Relhan Collection : 40 Bottisham. Anglesey Abbey. W view

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>1801 </p><p>The ‘Abbey’ was in fact an Augustinian priory, founded c. 1212 by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and almost complete by 1236. It housed about 11 canons until the Dissolution, one of its functions being to provide chantry priests for other parishes where needed. The priory church was rebuilt 1328-9. In 1539 the site was acquired by John Hynde of Madingley Hall who finished demolition of most of the buildings and moved the magnificent hammer beam roof to Madingley <b>(259</b>), where it can still be seen. Relhan’s view however, including a stairway to an upper floor, cannot be seen, as later works (<b>41</b>) extend beyond this area, and only fragments of the arcading can be found inside the present building. After Relhan’s visit the Abbey had several owners who included Thomas Hobson (the Cambridge carrier), and Sir George Downing, founder of Downing College. It was substantially altered by Revd John Hailstone, 1861, and more drastically by Lord Fairhaven, after 1926. It was Lord Fairhaven who created the park around it and bequeathed the estate to the National Trust in 1966. It is open to the public. </p><p>Haigh 1988; RCHME 1972</p></p>