#Dissolution of the Monasteries

[thepastisalreadywritten]

The ruins of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, England, completed by drone lighting.

📷 DRIFT / Cyberdrone

NOTE:

Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey.

The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian kingdom.

The abbey and its possessions were confiscated by the crown under Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1545.

[vox-anglosphere]

Evesham's Clergy House survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries

[glass-spark]

Research trip to Mount Grace Priory

An old interest in monks has resurfaced. I studied Carthusians once upon a time (their manuscripts, really). The interest flares up now and again. This meant that a visit I'd long put off was back on the cards. Drove down to Northallerton in North Yorkshire on Sunday to see the ruin of Mount Grace Priory.

Mountgrace was founded in 1398 by Thomas de Holand, a nephew of Richard II. Carthusians and their brand of piety was super-fashionable at the time (due to the strictness of their Rule and a general post-Black Death rethink) but having a founder connected to Richard II became a problem. In 1415, it was re-founded by Thomas Beaufort. Mountgrace only lasted until 1539, when the Suppression of the monasteries kicked in.

I was keen to look at the reconstructed monk's cell.

I took lots of photos.

Lots.

Here's a few.

View of the church and bell tower

Entering the monk's cell

Laybrothers cooked the food, were responsible for upkeep and general day-to-day activities under the watch of the Procurator. (Laybrothering was a prestigious position. A few bishops retired to take up the job.) Among lots of other jobs, they would deliver food into hatches like this so the monks wouldn't have to interact.

Straight ahead is the living quarters. The fireplace in this cell is smaller than the one found in the sacrist's cell.

Desk by the windows. Lots of natural light.

A place to rest yourself and your reading materials

A place to rest yourself (the Carthusian schedule is brutal).

If you turn left, there's a nice glazed, private cloister looking out onto the cell garden.

If you turn right at the entrance, a covered walkway leads to the garden, freshwater drinking pipe and latrine (both plumbed in. Monastery plumbing was something else. I've seen the plans for London Charterhouse).

More garden! Small fruit tree and exterior view of the glazed private cloister.

Exterior view of the cell from the garden.

Let's go back inside and go upstairs! (These stairs really are steep. Believe the sign next to the fireplace. You have to come down backwards.)

Upstairs, we find the workshop! Spinning, weaving, copying books, woodwork, lots of useful activity.

Once that bell rings, you've got to go to church. A huge covered cloister once connected all those doorways and led to the church.

Can't remember if this is the church or chapter house I'm standing in.

Would've been a lovely window here, I bet.

The guest house was in better condition, mainly because Sir Lowthian Bell decided to restore it (and reconstruct the monk's cell). Here it is from the gardens.

There's still some original red plasterwork from the 14th century.

There's a decent museum in the guest house too. If you're into the Arts and Crafts movement, there's some Morris and Co. wallpaper and furniture, plus a couple of restored rooms. I liked this 14th century stone window looking into an Arts and Crafts lounge.

A pretty good day's research! Definitely recommend the place. Absolutely worth the trip.

[vesseloftherevolution]

The French Revolution and The Dissolution of the English Monasteries

So, slightly weird selection of topics to be thinking about in the same sentence, but French Revolution and the Dissolution of the Monasteries do have a surprising amount in common.

Firstly, there is the timescale on which both are operating. Although, as with most major events in history, there was a lot of buildup, and things were influenced for decades afterwards, both the French Revolution and the Dissolution of the Monasteries took at most a decade to run their courses through. The monasteries were dissolved in the decade between 1530 - 1540, and the Revolution was brought to a halt by the Coup of Brumiere in 1799, exactly a decade after it had begun.

Such big changes happening in such a short space must have been dizzying for the people who had grown up under the old system. And although many must have felt exhilarated, it’s unsurprising that many had doubts. When the French Revolution was starting to gather the momentum that would lead it toward the Terror, some of the more moderate reformers, such as the Marquis de Lafayette, thought it impossible that a country could function would a king as head of state, even if that king’s functional power was practically negligible. Later on, when the most Extremist of the Mountain were pushing things towards the declarations that “Terror is the Order of the Day”, the Indulgents were attempting to rein the situation in a bit, which went amazingly well for them all. A similar pattern is visible in the Dissolution: the Henrican Moderate Catholics were unwilling to take part in the reforms that swept the realm on the Accession of the fervently Protestant Edward VI, and there were multiple rebellions in the south and East of England over the dissolution of the monasteries. Moving forwards in time, Mary’s burning of Protestant bishops has an interesting parallel to the CSP and their Law of Suspects.

There is also the psychological effect of the Revolution and the advent of Protestantism to consider. The clarity and feeling that you were in personal commune with either your God, or the way your country was run, must’ve been an exhilarating and addictive sensation. Men like Camille Desmoulins and Thomas Cranmer seem almost bowled over by how sharp and well defined the new order is. However, the mysticism of the older Regimes, and how deeply ingrained into the very fabric of the country’s history, will have made them feel more secure. There were a lot of people willing to reform what was already there, but upending the familiarity of what they had grown up with was a step too far.

It’s always very interesting to consider the similarities and differences that occur in historical events. Not least because it leads one to speculate on what might have happened elsewhere, if events had taken a different turn.

(If there is anything I have somehow overlooked, or got a fact wrong, please do correct me.)

[caedmonofwhitby]

Lithograph on paper by Charles Joseph Hullmandel after John Skinner Prout.

