THE P RTAL
September 2016 Page 23
Muchelney never was a large foundation . In 995 King Ethelred speaks of it as a little monastery . William of Malmesbury ’ s history of Glastonbury Abbey mentions Muchelney and Athelney seeking protection under the more powerful monastery of Glastonbury .
Although the house was under the Rule of Saint Benedict , in 1335 Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury wrote to the abbot concerning his recent visitation . He complains that the monks lived in luxury and enjoyed private privileges which were quite unauthorised . “ They were not content with the simple cubicles in the dormitory but had made themselves larger beds in the form of tabernacles , which were too ornate and richly covered .
They were in the habit of leaving the convent without permission and rode on horseback through the country , and some were wont to take their meals in private and not as they should , in common with the others in the refectory . Secular men , women and girls were allowed in the cloister area . In the refectory , the utensils were far too costly and good for the simple life that should be lived there . All this was to be corrected by the festival of St Michael .
He forbade the monks to leave the precincts of the abbey unless they had obtained the abbot ’ s permission and , if the abbot was absent , they must obtain the licence of the prior . This licence was to be granted only for very good reasons .” Efforts at reform raised opposition from the monks . They had been accustomed to the easy life , and resented being called to order . monks took part in the election of William Wyke as abbot .
At the time of the Dissolution there seem to have been eight monks in addition to the abbot and prior . The election of the last abbot reveals the disgraceful pressure that was put upon the monastery by the ministers of the Crown , and the extraordinary dishonesty that existed among them .
On 3 January 1538 , the monastery was visited by Thomas Legh : ‘ I found the abbot negligent and of doubtful character ; and ten brethren which all war ignorant and unlernyd and in manor no servauntes maynteynyd or hospitalite kept and after examynation withe theym had they all subscrybid to the instrument of their submyssion and surrender and sealyd the same withe their common seale and delivered the same as their acte to me to thuse and pleasure of our soverayne lord the kyng , etc .’
The surrender was made in the presence of Sir Thomas Speke , John Sidenham , William Wittcombe , Nicholas Seger , John Southwood , John Crosse , Thomas Philippes , and Robert Warmington , who seem to have sat as a commission of inquiry for two days previously and had arranged for the surrender before Legh arrived .
The deed of surrender is no longer in existence , but in Cardinal Pole ’ s pension list George Moore and John Plumber are entered as in receipt of pensions of £ 3 a year . The abbey and its site were granted to the Earl of Hertford in the spring of that year .
The Parish church stands next to the Abbey and is worthy of a visit itself . The Abbey is in the care of English Heritage .
You can find out more about Muchelney Abbey at : www . english-heritage . org . uk / visit / places / muchelney-abbey
The monastery was visited by the Great Pestilence , but during the 15th century we know very little of its history . Early in the century there seems to have been a rebuilding of the monastic church , and probably of the greater part of the monastic buildings . In the middle of that century , there were thirteen monks present at the election of Thomas Pipe in 1463 , and in 1489 fifteen