203°, -2.8158°.