Display person: --select--Abbesses of Llanllugan Abbesses of Llanll?r Abbots of Bardsey Abbots of Basingwerk Abbots of Conwy Abbots of Cwmhir Abbots of Cymer Abbots of Grace Dieu Abbots of Llantarnam Abbots of Margam Abbots of Neath Abbots of St Dogmaels Abbots of Strata Florida Abbots of Strata Marcella Abbots of Talley Abbots of Tintern Abbots of Valle Crucis Abbots of Whitland Adam de la Rupe (Roche) Adam of Orleton Adam of Usk Agnes (Nest) Arnulf of Montgomery Bernard Bernard of Neufmarché; Newmarket; Newmarch Buckingham Cadell ap Gruffudd Cadwallon ap Madog Cadwgan Clement Dafydd ab Owain Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Llywelyn de Bohun (Bohun) de Bohun, Henry de Braose (Braose) Edmund Grey Edmund Mortimer Edmund Tudor, earl of Richmond Edmund, first earl of Lancaster (Edmund Crouchback) Edward I Edward II Edward III, king of England and lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine Edward Stradling, sheriff of Glamorgan Elizabeth de Burgh; Elizabeth de Clare Enoch Geoffrey of Henlaw Gerald of Wales; Giraldus Cambrensis Geva de Burci Gilbert de Clare, seventh earl of Gloucester and sixth earl of Hereford Gilbert fitz Richard; Gilbert de Clare; Gilbert of Tonbridge; Gilbert fitz Richard Gilbert, abbot of Margam (1203-1213) Gruffudd ap Cynan Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn Guto'r Glyn Gutun Owain; Gruffudd ap Huw ab Owain Gwladus (Gwladys) Hamelin de Barham; Hamelin de Ballon (Balun / Baeluns) Henry de Beaumont (Newburgh) Henry Fitzroy Henry I Henry II Henry III Henry IV; Henry Bolingbroke Henry of Lancaster [Henry of Grosmont], first duke of Lancaster Henry V Henry VI, king of England Henry VIII Hervey Hugh de Lacy Hugh Despenser (the Younger) Hugh, second earl of Stafford Hywel ab Iorwerth Hywel ap Gruffudd Iorwerth (Gervase), abbot of Talley and bishop of St David's Isabella, queen of England and countess of Gloucester John (Lackland) John Grey John Leland John of Hastings John of Monmouth John Pecham; Peckam; Peckham Lewis Môn Llywelyn ab Iorwerth; Llywelyn Fawr Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn Bren; Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor Maredudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd Maredudd ap Rhobert Maurice de Londres Morgan ab Owain Morgan ap Caradog Owain Brogyntyn (Oenus de Porchinton) Owain Cyfeiliog; Owain ap Gruffudd Owain Glyn D?r; Owen Glendower; Owain ap Gruffudd Fychan Payn de Turbervill Payne de Chaworth Peter fitz Herbert Prioresses of Llanll?r Prioresses of Usk Priors of Pill Priors of Abergavenny Priors of Bassaleg Priors of Beddgelert Priors of Brecon Priors of Caldey Priors of Cardiff Priors of Cardigan Priors of Carmarthen (Augustinian) Priors of Carmarthen (Benedictine) Priors of Chepstow Priors of Ewenny Priors of Goldcliff Priors of Haverfordwest Priors of Kidwelly Priors of Llanbadarn Fawr Priors of Llandovery Priors of Llangennith Priors of Llangua Priors of Llanthony Prima Priors of Malpas Priors of Monmouth Priors of Pembroke Priors of Penmon Priors of Puffin Island Priors of Ruthin Priors of St Clears Priors of St Tudwal's Island Ranulf de Gernon; Ranulph de Gernon Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd Rhys ap Gruffudd Rhys ap Maredudd Rhys ap Thomas Richard de Clare Richard de Clare; Richard fiz Gilbert Richard de Granville (Grainville), baron Richard fitz Alan; Richard (II) Richard fitz Pons Richard II Richard III Richard Marshal Richard Neville, sixteenth earl of Warwick and sixth earl of Salisbury Richard of York Robert Robert Béthune Robert de Chandos Robert fitz Hamo; Robert fitz Haimon Robert fitz Martin Robert fitz Richard (Robert of Haverford), lord of Haverfordwest Robert fitz Stephen Robert of Hay Roger (II) de Mortimer Roger Bigod IV Roger fitz Miles Roger le Poer Stafford Thomas Pennant Tudur Aled Walter de Clare; Walter Fitz Richard Walter de Lacy Walter of St Dogmaels Wihenoc of Monmouth (de Monemue) William (I) the Conqueror William (second) earl of Gloucester William ap Thomas William de Braose (Briouze) William fitz Osbern William Freney William Herbert William Marshal William Marshal the Younger, fifth earl of Pembroke William of Worcester; William of Worcestre; William Botoner William of Wycombe (Wycumbe) Winebald de Baeluns (Ballon; Balun)

