The initial foundation of Peterborough Abbey, then known as
Medeshamstede, was in the mid-seventh century under the patronage
of Peada, the first member of the royal house of Mercia to convert
to Christianity. Little is known about this original Abbey other
than the fact that it was destroyed in the Danish raids of 870. No
attempts to rebuild were made until 963 when St Aethelwold, bishop
of Winchester began to repair and recolonize, shaping it into the
major monastic foundation in the immediate area.
No record has been preserved of the monastic buildings
contemporary with the Saxon Church, and the only notice that occurs
in the tenth century relates to the enclosing of the monastic
precincts with a wall by Abbot Kenulf, 992-1005, this resulted in
the monastery changing its name from Medeshamstede to Burgh. The
sack of Burgh by Hereward in around 1070 is worthy of mention as it
destroyed all the abbey buildings except the Church, and in fact a
year later the Church itself was burnt through fire.
During the period following the Norman Conquest, Peterborough
had four abbots, first Brand for three years, then Turold for
twenty-eight, followed by Godric and Matthew for one year each.
Notable amongst these is Turold who viewed the abbey as a source of
personal wealth for himself and his associates with his
enfeoffments accounting for 46% of the abbey's property.
In the year 1107 a new abbot, Ernulf, was appointed. He was
influential in restoring the abbey's finances and beginning a
building campaign. His successor abbot John continued this work,
but in 1116 a great fire caused considerable damage. Work to
rebuild began the following year. In 1125, following John's death
the abbey was held for two years by King Henry I before Henry of
Poitou was appointed who wasted the goods of the abbey and did
nothing towards the rebuilding. In 1132 Martin a former monk of Bek
and prior of nearby St Neots took over and apparently continued
with the construction work. Following his death in 1154/5, William
de Waterville became abbot and held office until he was deposed in
1175 when Abbot Benedict took over. Andrew (1194-1199) and Acharius
(1200-1210) were probably responsible for building the west front
of the Church. The final completion of the building is marked in
the time of Walter of Bury St Edmunds by the solemn dedication of
the Church on 6, October 1238. In 1272 the Lady chapel of the
Church was begun and completed in 1286. A chapel of St Thomas of
Canterbury was built between the church and the Lady Chapel by
Godfrey of Crowland. From this time there are no more records of
the architectural history of the church beyond those supplied by
the building itself. The latest part of the Church, the square
ended building at the east, known as the new building, is due to
Robert Kirton, 1496-1528 and is the only enlargement of the eastern
arm that has taken place. The abbey was dissolved in 1539.
Source: Reilly, Lisa, An Architectural history of
Peterborough Cathedral, Oxford University Press: 1997 and
Victoria County History: A History of Northamptonshire Vol 11 p.
431-446
Records relating to the abbey include:
- 1227-1531 : charters and other deeds, agreement with Abbot of
Crowland, homage roll (1299-1478), manorial records, lease
Held at Burghley House.
(Reference:
33/3;34B/1,6;52/39;53/3;74/1-10;80/2-3;98/5-7,23-4).
- 12th-14th century: Black Book incl surveys of manors and
inventory of Abbot's muniments
Held at Society of Antiquaries of London (Reference: MSS
38,60,126).
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections (Reference: Add
MS 39758).
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections (Reference:
Egerton MS 2733).
- c1250-late 14th century: cartularies
Held at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts
and University Archives (Reference: Peterborough D&C MSS
1,5,6).
- late 14th century: cartulary
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections.
(Reference: Cotton Cleopatra C.i, fos 35-157; Cotton Cleopatra
C.ii, fos 1-165).
- 13th, 14th and 15th century: Bailiffs Accounts and Court
Records (part of Fitzwilliam Collection)
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
- early 15th century: sacrist's register Part II
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections.
(Reference : Cotton Faustina B.iii, fos 1-157).
- 1526: sacrist's court at Polebroke
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
(Reference: Acc 1977/23 'old box' 21/13).
- Annals, rentals and papers
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections.
