Date sent: Tue, 16 Jul 96 13:53:53 UT
From: Simon Marchini <[log in to unmask]>
To: Medieval-Religion <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Burton Abbey - Wealthiest in Staffordshire
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I have been undertaking research into Burton on Trent Abbey in Staffordshire,
England. One of the articles I have read stated that '...there was never more
than 30 monks at the Abbey...yet in 1538 it was the wealthiest religious
establishment in Staffordshire...twice as wealthy as any other
establishment...' What I would like to know is how usual was it for a small
establishment to be so wealthy ? or is it that Staffordshire was both under
endowed with religious establishments during this period and were they
particularly poor in comparison to the rest of the country ?
Thank you for your help in anticipation.
Simon Marchini
You can tot up the numbers of religious houses in each county (for most
counties) fairly simply by looking up the relevant Victoria County History
voumes.
As a general rule in medieval England (throughout the whole period from the
reign of Edgar to the Dissolution) the wealthiest houses were Benedictine
ones of pre-Conquest foundation. Most of these were in what historically had
been the kingdom of Wessex, though several very wealthy ones were in
the Fens where they had been set up in the 960s-70s by supporters of King
Edgar, and there are a few others in Kent and in what had been Mercia.
Burton fits into this general pattern (it was Mercian) and is only exceptional
in being the northwesternmost of the late Anglo-Saxon Benedictine foundations.
Julia Barrow.
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