Timeline - Amesbury History Alliance

A chronological History of Amesbury, Legend and Fact

Entries in black represent occurrences in fact.
Entries in grey represent occurrences in legend that remain unsubstantiated.

The presence of significant features such as Stonehenge, Woodhenge, Durrington Walls and the Iron Age fort known as Vespasian’s Camp indicates human activity here long before the emergence of the settlement that evolved into modern town of Amesbury. This chronology is limited to the Common Era.

c.300

410

460

461

465

c.475

6thC

516?

c.540

875–878

888

910–913?

932

955

979

995

1086

1113

1129

1157

1177

1179

1178 et seq

1186

1189

1223

1231

1241

1256

1226

1231

1233

1246

1256

1275

1285

1286

1291

1315–16

1327

1400

1459–63

1474

1480

1486

1535

1539

1540

1541

1619

1661

1662

1677

1724

1810

1824

1834

1840

1852–3

1859–60

1979

The Roman Invasion of Brittania

Possible first signs of Christianity in the area

Roman Garrisons withdrawn from Britain

British burial in the Convent after the massacre near Stonehenge

Meeting of Vortigern with Hengist (Saxon) near abbey of Ambri

Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded after death of Vortigern (said to have had an abbey of
200 monks).

Arthur born

It is likely that the abbey would have been destroyed in the pagan invasions 6th
Century

Arthur’s Battle of Badon (various locations suggested, particularly near Bath or
Bristol)

Death of Arthur

Death of the Celtic Saint Melor (age 14?)

Melor’s relics taken from Lanmeur to Redon, in Brittany

Will of King Alfred – Amesbury left to his younger son Æthelweard

Relics of St Melor brought to Amesbury

Athelstan dated Charter at Amesbury. The Witan met here.

King Eadred left Amesbury to his mother Eadgifu

Queen Alfrida founded a Benedictine Nunnery at Amesbury

Easter Day: King Ethelred at Amesbury
Elfric chosen Bishop of Wiltshire
Possible Charter in favour of Abbess Heahpled
The Witan met at Amesbury this year

Amesbury’s Abbey held manors in Bulford, Boscombe, Allington (or Alton‑Figheldean)
Choulston and Maddington, Winterbourne Bassett.
Lands also in Berkshire

Mentioned in the Death Roll of Maud, daughter of William the Conqueror

Poverty shown by the pardoning of contributions to Danegeld

Henry II dissolved the Abbey and refounded it as a house of the Order of Fontevrault.
(Papal Bull 15th Sept 1176)
22nd May: new nuns installed by Archbishop of Canterbury in the presence of the King.

Charter of Henry II

Rebuilding of Abbey. Timber from Southampton and Lewes. Lead from Shrewsbury.
£880 spent.

30th November: Nuns installed in restored Abbey in the presence of the King and
the Abbess of Fontevrault.

First mention of male religious in a Charter.

Henry III visits Amesbury.

Royal timber to build infirmary chapel.

Royal timber to repair cloisters and nun’s stalls.

Alpesia – King’s cousin – a Nun.

Eleanor of Brittany (died at Bristol) bequeathed her body to the abbey.

Convent consisted of Prioress and 76 nuns; a Prior, 6 chaplains, a clerk and 16 lay
brethren.

Edward I: makes first visit to Amesbury.

Edward I’s daughter Mary (age 7, died 1332) veiled with 13 noble ladies. Eleanor of
Provence followed a few months later.

King gave money for Obits.

Eleanor died in June. Buried before High Altar in September.

Abbey contained 101 Nuns, also 11 chaplains and clerks, and 6 lay brethren.

Ascension Day: 36 Professed nuns were consecrated by the Bishop of Bath & Wells.
Included Isabel, daughter of Henry, Earl of Lancaster.

14th March: Hooligans imprisoned the Prioress, Sybil Mantague, for several days.

Margaret Lady Hungerford in residence on orders of the Chancellor.
Fire destroyed property to the value of £1000.

Papal indulgence to those who visited Amesbury and the Annunciation and
Invention of the Cross. There was a Lady Chapel with a Crucifix, visited by pilgrims,
eg. Sir Thomas de la Mere.

Office of Prior seems to have been abolished.

Last recorded contact with the Mother House at Fontevrault.

Gross revenue £558.10s.2d, net £482.1s.10d. Abbey second in numbers, fifth in
wealth in the kingdom.

29th March: John Tregonwell and others failed to persuade Florence Bonnewe to
surrender the abbey. She resigned in August. On 4th December Joan Darrell
surrendered the abbey.

Pensions to Joan Darrell and 33 nuns. Payments to 4 priests and 33 servants. Before
22nd April: Buildings given to Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford.

Lands included: Amesbury manor and Rectory; tithes in Ratfyn; rents; sheep pasture;
a fishery; two inns; three mills; a gate house; tolls of St John’s Fair (June 24th?)
Church spire pulled down.

Earliest of church bells – dated 1619.

Lord Hertford’s house rebuilt.

Inigo Jones recorded a stone coffin built into a wall.

Death of John Rose – benefactions to Amesbury.

Charles Duke of Queensberry inherited Abbey estates. John Gay a friend of the
Duchess.

On death of the 4th Duke of Queensberry Amesbury Abbey passed to Lord Douglas.

The Antrobus family purchased the Abbey from the executors of Lord Douglas.
Click here to view Antrobus family timeline

New mansion house built to replace the 1661 house of Inigo Jones’ design.

Building operations exposed paving etc on site of the present abbey mansion.

Transept door and lancet windows inserted in church, and aisle door porch removed.
West end taken down and rebuilt.

Further 13th century foundations exposed at the Abbey.

1000th anniversary of the first recorded founding of the Benedictine House at
Amesbury, celebrated by a programme of public events.

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