- 1291-93: assessment of land and rents in Archdeaconry of
Huntingdon (Taxation of Pope Nicholas)
Held at College of Arms (Reference: Monastic charters
no.145).
- 14th-16th century: Thornaugh rentals & surveys 15th-16th
century, Northants and Hunts manorial court rolls 14th-16th
century
Held at Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service.
- 1504: rental of property in Northants, Hunts and Lincs
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office (Reference: Fitzwilliam
of Milton Jeayes no 2585).
Held at Lichfield Cathedral Library (Reference: Cox Reference
RR.5).
- 1513: accounts of collector of Castor manor
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office (Reference : ZB 549).
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections (Reference: Add
MS 40629).
- 11th-12th century: manuscripts formerly belonging to abbey,
incl part of chronicle
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections (Ref: Harley MSS
3667, 3097).
- 12th century: part of chronicle
Held at British Library, Manuscript Collections.
(Reference: Cotton MS Tiberius C i, fos 2-42).
- 12th century: Peterborough Chronicle
Held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford (Reference: Laud Misc.
636).
- 14th-20th century: Dean and Chapter records
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office including:
- Account rolls 1307-1749.
- Court rolls 1320-1759.
- Conges d'elire 1630-1868.
- Electoral returns 1689-1852.
- Inquest returns 1813-1842.
- Miscellaneous documents 1486-1934.
- Vouchers of the treasurer 1803-1910.
- Treasurer's papers & accounts 1871-1893.
- Friends of Peterborough Cathedral 1926-1942.
- Inclosure Acts 1794-1819.
- Almsmen's Royal Nominations 1660-1853.
- Appointments of Chapter officers 1597-19th century.
- Inclosure Claims 1811-1817.
- Memorial Service Programmes 1950-1965.
- Cathedral Memorials: Correspondence 1733-1937.
- Maps of the Dean & Chapter Estates c.1820s.
- Bridge Street & Bishops Road Improvements 1924-1930.
- Coronation Services 1911-1953.
- Enthronement of Bishop Stopford 1956.
- Installations: miscellaneous papers 1893-1936.
- Enthronement of Bishop Beardsley & Blagden 1924-1927.
- Messrs John Lucus Ltd Building Contractors 1964-1966.
- Cathedral Restoration Correspondence Files 1935-1943.
- Cathedral Restoration Papers 1882-1899.
- Miscellaneous Papers 1872-late 19th century.
- Restoration fund vouchers, accounts & reports
1883-1908.
- Restoration papers: 13th centenary appeal 1956-1959.
- Baumgartner Estate 1798-1856.
- Peterborough Manorial Court Papers 1665-1893.
- Werrington Manorial Court Papers 1662-1910.
- Walton, Paston and Gunthorpe Manorial Court papers
1668-1856.
- Eye Inclosure Papers 1820-1822.
- General Correspondence Files 1668-1930.
- Friends of Peterborough Cathedral 1955-1966.
- St Peter's Day Festival 1936-1949.
- Orders of Service, Programmes of Recitals 1890-1937.
- Legal Documents 1700s-1866
- 1870-1993: Cathedral notes, maps, plans and architectural
drawings
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
- 1880-1920: Measured Drawings of Peterborough Cathedral (within
Album of illustrated cuttings [AL0250/001 - AL0251/176] Ref:
ALB84).
Held at National Monuments Record.
- 1848-1861: Architectural Drawings and Notes of Peterborough
Cathedral (within Robert Willis Papers Ref: MS.ADD.5043).
Held at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts
and University Archives.
Printed sources:
Guide books
Most of the guide books and histories treat the present
Cathedral as having a continuous history from the foundation of the
first monastery c655AD up into modern times. Unfortunately there is
not one single, comprehensive, history of the abbey/cathedral (such
as those recently written for Ely and Norwich), hence the need to
list a considerable number of books and articles.
Some of the earlier 19th century guides, such as that by John
Britton and B. Winkles are especially important for their
engravings, whilst Phillips' is important for its detailed list of
Monumental Inscriptions inside the Cathedral. The various recent
guides to the Cathedral are very useful, but are excluded here. The
guide books which have been selected for inclusion are given below
in chronological order.
