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Bec Abbey

January 01, 1970

Bec Abbey, formally the Abbey of Our Lady of Bec (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec), is a Benedictine monastic foundation in the Eure département, in the Bec valley midway between the cities of Rouen and Bernay. It is located in Le Bec Hellouin, Normandy, France, and was the most influential abbey of the 12th-century Anglo-Norman kingdom.[1]

South side of the abbey, the church and the monks' cells seen from Le Bec-Hellouin

Like all abbeys, Bec maintained annals of the house but uniquely its first abbots also received individual biographies, brought together by the monk of Bec, Milo Crispin. Because of the abbey's cross-Channel influence, these hagiographic lives sometimes disclose historical information of more than local importance.

Seal Abbaye du Bec.

Name edit

The name of the abbey derives from the bec, or stream, that runs nearby. The word derives from the Scandinavian root, bekkr.[2]

First foundation edit

 
"Herlwin Building His First Church", from E.M. Wilmot-Buxton's 1915 Anselm.[3]
 
West side of the Tour Saint-Nicolas, between the ancient pottery to its left and the monks' residential building to its right

The abbey was founded in 1034 by Saint Herluin,[n 1] whose life was written by Gilbert Crispin, Abbot of Westminster, formerly of Bec, and collated with three other lives by Milo Crispin. Abbey construction began in 1034 and continued through 1035. Further lands were added through 1040.[4] Saint Herluin was a Norman knight who in about 1031 left the court of Gilbert, Count of Brionne, to devote himself to a life of religion: the commune of Le Bec Hellouin preserves his name. One hundred and thirty-six monks made their profession while Herluin was in charge.[5]

With the arrival of Lanfranc of Pavia, Bec became a focus of 11th century intellectual life. Lanfranc, who was already famous for his lectures at Avranches, came to teach as prior and master of the monastic school, but left in 1062, to become abbot of St. Stephen's Abbey, Caen, and later Archbishop of Canterbury. He was followed as abbot by Anselm, also later an Archbishop of Canterbury, as was the fifth abbot, Theobald of Bec. Many distinguished ecclesiastics, probably including the future Pope Alexander II and Saint Ivo of Chartres, were educated in the school at Bec.

The life of the founder (Vita Herluini) was written by Gilbert Crispin. Archbishop Lanfranc also wrote a Chronicon Beccense of the life of Herlui. Milo Crispin's biography of the first four abbots was published at Paris in 1648.[6]

The followers of William the Conqueror supported the abbey, enriching it with extensive properties in England. Bec also owned and managed St Neots Priory as well as a number of other British foundations, including Goldcliff Priory in Monmouthshire founded in 1113 by Robert de Chandos. The village of Tooting Bec, now a London suburb, is so named because the abbey owned the land.

Bec Abbey was the original burial place of the Empress Matilda, whose bones were later transferred to Rouen Cathedral, where they remain.

Bec Abbey was damaged during the Wars of Religion and left a ruin in the French Revolution but the 15th-century St. Nicholas Tower (Tour Saint-Nicolas) from the medieval monastery is still standing.[7]

Second foundation edit

In 1948 the site was re-established as the Abbaye de Notre-Dame du Bec by Olivetan monks led by Dom Grammont, who effected some restorations. The abbey is known for its links with Anglicanism and has been visited by successive archbishops of Canterbury. The abbey library contains the John Graham Bishop deposit of 5,000 works concerning Anglicanism.

Today the Abbey is probably best known for the pottery the monks produce.

  •  
    Abbey church
  •  
    Residential building
  •  
    Tour Saint-Nicolas
  •  
    Close-up of the Tour Saint-Nicolas
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    Cloister
  •  
    Sarcophagi in the park of the abbey
  •  
    Morning in the abbey grounds

