Abbot of Bury St. Edmunds was the title used by the head of the Benedictine monastery Bury St. Edmunds Abbey in the county of Suffolk, England. The following table lists the abbots from the foundation of the abbey in 1020 until its dissolution in 1539.[1]

Abbots of Bury St. Edmunds[2] From To Notes
1 Uvius/ Ufi 1020 1044 Founded St. George's Priory, Thetford.[3]
2 Leofstan 1044 1065
3 Baldwin 1065 1097
4 Robert I 1100 1102 Son of Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester
5 Robert II 1102 1107
6 Alebold of Jerusalem 1114 1119
7 Anselm of St Saba 1121 1146[a] Nephew of Anselm of Canterbury. Elected bishop of London in 1138, but was not consecrated bishop
8 Ording 1146 1156 See note on dates of Anselm above - elected abbot while Anselm was bishop-elect (1138), then re-elected after Anselm's death
9 Hugo/Hugh I 1157 1180 Re-founded St. George's Priory, Thetford ca 1160. Chronicles of Jocelyn de Brakelond narrate the fortunes of the monastery 1173 - 1202
10 Samson of Tottington 1182 1211
11 Hugh of Northwold 1215 1229 1213 locally, 1215 with Papal consent; became Bishop of Ely
12 Richard 1229 1234 Also known as 'Richard of the Isle of Ely'
13 Henry of Rushbrook 1235 1248
14 Edmund of Walpole 1248 1256
15 Simon of Luton 1257 1279
16 John of Northwold 1279 1301
17 Thomas of Tottington 1302 1312
18 Richard of Draughton 1312 1335
19 William of Bernham 1335 1362 William died the last day of February 1361 – 1362
20 Henry of Hunstanton 1362 1362 Henry's abbacy was very brief
21 John of Brinkley 1362 1379 John of Brinkley elected on Henry's demise
22 John of Timworth 1379 1389 The Papal nominee for Abbot was Edmund Bromefield for 5 years of this time
23 William of Cratfield 1390 1415
24 William of Exeter 1415 1429
25 William Curteys 1429 1446
26 William Babington 1446 1453
27 John Bohun 1453 1469
28 Robert Ixworth 1469 1474 See Ixworth Priory, Ixworth
29 Richard Hengham 1474 1479
30 Thomas Rattlesden 1479 1497 See Rattlesden
31 William Cadenham 1497 1513
32 John Reeve 1513 1539 Sometimes 'John Reeve of Melford';[4] died on 31 March 1540[5]

On 4 November 1539, the abbey was surrendered. The surrender is signed by Abbot John Reeve, Prior Thomas Ringstede (alias Dennis), and by forty-two other monks. All were awarded pensions, of varying amounts.[5]

Notes

  1. ^ 1148 is given in one source.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Knowles, David; London, Vera C. M.; Brooke, Christopher (2001). The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales, 940–1216 (Second ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 31–33. ISBN 0-521-80452-3.
  2. ^ Page, William, ed. (1975). "Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Bury St Edmunds". A History of the County of Suffolk. Vol. 2. pp. 56–72. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  3. ^ A History of the County of Suffolk: Volume 2 Pages 85-86: Houses of Benedictine nuns: Priory of St George, Thetford www.british-history.ac.uk, accessed 13 January 2021
  4. ^ NICHOLAS ROGERS Scraps from Bury St Edmunds www.thericardian.online, accessed 25 September 2020
  5. ^ a b Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Bury St Edmunds Pages 56-72 www.british-history.ac.uk, accessed 25 September 2020
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