Flaxley Abbey is a former

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

in England, now a

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

English country house image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...

and private residence, near the village of Flaxley in the

Forest of Dean The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the Counties of England, county of Gloucestershire, England. It forms a roughly triangle, triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and no ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

. It is the former seat of the Crawley-Boevey Baronets.

History

Foundation and background

Flaxley Abbey was founded in 1151 by Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford as a Cistercian monastery. It was allegedly founded on the spot where his father, Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, was killed while hunting in the Forest of Dean in 1143. The monks who built the abbey came from Bordesley Abbey founded in Worcestershire in 1138. In the late 12th century, it was noted that Pope Celestine III and

Pope Alexander III Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181. A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a Papal election, ...

granted the monks of Flaxley Abbey special immunity from tithes. The monastery came under royal protection during the reign of King Henry II and was used as a royal hunting quarters. In 1227 King Henry III gave a grant to Flaxley Abbey to the woods, called Abbot's Woods. King Edward III, who paid frequent visits to Flaxley Abbey, granted to Flaxley Abbey income from the rents and profits of the lands of the

in 1353.The cartulary and historical notes of the Cistercian abbey of Flaxley.

Dissolution

Flaxley Abbey was eventually dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries on 4 September 1536. On 21 March 1537 the abbey and its lands were granted to Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London during much of the reign of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

, who superintended the execution of Queen Anne Boleyn. During this time the west and south wings of the abbey were converted into a

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were usually held the lord's manorial courts, communal mea ...

The Crawley-Boevey family

Flaxley Abbey was purchased in 1648 by the London merchant, lawyer and philosopher James Boevey (1622–1696), with his half-brother William. It subsequently passed to Catherina Boevey, following her brief marriage to William Boevey (James Boevey's son). She bequeathed the house to Thomas Crawley (later styled Crawley-Boevey) on her death in 1727.'Flaxley'
''A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 5: Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, The Forest of Dean'' (1996), pp. 138-150. Date accessed: 16 October 2010. The family succeeded by special remainder to the Crawley-Boevey baronetcy (created in 1784 for Sir Charles Barrow, 1st Baronet who died 1789). During this time the house was substantially rebuilt by the designs of architect Anthony Keck. As baronets the manor and the estate continued to pass down from father to eldest son. Flaxley Abbey remained as the family home until 1960.

Gardens and landscape

After the death of William Boevey, his wife Catherina Boevey completed Dutch-style gardens on the grounds of Flaxley Abbey. It is said that Maynard I Colchester, a close friend of Catherina, was influenced by her own canal gardens for his

Westbury Court Garden Westbury Court Garden is a Dutch garden, Dutch water garden in Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, England, southwest of Gloucester. It is a rare survival of seventeenth century garden design and was initially laid out by the owner of Westbury ...

. The layout of the gardens and improvements to Flaxley Abbey were continued by her after her husband's death. However, due to the modification of the land, the Dutch-style gardens at Flaxley Abbey were eventually removed. Between 1962 and 1963 a new modern style garden as well as the manor's interior were redesigned by Oliver Messel.

Notable visitors

* King John I of England ''Itinerary of King John''. *

Henry III of England Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of John, King of England, King John and Isabella of Ang ...

* King Edward III * Queen Mary of England (Teck) in 1945.

Notable residents

* Matilda Blanche Crawley-Boevey, wife of Victorian businessman William Gibbs of Tyntesfield and daughter of Sir Thomas Crawley-Boevey, 3rd Baronet. * Arthur William Crawley-Boevey, author, Acting Chief Presidency Magistrate of Bombay, married a daughter of Colonel Robert Phayre in 1883. Service in India from 1868 to 1893. Author of ''The Cartulary and Historical Notes of the Cistercian Abbey of Flaxley'' (1887). Son of Sir Martin Hyde Crawley-Boevey, 4th Baronet. * Sybella Mary Crawley-Boevey, author of ''Dene Forest Sketches'' (1888), ''Beyond Cloudland'' (1888) and ''Conscience Makes the Martyr'' (1894). Daughter of the 4th Baronet.

References

External links

at parksandgardens.ac.uk

photos of Flaxley Abbey and surrounding area on geograph

Flaxley Abbey on Pinterest
{{Monasteries in Gloucestershire , state=expanded Country houses in Gloucestershire Grade I listed buildings in Gloucestershire Grade I listed houses Grade I listed monasteries Monasteries in Gloucestershire Cistercian monasteries in England 1151 establishments in England 1530s disestablishments in England Forest of Dean