Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Beddgelert

1536: Dissolution

At the Suppression there were three canons and nine 'religious men' at the house.

The priory was taken into royal custody in May 1535 and
following its dissolution in January 1536 it was granted to Cherstey Abbey. When Chertsey was suppressed two years later Beddgelert was granted to the Benedictine abbey of Bisham (Berkshire)and remained in its possession until 1538 when it too was dissolved . The former priory lands were granted to Anne of Cleves in 1540, as part of her divorce settlement from Henry VIII, and later reverted to the Crown and ultimately came into the possession of local gentry families.

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII, 1509-47, 23 in 38 vols, ed. J.S. Brewer, R.H. Brodie and J. Gairdner (London, 1862- 1932) vol. 9, nos. 900, 802; vol. 10, no. 1238

Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales, ed. R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles (Harlow, 1971) pp. 138, 147

Bott, Alan, and Dunn, Margaret, A Guide to the Priory and Parish Church of St Mary Beddgelert, Gwynedd (Godalming, Surrey, 2004) p. 25

Robinson, David M., The Geography of Augustinian Settlement in Medieval England and Wales, BAR British Series, 80, 2 vols (Oxford, 1980) p. 399

Other events in the history of this site

c.1200: Foundation - Beddgelert Priory was founded by or in association with the princes of Gwynedd on an early medieval religious site. [7 sources]
pre 1240: Patronage - Llywelyn the Great gave the community the land of Cynnddelw Llwyd of Pennant. [1 sources]
1246-1255: Patronage - Owain ap Gruffudd gave the community land in Anglesey. [1 sources]
1258: Prior as witness - The prior of Beddgelert, along with the prior of Penmon and the abbots of Bardsey and Aberconwy witnessed Llywelyn ap Gruffudd’s charter pledging his protection to Maredudd ap Rhys, in return for the latter’s homage. [2 sources][1 archives]
1269 (11 March ): Exchange of lands - Llywelyn ap Gruffudd made an exchange of lands with the prior and convent of Beddgelert (at Caernarfon), whereby the community acquired lands nearer the priory in exchange for those that were more remote. [3 sources][1 archives]
1281: Covenant - In December 1281 a covenant was made at the priory on Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's behalf. [2 sources]
1283: Fire - Fire damaged the monastery and destroyed documentation; hence early records are now lost. [2 sources]
1284 (Nov): Compensation - Beddgelert was awarded £50 compensation by Edward I for damages sustained during the war of 1282-1283. [2 sources]
c.1286: Nomenclature - From this time the house was referred to as 'the priory of the Valley St Mary of Snowdon(ia)' [2 sources]
1286: Inspeximus of the priory's charters and grant of indulgence to those who help the community - In April 1286 Bishop Anian of Bangor issued an inspeximus of the priory's charters and offered an indulgence to all who aided the community. [2 sources][1 archives]
1289: Disputed territory - The community lost its lands in Pennany Gwernorgan, that had been granted to them by Dafydd ap Llywelyn (d. 1246). [1 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - The Taxatio Ecclesiastica assessed the priory's revenues at £7 4s 2d. [2 sources]
c.1300: Financial problems - The priory was one of several Welsh houses to seek papal indulgence for help with its financial problems. [1 sources]
1350: Forged documents - A legal case in 1350 found that the prior and convent of Beddgelert had forged documents supporting their claim to exemptions. [1 sources]
1379: Clerical poll tax - Payment required  [1 sources][1 archives]
1399: Financial problems - The prior and convent petitioned Rome for papal indulgence on account of their financial problems. [2 sources]
c.1400: Visitation - In the early fifteenth century the bishop of St David’s conducted a visitation of the house.  [1 sources]
c.1406: Glyn Dŵr rebellion - The prior of Beddgelert (Matheus)was amongst those who supported the rebel, Owain Glyn Dŵr, and was accordingly outlawed by Henry IV.  [2 sources]
1432: Petition for help following fire - In 1432, the prior of Beddgelert requested papal assistance with repairing the fabric of the church which had been damaged by fire. [3 sources]
c.1500: Decline - It was alleged that there were no resident canons in the priory - they simply showed up to the priory to sign leases.  [2 sources]
1501-2: Internal dispute - Prior Dafydd Conway's predecessor, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, sued the prior for arrears in paying him the pension he had been awarded several years earlier. [1 sources]
1509-1510: Fines levied - In 1509 the prior was fined 10s for failing to attend the Augustinian general chapter; the following year he was fined 11s for the same offence. [1 sources]
c.1535: Wealth - The Valor Ecclesiastica assessed the house's income at £70 3s 8d. [1 sources]
1536: Dissolution - At the Suppression there were three canons and nine 'religious men' at the house.  [4 sources]
 
Graphic.