Cluniac Houses in Britain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

All of the English Cluniac Houses which were larger than cells were known as Priories, symbolising their subordinance to the Abbey of Cluny itself. The coming of the eleventh century saw the spread of Cluny's influence into the British Isles. As the head of their order was the Abbot at Cluny all English Cluniacs were bound to cross to France to Cluny to consult or be consulted unless the Abbot chose to come to England: This he did five times in the 13th century, and only twice in the 14th.

• Delapré Abbey (Northampton) - Nunnery
• St Andrews Abbey Northampton
• Barnstable
• Arthington Priory - Nunnery
• Castle Acre Priory
• Wenlock
• Lewes (St Pancras Priory) - the prior of St Pancras at Lewes usually held the position of vicar-general of the Abbot of Cluny for England and Scotland.
• Prittlewell Essex
• Lenton Priory (Nottingham)
• Bermondsey
• Thetford
• Pontefract
• Montacute
• Reading - Independent Cluniac Abbey
• Faversham - Independent Cluniac Abbey
• Glastonbury Abbey - Independent Cluniac Abbey between 1120-1170 under Abbot Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester

In England the Cluniac houses numbered thirty-five at the time of Henry VIII's dissolution.

At this time there were also three houses in Scotland at:

• Paisley Abbey,
• Renfrew and
• Crossraguel Abbey.

In 1056, the first Cluniac nunnery was founded at Marcigny and after this other convents followed including those in the British Isles; the Cluniac nuns were always been greatly outnumbered by their male counterparts.