Monument record 10640 - Abbey of St Werburgh

This monument refers to the medieval Benedictine Abbey of St Werburgh, and is discussed in a number of individual monument records for clarity: the church itself is represented by CHER 10640/1 (and sub-records), the west, north and east monastic ranges by CHER 10640/2, CHER 10640/3, CHER 10640/4 respectively, the cloisters by CHER 10640/5, the abbot’s lodgings by 10640/6, the main and little abbey gateways by CHER 10640/7 and CHER 10640/8 respectively, the main monastic kitchens by CHER 10640/9, St Thomas’ Chapel by CHER 10640/10, the great court by CHER 10640/11, the water supply by CHER 10640/13, the abbot’s well by CHER 10640/14, the Chapel of St Nicholas by CHER 10640/15, the abbey green by CHER 10640/16, and the abbey’s cemetery by CHER 10640/17. For the post-Dissolution cathedral, housed in largely the same buildings as the abbey, see CHER 10641. Far more detail on these elements in these individual records.

In 1092, Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, converted a church of secular canons that had been dedicated to St Werburgh into a Benedictine Abbey. The preliminary construction stages were supervised by St Anselm, Abbot of Bec in Normandy and the nucleus of the new community was probably formed by monks from Bec. Major endowments of the abbey are recorded in foundation charter and in subsequent confirmation charters. Temporal endowments consisted of grants of manors and other lands, mills, fisheries, houses and salthouses, while spiritual endowments consisted of grants of churches, tithes and advowsons. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, what had been a Saxon church on this site (see CHER 9037), was replaced by the first abbey church and the earliest monastic buildings constructed on the north side, around a central cloister. In the late twelfth to thirteenth century, mention of various parts of the abbey occurs in various historical documents, such as a wardrobe, a chamber, a kitchen, a refectory, an almonry, an infirmary, the sacristy, a library and it’s fabric, and each is described as having its own fund and holding of property. In the thirteenth century the number of monks in residence increased to 40. The fortunes of the abbey during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries fluctuated and were affected both by ability of abbots and by political events. In the thirteenth century, during a period of baronial rebellion, there were attacks on the privileges and the property of the house (1). Chester was the operational base for Edward I's three campaigns against the Welsh in 1277, 1282 and 1294. These had an architectural element, and the Abbot's labour force was seconded for construction of several of the Welsh castles (2). Between 1250 and 1538 the first abbey church and earliest monastic buildings were replaced. The abbey was a powerful force in the city and was often challenged over its claim to extensive jurisdiction, its highly privileged fair and other trading rights and position near the city walls. The abbey achieved little intellectual distinction apart from Ranulph Higden who wrote 'Polychronicon', a history of the world, while the Chester mystery plays are attributed to Henry Francis, a monk of Chester in the fourteenth century, and Henry Bradshaw's famous poetry was produced here in the sixteenth century. Thomas Clarke became last Abbot of Chester 153, and later in same year, the abbot re-leased most of remaining lands and rectories in anticipation of the Dissolution. By the summer of 1539, St Werburgh's was the last major religious house in Cheshire, apart from St Mary's Nunnery. The abbey and its possessions were surrendered in January 1540. There were about 28 monks at the time of the Dissolution and 10 of them, including the abbot, remained to staff the new cathedral established 1541. Few other religious institutions can claim that measure of continuity during the transition (1).

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/132-146 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> Maddison J.M., 1981, The Choir of Chester Cathedral, 66/31-46 (Article in Journal). SCH5934.

<3> Burne, R. V. H., 1962, The Monks of Chester. The History of St Werburgh's Abbey (Book). SCH3213.

<4> Burne, R. V. H., 1948, The Dissolution of S. Werburgh's Abbey, Burne R V H 194837/5-35 (Article in Journal). SCH5769.

<5> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /115-138 (Book). SCH946.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW43/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<7> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /327 (Book). SCH2177.

<8> Various, Aerial photographs, Chester 2 Williams S R 1976 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<9> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Intra Mural 1998/ 376- 381 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.

<10> Rickman, Thomas, 1864, On the Architectural History of Chester Cathedral (Article in Journal). SCH5516.

<11> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions (Book). SCH6522.

<12> Ward, S. W., 1997, Cathedral's History Still a Mystery? (Article in Journal). SCH6494.

<13> Ward, S. W., 1997, Chester Cathedral Excavations (Article in Journal). SCH6495.

<14> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2014, New Garden Cafe at Sergio's Restaurant, St Werburgh Street, Chester. An Archaeological Watching Brief Summary Report (Client Report). SCH7652.

<15> University of Manchester Archaeological Unit, 2001, Chester Cathedral External Elevation drawings of the North Transept. Part of the Stage 2 Cathedral Survey Work (Client Report). SCH6201.

<16> Springham, Eleanor, 2020, Mercia and Mercian Kingdom and Identity, c.650-c.950, p.59 (Unpublished Report). SCH9251.

St Werburgh’s cult at Chester flourished under Æthelred and Æthelflæd, an existing minster being rededicated to Werburgh (and St Oswald) at sometime around the 907 establishment of the burh.161 The date of Werburgh’s translation to Chester is debated, with later traditions suggesting a date c. 874, however, given the wider parallels of Æthelred and Æthelflæd’s patronage of relics, translation under their rule appears likely.