Religious Houses

work in progress; content to be developed further
This page is intended to serve as a check-list or register of the religious houses known to have existed in England at the close of the Anglo-Saxon period, making the basic distinctions between episcopal sees, houses of Benedictine monks, houses of Benedictine nuns, houses of secular canons, and any other places of uncertain or unknown composition. It will be arranged county by county, and will provide some indication of the distribution of the respective endowments of these houses TRE (1066) and TRW (1086). Entries will be linked to the draft 'archival' profiles on this website, so that it may be seen which houses among them are represented by surviving charters and other documentation - and which are not. A map showing the distribution of the religious houses in question is in preparation (Kemble website: General/Maps of Anglo-Saxon England).
The principal sources of information are as follows:

  • Anglo-Saxon charters and other documentary and literary sources from the period.
  • The Domesday survey of 1086, comprising 'Great Domesday Book', 'Little Domesday Book', and associated records. The survey reveals which religious houses were recognised as holders of land at the time of the survey; leaving aside the 'Norman' bishops, and the 'Norman' religious houses, the great majority are familiar pre-Conquest foundations.
  • William of Malmesbury, Gesta pontificum Anglorum (c. 1125), abbreviated WM, GPA, cited from William of Malmesbury: 'Gesta Pontificum Anglorum' (The History of the English Bishops), I: Text and Translation, ed. M. Winterbottom with R. M. Thomson (Oxford, 2007), complemented by R. M. Thomson, William of Malmesbury: 'Gesta Pontificum Anglorum' (The History of the English Bishops), II: Commentary (Oxford, 2007). 

Further reading

  • Thomas Tanner (see entry in Hall of Fame)
  • David Knowles and R. Nevile Hadcock, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales (London, 1953), rev. ed. (London, 1971), esp. pp. 463-87 <MRH>
  • The Heads of Religious Houses: England and Wales, I: 940-1216, 2nd ed., ed. D. Knowles, C. N. L. Brooke and V. C. M. London, with new material by C. N. L. Brooke (Cambridge, 2001)

Religious houses recorded in the Domesday Survey (TRW)

  • Abbotsbury, Dorset: Dorset
  • Amesbury,Wiltshire: Berkshire; Wiltshire
  • Athelney, Somerset: Dorset; Somerset
  • Battle, Sussex: Kent
  • Canterbury, St Augustine's, Kent: Kent
  • Dover, St Martin's, Kent: Kent
  • etc.

<Separate index for religious houses on the continent. Separate index for episcopal sees, in England and in Normandy.>
Religious houses holding land in each county (TRW)
Domesday usage is inconsistent. The data below is derived from the lists of tenants-in-chief TRW (1086); but holdings might be registered as land of a church, land of a bishop, land of an abbey, land of an abbot, etc.
CIRCUIT I

  • KENT (1)
    • Canons of St Martin's of Dover
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • The archbishop's men
    • The archbishop's monks
    • Bishop of Rochester
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Battle Abbey
    • St Augustine's Abbey
    • Ghent Abbey
  • SUSSEX (2)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Chichester [formerly at Selsey]
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of Fécamp
    • Bishop Osbern of Exeter
    • Winchester Abbey
    • Battle Abbey
    • St Edward's Abbey [Shaftesbury]
  • SURREY (3)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop Osbern [of Exeter]
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of Winchester
    • Abbot of Chertsey
    • Abbot of Saint-Wandrille
    • Abbot of [Holy] Cross of St Leufroy
    • Abbot of Battle
    • Abbess of Barking
    • Canons of St Paul's, London
    • Lambeth Church
  • HAMPSHIRE (4)
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Monks of Winchester
    • Thomas, archbishop [of Canterbury]
    • Osbern, bishop [of Exeter]
    • Abbot of Winchester
    • Abbot of Gloucester
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of Chertsey
    • Abbot of Jumièges
    • Abbot of Glastonbury
    • Abbot of Milton
    • Abbot of Grestain
    • Abbess of Winchester
    • Abbess of Romsey
    • Abbess of Wherwell
    • Canons of Twynham
  • BERKSHIRE (5)
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Salisbury
    • Bishop of Durham
    • Bishop of Exeter
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Abbey of Abingdon
    • Abbey of Glastonbury
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Abbey of Winchester
    • Abbey of Chertsey
    • Abbey of St Albans
    • Abbey of St-Pierre-sur-Dives
    • Abbey of Battle
    • Abbess of Winchester
    • Abbey of Amesbury

