The rise and fall of a wondrous abbey

The rise and fall of a wondrous abbey. . The 1300-year story of Evesham Abbey starts with the legend of a swineherd. Growing from humble beginnings to become one of the most important and wealthiest abbeys in Britain, equal to Gloucester Cathedral, only to be destroyed. How did this happen?, Legend has it that Eof the swineherd saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. This led to Bishop Egwin founding an abbey at the site of the miracle in 702 AD. The abbey became known for miracles and remained a site for pilgrimage until its destruction., Pilgrims provided important funds for the abbey, and there were also powerful patrons, including the Anglo-Saxon Lady Godiva. Best known for the legend of her naked ride through the streets of Coventry, she gifted a new church to Evesham Abbey., The abbey grew: over 800 years, buildings were enlarged, enriched and embellished until it was one of the wealthiest in the country. What a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight it must have been., The end came on 30 January 1540. King Henry VIII ordered the closure, or dissolution, of all monasteries in the country. His men arrived at the abbey during vespers and ordered the monks out. They were never allowed back. The abbey's wealth passed to the Crown., Destruction and renewal , Following the dissolution, buildings were demolished. Little survived of the abbey, other than the bell tower, Almonry, remnants of the wall and the cloister arch that you have just walked through. The ruins provided stone for local builders and were bought by towns folk. Look at local houses and you may find some relics from the abbey., In 1664 the Rudge family acquired the site and carried out early archaeological work. They transferred ownership to the Evesham Abbey Trust in 2017. What a wonderful gift to the town., Secrets beneath the surface , Extensive and private archaeological excavations have revealed coffins, skeletons and other tantalising finds. Many artifacts and relics from the early digs can be found in the Almonry Museum.