Beaulieu Abbey
The cloister and refectory of Beaulieu Abbey seen from the west range
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | The Abbey Church of St Mary, Bellus Locus Regis (Latin: "The beautiful place of the king") |
| Other names | Beaulieu Abbey |
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 1203/1204 |
| Disestablished | 1538 |
| Mother house | Cîteaux Abbey, France |
| Dedicated to | Virgin Mary |
| Diocese | Winchester |
| Controlled churches | Shilton, Inglesham, Coxwell, St Keverne |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | King John |
| Important associated figures | King John, Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, Abbot Thomas Stevens |
| Site | |
| Location | Beaulieu, Hampshire, England |
| Visible remains | cloister, refectory (now the parish church) and west range, gatehouse, foundations of the church, many other ruins, earthworks |
| Public access | yes |
Beaulieu Abbey, grid reference SU389026, was a Cistercian abbey located in Hampshire, England. It was founded in 1203–1204 by King John and (uniquely in Britain) peopled by 30 monks sent from the abbey of Cîteaux in France, the mother house of the Cistercian order. The Medieval Latin name of the monastery was Bellus Locus Regis ('The beautiful place of the king') or more verbose monasterium Belli loci Regis Two other names of this location are: Bewley (16th century) and Beaulie (17th century).
The first Abbot of Beaulieu was Hugh, a man who stood high in the king's favour and who often served him on important diplomatic missions. He was later to become Bishop of Carlisle. The king granted his new abbey a rich endowment, including numerous manors spread across southern England (particularly in Berkshire), land in the New Forest, corn, large amounts of money, building materials, 120 cows, 12 bulls, a golden chalice, and an annual tun of wine. John's son and successor, King Henry III was equally generous to Beaulieu, with the result that the abbey became very wealthy, though it was far from the richest English Cistercian house.
The abbey's buildings were of a scale and magnificence reflecting its status as an important royal foundation. The church was a vast cruciform structure in early gothic style and heavily influenced by French churches of the order, especially those of Cîteaux, Bonport and Clairvaux. The church was 102-metre (335 ft) long and had a semi-circular apse with 11 radiating chapels. The building took more than four decades to complete and was finally dedicated in 1246, in the presence of King Henry III and his queen, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and many prelates and nobles.
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