Beaulieu Abbey

Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu
religious house, abbey
parish:
county:
coords:
Beaulieu
Hampshire
SU3802
refce: HANTSLOC.t

old map: 25inch County Series map -- Hants LXXXI.1

description
Abbey of Beaulieu
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830

Period - 19th century, early
refce: Cobbett 1830
... We wanted, very much, to go to the site of this ancient and famous Abbey, of which the people of the New Forest seemed to know very little. ...
...
When it [Beaulieu River] comes to the village of Beaulieu, it forms a large pond of a great many acres; and on the east side of this pond is the spot where this famous Abbey formerly stood, and where the external walls of which, or a large part of them, are now actually standing. We went down on the western side of the river. The Abbey stood, and the ruins stand, on the eastern side.
Happening to meet a man, before I got into the village, I, pointing with my whip, across towards the Abbey, said to the man, 'I suppose there is a bridge down here to get across to the Abbey.' 'That's not the Abbey, Sir,' says he: 'The Abbey is about four miles further on.' I was astonished to hear this; but he was very positive; said that some people called it the Abbey; but that the Abbey was further on; and was at a farm occupied by farmer John Biel. ...
...
The Abbey of Beaulieu was founded in the year 1204, by King John, for thirty monks of the reformed Benedictine Order. It was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary; it flourished until the year 1540, when it was suppressed, and the lands confiscated, in the reign of Henry VIII. Its revenues were, at that time, four hundred and twenty-eight pounds, six shillings and eight pence a year, making in money of the present day, upwards of eight thousand five hundred pounds a year. The lands and the abbey, and all belonging to it, were granted by the king, to one THOMAS WRIOTHESLEY who was a court-pander of that day. From him it passed by sale, by will, by marriage or by something or another, till, at last, it has got, after passing through various hands, into the hands of the Duchess of Buccleugh. So much for the abbey; ...
... The abbey is not situated in a very fine place. The situation is low; the lands above it rather a swamp than otherwise; pretty enough, altogether; but, by no means a fine place. ...
... we passed close along under the old abbey-walls, a great part of which are still standing. ... We did not stop to go about the ruins of the abbey; for you seldom make much out by minute inquiry. It is the political history of these places; or, at least, their connection with political events, that is interesting.

old gazetteer

Period - 19th century, early
refce: Brookes 1815
... on the opposite side of the river are the remains of its famous abbey, founded by king John.

description
Beaulieu Abbey
otherwise: de Bello Loco Abbey; Beau-lieu Abbey
The place is described in text Cox 1738
- Hampshire
refce: Cox 1738
... King John founded a small Monastery, called Beaulieu from its pleasant Situation. It was famous before the Dissolution, for its being an inviolable Sanctuary, and safe Refuge for all Criminals; for in those superstitious Ages it was though a most unpardonable Sin to take from thence the most bloody Murderers or Traitors, that fled thither for Protection: But in this our Ancestors outdid the true Platform of such Temples of Mercy, ...
Beau-lieu, or de Bello Loco, an Abbey of Cistercian Monks, built upon this Occasion. King John being offended with that Order in England, divers of their Abbots came to him to reconcile themselves, but he caused them to be trodden under his Horses Feet; for which Action, being terrified in a Dream, he resolved to build an Abbey at this Place in New Forest, for thirty Monks of that Order; and for that End gave out of his Treasury one hundred Marks, and wrote his Letters to all the Abbots of that Order, to help towards the Building of it, out of their several Stocks. Valued at the Dissolution, at 326 l. 13 s. 2 d. 3/4. Dugd. 428 l. 6 s. 8 d. Speed, per Annum.

- Beaulieu parish: - Hampshire
refce: Dugdale 1718
KIng John, in the Year 1204, founded a Cistercian Monastery at Beaulieu in New-Forest, and plac'd in it 30 Monks. The Occasion of it is said to have been thus: This King being highly incens'd against the Cistercians, without any Cause, and their Abbats repairing to Lincoln, where he held a Parliament, to endeavour to appease him, he order'd his followers to trample them under their Horses Feet, and no Christian obeying so inhuman a Command, and Abbats hastily withdrew, despairing of any Favour from the King. The next Night, the King being asleep in his bed, thought he was presented before the supreme Judge, those Abbats standing by, whom the Judge order'd to scourge him; which Scourging, in the Morning when he awak'd, he said he had felt, telling his Dream to a venerable Clergyman, who said, God had been merciful in chastising him so gently, and therefore advis'd him to send for the said Abbats, and beg their Pardon, which was accordingly done. They apprehended it was to banish them; but at their coming found the King appeas'd. His Foundation-Charter, dated the 6th Year of his Reign, describes the Limts of Beaulieu in New-Forest, which he gave them to build their Monastery on, and a former of his 5th Year confers on them the Manor of Farendon.

Beaulieu Monastery
- Hampshire
refce: Dugdale 1718
KING John, in the 6th Year of his Reign, gave a 100 Marks for the building of this Abby, in the New Forest, and writ to the Cistercian Abbats to assist in furnishing the same.

- Hampshire
refce: Dugdale 1718
... Religious Houses ... deliver'd to King Henry VIII. in the 26th Year of his Reign, with the yearly Value ...
value l. s. d. q.
Beaulieu Ab. Cist. 326 13 2 3

description
Bewley abbey
The place is described in text Leland 1535-43
- Exe, River
refce: Leland 1535-43
... at the hedde of this creeke was Bewley, an abbay of White Monkes, a tounlet and a certen teritorie of ground privilegid with sanctuarie.
Minns says:- The situation of Bealieu abbey on the river Exe, in the eastern part of the New Forest, is not less beautiful than that of Netley. The most perfect part is the refectory, now converted into the Parish Church. the other ruins consist of a part of the cloisters, the dormitory, and the kitchen, and a portion of the abbot's lodgings converted into a residence which is occupied by the proprietor, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.

Beaulieu Abbey

refce: VCH Hants (vol2 pp140-146)
founded by John, 1203

   Old Hampshire Gazetteer - JandMN: 2001