CIRCUIT II

  • WILTSHIRE (6)
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Salisbury
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lisieux
    • Abbey of Glastonbury
    • Abbey of Malmesbury
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Abbey of Winchester
    • Abbey of Cranborne
    • Abbess of Shaftesbury
    • Abbess of Wilton
    • Abbess of Winchester
    • Abbess of Romsey
    • Abbess of Amesbury
    • Church of Bec
    • Gerald, priest of Wilton
    • Canons of Lisieux
  • DORSET (7)
    • Bishop of Salisbury
    • Monks of Sherborne
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lisieux
    • Bishop of London
    • Abbey of Glastonbury
    • Abbey of Winchester
    • Abbey of Cranborne
    • Abbey of Cerne
    • Abbey of Milton
    • Abbey of Abbotsbury
    • Abbey of Horton
    • Abbey of Athelney
    • Abbey of Tavistock
    • Abbey of Caen
    • Abbot of Saint-Wandrille
    • Abbess of Shaftesbury
    • Abbess of Wilton
    • Abbess of Caen
    • Abbess of Montivilliers
    • Canons of Coutances
    • Reinbald the priest and other clergy
  • SOMERSET (8)
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Salisbury
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Wells
    • Church of Bath
    • Church of Glastonbury
    • Church of Muchelney
    • Church of Athelney
    • Church of St Peter, Rome
    • Church of Caen
    • Church of Montebourg
    • Church of Shaftesbury
    • Bishop Maurice
    • Clergy who hold from the king [Reinbald et al.]
  • DEVON (9)
    • Bishop of Exeter
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Church of Glastonbury
    • Church of Tavistock
    • Church of Buckfast
    • Church of Horton
    • Church of Cranborne
    • Church of Battle
    • Church of St Mary, Rouen
    • Church of Mont-Saint-Michel
    • Church of St Stephen, Caen
    • Church of Holy Trinity, Caen
  • CORNWALL (10)
    • Bishop of Exeter
    • Church of Tavistock
    • Churches of various saints (St Michael, St Stephen, St Petroc, et al.)

CIRCUIT III

  • MIDDLESEX (11)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of London and his canons
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Abbey of Holy Trinity, Rouen
    • Abbey of Barking 
  • HERTFORDSHIRE (12)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of London 
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Lisieux
    • Bishop of Chester
    • Abbot of Ely
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of St Albans
    • [Abbot of Ramsey]
    • Abbess of Chatteris
    • Canons of London
    • Canons of Waltham
  • BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (13)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lisieux
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of St Albans
    • Abbess of Barking 
    • Canons of Oxford
    • Reinbald the priest
  • CAMBRIDGESHIRE (18)
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Rochester
    • Abbot of Ely
    • Abbot of [Bury] St Edmund's
    • Abbot of Ramsey
    • Abbot of Thorney
    • Abbot of Crowland
    • Abbot of Saint-Wandrille
    • Abbess of Chatteris
    • Canons of Bayeux
  • BEDFORDSHIRE (20)
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Durham
    • Abbot of [Bury] St Edmund's
    • Abbot of [Peter]borough
    • Abbot of Ramsey
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of Thorney
    • Abbess of Barking
    • Canons of London
    • Canons of Bedford
    • Ernwin the priest

CIRCUIT IV

  • OXFORDSHIRE (14)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Winchester
    • Bishop of Salisbury
    • Bishop of Exeter
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Lisieux
    • Abbey of Abingdon
    • Abbey of Battle
    • Abbey of Winchcombe
    • Abbey of Preaux
    • Church of St-Denis, Paris
    • Canons of Oxford [St Frideswide's] and other clergy
  • NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (21)
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Durham
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Abbey of [Peter]borough
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Abbey of [Bury] St Edmunds
    • Abbey of Ramsey
    • Abbey of Thorney
    • Abbey of Crowland
    • Abbey of Coventry
    • Abbey of Evesham
    • Abbey of Grestain
    • Church of St Remigius, Rheims
    • Ansger the chaplain
    • Leofwine the priest, and other clergy
  • LEICESTERSHIRE (22)
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Abbey of [Peter]borough 
    • Abbey of Coventry
    • Abbey of Crowland
    • Godwine the priest and other almsmen
  • WARWICKSHIRE (23)
    • Bishop of Chester
    • Bishop of Worcester
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Abbey of Coventry
    • Abbey of Abingdon
    • Abbey of Burton
    • Abbey of Malmesbury
    • Abbey of Winchcombe
    • Abbey of Evesham