- The history and antiquities of the abbey and cathedral
church of Peterborough [etc] by John Britton (Longmans, 1827
[with differing title], and 1828; issued again by Nattali 1836; and
reprinted by Paul Bush, 1997).
- Architectural and picturesque illustrations of the
cathedral churches [etc] engraved by B Winkles. (Wilson 1836).
[The section on 'Peterborough' extracted and re-issued by local
booksellers under varying titles, 1837-1842].
- A guide to Peterborough Cathedral [etc] by George S
Phillips (published in Peterborough in several editions between
1838-1881; of which the first two editions are 'anonymous'. Further
editions, "revised and corrected" by WD Sweeting, were published or
reprinted - c1893-c1920).
- An historical and architectural guide to Peterborough
Cathedral by Owen W Davys (published in Peterborough in six
editions, between 1846 and 1886).
- Peterborough Cathedral: a general, architectural and
monastic history by Thos Craddock (J S Clarke 1864).
- The cathedral church of Peterborough [etc] by W D
Sweeting (Bell & Sons, 1898 and 1922).
Chronicles
There were several 'chronicles' written at Peterborough; they
narrate mostly national events, but have varying amounts of local
detail. The principal one is the 'E' version of the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, copied at Peterborough c1121 and then added to down to
1154. A further Chronicle, probably compiled by the William of
Woodford, overlaps with this and covers the years 1122 to 1295;
this is published as 'Chronicon Petroburgense'. Then there is the
chronicle of Hugh Candidus (written c1175), and two subsequent
chronicles (by Robert of Swaffham and Walter of Whittlesey) which
continue Hugh's work by extending it firstly to 1245 and then to
1321; these latter two were published by Joseph Sparke in 1723.
- The Peterborough Chronicle Vol 7: MS E edited by Susan
Irvine (The Boydell Press, 2004) [Old/Middle English text].
- The Peterborough Chronicle edited by Harry Rositzke
(Columbia University Press, 1951) [Modern English Text].
- Chronicon Petroburgense edited by Thomas Stapleton
(Camden Society 1849) [Latin text].
- The Chronicle of Hugh Candidus edited by WT Mellows
(Oxford UP 1949 [Latin text], and also by Peterborough Museum
Society 1941, with subsequent reprints [text in modern
English]).
- Historiae Coenobii Burgensis Scriptores Varii edited
by Joseph Sparke (for G. Bowyer, 1723) [Latin text].
Histories
There a number of books and articles which deal with the
history, and especially the architectural history, of the
abbey/cathedral. These are listed below in chronological order.
There are also a number of significant but brief articles in The
Journal of the Friends of the Cathedral not given here.
- History of the church of Peterburgh by Symon Gunton
(printed for R. Chiswell, 1686; reprinted by Clay, Tyas et al.,
1990).
- A survey of the cathedrals of Lincoln, Ely, Oxford and
Peterborough [etc] by Browne Willis (printed for R Gosling
1730; reprinted for T Osborne 1742).
- Monasticon Anglicanum [etc] / by Wm Dugdale. New
edition by J Caley, H Ellis and B Bandinel (Longmans [etc] 1817).
For 'P'boro Monastery' see Vol 1, pp344-404.
- Remarks on the architecture of Peterborough Cathedral
by FA Paley (Gardner, 1849 and second ed 1859)VCH Northamptonshire,
Vol 2 ('Peterborough Abbey' pp83-95 and the abbey/cathedral on
pp431-456).
- The buildings of England: Northamptonshire by Nikolaus
Pevsner (Penguin, 1961) pp350-374. Text lifted from this volume and
reprinted in The buildings of England: Bedfordshire, Huntingdon
& Peterborough (Penguin 1968); pp305-329.
- 'Architecture at Peterborough in the 13thcentury' by Mary Dean,
in, JBAA 137 (1984); pp114-129.
