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Abingdon Abbey is a ruined Benedictine monastery founded in the seventh century, traditionally attributed to 676, making it one of England's oldest religious houses. The abbey became one of the wealthiest and most influential monasteries in medieval England, holding substantial lands across Berkshire and neighbouring counties and exercising considerable spiritual and temporal authority throughout the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods. The surviving remains comprise fragmentary stonework and earthworks on the site, including vestiges of the abbey church and ancillary buildings, testament to the establishment's former grandeur before its dissolution in 1538. The site's significance extends beyond its architectural heritage, as Abingdon Abbey was a centre of learning and manuscript production and maintained historical records that provide valuable documentation of early English monastic life.
Abingdon Abbey (remains of) is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1006309. View the official record →
Abingdon Abbey is a ruined Benedictine monastery founded in the seventh century, traditionally attributed to 676, making it one of England's oldest religious houses. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1006309.
Abingdon Abbey (remains of) is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1006309.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dovecote at Culham Manor, 110m south west of St Paul's Church (2.2 km), Settlement site N of Thames (3.5 km), Settlement site (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Abingdon Abbey (remains of)'s history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Abingdon Abbey (remains of) stands on West Walton Formation, Ampthill Clay Formation And Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Kimmeridgian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.