CBerfseg Q&BBeg G i fen o { e a x z ce f B (past. B Y W L U C Y H E E L E R . ' I/Vzt fi Pr qfac e by S IR W N FE N S I EADY . T A B B Y H R ’ ‘ ARMS 09 T HE MON AS T E RY OF S . PE E R, E C U C H, C HE R I S EY . Eonb on D. W E LL GARDN E R DARTON c o . LT S , , , Pat r n s r i ldi n a V r i a t r t W B u s E n d i c t o S e e S . e o te C. 3 , g , , 44, , PREFAC E THE History of Chertsey Abbey is of more than loc al interest . Its foundation carries us back to so remote a fi x e d period that the date is uncertain . The exact date i i AD 6 66 from n the Chertsey register s . but Reyner, ’ ’ Ca rave s Li e o S . E r ke n wala wi p g f f , ll have this Abbey D 6 0 . to have been founded as early as A. 3 That Erken wa d u e l , however, was the real fo nder, and before he b came s Bishop of London , admit of no doubt . Even the time ’ Erke n wald s c ac i i of death is not ertain , some p l ng it n w Hi 6 8 h i e i 6 . s e did 5 , l Stow says he died n 97 sp l n u i fo ndation lasted for some nine centuries, and n the fo llo wing pages will be found a full history of the Abbey and its rulers and po ssessions unt il its disso lut io n by V Henry I I I . i c on Change s everywhere, and incessant ; nothing is i stant or stable, except n a greater or less degree ; the Abbeys which in their time played so important a part in the history and development of the country, and as fi refat t . h s ouses of learning, have all pas ed away, but a study of the history of an important Abbey enables u s to ap p re i ciate the part which these institutions played n the past , and some of the good they achieved, although they were not wholly free from abuses . Much of the stone and other materials of which Chertsey Abbey was built was , on the demolition of b ui di b roii ht the Abbey l ng s , g down by water to Wey i bridge, and used n the erection of the Palace of Oat i lands . This noble pile n general appearance much resembled Hampton Court Palace . The two archi ural - it i t e c t water colour drawings of , made n the reign of Elizabeth, copies of which are now preserved in the British Museum , give an excellent idea of its extent and style, and of the position and architectural features of the various b uilding s of which the Palace was composed . It ff su ered much during the Rebellion , and nothing now it remains of , except some brick vaulted underground passages and the walls of the outer courtyard , which are i st ll standing and enclose the Oatlands Palace Gardens . C . SWINFEN EADY . O L S PA RK AT AND , A u ust 1 0 . g , 9 5 AU T H OR’ S PREFAC E CHERTS EY Abbey is richer in manuscript records than in architectural remains, but much more has been written about the ruined buildings and the fragmentary relics than u u of the h man lives which gave order, bea ty, and mean ing to the scattered dust ofages . Chertsey may well claim a place among the Historic ” - Towns of England, its charter ante dated even that of u . the boro gh of Guildford Its history, however, has not yet been written . The present attempt is only an intro u i duction by an amate r, and it s hoped that a more adequate presentation of its past history may be under taken by a competent writer of interesting items ‘ stores u are locked p in tomes and rolls, and invite the attention of a leisured student . Little is known of the Chertsey Abbots . The names —Erk n wal Rut h rw of two are familiar e d and e yk . The principal aim of this book is to bring into greater pro min e n c e the live s and acts of not only these but many ’ x flutbor s fi rt fat r . others who contributed largely to the development of Chertsey during the nine centuries of its evolution from