The collections have been accumulated by the faversham society over more than 50 years, mostly through donations from the public, but also through targeted acquisitions and occasional purchases. Faversham is half way between canterbury and sittingbourne. It is fully related in hollingsheds chronicle, in lewiss faversham, and in jacobs history of faversham, from the wardmorebook. He is currently engaged in publishing the faversham abbey leiger book. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building. The site was just to the north east of the town, where the playing fields of the. Faversham, whose maritime development is the subject of this study, was extremely fortunate in having an 18thcentury historian of jacobs stature to write comprehensively on the town. A history of the abbies and other monasteries, hospitals. Faversham abbey was a benedictine monastery, founded around 1147 by king stephen and queen matilda, who were both buried there. Faversham abbey was a cluniac style monastery immediately to the northeast of the town of. Within the site was a brewhouse, which produced ale for the monks. Faversham is an unspoilt, picturesque market town waiting to be discovered. It was founded about 1147 by king stephen and his queen matilda.
Faversham developed beside the creek which runs through the heart of our town. Faversham is a town located in kent, in the district of swale, united kingdom. A key to drawing is in details of the abbey, below. It was recorded in the domesday book as favreshant. Benedictine monks follow the rules written by st benedict in the early sixth century 535540 for his monastic foundation at monte cassino. The parish of this town includes a very old sea port as well as an ancient market town around 48 miles east of london. The town has regularly throughout its history obtained curious royal privileges and charters. On 2 april 1916, 108 people died in a blast at a munitions factory at uplees, near the market town of faversham in kent. They also aided extraction of vital ores and minerals from mines. Faversham abbey was founded in 1148 by king stephen and queen matilda. After the dissolution, the abbey belonged to the diggs family and later the sondes who held abbey farm until recently when it was sold to wadham college oxford. Medieval faversham by canterbury christ church university. Visit faversham tourist information for faversham, kent.
The collection has grown to around 40,000 objects and archival items and now represents the largest and most significant collection of material culture in the borough of. Faversham abbey minor barn, faversham 1060996 historic. The historical development of the port of faversham, kent. Faversham st mary of charity is an ancient parish in the market town of faversham. Founded with the amalgamation of ethelbert road boys school and lady capel school for girls in 1983, the school consists of 1056 pupils from the ages of 1119. Well known for its later gunpowder industry and the famous shepherd neame brewery, favershams earlier medieval history also reveals it to have been an important religious and administrative centre. Faversham abbey, sketched by stuckeley in 1722, was established by king stephen in 1148.
It was dedicated to our saviour and endowed with the manor of faversham. Sympathetically regenerated to maintain its historical importance, with ample customer parking. In the 1850s a saxon cemetery was discovered on the southern edge of the town. You can read all about abbey street and its history in our special article here. Robert dod became, in 1255, the first person to bear the title of mayor of faversham. Aisled timber barn, clad in weatherboarding on flint and brick plinth with tiled roof,hipped to east and gabled to west. The areas diversity and history is part of its appeal. The abbey school is a secondary school based in faversham, kent. In 1148 faversham abbey was established in faversham by king stephen, who with his consort matilda of boulogne, and his son, eustace, the earl of. In the church, which was completed about 1251, stephen and matilda, the founders, were. Faversham abbey was a cluniac style monastery immediately to the northeast of the town of faversham, in kent, england.
Faversham abbey, a former benedictine monastery of the cluniac congregation situated in the county of kent about nine miles west of canterbury. Abbeys, castles and ancient balls of england and wales, their legendary lore, and popular history. Faversham abbey ruins, created by samueltaylorgeer, faversham, kent, england, united kingdom take billiongraves with you wherever you go. With nearly 500 listed buildings and britains oldest brewery, the emblems of faversham s colourful past are visible at every turn. Home stay contact whats new home stay contact whats new a former commercial port, steeped in kent and british history. A former benedictine monastery of the cluniac congregation situated in the county of kent about nine miles west of canterbury. Faversham abbey encyclopedia volume catholic encyclopedia. It was founded by king stephen and his wife matilda of boulogne in 1148. Ruins of faversham abbey, w stukeley, 1722 the british library.
