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Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Lady Chapel
© David Venables (view gallery)
An interior shot of the Lady Chapel in Tewkesbury Abbey

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Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin
© David James (view gallery)
Built to house Benedictine monks, the Norman abbey was near completion when consecrated in 1121. Embellishments to the long nave roof and the apsidal chancel were made in the first half of the 14th century in the Decorated style. After the dissolution in 1540, the Abbey Church was sold to the parishioners for £453. The architectural historian Pevsner considered that the abbey has

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Tewkesbury Abbeys norman tower
© poe (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
The present building was started around 1090 but it is believed that before that, it was the site of a saxon abbey founded around the year AD 715

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© David Venables (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey,Gloucestershire
© Hinrich Buskohl (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© Samantha Winters (view gallery)

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Church Street in Tewkesbury
© poe (view gallery)
A view of the high Norman tower of the abbey. Notice the old hat shop sign on the right of this picture.

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
© Karah Defender (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewksbury Abbey
© Graham John Willetts (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey's norman tower stands 132ft high and is the highest Norman tower in England!
© poe (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Altar Candle
© Graham John Willetts (view gallery)
Tewksbury

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The giant Norman Towers inside Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
© Hinrich Buskohl (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewksbury Abbey
© Graham John Willetts (view gallery)

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Inside Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
For over 400 years since it's foundation, the great abbey of Tewkesbury under the patronage of the greatest families in the land, had been amassing enormous wealth until it had become one of the richest in England. In the year before it's dissolution in 1539, it's revenues were over �300,000 in todays money. The abbey was finally surrendered to the kings commissioners on 9th January 1540. It's possesions which were listed on 74 sheets of parchment were seized by the crown, and it's great Lady Chapel and monastic buildings were ordered to be dissmantled by the commissioners. The monks of the abbey were granted small pensions, and the last abbot, John Wakeman aquired forthampton court just north of Tewkesbury.The King also created him the first Bishop of the new see of Gloucester. His memorial, the Wakeman Cenotaph, can be seen at the abbey today. It depicts the Cadaver of a monk covered in vermin, with snakes, rats, snail and the like, all feasting on his rotting corpse! It is a memento mori - a reminder of death.

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
© Hinrich Buskohl (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Inside Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)

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Abbey
© Frank Smith (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Grounds, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury: transept
© David James (view gallery)
Built to house Benedictine monks, the Norman abbey was near completion when consecrated in 1121. Embellishments to the long nave roof and the apsidal chancel were made in the first half of the 14th century in the Decorated style. After the dissolution in 1540, the Abbey Church was sold to the parishioners for £453. The architectural historian Pevsner considered that the abbey has

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The Kneeling Knight
© poe (view gallery)
The Kneeling Knight is an effigy of Lord Edward despenser in full armour and at prayer. Lord of the manor of Tewkesbury and Knight of the Garter, he lived in Tewkesbury from 1358 until his death in 1375. His figure is facing the high altar on top of the chantry chapel of the Holy Trinity which he had built.

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Abbey Tower
© Frank Smith (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury: the rood screen
© David James (view gallery)
Built to house Benedictine monks, the Norman abbey was near completion when consecrated in 1121. Embellishments to the long nave roof and the apsidal chancel were made in the first half of the 14th century in the Decorated style. After the dissolution in 1540, the Abbey Church was sold to the parishioners for £453. The architectural historian Pevsner considered that the abbey has

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Inside Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
After the suppression of the monastry, the good folk of Tewkesbury who had been accustomed to using the western part of the nave for worship, got together and approached King Henry VIII through his commissioners and petitioned him for permission to purchase the whole of the Abbey to use as their Parish Church. The King agreed to let them have it but they were charged �453 which covered the cost of the lead on the roof and the metal of the bells. This was a considerable sum of money in those days and took the people of Tewkesbury 2 years to raise, but they did it, and it is thanks to them that the abbey still stands for us to enjoy and use today. The crown seized all the abbey lands and endowments.

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Abbey Tower
© Frank Smith (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey & St Mary's Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Abbey Church of St Mary, Tewkesbury: the pulpit
© David James (view gallery)
Built to house Benedictine monks, the Norman abbey was near completion when consecrated in 1121. After the dissolution in 1540, the Abbey Church was sold to the parishioners for £453.

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)

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Gate to Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
Although at present day we see the abbey in its serene enviroment, isolated by its churchyards and lawns, it was at one time the centre of a huddle of buildings hemming it in from all sides.

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Tewkesbury Abbey Cemetary, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Interior of Tewksbury Abbey
© David Venables (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Cemetary, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tomb inside Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
It is believed that Tewkesbury Abbey, with the exception of Westminster Abbey, contains more medieval tombs than any other church in Britain. Resting within its tombs are Abbot Alan, the former Prior of Canterbury, who became Abbot of Tewkesbury after the murder of Thomas Becket. Edward of Lancaster -Prince of Wales, and George the Duke of Clarence, who drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine according to William Shakespeare.

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Snow over Tewkesbury Abbey
© Danielle Tipton (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Milton organ at Tewkesbury Abbey
© poe (view gallery)
The famous Milton Organ inside Tewkesbury Abbey. The oldest Standing Milton organ in England that is in daily use.

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Tree in the Abbey Grounds, surrounded by Bluebells
© Danielle Tipton (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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The Tewkesbury Abbey Choir
© poe (view gallery)

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In the grounds of Tewkesbury Abbey
© Danielle Tipton (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© Jan Vanhentenrijck (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© Danielle Tipton (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewksbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
© Karah Defender (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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A street in Tewkesbury
© poe (view gallery)
The top of the abbey visible over the top of the famous Tewkesbury Abbey Cottages

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
© Karah Defender (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey Interior, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
© Lauren Daniells (view gallery)

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Tewkesbury Abbey
© Dave Kemp (view gallery)
The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, (commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey), in the English county of Gloucestershire, is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery. It is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Britain and has probably the largest Romanesque crossing tower in Europe.

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A Slideshow of Tewkesbury Abbey, a Historic Building in the town of Tewkesbury, in the county of Gloucestershire

Click here to view fullscreen. Click an image to exit slideshow.

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