an island of plantations into one of the most important towns of South England . The writer has been much indebted to the kindness of the Rev . Canon Madge for cordially allowing her freedom of access to the Winchester Cathedral Library . Her H . D. grateful thanks are also tendered to the Rev . G Live in of g ( Winchester) , from whom she has received most valuable help . Members of the Surrey Archaeological Society and other friends have very kindly and spontaneously placed at her service volumes and information which have much lightened her task ; among these she desires to thank . H especially Mrs Wetton , of Abbey ouse, Chertsey, E . Mr . H . L. n Hartley, Esq (Addlestone) , Freema Mr (Chertsey), and . F Turner (Egham) . For reproduction of illustrations her thanks are due to M W M . L l m r W i . i l e Mr ille n ss (Chertsey) , . C . S c e ' Mr i Mr F . A (Weybridge) , . F Ga ger, . Monk, and Mr . r Ma shall Walsh (Chertsey) . W L . LIST OF AB B OTS A . D. Erk wald . e n . Bede 694 Sig e b ald . Christian Biography. o th . art m 7 87 Ce ln o C ularia Sax oni c u . 87 1 ? Hicks . i . 964 Ordbyh t . Saxon Chron cle i Ai lfri c . ax on c um. 967 . Cart S 1 024 1 034 Siward Luard. W . a d 0 ln o t h Wlnoth ulfwo ld . n . 1 43 U , , or A S . Chron Charters d 1 085 O o . 1 092 Ralph Flambard (Passe flab e re ) . 1 1 do 00 O (restored) . 1 1 06 ’ 1 1 0 u o f S . u 7 H gh ( Swith n s) . 1 1 29 William Charter ( Dugdale) . - 1 1 40 49 Daniel Tann er . ’ 1 1 0 ? . 5 William of S . Helen s Abingdon Chronicles 1 1 5 2 H ugh (de Puiset 1 1 m 60 cir. Ay er . 1 1 80 B e rt an or Bertr and . 1 1 97 1 207 1 2 2 3 xii { tat of fi bbotfi . John de Medmenham . Bartholomew de Winchester . h r k John de Rut e wy . John de Benham . William de Clyve . k John de Us . lv rdo n Thomas de Cu e . H n w h John de e rmo de s e rt . An Thomas g e wyn (resigned) . l u Wil iam Wro ghton (deprived ) . An w n Thomas g e y (restored ) . John May. Thomas Pyc o t or Pigot . John Parker . John Cordrey . C ON TEN T S ’ AUTHOR S PREFAC E LI ST OF ABBOTS o r I LLU STRATION S I CHAPTER . INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER II . CHRI STIANITY m ws sss x CHAPTER I I I . E RK E N W A L D FOU N DE R O F A BB EY , THE THE CHAPTER IV . MONA STI C ORGANI SATION S v CHAPTER . CHERTS EY A BBEY TERRITORY CHAPTER VI . c o u x c u s AND CHARTERS CHAPTER VI I . OF THE MITRED ABBOT x iv d ontmtS . CHAPTER VI I I . REB U I LDI NG OF THE A B BEY CHAPTER IX . FA I RS AND PRI VlLEG ES CHAPTER X . MONASTIC GOLDEN AGE CHAPTER X I . ACTS o p ABBOT RUT HERW Y K CHAPTER X I I . DI OC ESAN ORGANI S ATIONS I I I CHAPTER X . L EG E N D o r THE C U RF EW BE L L X IV CHAPTER . DI SSOLUTION OF THE A BB EY N CO CLUSION . THE A B B EY TI LES APPEN DIX I NDEX LIST O F I LLU ST RAT ION S PAG E TRIPTYCH OF 1 S TONE c o r r m s AS FOUN D IN EXCAVATION S UPON THE 5 1m H ER’ ‘ S EY A B B EY 1 8 OF C I , 55 ’ A N N E s H ROMA N W ELL ON 5 . I L L MAP (A ) O F CHERTS EY MA NOR MONASTERY DE C HERTS EY E A BBEY DEM ESN E F 5 E RKEN W AL S HRINE O . D L LL S TAP E HI , CHOBHAM A RC H IN AB B EY G ROU N DS PLAN o r FOUNDATION WA L LS AN K ERWY KE FU RN IS H C HOBHAM CHURCH M AP ( B ) OF CHERTS EY MA N OR F I S HPOND IN A BBEY ORC HA RD ‘ 1 6 {List of ilHust ration s . EG HAM GATEWAY ’ N 3 AN N E s I LL TREES O . H BRASS IN 1 11 0a C H U RC H HARDW IC K OAK C U RF EW B ELL l N SC RI PT ION OLD COTTAGE ON A BBEY G REEN ENTRANCE TO ABBEY M EA DS C HE RT SEY A B B EY CHAPTER I I NTRODUCTORY HERTS E - ON - H ES C Y T AM , a quiet country town within s i ea y reach of London , s little known , except for its u pleasant rural surro ndings > and facilities for boating “ n fi hi a d s n .