- Peterborough: a history and guide / by DF Mackreth (Sutton,
1994).
- An architectural history of Peterborough Cathedral by
Lisa Reilly (Clarendon Press, 1997).
- Monasteries and society in medieval Britain edited by
B Thompson (Paul Watkins, 1999). See the articles by DF Mackreth
and Jack Higham on pp137-176 which cover the history of the abbey
from c970-1539.
Information about records and library
For charters relating to the abbey see the website www.anglo-saxons.net.
- The cartularies and registers of Peterborough Abbey by
Janet Martin (NRS for the Dean & Chapter, 1978).
- The court rolls and accounts of Peterborough Abbey by
Janet Martin (Leicester University History Dept 1980).
- Peterborough Cathedral Library: catalogue of books
printed before 1800 edited by JJ Hall (Cambridge University
Library, 1986).
- Peterborough Abbey [Library] edited by K Friis-Jensen
and JMW Willoughby (British Library and the British Academy 2001).
In the series: 'Corpus of Medieval Library Catalogues'.
Abbots/Deans/Bishops
Most of the guide books (listed above) are also worth consulting
because they often divide up their history of the abbey/cathedral
by using the 'reigns' of the abbots etc. The first two items below
deal with the abbots, whilst the third lists Bishops, Deans,
Archdeacons, Residentiary Canons, etc., and the fourth describes
the bishops and their work.
- Abbots of Peterborough Abbey by W T Mellows, in,
PNHSAS Fifty-sixth Ann.Rpt., for 1927.
- The heads of religious houses in England & Wales
940-1216 edited by D Knowles, C N L Brooke and V C M London
(Cambridge UP 1972). 'Peterborough' on pp59-61.
- Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857 by John Le Neve
(originally published in 1717, with several revised editions to
1854; a newly revised edition in several volumes is published by
Institute of Historical Research. Peterborough Diocese occurs in
Vol 8, ed by JM Horn, 1996, pp109-137).
- The Bishops of Peterborough 1541 to 1991 by Geoffrey
Carnell (RJL Smith & Associates, 1993).
Administration and estates
The following items deal with the abbey's estates at various
times, including their acquisitions and farming; the last six cover
administration of the abbey, its ultimate dissolution, and
re-founding as a Cathedral at the head of a new Diocese.
- Medeshamstede and its colonies by FM Stenton, in,
Essays presented to James Tait edited by J G Edwards, V H Galbraith
& E F Jacob (Manchester UP,1933) pp313-326. The article was
reprinted in Preparatory to Anglo-Saxon England / ed by DM Stenton
(Clarendon Press 1970) pp179-192.
- The pre-Danish estates of Peterborough Abbey by WTW
Potts, in, PCAS 65(pt2) 1974; pp13-27.
- The granges of Peterborough Abbey by W T Mellows, in,
PNHSAS 52-53rd Ann.Rpt for 1923-24.
- Peterborough Abbey 1086-1310: a study in the land
market by Edmund King (CUP, 1973). This is based on his 1968
Cambridge PhD thesis of a similar title.
- The other economy: pastoral husbandry on a medieval
estate by Kathleen Biddick (California Univ Press 1989).
- Studies in the early history of Peterborough Abbey
650-1066 by C M Peterson (unpublished Birmingham PhD thesis,
1995).
- Visitations of religious houses in the Diocese of
Lincoln, Vol 3 edited by AH Thompson (C&Y Society
1927). 'Peterborough Abbey' on pp269-302 [Latin and English
parallel text].
- The last days of Peterborough Monastery edited by WT
Mellows (NRS, 1950).
- The foundation of Peterborough Cathedral edited by WT
Mellows (NRS, 1967).
- Luckiest of all by Michael Barcroft (Minimax,
1983).
- Diocesan histories: Peterborough by G A Poole (SPCK,
n.d. [c1881]).
- Guide to Bishops Registers ... from the Middle ages
to...1646 by D M Smith (Royal Historical Society 1981).
'Peterborough' on pp167-170
Back to Archives A-Z
index