Apologies for inaccuracy. Gloucester became a cathedral in 1541
St Frideswide's in Oxford was probably a house of nuns in the 7th century with priests and lay men attached, then following Danish attacks became for men only. Secular cannons were established there in 1022, Regulars in 1122.
Monasteries of monks were established at other colleges in Oxford. See H Wansbrough & A Marret Crosby 'Benedictines in Oxford' DLT 1997.
-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 2:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: monastic cathedrals
> >The full list of English Monastic cathedrals is:
> >
> >Canterbury, Winchester, Durham, Worcester, Bath, Rochester, Coventry,
> >Norwich, Ely, Gloucester.
> >
> >Chester and Peterborough were Abbeys that became cathedrals at the
> >reformation.
>
>
> Also Gloucester.
>
> Oxford cathedral, also the chapel of Christchurch College, is the former St
> Friedwide's, a monastic house.
I don't believe that the Abbey of St Peter at Gloucester was raised to cathedral status until the Reformation, at the dissolution of the monasteries, when many former monastic churches were turned either into cathedrals, or parish churches (as at Tewkesbury, Pershore, Malmesbury, Romsey, etc). As for St Frideswide's, it was an Augustinian house until Cardinal Wolsey dissolved it in the early 16th century in order to found "Cardinal College" which, after his fall from grace, was continued as Christchurch College. Wolsey had begun to tear down the old church, getting as far as the nave, with the intention of building a new college chapel, but when Christchurch was continued, what remained of the church was turned into the college chapel. It was only later in the 16th century that it was also made into the cathedral of the newly formed diocese of Oxford (formerly part of the diocese of Lincoln).
Cheers,
Jim Bugslag
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