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» Places » Hailes Abbey - [Church / Abbey] (SP 0500 2980)

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Hailes Abbey was a Cistercian monastery built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. Vowing to found a religious house if he survived a dangerous episode at sea, Richard returned and kept his promise with the help of his brother, King Henry III, who gave him the manor of Hailes. The majority of the building work was carried out around 1246-1251. To provide a regular income, the abbey needed a religious relic and this was provided - a phial said to hold the blood of Jesus. Relics were very useful at the time as it brought many pilgrims and their money to the abbey. The founding monks came from the Cistercian abbey of Beaulieu in Hampshire and they arrived in 1246. The abbey was built rapidly as in 1251, on November 5th, the building was dedicated in a ceremony attended by the King and Queen, Earl Richard, and thirteen bishops. Flocks of sheep were the main source of income for the abbey, like most Cistercian abbeys, but they also collected endowments from surrounding parishes. The end for the abbey came in 1539 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The Holy Blood was removed to London were it was claimed it was a fake. The abbey was sold and parts may have been demolished in 1524 to use as building materials elsewhere.

Mini Timeline

1242	Oct	Earl Richard's vow
		During a violent storm at sea, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, vowed to build a Religious house if he survived. He did survive and as a result Hailes Abbey was built.
1246		Hailes Abbey begun
		Twenty monks and ten lay brothers (monks who performed manual tasks) arrived at Hailes to start work on the new Abbey.
1251	Nov 5	Dedication of Hailes Abbey
		The King and Queen, with Richard, Earl of Cornwall (the King's brother) were at Hailes Abbey for its dedication ceremony.
1270	Sep 14	Relic given to Hailes Abbey
		A phial containing the blood of Jesus was presented to abbey of Hailes by the son of Richard, Earl of Cornwall. The phial had been guarenteed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and had been bought from the Count of Flanders in 1267. A section of the abbey was rebuilt to hold the relic, and it was held in a purpose built shrine. A similar relic had been presented to the King, Henry III several years before in 1247.