Waltham Abbey

In the civil parish of Waltham Abbey. In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

King Cnut founded a church with two priests here. In 1060 Harold Godwineson refounded the church as a secular college, and was later buried behind the altar there. In 1177 the college was reconstituted as an Augustinian priory and designated an Abbey in 1184. The Abbey was dissolved in 1540, the last abbey to be surrendered, on March 23rd. Of the abbey, only the Norman nave of the church remains. The presbytery, transepts and crossing were demolished soon after the Dissolution. The cloister adjoined the presbytery to the North with the frater occupying the North part of the range. A gatehouse, bridge and fishponds are all that remain of the domestic buildings, (see TL30SE 74,75,79,128, 132 and 133 for associated buildings and structures.) A hospital was also built within the precincts circa 1218. Licence to crenellate granted in 1369.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 117609; 117608; 117610; 117612; 117611)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL38270066

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 367309; 621472; 621474; 621483; 977434; 983876
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 34067 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Books
  • Greene, J.Patrick, 1992, Medieval Monasteries p95
    Eddy, M.R. and Petchey, M.R., 1983, Historic towns in Essex: an archaeological survey 4 p88-91
    Knowles, David and Hadcock, R. Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longmans) p144, 178
    RCHME, 1921, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex Vol2 [central and south-west] p237-45
    Page, Wm, Round, J.H. (eds), 1907, 'Houses of Austin canons: Abbey of Waltham Holy Cross' VCH Essex Vol2 p166-72 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=39852
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p243-9
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p417
• Journal Articles
  • Bascombe, K.N., 1986 Nov, Waltham Abbey Historical Society newsletter p1-4
    Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Huggins, P.J. and Huggins, R.M., 1973, Essex Archaeological Society transactions [ser3] Vol5 p127-84
    Huggins, P.J., 1972, 'Monastic Grange and Outer Close Excavations, Waltham Abbey' Essex Archaeological Society transactions [ser3] Vol4 p30-127
    Huggins, P.J., 1970, Essex Archaeological Society transactions [ser3] Vol2 p216-267
    1970, Medieval Arcvhaeology Vol14 p126-47
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1364-67) p309
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1367-70) p245