Monument record MDO47557 - Shaftesbury Abbey

A nunnery founded around 888, probably on the site of a 7th century minster which may have been extant around 670. It was reformed to the Benedictine rule, presumably in the reign of Edgar, and was dissolved in 1539.

Shaftesbury Abbey dedicated to St Mary and later St Edward, King and Martyr was a Benedictine nunnery whose foundation is generally ascribed to King Alfred in circa 888 AD; his daughter Elgiva or Aethelgeofu is the first recorded abbess. <1> <3> <4>. The foundation charter, however, appears to date from 871-77. <5>

Leland initially gives Alfred as the founder but later referred to Aethelbald (858-60) in conjunction with his brothers Aethelbert, Aethelred and Alfred as the co-founders. RCHM stated that some early charters contained in the 15th century Shaftesbury cartularly, and attributed to Aethelbald and his brothers, may explain Leland's earlier foundation date. The entries in these charters, especially the earliest concerning Abbot Bectun, datable between 670 and 676, suggest that a minster church already existed at Shaftesbury in the 7th century, the property of which descended to the abbey. The endowments of the abbey were increased by successive kings before and after the Conquest so that Shaftesbury became the wealthiest nunnery in the country. The body of the murdered St. Edward was translated from Wareham to Shaftesbury in 979-80 or 982 and a pilgrim's shrine was set up there. The number of nuns at Shaftesbury was limited to 100 in 1218 but this had been exceeded in 1322 and 1326 until an ordinance reduced the number to 120. At the Dissolution on 23rd March 1539, the abbey was surrendered by the abbess and 56 nuns to the King's Commissioner. In 1544 much of the abbey property was bought by Sir Thomas Arundel but a sketch of the terrier circa 1553 <5> proves that the abbey's church was already in ruins by then. The two hospitals at Shaftesbury and the hospital of St. Katherine at Bradford-on-Avon were under the patronage of the abbey. <1> <3-5>

In 1001, Aethelred II bestowed on the nunnery the 'cenobium' at Bradford-on-Avon as a refuge against the Danes; this could suggest that Shaftesbury was not fortified or that the abbey was outside the burh rampart. The site of the abbey (presumably on the site of the nunnery) is well known but the line of any early precinct circuit or possible post-1001 defence is uncertain.

<1> Hutchins, J, 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 3. 3rd edition, 32-38 (Monograph). SDO11486.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, 1929 (Map). SDO10373.

(ST 86182291) Site of (NAT) St Mary & St Edward's Abbey (NR) (Benedictine)

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 73-9 (Monograph). SDO148.

<4> Knowles, D, and Neville Hadcock, R, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales, 255, 265, 482 (Monograph). SDO11249.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 57-61 (Monograph). SDO99.

<6> Penn, K J, 1980, Historic Towns in Dorset, 84 (Monograph). SWX1202.

<7> Aston, Michael, and Lewis, Carenza (eds), 1994, The medieval landscape of Wessex (Monograph). SWX1296.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1016945 (Index). SDO14738.

[SURVEY OF REUSED STONE FROM SHAFTESBURY ABBEY]. Survey of reused building stone from Shaftesbury Abbey, reused in several standing buildings around Shaftesbury. Includes list of fragments and associated correspondence.Contents : Small

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206402 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 10 2025 11:07AM