Grace Dieu- details of Destruction, 1233

Grace Dieu was destroyed by the Welsh who claimed that the monastery had been built on land that was wrongly seized from them.

The Welsh stripped corn from Grace Dieu’s estates and the Cistercian General Chapter responded. It instructed the abbots of Bruern and Kingswood to investigate whether or not this land had in fact been John of Monmouth’s to give to the monks and to urge him to make peace with his enemies.

1217: Preparation for foundation - John, lord of Monmouth, requested permission from the Cistercian General Chapter to found an abbey in SE Wales. [4 sources]
1226 (24 April): Foundation - Eventually a founding community was sent from Dore Abbey, Herefordshire. [5 sources]
1232: Trouble - The abbot and his monk companion were held captive by Welshmen. [1 sources][1 archives]
1233: Destruction - The house was razed to the ground. [2 sources]
1235: Grant - Henry III granted the monks twenty trees from the Forest of Dean to rebuild their house which had recently been destroyed. [2 sources]
1236: Relocation - The community relocated from its original site (probably on west bank of the R. Trothy) to its present site [2 sources]
1240: Grant - Henry III granted the community four oaks from Grosmont Forest to help with building work. [2 sources]
1253: Grant - Henry III granted the community two oaks from Seinfremy Wood. [2 sources]
1276: Proposed move - The community sought to relocate to escape troubles in the area. [2 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - The house had an estimated net income of £18 5s 8d and some 729 ha arable under the plough. [4 sources]
1351: Resignation - Abbot Hugh [or Roger?] of Chepstow sought to resign from office for he felt the burden of administering the monastery was too great. [4 sources]
c.1356: Patronage - Henry, duke of Lancaster and lord of Monmouth (d. 1361), granted the community the chantry chapel in Monmouth Castle. [2 sources]
1484: Resignation - John Mitulton resigned from the abbacy on account of the persecution of his enemies. [2 sources]
1521: Contributions to the General Chapter - The abbot of Neath collected a contribution of 3s 4d from Grace Dieu to send to the General Chapter. [1 sources]
c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the house had an income of only £19 4s 4d. [3 sources][1 archives]
1536 : Suppression - The abbey was dissolved on 3 September 1536, under the 1536 Act of Suppression. [3 sources]

Event detail for site: Grace Dieu

1233: Destruction

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Other events in the history of this site


Home dershane Project team Project News Future plans Contact us Search the database Browse list of sites Browse list of orders Browse bibliography & archives Browse people Browse articles Glossary of terms Monastic Wales is not responsible for the content of external internet sites	Event detail for site: Grace Dieu 1233: Destruction The house was razed to the ground. Grace Dieu was destroyed by the Welsh who claimed that the monastery had been built on land that was wrongly seized from them. The Welsh stripped corn from Grace Dieu’s estates and the Cistercian General Chapter responded. It instructed the abbots of Bruern and Kingswood to investigate whether or not this land had in fact been John of Monmouth’s to give to the monks and to urge him to make peace with his enemies. Bibliographical sources Printed sources Harrison, J., 'The troubled foundation of Grace Dieu Abbey', The Monmouthshire Antiquary, 14 (1998) p. 26 Robinson, David M., The Cistercians in Wales: Architecture and Archaeology 1130-1540, Society of Antiquaries of London, Research Committee Report (London, 2006) p. 247 Other events in the history of this site 1217: Preparation for foundation - John, lord of Monmouth, requested permission from the Cistercian General Chapter to found an abbey in SE Wales. [4 sources] 1226 (24 April): Foundation - Eventually a founding community was sent from Dore Abbey, Herefordshire. [5 sources] 1232: Trouble - The abbot and his monk companion were held captive by Welshmen. [1 sources][1 archives] 1233: Destruction - The house was razed to the ground. [2 sources] 1235: Grant - Henry III granted the monks twenty trees from the Forest of Dean to rebuild their house which had recently been destroyed. [2 sources] 1236: Relocation - The community relocated from its original site (probably on west bank of the R. Trothy) to its present site [2 sources] 1240: Grant - Henry III granted the community four oaks from Grosmont Forest to help with building work. [2 sources] 1253: Grant - Henry III granted the community two oaks from Seinfremy Wood. [2 sources] 1276: Proposed move - The community sought to relocate to escape troubles in the area. [2 sources] c.1291: Wealth - The house had an estimated net income of £18 5s 8d and some 729 ha arable under the plough. [4 sources] 1351: Resignation - Abbot Hugh [or Roger?] of Chepstow sought to resign from office for he felt the burden of administering the monastery was too great. [4 sources] c.1356: Patronage - Henry, duke of Lancaster and lord of Monmouth (d. 1361), granted the community the chantry chapel in Monmouth Castle. [2 sources] 1484: Resignation - John Mitulton resigned from the abbacy on account of the persecution of his enemies. [2 sources] 1521: Contributions to the General Chapter - The abbot of Neath collected a contribution of 3s 4d from Grace Dieu to send to the General Chapter. [1 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the house had an income of only £19 4s 4d. [3 sources][1 archives] 1536 : Suppression - The abbey was dissolved on 3 September 1536, under the 1536 Act of Suppression. [3 sources]

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