Waltham Abbey
FREE Catholic Classes
The Abbey of Waltham Holy Cross stood in Essex, some ten miles to the northeast of London, on the Middlesex border. In the reign of Kent, one Tofig, a wealthy landowner, built a church at Waltham for the reception of a miraculous cross, discovered through a vision in Somerset, and gave endowment for two priests. On Tofig's death his Waltham property lapsed to the Crown, and King Edward the Confessor granted the estate to Harold. the latter enlarged the foundation of the church and established a college of secular canons. In 1060 the church was solemnly dedicated to the Holy Cross by Cynesige, Archbishop of York, and Wlwin became its first dean. It is said that Harold's body was brought to Waltham for burial after the battle of Hastings, but the story has been disputed. The secular canons were displaced in 1177 by Henry II in favour of Augustinian Canons, and a prior was appointed. Seven years later Walter de Gant was made the first abbot, and Waltham became the most important Augustinian house in the country. Its abbot was mitred, sat in Parliament, enjoyed peculiar exemption from episcopal visitation, and received at various times special favours from Rome. The abbey also obtained a number of valuable privileges and charters from the Crown. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1537, Waltham was assessed at a gross annual value of £1079 2s. 1d., and was the richest religious house in Essex. It outlasted every other abbey in the country, and was only formally surrendered on 23 March, 1540, by its last abbot, Robert Fuller, who retired with a pension of £200 and with several manors and church advowsons. The abbey lands were leased to Sir Anthony Denny, and were subsequently purchased outright by his widow in 1549. The choir and transept were destroyed, but the west end of the abbey church was set apart as a parish church for the new service of the Church of England , and remains to this day as a place of worship for Anglicans.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sacrifices of Faith: The Pro-Life Legacies of St. Gianna and Jessica Hanna
-
How to love God by caring for our bodies
-
Pope Francis calls for negotiations to End Russia-Ukraine War
-
Pope Francis Contemplates Return to U.S. for United Nations Assembly Address
-
Pope Francis Calls on Faithful to Embrace Faith, Hope, and Charity in New Teaching Series
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Saturday, April 27, 2024
- St. Zita: Saint of the Day for Saturday, April 27, 2024
- Prayer for the Dead # 2: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, April 27, 2024
- Daily Readings for Friday, April 26, 2024
- St. Cletus: Saint of the Day for Friday, April 26, 2024
- Prayer before the Closing of the Day: Prayer of the Day for Friday, April 26, 2024
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.