The Abbot of Glastonbury was the head (or abbot) of the Anglo-Saxon and eventually Benedictine house of Glastonbury Abbey at Glastonbury in Somerset, England.
The following is a list of abbots of Glastonbury:
Name | Dates | Works | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
St Benignus | ?458–469 | (reputed) | |
'Worgret' | c.601–? | ||
'Lademund' | c.663–c.667 | ||
'Bregored' | c.667 | ||
Berhtwald | c.667–676/7 | Archbishop of Canterbury 693–731 | |
Haemgils | 676/7–701/2 | ||
Beorhtwald | 701/2–709/10 | ||
Ealdberht | 709/10–718/9 | Church of SS Peter & Paul built by King Ine | |
Ecgfrith | 718/19–? | ||
Walhstod | 729 | (rejected by some sources) | |
Coengils | ?–737 | ||
Tunberht | 737–? | ||
Tyccea | 754–760 | ||
Guba | 760–762 | ||
Wealdhun | 762–794 | ||
Beaduwulf | 794–800 | ||
Muca | 802–824 | ||
Guthlac | 824–851 | ||
Ealhmund | 851–867 | ||
Hereferth | 867–891 | (now thought probably to come before Ealhmund) | |
Stithheard | 891–922 | ||
Aldhun | 922–? | ||
Cuthred | |||
Ælfric? | |||
Ecgwulf | |||
St Dunstan | 940–957+ | Lengthened Ine's church and added a tower. Raised the level of the cemetery and constructed various monastic buildings. | later Archbishop of Canterbury [1] [2] |
?Ælfric | occurs after Dunstan in some lists [2] | (probably spurious) [3] | |
Ælfstan | occurs in some lists after Ælfric | (probably spurious) [3] | |
Sigar | c.970–975(?) [2] | later Bishop of Wells 975–997 [2] | |
Ælfweard | c.975–1009 [2] [3] | ||
Brihtred (Beorhtred) | 1009–? [3] | ||
Brihtwig ( Brihtwine) | c. 1017–1024 [3] | later Bishop of Wells [3] | |
Æthelweard (Aegelweard) | c.1024–1053 [2] | ||
Æthelnoth | 1053–1078 [3] | deposed by Lanfranc [2] | |
Thurstan | c.1077–after 1096 [2] | Began a new church | 1091. Translation of relics of St Benignus from Meare |
Herluin | 1100–1118 [2] | Rebuilt Thurstan's church on a grander scale | |
Seffrid Pelochin | 1120/1–1125 [2] | Bishop of Chichester from 1125 to 1145 | |
Henry of Blois | 1126–1171 [2] | Built a bell tower, chapter house, cloister, lavatory, refectory, dormitory, infirmary, the 'castellum', an outer gate, a brewery and stables | also Bishop of Winchester from 1129 [1] |
Robert of Winchester | 1173–1180 [2] | Built a chamber and chapel | previously Prior of Winchester [2] |
Peter de Marcy | 1186. New St Mary's Chapel consecrated. Work on Great Church begun. | 1184 (25 May). Great Fire | |
Henry de Sully | 1189–1193 [2] | supposed tomb of
King Arthur and Queen
Guinevere discovered in the cemetery c. 1190
[1] Later Bishop of Worcester 1193–1195 [2] | |
Savaric FitzGeldewin | 1193–1205 [2] | also Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury | |
(Master William Pica) | (1198–1200) | (elected 1198 but election quashed 1200) [2] | |
Jocelin of Wells | 1206–1219 [4] | also Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury from 1206 to 1242 | |
William of St Vigor | 1219–1223 [4] | ||
Robert of Bath | 1223–1235 [4] | Deposed 29 March 1235 [4] | |
Michael of Amesbury | 1235–c.1252 [4] | Carried work on the choir forward | |
Roger of Ford | 1252–1261 [4] | died 2 October 1261, buried at Westminster [4] | |
Robert of Petherton | 1261–1274 [4] | Built abbot's chamber | died 31 March 1274 [4] |
John of Taunton | 1274–1291 [4] | Choir completed; west end of nave and galilee built. King Arthur's remains transferred to new tomb 1278. | died 7 October 1291 [4] |
John of Kent | 1291–1303 [4] | ||
Geoffrey Fromond | 1303–1322 [4] | Spent £1,000 on buildings: completed various parts of the Great Church | |
Walter of Taunton | 1322–1323 [4] | Built pulpitum at west end of choir | died 23 January 1323 [4] |
Adam of Sodbury | 1323–1334 [4] | Completed vaulting of nave of Great Church; worked on great hall and built a new chapel on the Tor | Concealed Hugh le Despenser and Robert Baldock, Lord Chancellor at the end of Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer's Overthrow of Edward II in 1326 [5] |
John of Breynton | 1334–1342 [4] | Completed abbot's great hall and worked on various other related buildings including prior's hall | |
Walter de Monington | 1342–1375 [4] | Extended choir by 40 feet, adding 2 bays. Completed abbot's chapel and infirmary. King Arthur's tomb transferred 1368. | |
John Chinnock (John Chynnock) | 1375–1420 [4] | 1382. Restored chapel and rededicated it to SS Michael & Joseph; rebuilt cloisters, erected or repaired the dormitory and fratry. | |
Nicholas Frome | 1420–1456 | Finished chapter house, rebuilt misericord house and great chamber; constructed bishop's quarters and a wall around abbey precincts. Probably responsible for the abbot's kitchen. | |
John Selwood | 1456–1493 | Built parish church of St John Baptist. Erected pilgrims' inn. | |
Richard Beere | 1493–1524 | Began Edgar Chapel; built crypt under Lady Chapel and dedicated it to St Joseph; built a chapel of the Holy Sepulchre at south end of nave; built the Loretto chapel; added vaulting under central tower and flying buttresses at east end of choir; built St Benignus' Church and rebuilt Tribunal | |
Richard Whiting | 1525–1539 | Completed Edgar Chapel | Hanged on Glastonbury Tor, 15 November 1539. |