Tintern Abbey

From Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives

Charles Joseph Hullmandel (15 June 1789 – 15 November 1850) was born in London, where he maintained a lithographic establishment on Great Marlborough Street from about 1819 until his death.

[thesingletraveller]

Traversing History in Tintern Abbey

The Solo Scale: During my time exploring the grounds, I ran into multiple solo travellers, which makes it a perfect place to meander without having to worry about funny looks. In the Wye River Valley, you’ll find the ruins of Tintern Abbey. Picture it — the clouds and the rain have lifted in Wales. You’ve arrived at Tintern Abbey to see the sun shining through the archways and cloisters (if…

[streetsofdublin]

A VISIT TO THE PRIORY OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST IN TRIM COUNTY MEATH

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/peYVDEU3/the-priory-of-st-john-the-baptist.mp4

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 2023 This Christmas I spent three days in Trim County Meath and it rained most of the time. On Wednesday the 27th it was so wet and stormy that it was impossible to take any photographs so I returned to Dublin ahead of schedule. As my Canon 5DIII performs very well in wet weather I decided to bring it with me instead of me rather than my Sony A7RIV or FX30. Another…

[stonelord1]

An Abbey in Dublin Unearthed

Excavations in Dublin city centre have uncovered the remains of what was once one of Ireland’s most important medieval monasteries. St Mary’s was a House of Benedictines, followed by Savignac monks and then Cistercians, and it was exceedingly wealthy, with the added bonus of being permitted to claim goods from shipwrecks. At times, it was quite a troubled place–the mayor of Dublin, Robert de…

[vox-anglosphere]

Founded in 1089, Castle Acre escaped the worst of King Henry's purges. It stands as a model of East Anglian flint-work structures.

Castle Acre Priory is one of the largest and best preserved monastic sites in England.

Many of the buildings are made from mortared flint rubble, a highly durable material that has been prized since the Roman times.

Here, you can also see some beautiful ‘flushwork’ made with flint that has been expertly 'knapped' into shape and set 'flush' with stone to create a charming chequerboard pattern.

Flint knapping is now an endangered craft, but specialists like Lynn Mathias are doing what they can to keep it alive.

If you'd like to try it, as well as other traditional flintworking techniques, join our course this April. Tap the link in our bio to find out more!

[heather123fan-blog]

So I'm currently rewatching The Tudors Season 3 Episode 7 and the downfall of Cromwell is about to happen w/the arrival of Anne of Cleves. I can't decide if I feel sorry for Cromwell or not. It sucks that Henry executed him for such a stupid reason but at the same time he did help take down Anne Boleyn and framed her for adultery.

[sabakos]

My take on fandom is that the combination of both overt hypersexualization in media and constant sex-negative messaging is giving teenagers psychological problems.

The solution to this, as it is in most cases, is to destroy organized religion.

[fillejondrette]

currently "reading" (some i very rarely pick up and/or have been reading forever but i still have the intention of finishing them so i'm including them) :

the new testament and other early christian writings (anthology edited by bart ehrman)

the way of perfection, by st teresa of avila

les misérables (i read it in english in high school but i'm now attempting to read it in french)

alone of all her sex: the myth and the cult of the virgin mary, by marina warner

and i'm listening to the audiobook of the memoir priestdaddy by patricia highsmith.

[escapismsworld]

The enormous ruins of Tintern Abbey in Monmouthshire in Wales (Cymru). These are the remains of various stages of construction between 1131 and 1536. It only fell into disrepair after the dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.

[anadapta]

"For those in possession of their sea legs, there are outposts aplenty an hour's [sailing] from the south coast. Once host to monasteries that supplied the islands with [...] these underwent their own dissolution shortly after [...] and are now, by and large, empty. Suggested [...] early [...] Summer, after the so-called rainy season." 🖼️ Prints   💎 Commissions  🔴  Website   ☕ Kofi   

[whencyclopedia]

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII of England ruled as king from 1509 to 1547 CE. The second Tudor king after his father Henry VII of England (r. 1485-1509 CE), Henry had inherited a kingdom which enjoyed both unity and sound finances. Famous for his six wives as he searched for a male heir, the king was charismatic and domineering. In order to escape his first marriage, Henry set himself against the Pope and so began the Reformation of the Church in England whereby it broke away from Rome and the English monarch became its supreme head. A larger-than-life figure, Henry centralised government, further absorbed Wales into his kingdom, saw to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, formed the Royal Navy and built magnificent palaces such as St. James' in London. When Henry died, though, in 1547 CE, he was succeeded by his juvenile son Edward VI of England (r. 1547-1553 CE) and he left him an impoverished kingdom split over religious issues.

Henry Tudor

Henry Tudor had defeated and killed Richard III of England (r. 1483-1485 CE) at the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485 CE in the last major action of England's dynastic dispute known as the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487 CE). The House of Lancaster had finally defeated the House of York but Henry, crowned Henry VII of England in October 1485 CE, was intent on creating a brand new ruling house: the Tudors. Henry married Elizabeth of York (b. 1466 CE), daughter of Edward IV of England (r. 1461-70 & 1471-83 CE), on 18 January 1486 CE and he even combined the livery badges of York and Lancaster to create a new royal symbol: the Tudor Rose. England was about to enter the post-medieval era with a new look and a new type of monarchy.

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[froody]

me every time I’m reminded of the dissolution of the monasteries (1536-1541)