Abbeys & priories · East of England
St. John's Abbey
In or near Colchester.
St. John's Abbey — monastery in Colchester.
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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Colchester Town · 0.3 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit St. John's Abbey in Colchester, Essex, the nearest railway station is Colchester Town, which is 0.3 km away. Entry is paid, and wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is CO2 7NP.
About
St. John's Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1095. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Wikidata describes it as: "monastery in Colchester". Coordinates: 51.8855°, 0.9013°.
Photo gallery
360° viewimagery from 2024
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Heritage listing
St John's Abbey, also called Colchester Abbey, was a Benedictine monastic institution in Colchester, Essex, founded in 1095. It was dissolved in 1539. Most of the abbey buildings were subsequently demolished to construct a large private house on the site, which was itself destroyed in fighting during the 1648 siege of Colchester. The only substantial remnant is the elaborate gatehouse, while the foundations of the abbey church were only rediscovered in 2010.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
St John's Abbey Gate is a historic gatehouse that is the last remaining part of the Benedictine abbey of St John, built around 1400. Visitors can admire its intricate East Anglian 'flushwork' exterior and learn about its history, including its role during the Civil War.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
St John's Abbey, also called Colchester Abbey, was a Benedictine monastic institution in Colchester, Essex, founded in 1095. It was dissolved in 1539. Most of the abbey buildings were subsequently demolished to construct a large private house on the site, which was itself destroyed in fighting during the 1648 siege of Colchester. The only substantial remnant is the elaborate gatehouse, while the foundations of the abbey church were only rediscovered in 2010.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
, the parish church for the abbey's lay community. Heavily damaged during the 1648 Siege of Colchester.]] The abbey suffered a disaster in its early years, when a large fire in 1133, which burned much of Colchester, severely affected the monastery. By 1255 these particular disagreements were settled, The abbey had pleaded poverty in the 14th century in order abstain from obligations to the King. and claimed that the town owed St John's £228 in arrears over payments for the abbey infirmary. The abbey's sympathies were remembered in the early Tudor period by Edward IV and Richard III's mother Cecily Neville who left a large sum to the abbey in her will.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8855, 0.9013
- County
- Essex
- District
- Colchester
- Parish
- Colchester, unparished area
- Postcode
- CO2 7NP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Colchester
- Phone
- 0370 333 1181
- Established
- 1095
- Nearest railway station
- Colchester Town — 0.3 km
- Opening
- Exterior can be viewed any reasonable time during daylight hours; interior open occasionally for Heritage Open Days.
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q12067924 (CC0)
- wikipedia: St John's Abbey, Colchester (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Colchester StJohns AbbeyGate.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is St. John's Abbey?
- St. John's Abbey is in Essex, East of England, United Kingdom (postcode CO2 7NP), in the parish of Colchester, unparished area.
- What is St. John's Abbey?
- St. John's Abbey — monastery in Colchester.
- How do I get to St. John's Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Colchester Town, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode CO2 7NP.
- When was St. John's Abbey built?
- Built or established in 1095.
- Who runs St. John's Abbey?
- St. John's Abbey is operated by English Heritage.
- Is St. John's Abbey a listed building?
- St. John's Abbey is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- How do I get to St. John's Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Colchester Town, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CO2 7NP.