ORIGINS & FOUNDATION
Alnwick Abbey was founded in 1147, by Eustace Fitz John, who endowed it for Premonstratensian canons, and dedicated it to St Mary and St James. Eustace was the fourth Constable of Chester and married Beatrice de Vesci bringing him lands in Yorkshire (Malton) and Northumberland (Alnwick). He later married Agnes, daughter of William Fitz Nigel of Halton and also inherited lands in Halton, Chester and Donington in Leicestershire.
Alnwick Abbey was founded from Newhouse and was the second house of the Premonstratensian order to be established in England. It is recorded that the convent moved in to the new abbey in 1848. A copy of the foundation charter for Alnwick is reproduced in Dugdale (vol 6, pp867-8).
There are often very clear reasons why a site is chosen for a monastery – usually at or near places that have a long tradition for being special or sacred in some way. However, no such associations are know for the Alnwick abbey site.
Eustace Fitz John went on to found two more priories (Malton and Watton) around 1150, but had evidently changed his allegiance, as these are Gilbertine houses. He may also have founded the Augustinian priory at North Ferriby in the early 1140s.
HISTORY
In c.1193, Eustace’s grandson (Eustace de Vesci) founded a hospital and chapel to St Leonard about a mile away from the abbey. It is said to be on the site where King Malcolm III of Scotland was killed at the battle of Alnwick in 1093. It is close to a spring now known as ‘Malcolm’s Well’. The hospital was an independent institution when founded, but was taken over by Alnwick Abbey in 1376
Alnwick possessed as relics, the foot of Simon de Montfort (brought to Alnwick following his death at the Battle of Evesham in 1265) and a cup or chalice belonging to St Thomas of Canterbury. These were powerful relics for prayer and healing and attracted pilgrims to the abbey. They were noted by the King’s Commissioners, Taylor and Legh, at the time of dissolution.
In the Alnwick Chronicle it is recorded that in1376, Henry de Percy (5th Lord of Alnwick) held a banquet in the abbey refectory and cloister – it is estimated that 1020 people ate in the cloister and that the refectory housed two sittings of noblemen and religious – the first of 120 persons and the second of 86.
There are several late fifteenth century visitation reports from the records of Bishop Redman: (Gasquet, vol 2,pp.14-28)
13 April 1482: Held by Bishop Redman at the Carmelites in Newcastle. Prior charged to be more vigilant; Saturday suppers forbidden; one canon charged with a grave offence proved his innocence, but was convicted of getting rid of the goods of the abbey and severely punished.
28 May 1486: As a house Alnwick is in an excellent state. Two canons are excommunicated as apostates; the community are ordered to say certain prayers; one canon is punished for not keeping the silence.
23 August 1488: Bishop Redman finds some remissness in keeping the religious silence. One canon is accused of spreading discord, but denies the charge; the hour of Matins must not be changed: the clock, which has caused irregularity in the hours, to be mended.
6 August 1491: Bishop Redman finds the house in a good state. He corrects a neglect of silence; condemns strongly the keeping of objects without the Superior’s permission; legislates for the singing of the psalm ‘De Profundis’ on a Sunday, and orders the abbot to procure the proper offices of certain new feasts.
23 April 1497: Bishop Redman visits the abbot personally and the community by proxy at Newcastle. Neither the abbot nor proctor had any charge to make. As there was a report that the canons frequented the town of Alnwick too much, the bishop forbids this.
3 May 1500: Bishop Redman visits the abbot personally and the community by proxy in Newcastle. He finds everything in a good state.
DISSOLUTION
In 1534 Alnwick abbey was valued at £194 7s 0d and was thus suppressed (as a small house) in 1536. It was refounded by the King following payment of a fine and was finally closed on 22 December 1539.
By 1551, the site was in the possession of Ralph Sadler and Laurence Winnington.