Bradwell Abbey

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Bradwell Abbey or Bradwell Priory is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, urban studies site, district and civil parish in Milton Keynes, England. The site was once the location of a Benedictine priory, founded in 1155.

1 Historic Bradwell Priory
2 Bradwell Abbey today
3 Bradwell Abbey district
4 Civil Parish
5 See also
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Historic Bradwell Priory

The Priory was established around 1154.^[1] It grew during the Middle Ages to became an important local centre, but declined during the Black Death when, amongst others, its prior William of Loughton died.^[1] The Priory and was disbanded during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. All that remains today is a small chapel and a farmhouse that has become a centre for cultural activities and an Urban Studies centre in the new city. The medieval trackways converging on the abbey can still be seen in the rights of way and bridleways that have become "redways" (leisure routes for cycling and walking).

The arrival of the West Coast Main Line railway split the Abbey lands, with Bradwell village to the east of the line and the Abbey to the west. Today, Bradwell Abbey is a parkland and industrial district in its own right, and gives its name to the larger civil parish that includes it.

[edit] Bradwell Abbey today

Today, Bradwell Abbey is an Urban Studies Centre (the Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre), providing a base, library and guidance for visiting international town planners and students who wish to study Milton Keynes. It also hosts school visits to see its medieval buildings (some Grade 1 Listed) and how they have changed since then, its fish ponds and its physic garden. Finally it provides meeting space to local community groups.

[edit] Bradwell Abbey district

The modern Bradwell Abbey district is a relatively small one, sandwiched as it is between the West Coast Main Line to the east, the A5 to the west, Monksway (A422) to the north and Dansteed Way to the south. It includes a small industrial estate and the Loughton Valley flood plain "linear park". The Swans Way long distance path and the Sustrans route 51 follow the valley.

Formally, it is in the Bradwell grid-square, but this square is split into three parts by the railway line (on an embankment) and the A5 (in a cutting).

[edit] Civil Parish

Bradwell Abbey gives its name to its civil parish, between the railway line to the east and V4 Watling Street to the west, H3 Monks Way to the north and H4 Dansteed Way to the south. This had a population of 6,544 according to the 2001 census, and includes the modern Bradwell Abbey district, Two Mile Ash, Stacey Bushes, Wymbush and Kiln Farm areas.