Bradwell Abbey: Difference between revisions

Bradwell Abbey
Bradwell Abbey
	Chapel at Bradwell Abbey
	Bradwell Abbey Mapping © OpenStreetMap Bradwell Abbey Location within Buckinghamshire
OS grid reference	SP826395
Civil parish	Bradwell;
Unitary authority	Milton Keynes;
Ceremonial county	Buckinghamshire;
Region	South East;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MILTON KEYNES
Postcode district	MK13
Dialling code	01908
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Buckinghamshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Milton Keynes North;
	List of places UK England Buckinghamshire 52°02′53″N 0°47′41″W / 52.0480°N 0.7947°W

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

Historic Bradwell Priory

The Priory was established around 1154.^[1] It grew during the Middle Ages to become an important local centre, but declined during the Black Death when, amongst others, its prior William of Loughton died.^[1] The Priory was closed in 1524 (some 12 years before the general dissolution of the monasteries) and the site of the monastery and its scanty revenues were granted to Cardinal Wolsey for the endowment of his new college.^[2] All that remains today is a small chapel and a farmhouse that has become a centre for cultural activities and an Urban Studies centre. Many of the medieval trackways converging on the abbey became rights of way and bridleways and subsequently became part of the Milton Keynes redway system (a network of shared paths).

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, the small Bradwell Abbey district includes parkland and industry outside the Abbey grounds.

The Abbey site in total is a Scheduled Monument.^[3] The Chapel of St Mary is a Grade I listed building.^[4] There are a further five Grade II listed buildings or structures on the Abbey grounds.^[5]

Bradwell Abbey today

Today, Bradwell Abbey is home to the Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre (an urban studies centre),^[6] providing a workspace, library and guidance for visiting international town planners and students who wish to study the development of Milton Keynes. It also hosts school visits to see its medieval buildings – the chapel is Grade I listed^[7] – its fish ponds and its physic garden, and how they have changed since then. Finally the Abbey provides meeting space to local community groups.

Togfest

An annual music festival was started on the site in 1999. Performers have included Vikki Clayton in 1999, Joe Driscoll in 2005. In 2009 the festival dates were 26 and 27 June and acts performing included The Swanvesta Social Club.

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, H3 Monks Way (A422) to the north and H4 Dansteed Way to the south. It includes a small industrial estate and the Loughton Valley flood plain "linear park". The Swan's 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).

Civil parish

From 1858 to 2011, "Bradwell Abbey" was also the name of a civil parish stretching from a little west of Watling Street to a little east of the West Coast Main Line (and thus on either side of the (modern) A5).^[8] In 1971 the parish had a population of 11.^[9]

On 1 April 2011, the parish was abolished and divided: the part west of the A5 became Abbey Hill CP; the part east of the A5 and north of the A422 (a tiny part of Stacey Bushes and Bancroft) became part of Wolverton and Greenleys CP; and the remainder, the Abbey site and the adjacent lands east of the A5 and south of the A422, became part of Bradwell CP.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b Markham, Sir Frank (1986) [1973]. History of Milton Keynes and District. White Crescent Press. pp. 105–108. ISBN 0-900804-29-7.
^ 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Bradwell' – Victoria History of the Counties of England, A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 1 (1905), pp. 350–352. Date accessed: 22 September 2009.
^ Historic England (16 June 1948). "Bradwell Abbey: a Benedictine priory, chapel and fishpond (1009540)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
^ Historic England (3 March 1952). "CHAPEL TO NORTH OF BRADWELL ABBEY HOUSE (1125271)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
^ "Search Results for 'Bradwell Abbey'". Historic England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
^ Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre
^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1125271)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
^ "Boundary Map of Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
^ "Population statistics Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
^ "Milton Keynes Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

External links

"The architectural secrets of Milton Keynes" – BBC (with audio content)
Places to go: Bradwell Abbey and City Discovery Centre
The history of Bradwell Abbey – City Discovery Centre. Includes video tour.
Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre (Urban Studies educational centre).
Togfest Music Festival
William Page, ed. (1927). "Parishes : Bradwell". A History of the County of Buckingham. Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol. 4. London: Constable & Co. Ltd. pp. 283–288.

[markham-1] Markham, Sir Frank (1986) [1973]. History of Milton Keynes and District. White Crescent Press. pp. 105–108. ISBN 0-900804-29-7.

[2] 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Bradwell' – Victoria History of the Counties of England, A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 1 (1905), pp. 350–352. Date accessed: 22 September 2009.

[3] Historic England (16 June 1948). "Bradwell Abbey: a Benedictine priory, chapel and fishpond (1009540)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.

[4] Historic England (3 March 1952). "CHAPEL TO NORTH OF BRADWELL ABBEY HOUSE (1125271)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.