Even the kings pious benefactions, the author argues, were inspired by his wife, the prime mover in the foundation of the family mausoleum, faversham abbey. The abbey was dissolved in 1538 and subsequently most of it was demolished. The constitution of this school was in the form of an indenture between john cole, john caslock, the abbot of faversham abbey and the warden and fellows of all souls and was sealed in 1526. The burial goods found in the graves indicate an important regal settlement.
Use the drop down menu at the top to dip into our history pages and find out more about the richly historic market town of kings. In domesday book 1086 ad faversham is listed as land owned by the king. History, structure and development of barns in england. Jacobs history of faversham, 1774 states that abbey farmhouse was built by sir george sondes. King stephen and his wife matilda of boulogne were buried in faversham abbey in kent. Faversham life photographer lisa valder and guest photographer julian mannering, publisher, resident of abbey street and creator with his wife amanda of the wildflower. Partial excavations have revealed the impressive scale of the original plan for the church and claustral buildings, and the subsequent alterations made in the th century. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Faversham abbey defunct in faversham, kent find a grave.
Faversham, the oldest market town in kent and recorded in the domesday book, is bursting with history and located on a winding creek. Faversham abbey was a cluniac style monastery 1 immediately to the northeast of the town of faversham, in kent, england. It also is a timber framed, aisled barn and originally had a full hipped roof, but the eastern end has been cut off and is now gabled. Gunn, volume 1 abbeys, castles and ancient balls of england and wales, their legendary lore, and popular history. Faversham is described in the 20 edition of pevsner as one of the most rewarding towns in the county, though pleasurable in many small ways rather than for spectacular beauties. In 1086 it was assessed as royal demesne, and a market was held here at this date. Of national importance is a collection of over 4,000 fruit varieties at bogdale. The abbey stood on ground now called abbey farm, was commonly called st saviours of faversham, was first cluniac, afterwards benedictine, was the burialplace of king stephen, his queen matilda, their son eustace, and many noble personages. An increase in demand led to enlarged works at two different sites until an accidental explosion in 1916 brought about decline. Part of the ancient royal demesne, faversham is mentioned in the domesday book, and it also possesses an early cinque ports charter considered to be the oldest in existence and was linked to dover.
Detailed arrangements were made for the provision of endowment lands, the relationship between the schoolmaster and the abbey and the rules to be followed. During stephens reign, faversham was a very important settlement. Clarimbald, the prior of bermondsey, and twelve other monks of the same abbey were transferred to faversham to form the new community. The church originates from the 14th and 15th centuries but in 1755 was rebuilt and in 1797 the mediaeval tower was pulled down and replaced.
Before moving, he gave the faversham society, of which he was vicepresident, his local history collection of books and other items. Using archaeological and historical evidence set in an everchanging physical and. Brian dillon considers the personal and cultural resonances of. Aug 10, 2012 part of the ancient royal demesne, faversham is mentioned in the domesday book, and it also possesses an early cinque ports charter considered to be the oldest in existence and was linked to dover.
The surrounding farmland is most productive with fruit and hops grown in vast quantities. Favershams maritime history reaches back to roman times, embraces the history of the cinque ports, and offers a vivid picture of the development of coastal fisheries and merchant sail in the nineteenth century, and shipbuilding until the 1970s. Its role in national and local history 2 replies anyone who thinks that faversham creek is small and insignificant, and cant understand what all the fuss is about, would do well to read this concise account of its long and distinguished history, written by arthur percival and published here with his permission. Faversham gunpowder blasted through rocks and tunnels to allow faster growth of the railways. Formed in 1989, the group consists of people who are actively working on research into some aspect of the history of the faversham area and its people. They probably survived as they were part of the abbey farm and would. Faversham abbey is an example of a medieval royal foundation, with documentary records dating from its construction in the 12th century through to its dissolution in 1538. A party of monks from bermondsey abbey provided the nucleus and the first abbot. The unsung heroes of kings account are the men usually condemned for stoking the anarchy, namely the leading barons and political bishops, whom the author credits with bringing the. Foldout plates, 24 x 22 foldout plan of faversham abbey, and. The abbey s martyrology is a book that lists the death days of all the saints. Abbey faversham abbey was founded in 1148 by king stephen and queen matilda.