CIRCUIT V

  • GLOUCESTERSHIRE (15)
    • Archbishop of York
    • Bishop of Worcester
    • Bishop of Hereford
    • Bishop of Exeter
    • Bishop of St-Lo
    • Church of Bath
    • Abbey of Glastonbury
    • Abbey of Malmesbury
    • Abbey of Gloucester
    • Abbey of Winchcombe
    • Abbey of Evesham
    • Abbey of Abingdon
    • Abbey of Pershore
    • Abbey of Coventry
    • Abbey of Cormeilles
    • Abbey of Lyre
    • Abbey of Eynsham
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Church of St Denis, Paris
    • Church of Lambeth
    • Church of St Evroul
    • Church of Holy Trinity, Caen
    • Church of Troarn
    • Church of Cirencester
    • Reinbald the priest
  • WORCESTERSHIRE (16)
    • Church of Worcester
    • Bishop of Hereford
    • Church of St-Denis
    • Church of Coventry
    • Church of Cormeilles
    • Church of Gloucester
    • Church of Westminster
    • Church of Pershore
    • Church of Evesham
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Church of St Guthlac
    • Clergy of Wolverhampton
  • HEREFORDSHIRE (17)
    • Bishop of Hereford
    • Church of Cormeilles 
    • Church of Lyre
    • Church of Gloucester
    • Church of St Guthlac
    • Nigel the doctor
  • STAFFORDSHIRE (24)
    • Bishop of Chester
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Abbey of Burton
    • Church of St Remigius, Rheims
    • Canons of Stafford
    • Canons of Wolverhampton
    • [Samson the clerk]
  • SHROPSHIRE (25)
    • Bishop of Chester
    • Bishop of Hereford
    • Church of St Remigius
  • CHESHIRE (26)
    • [Bishop of Chester]
    • [Monastery of St Mary / Church of St John / St Chad's]
    • [Canons of the church of St Werburgh]

CIRCUIT VI

  • HUNTINGDONSHIRE (19)
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Abbey of Ely
    • Abbey of Crowland
    • Abbey of Ramsey
    • Abbey of Thorney
    • Abbey of [Peter]borough
  • DERBYSHIRE (27)
    • Bishop of Chester
    • Abbey of Burton
  • NOTTINGHAMSHIRE (28)
    • Archbishop of York
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Abbey of [Peter]borough
  • RUTLAND (29)
    • [Albert the clerk]
  • YORKSHIRE (30)
    • Archbishop of York, and the canons, and his men
    • Bishop of Durham and his men
    • Abbot of York [see under Earl Hugh]
  • LINCOLNSHIRE (31)
    • Archbishop of York
    • Bishop of Durham
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop Osmund of Salisbury
    • Bishop of Coutances
    • Bishop of Lincoln
    • Abbot of [Peter]borough
    • Abbot of Westminster
    • Abbot of Ramsey
    • Abbot of Crowland

CIRCUIT VII

  • ESSEX (32)
    • Holy Trinity, Canterbury
    • Bishop of London
    • The same bishop
    • Canons of St Paul's
    • Abbey of Westminster
    • Bishop of Durham
    • Canons of Waltham
    • Abbey of Barking
    • Abbey of Ely
    • Abbey of [Bury] St Edmund's
    • Canons of St Martin's, London
    • Abbey of Battle
    • St Valéry
    • Abbey of Holy Trinity, Caen
    • Abbey of St Stephen's, Caen
    • Abbey of St Ouen
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Bishop of Hereford
  • NORFOLK (33)
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Abbot of [Bury] St Edmund's
    • Abbot of Ely
    • Abbot of St Benedict of Ramsey
    • Abbot of Holme
    • St Stephen of Caen
  • SUFFOLK (34)
    • Abbot of St Edmund's
    • Archbishop Lanfranc
    • Bishop of Bayeux
    • Abbot of Ramsey
    • Bishop of Thetford
    • The same bishop
    • Bishop of Rochester
    • Abbot of Ely
    • Bishop of Evreux
    • Abbot of Bernay
    • Abbess of Chatteris

 
Page maintained by SDK
October 2011 / January 2012