[5] "Search Results for 'Bradwell Abbey'". Historic England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.

[6] Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre

[7] Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1125271)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 January 2009.

[8] "Boundary Map of Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

[9] "Population statistics Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

[10] "Milton Keynes Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Historic site in Milton Keynes, England}}
-{{for|the BT telephone exchange called Bradwell Abbey|Fishermead}}
 {{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
 {{Infobox UK place
 |country =                England
 |official_name=           Bradwell Abbey
 |civil_parish=            [[Bradwell, Milton Keynes|Bradwell]]
-|unitary_england=         [[Borough of Milton Keynes|Milton Keynes]]
+|unitary_england=         [[City of Milton Keynes|Milton Keynes]]
 |lieutenancy_england=     [[Buckinghamshire]]
 |region=                  South East England
-|constituency_westminster=[[Milton Keynes South (UK Parliament constituency)|Milton Keynes South]]
+|constituency_westminster=[[Milton Keynes North (UK Parliament constituency)|Milton Keynes North]]
 |post_town=              MILTON KEYNES
 |postcode_area=          MK
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 |archive-url=
 |os_grid_reference=    SP826395
-|coordinates = {{coord|52.047752|-0.794656|display=inline,title}}
+|coordinates = {{coord|52.0480|-0.7947|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
 |static_image_name=Bradwell abbey chapel 0494.JPG
 |static_image_caption= Chapel at Bradwell Abbey
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 |pushpin_map_caption=Mapping © [[OpenStreetMap]]
 }}
-'''Bradwell Abbey''' or '''Bradwell Priory''' is a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]], urban studies site, district and former [[civil parish]] in [[Milton Keynes]], [[Buckinghamshire]], England. The site was once the location of a [[Benedictine]] [[priory]], founded in 1155.
+'''Bradwell Abbey''' or '''Bradwell Priory''' is a [[scheduled monument]], urban studies site, district and former [[civil parish]] in [[Milton Keynes]], [[Buckinghamshire]], England. The site was once the location of a [[Benedictine]] [[priory]], founded in 1155.
 ==Historic Bradwell Priory==
-The Priory was established around 1154.<ref name="markham">{{cite book| title=History of Milton Keynes and District |first=Sir Frank |last=Markham |year=1986 |origyear=1973 |isbn=0-900804-29-7 |pages=105–108 |publisher=White Crescent Press}}</ref> It grew during the [[Middle Ages]] to become an important local centre, but declined during the [[Black Death]] when, amongst others, its prior William of Loughton died.<ref name="markham" /> The Priory was closed in 1524 (some 12 years before the general [[dissolution of the monasteries]]) and the site of the monastery and its scanty revenues were granted to [[Thomas Wolsey|Cardinal Wolsey]] for the endowment of [[Christ Church, Oxford#History|his new college]].<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40304 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Bradwell'] – [[Victoria History of the Counties of England]], A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 1 (1905), pp. 350–352.  Date accessed: 22 September 2009.</ref> All that remains today is a small chapel and a farmhouse that has become a centre for cultural activities and an Urban Studies centre.  The medieval trackways converging on the abbey can still be seen in the rights of way and bridleways that have become [[Milton Keynes redway system|"redways"]] (leisure routes for cycling and walking).
+The Priory was established around 1154.<ref name="markham">{{cite book| title=History of Milton Keynes and District |first=Sir Frank |last=Markham |year=1986 |orig-year=1973 |isbn=0-900804-29-7 |pages=105–108 |publisher=White Crescent Press}}</ref> It grew during the [[Middle Ages]] to become an important local centre, but declined during the [[Black Death]] when, amongst others, its prior William of Loughton died.<ref name="markham" /> The Priory was closed in 1524 (some 12 years before the general [[dissolution of the monasteries]]) and the site of the monastery and its scanty revenues were granted to [[Thomas Wolsey|Cardinal Wolsey]] for the endowment of [[Christ Church, Oxford#History|his new college]].<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40304 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Bradwell'] – [[Victoria History of the Counties of England]], A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 1 (1905), pp. 350–352.  Date accessed: 22 September 2009.</ref> All that remains today is a small chapel and a farmhouse that has become a centre for cultural activities and an Urban Studies centre.  Many of the medieval trackways converging on the abbey became [[Right of way (transit)|rights of way]] and [[bridleway]]s and subsequently became part of the [[Milton Keynes redway system]] (a network of [[shared path]]s).
-The arrival of the [[West Coast Main Line]] railway split the Abbey lands, with [[Bradwell, Milton Keynes|Bradwell village]] to the east of the line and the Abbey to the west. Today, the small Bradwell Abbey district includes parkland and industry in its own right, and gives its name to the larger [[civil parish]] that includes it.
+The arrival of the [[West Coast Main Line]] railway split the Abbey lands, with [[Bradwell, Milton Keynes|Bradwell village]] to the east of the line and the Abbey to the west. Today, the small Bradwell Abbey district includes parkland and industry outside the Abbey grounds.