Abbots of Valle Crucis

A list of the known abbots of Valle Crucis.

?Philip: there is seemingly a reference to an abbot, 'Phill', c. 1201.

Dafydd (David): occurs as abbot of Valle Crucis in c. 1206.

John: occurs as abbot c. 1213.

'M.': occurs as abbot in 1226.

Tenhaer: occurs as abbot in 1227 and on various occasions until 1234.

Madoc: in 1254 he is described as former abbot of Valle Crucis.
He should perhaps be identified with the Prior 'M.' of Valle Crucis who is mentioned in 1234.

Anian ap Meredith: occurs as abbot in 1251, 1254 and perhaps in 1265.

Gervase (Iorwerth): occurs as abbot in December 1270.

Madoc: occurs as abbot in September 1275 and on various occasions until November 1284.

Hywel: occurs as abbot in February 1294 and July 1295.

Adam (Ad(d)af, Atha): occurs as abbot in 1330 and on several occasions until August 1343 (and perhaps January 1344).

Thomas: occurs as abbot in 1380x81.

Robert Lancaster: as abbot of Valle Crucis Robert received the temporalities of the bishopric of St Asaph in October 1409. As bishop of St Asaph he held the abbacy of Valle Crucis in commendam, first for five years, then in September 1419 this was extended to ten years and in June 1424 to fifteen years. Robert died in March 1433 and may still have held the abbacy at this time.

Richard Mason: appears as abbot of the house in February 1348 and until July 1448.

Sion ap Rhisiart / John ap Richard: appears as abbot of Valle Crucis in 1455 and until July 1461.

Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Iorwerth: 1480-1503.
In 1480 Dafydd sought confirmation of the abbacy from the Cistercian General Chapter and occurs as abbot in February 1484. He was elevated to the see of St Asaph in 1500 but continued to hold the abbacy in commendam: Dafydd was dead before 18 December 1503. Smith [Heads of Religious Houses, 3] suggests that Dafydd should perhaps be identified with the David ap John who was a monk of Conwy.

John Lloyd (Lloid, Lloyd): reputedly appeared as abbot in a document dated to c. 1503. In August 1508 he occurs as abbot of Valle Crucis ('Llyneggwistle') and also in 1512.

In April 1518 Pace wrote to Wolsey suggesting that the abbot of Valle Crucics, a royal chaplain and doctor of both laws, should be raised to the see of St Asaph.

Robert Salisbury (Sallesbere, Sallysbere, Salbere, Salysbury): ?-1535.
Richard appears as abbot of Valle Crucis in April 1528 and on several occasions until 1535 when he was imprisoned in the White Tower, the Tower of London, on account of robbery, and was duly deprived of office. Read more.

John Herne or Heron alias Deram (Duram / Durham): 1535-6.
John was a monk of St Mary Graces, London, and was abbot of Valle Crucis from June 1535 until August 1536. There was no formal surrender of the abbey. John was granted a pension in March 1537.

Sites associated with this person

Valle Crucis Abbey, Denbighshire

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, I, 940-1216, ed. D. Knowles, C. Brooke and V. London (London, 1972; 2001) pp. 145-6

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, II, 1216-1377, ed. D. M. Smith and V. London (CUP: Cambridge, 2001) p. 318

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, III, 1377-1540, ed. David M. Smith (CUP: Cambridge, 2008) pp. 344-5