Event detail for site: Abergavenny

1320: Visitation

Visitation by Bishop Adam de Orleton of Hereford who was concerned with the state of monastic observance that he witnessed.

John de Hastings, the patron of Abergavenny, was appalled at the state of monastic observance he witnessed there in 1319 and petitioned Pope John XXII to reform the house. Bishop Adam de Orleton of Hereford was duly appointed to conduct an investigation in 1320. Adam was accompanied by the bishop of Llandaff as well as various monks and laity. On arriving at Abergavenny Bishop Adam summoned the prior and monks to appear before him for questioning. He found that while the priory’s resources totalled over 240 marks and could comfortably support thirteen monks, there were only five brethren; he was told that numbers had rarely exceeded this in the last forty years. Adam reprimanded the monks for neglect and mismanagement - the priory was in a ruinous state and the monks had alienated their temporalities and spiritualities. He was also gravely concerned about the state of monastic observance. The monks disregarded the vow of stability and wandered freely outside the priory, even at night; some mixed with laymen and prostitutes, played dice and other games instead of celebrating the Office, failed to observe silence in the cloister and refectory and ate meat in the refectory although this was prohibited. More serious perhaps were their thespian activities. It was said that the monks would don straw crowns and process from their dormitory naked, with arms outstretched, in imitation of the Crucifixion – this, evidently, was intended as entertainment for their friends. Bishop Adam uncovered evidence of other more serious scandals but thought it wiser not to commit these to writing; thus the nature of these offences remains unknown. However, the misconduct of the prior, Fulk Gastard, is recorded. Prior Fulk had been accused of perjury previous to the visitation and duly fled before the bishop arrived, taking with him silverware, garments relics and books pertaining to the house. The enquiry declared the prior guilty of incontinence and adultery, agreed that his presence was injurious to the priory’s reputation and removed him from office. Richard of Bromwich, a monk of Worcester, was appointed as the new prior of Abergavenny. Bishop Adam stipulated that in future there should be twelve monks and a prior and that whenever there was a vacancy the monks of Abergavenny rather than the abbot of St Vincent, should elect the new prior.

People associated with this event

Adam of Orleton , bishop

John of Hastings , second Lord Hastings (patron)

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Registrum Ade de Orleton, episcopi Herefordensis, Canterbury and York Society, 5, ed. A. T. Bannister (1908) pp. 151-154; 190-194

Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland: Papal Letters, ed. William H. Blis, Charles Johnson, J. Twemlow, M. J. Haren, A. P. Fuller (London and Dublin, 1883-) vol. 2, pp. 186-211

Cowley, F. G., The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349 (Cardiff, 1977) pp. 109-112

Graham, Rose, 'Four alien priories in Monmouthshire', Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 35 (1930) p. 109

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