+The Abbey site in total is a Scheduled Monument.<ref>{{NHLE| num= 1009540 | desc= Bradwell Abbey: a Benedictine priory, chapel and fishpond | date= 16 June 1948 | accessdate= 28 February 2022}}</ref> The Chapel of St Mary is a Grade I listed building.<ref>{{NHLE| num= 1125271 | desc= CHAPEL TO NORTH OF BRADWELL ABBEY HOUSE | date= 3 March 1952 | accessdate= 28 February 2022}}</ref> There are a further five Grade II listed buildings or structures on the Abbey grounds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Search Results for 'Bradwell Abbey' |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/results/?searchType=NHLE+Simple&search=Bradwell+Abbey | website=Historic England |access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref>
 ==Bradwell Abbey today==
-Today, Bradwell Abbey is an Urban Studies Centre (the [http://www.mkcdc.org.uk/ 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 – the chapel is Grade I listed<ref>{{IoE|45807|accessdate=6 January 2009}}</ref> – and how they have changed since then, its fish ponds and its physic garden. Finally it provides meeting space to local community groups.
+Today, Bradwell Abbey is home to the '''Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre''' (an [[urban studies]] centre),<ref>[http://www.mkcdc.org.uk/ Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre]</ref> providing a workspace, library and guidance for visiting international town planners and students who wish to study the [[History of Milton Keynes#Plan for Milton Keynes|development of Milton Keynes]]. It also hosts school visits to see its medieval buildings – the chapel is Grade I listed<ref>{{NHLE |num=1125271 |access-date=6 January 2009}}</ref> – its fish ponds and its [[physic garden]], and how they have changed since then. Finally the Abbey provides meeting space to local community groups.
 ==Togfest==
@@ Line 40: / Line 42: @@
 ==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 road (Great Britain)|A5]] to the west, Monksway ([[A422 road|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 [[Swan's Way (footpath)|Swan's Way]] long distance path and the [[Sustrans]] route 51 follow the valley.
+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 road (Great Britain)|A5]] to the west, H3 Monks Way ([[A422 road|A422]]) to the north and H4 Dansteed Way to the south. It includes a small industrial estate and the Loughton Valley flood plain "linear park". The [[Swan's Way (footpath)|Swan's 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).
-==Civil Parish==
+==Civil parish==
+From 1858 to 2011, "Bradwell Abbey" was also the name of a civil parish stretching from a little west of [[Watling Street]] to a little east of the [[West Coast Main Line]] (and thus on either side of the (modern) [[A5 road|A5]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10176591/boundary|title=Boundary Map of Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=15 May 2024}}</ref> In 1971 the parish had a population of 11.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10176591/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Bradwell Abbey CP/ExP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=15 May 2024}}</ref>
+On 1 April 2011, the parish was abolished and divided: the part west of the A5 became [[Abbey Hill]] CP; the part east of the A5 and north of the [[A422 road|A422]] (a tiny part of Stacey Bushes and Bancroft) became part of [[Wolverton and Greenleys]] CP; and the remainder, the Abbey site and the adjacent lands east of the A5 and south of the A422, became part of [[Bradwell, Milton Keynes#Civil parish|Bradwell CP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/milton%20keynes.html|title=Milton Keynes Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=15 May 2024}}</ref>
-Bradwell Abbey formerly gaves its name to a civil parish on the other side of the [[West Coast Main Line]] railway line. This parish has been renamed as  [[Abbey Hill (Milton Keynes)|Abbey Hill]].
 ==See also==
@@ Line 61: / Line 64: @@
 *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2007/05/30/hwbb_milton_keynes_feature.shtml "The architectural secrets of Milton Keynes"] – [[BBC]] (with audio content)
 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050905212252/http://www.mkweb.co.uk/Places_to_visit/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=391 Places to go: Bradwell Abbey and City Discovery Centre]
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091101131647/http://www.mkcdc.org.uk/bradwell.htm The history of Bradwell Abbey] – City Discovery Centre
+*[https://www.mkcdc.org.uk/abbey-timeline The history of Bradwell Abbey]  – City Discovery Centre. Includes video tour.
+*[https://www.mkcdc.org.uk/ Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre] (Urban Studies educational centre).
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110911033148/http://www.bradwellabbey.org.uk/ Bradwell Abbey Parish Council]
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130122103354/http://www.mkcdc.org.uk/ Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre] (Urban Studies educational centre).
 *[http://www.togfest.org Togfest Music Festival]
-*[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62585 'Parishes : Bradwell'] – [[Victoria History of the Counties of England]], A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 4 (1927), pp.&nbsp;283–288. (includes Bradwell Abbey and a history of its parish).
+*{{cite book|chapter-url= https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol4/pp283-288 |chapter = Parishes : Bradwell | series = [[Victoria History of the Counties of England]] | title= A History of the County of Buckingham |volume= 4 |date= 1927 |pages = 283–288  |editor= William Page |publisher= [[Constable & Robinson|Constable & Co. Ltd.]] | location = London }}
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091101131647/http://www.mkcdc.org.uk/bradwell.htm A short video tour of the Abbey today and a virtual tour of the Abbey in its heyday]{{spaced ndash}} Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre
 {{Benedictine houses of England and Wales}}
@@ Line 73: / Line 74: @@
 [[Category:Former civil parishes in Buckinghamshire]]
 [[Category:Monasteries in Buckinghamshire]]
-[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Buckinghamshire]]
+[[Category:Scheduled monuments in Buckinghamshire]]
 [[Category:1150s establishments in England]]
 [[Category:1524 disestablishments in England]]