The abbey school is a nonselective secondary school in the town of faversham in kent, united kingdom. By the time henry viii took possession of the abbey on 8 july 1528, its income was. This angered the abbot of faversham abbey, who was lord of the manor of faversham and was. Relates in rhyme the life of an english army major, born in 1851, and. Explore this cemetery for graves, information and tombstones for names in faversham abbey defunct in faversham, kent, a find a grave cemetery. The faversham union workhouse was erected in 1836 at a site to the west of faversham. Use the drop down menu at the top to dip into our history pages and find. Faversham abbey ruins, faversham, kent, england, united.
Faversham and its surrounding areas have a wealth of history to discover. King stephen gave it to his chief lieutenant, william of ypres, but soon made him swap it with lillechurch now higham so that the manor of faversham could form part. The town is 48 miles from london and 10 miles from canterbury and lies next to the swale, a strip of sea separating mainland kent from the isle of sheppey in the thames estuary. Faversham abbey major barn, faversham 44267 historic. Places to see in faversham uk faversham is a market town and civil parish in the swale district of kent, england. Faversham is first mentioned in a royal charter of 811ad, where it is described as the kings town. The manor was recorded as terra regis, meaning it was part of the ancient royal estates. They hoped that the dynasty would rule over england for generations to come. The abbey was the burial place of the founding king and queen. This beautiful book is the key to the spiritual culture of faversham abbey. The site of st saviours abbey, including the remains of. The design, by john day, was an adaptation of the courtyard plan devised by. The history of the church of saint michael and all angels throwley kent. Faversham, kent genealogy genealogy familysearch wiki.
Both crops are still significant and the town is proud to be the centre of kents brewing industry. Come and embrace our historic architecture, enjoy bracing walks through the countryside and quayside, then relax in our secret garden tea room. Now of 5 bays, a map of 1774 shows that it originally continued to the end of the yard but was cut off at the west end subsequently. The two barns are the only surviving buildings from faversham abbey. History queen elizabeths grammar school, faversham. Abbey farm probably belonged to the benedictine abbey of faversham founded in 1147. Faversham historians formed in 1989, the group consists of people who are actively working on research into some aspect of the history of the faversham area and its people. King stephen founded faversham abbey in 1147, and was subsequently buried there with his wife, matilda, and son, eustace. All photos lisa valder faversham life unless stated otherwise. It is fully related in hollingsheds chronicle, in lewiss faversham, and in jacobs history of faversham, from the wardmore book. See faversham wikipedia for a history of the town, faversham abbey and the parish church. An abbey was built by stephen in 1147, in which he and matilda were buried. The abbey of faversham, in a history of the county of kent.
The faversham area stretches from the downs in the south to coastal marshland in the north and includes a wealth of typically kent villages. During the later anglosaxon period all monasteries were benedictine. The abbey guest house has survived and it now a private residence. The abbey of faversham, in a history of the county. Dating from preroman times and mentioned in the domesday book, faversham provides a perfect example of living history.
They had endowed it with the manor and hundred of faversham. Abbey farmhouse, faversham, kent history in structure. With an amazing array of independent shops, captivating places to visit, walking and a reputation for fine foods, faversham is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a short break. The site was just to the north east of the town, where the playing fields of the queen elizabeths grammar school are now. The favershams by roy gerrard meet your next favorite book. Walking down court street and abbey street, you will begin to see many handsome brick houses and some timber framed ones with jettying. In 1148 faversham abbey was established in faversham by king stephen who with his consort matilda of boulogne, and his son, eustace, the earl of boulogne was buried there. With the late patricia hyde, he produced several important books on the history of faversham including faversham oyster fishery and the early town books of faversham.
Faversham abbey, sketched by william stukeley in 1722, was established by king stephen in 1148. Brewing in the town originated from the monks brewery at faversham abbey. Books and journals bennett, j, blackwell, a, abbey farm faversham, 1988, 1627 archaeologia cantiana in archaeologia cantiana, vol. The workhouse in faversham, kent the history of the.