Burton Abbots
There were 38 Abbots of Burton (although not to be caught out as with American Presidents, this includes one Abbot who served two non-consecutive terms making 37 different ones).
Abbot | From | Until | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Wulfgeat | 1004 | 1027 | Formerly of Winchester. |
Brihtric I | 1027 | 1050 | Formerly of Winchester. |
Leofric | 1051 | 1066 | Also Abbot of Peterborough (1052–1066), as well as Coventry, Crowland, and Thorney, he was the nephew of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. |
Brihtric II | 1067 | 1085 | Formerly Abbot of Malmesbury, he was appointed by William the Conqueror soon after Abbot Leofric’s death in 1066. |
Geoffrey de Mala Terra | 1085 | 1094 | Formerly of Winchester. Expelled for dissipating lands and goods of the abbey. |
Niel (or Nigel) | 1094 | 1114 | Formerly of Winchester. Began building west end of church. |
Geoffrey | 1114 | 1150 | Formerly of Winchester. Began building tower over choir. Wrote ‘Life of Saint Modwen’. |
Robert I | 1150 | 1159 | Expelled for dissipating abbey lands but restored in 1176. |
Bernard | 1160 | 1174 | Formerly Abbot of Cerne. |
Robert I (Repeated!) | 1176 | 1177 | Restored but died within a year. |
Roger Mal-Branche | 1177 | 1182 | Formerly prior of Great Malvern. |
Richard | 1182 | 1187 | Formerly prior of Rochester. |
Nicholas | 1187 | 1197 | Formerly prior of Abington. Founded burgage tenure; endowed chamberlain’s and kitchener’s departments. |
William Melburne | 1200 | 1213 | Formerly of Reading. Endowed St Andrew’s chapel; received Royal Charter to establish the borough and began Horninglow Street. |
Stephen de Lucy | 1214 | 1214 | Elected but resigned shortly afterwards. |
Roger | 1214 | 1216 | Formerly prior of Winchester. |
Nicholas de Wallingford | 1216 | 1222 | Formerly prior of Burton. Endowed almonry. |
Richard de Insula | 1222 | 1229 | Formerly prior of Bury St Edmonds. Granted mills on Trent; established borough at Abbots Bromley. Returned to Bury St Edmonds to take up post of abbot. |
Laurence de St Edward | 1229 | 1260 | Formerly kitchener of Burton abbey. Gave stone house next to the church to the poor; began building St Mary’s chapel. Summoned to King’s council in 1257. |
John de Stafford | 1260 | 1281 | Formerly prior of Burton. Extended the borough; built Monk’s Bridge over the river Dove at Clay Mills. |
Thomas de Packington | 1281 | 1305 | Formerly prior of Burton. Rebuilt chancel; enlarged borough. |
John de Burton | 1305 | 1316 | Formerly prior of Burton. Built guest house between tower and sacristry; built Helle – house with paintings depicting heaven and hell. |
William de Bromley | 1316 | 1329 | Formerly cellarer of Burton. Built a hall and infirmary annex. |
Robert de Longdon | 1329 | 1340 | Formerly monk of Burton and Prior of Tutbury. Started the chapter-house. |
Robert de Bryknell | 1340 | 1347 | Former prior of Burton. Completed chapter-house; built window over high alter and barn at Shobnall Grange. |
John of Ibstock | 1347 | 1366 | Formerly almoner of Burton. Rebuilt north side of lower church. |
Thomas of Southam | 1366 | 1400 | Formerly chaplain to abbot of Burton. Recast three bells in tower of the lower church. |
John de Sudbury | 1400 | 1424 | Formerly sacrist of Burton. Pardoned in 1407 for violence and theft and found guilty of rape. Charged with mis-administration in 1422; found guilty of adultery; resigned amid financial crisis! |
William Matthewe | 1424 | 1430 | Formerly almoner of Burton. Built abbey gates and constructed causeway. |
Robert Ownesby | 1430 | 1433 | Formerly of St Albans – imposed by bishop for who he had been chaplain. |
Ralph Henley | 1433 | 1455 | Formerly of Burton. Impoved abbey gates; suspended by bishop for mis-administration, absence, gambling and drunkeness. |
William de Bronston | 1455 | 1473 | Formerly cellarer of Burton. |
Thomas de Feld | 1473 | 1493 | Formerly of Burton. Repaired church after tower collapsed in 1474; built abbot’s chamber; built Guild Hall. |
William Flegh | 1493 | 1502 | Formerly kitchener of Burton. |
William Beyne | 1502 | 1531 | Formerly prior of Burton. Founded Burton Grammar School. |
William Benson | 1531 | 1533 | Formerly of Peterborough. Friend of Thomas Cromwell. Became Abbot of Westminster. |
John Beaton | 1533 | 1534 | Formerly prior of Burton. |
William Edys | 1534 | 1539 | Formerly prior of Burton. Last abbot who surrendered the abbey as part of the dissolution by Henry VIII |
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