v t e Benedictine abbeys and priories in medieval England and Wales
Independent houses	Abbotsbury Abergavenny Abingdon Alcester Athelney Bardney Bath Battle Bedford Birkenhead Bradwell Brewood (Black Ladies) Buckfast Burton Bury St Edmunds Canterbury (Christ Church) Canterbury (St Augustine's) Canwell Cerne Chertsey Chester Cholsey Colchester Coventry Crowland Durham Ely Evesham Eynsham Farewell Priory Faversham Glastonbury Gloucester Humberston Luffield Malmesbury Milton Monk Bretton Muchelney Molycourt Norwich (Holy Trinity) Pershore Peterborough Ramsey Reading Repton Rochester St Albans St Benet of Hulme Sandwell Selby Sherborne Shrewsbury Snelshall Tavistock Tewkesbury Thorney Upholland Walden Westminster Whitby Winchcombe Winchester (New Minster) Winchester (St Swithun) Worcester York (St Mary's)
Dependent houses	Aldeby Alkborough Alcester Alvecote Beadlow Bedemans Berg Belvoir Binham Breedon Brecon Bristol Bromfield Cardiff Cardigan Cranborne Darenth Deeping Dover Dunster Earls Colne Ewenny Ewyas Harold Exeter Farne Felixstowe Finchale Freiston Great Malvern Hatfield Peverel Henes (Sandtoft) Hereford Hertford Holy Island Horton Hoxne Hurley Jarrow Kidwelly Kilpeck King's Mead Kings Lynn Lammana Langley Leominster Leonard Stanley Lincoln Little Malvern Littlemore Lytham Middlesbrough Monkwearmouth Morville Norwich (St Leonard's) Oxford (of Canterbury) Oxford (of Durham) Oxford (of Gloucester) Penwortham Pilton Redbourne Richmond Rumburgh St Bees St Ives Scilly Snaith Snape Stamford Studley (Oxfordshire) Studley (Warwickshire) Tickhill Tynemouth Wallingford Westbury-on-Trym Wetheral Wymondham Yarmouth
Alien priories	Allerton Mauleverer Andover Andwell Appuldurcombe Arundel Astley Aston Priors Atherington Avebury Axmouth Blyth Boxgrove Brimpsfield Burstall Burwell Caldy Carisbrooke Chepstow Clatford Cogges Corsham Covenham Cowick Creeting (St. Mary) Creeting (St. Olave) Debden Deerhurst Dunwich Ecclesfield Edith Weston Ellingham Everdon Eye Folkestone Frampton Goldcliff Grovebury Hamble Harmondsworth Hatfield Regis Haugham Hayling Headley Hinckley Holbeck Horsham St Faith Horsley Lancaster Lapley Lewisham Isleham Livers Ocle Llangennith Llangua Loders Minster Minster Lovell Minting Modbury Monks Kirby Monk Sherborne (Pamber) Monmouth Newent Ogbourne Otterton Panfield Pembroke Pill Ruislip Runcton St Cross St Dogmells St Michael's Mount St Neots Sele Spalding Sporle Standon Steventon Stogursey Stoke-by-Clare Stratfield Saye Swavesey Takeley Throwley Tickford Titley Toft Monks Totnes Tutbury Tywardreath Upavon Ware Wareham Warminghurst Warmington Wath Weedon Beck Weedon Lois West Mersea Wilsford Wing Winghale Wolston Wootton Wawen York (Holy Trinity)