List of abbots edit

The following is a list of the abbots:[8][9][10][11]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Not to be confused with Herluin, father of Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ C. Warren Hollister, Henry I (Yale English Monarchs) 2001:16.
  2. ^ "Notre-Dame Abbey, Le Bec-Hellouin". Abbayes de Normandy. Retrieved 27 Feb 2021.
  3. ^ Wilmot-Buxton (1915), p. 20.
  4. ^ Vaughn. Anselm of Bec and Robert Meulan: the Innocence of Doves and the Wisdom of the Serpent, p. 21.
  5. ^ Adolphe-André Porée, Histoire de l'abbaye du Bec, Vol. 1, p. 131, note 1 & Appendix no 1.
  6. ^ 1 2005-10-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ 1 2005-11-19 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ Porée, Adolphe-André (1901). Histoire de l'abbaye du Bec (in French). Évreux: Imprimerie de Charles Hérissey.
  9. ^ Bourget, Dom. John (1779). The History of the Royal Abbey of Bec. London: J. Nichols. pp. 135–137.
  10. ^ "Consternation dans le diocèse d'Evreux. Une double démission pour "raisons sentimentales" à l'abbaye du Bec-Hellouin". Le Monde (in French). 29 March 1990.
  11. ^ Clénet, Paul-Emmanuel (2008). "Dom Philibert Zobel 1921 - 2008". L'Ulivo (in French). 38 (1): 332–33.
  12. ^ former prior of the Trinity of Beaumont was abbot from October 1179 until he died on September 23, 1187.
  13. ^ Roger II was elevated from the position of prior at Bec
  14. ^ Gauther was elevated from position of prior at Bec
  15. ^ otherwise de Coquainvilliers, died May 16, 1198 at the priory of Bonne-Nouvelle, of which he was former prior.
  16. ^ Also known as Guillaume II, was elevated from a position of former monk at Bec.
  17. ^ Robert 1st of Clairbec, died on November 23, 1265, former monk of Bec, was steward of the vineyards of the abbey, in Île-de-France.
  18. ^ Jean 1st of Guineville, died October 11, 1272, was elevated from position of a local prior.
  19. ^ Pierre de la Cambe, died November 2, 1281, was elevated from Prior of Envermeu.
  20. ^ History of Bec Abbey.
  21. ^ Ymer de Saint-Ymer, died November 15, 1304, was elevated from Prior of Saint-Hymer.
  22. ^ History of Bec Abbey.
  23. ^ Gilbert de Saint-Étienne, died on August 24, 1327, was previously prior of Saint-Nicaise de Meulan (…1293) and barnkeeper of the Bec abbey.
  24. ^ Jean II des Granges, died February 19, 1351, first justice of the abbey.
  25. ^ History of Bec Abbey.
  26. ^ Also known as Robert II and Robert Couraye, died September 15, 1361, was doctor of decrees.
  27. ^ History of Bec Abbey.
  28. ^ History of Bec Abbey.

Bibliography edit

  • Anonymous. Chronique du Bec et Chronique de François Carré (ed. A.-A. Porée). Rouen: Meétŕie, 1883.
  • Anonymous. De libertate Beccensis monasterii. In Giles Constable (ed.) and Bernard S. Smith (trans.), Three Treatises from Bec on the Nature of Monastic Life. Toronto: Univ. of Toronto Press, 2008.
  • Anselm. Sancti Anselmi Cantuariensis archiepiscopi Opera Omnia (ed. F.S. Schmitt). Stuttgart: Frommann, 1968.
  • Chibnall, Marjorie. The English Lands of the Abbey of Bec. Oxford: OUP, 1968 [1946].
  • Crouch, David. The Beaumont Twins: The Roots and Branches of Power in the Twelfth Century. Cambridge: CUP, 1986.
  • Gazeau, Véronique. "From Bec to Canterbury: Between Cloister and World, the Legacy of Anselm, a personne d’autorité." In Giles E.M. Gasper and Ian Logan (edd.), Saint Anselm of Canterbury and His Legacy. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 2012.
  • Milo Crispin, "Vita venerabilis Willelmi abbatis Beccensis tertii." In Patrologia Latina, vol. 150, coll. 713-724.
  • Orderic Vitalis, The Ecclesiastical History (ed. M. Chibnall). Oxford: OUP, 1969 (vols. 1-2) and 1975 (vols. 3-4).
  • Pohl, Benjamin and Laura Gathagan (edd.). A Companion to the Abbey of Le Bec in the Middle Ages. Leiden: Brill, forthcoming.
  • Porée, Adolphe-André. Histoire de l’abbaye du Bec. Évreux: Hérissey, 1901.
  • Vaughn, Salley. Anselm of Bec and Robert of Meulan: The Innocence of the Dove and the Wisdom of the Serpent. Berkeley: Univ. Calif. Press, 1987.
  • Wilmot-Buxton, Ethel Mary (Illustrations by Morris Meredith Williams) (1915), Anselm, London: George G. Harrap & Co..

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec.

49°13′44″N 0°43′19″E / 49.2288°N 0.7220°E / 49.2288; 0.7220

January 01, 1970
abbey, formally, abbey, lady, french, abbaye, notre, dame, benedictine, monastic, foundation, eure, département, valley, midway, between, cities, rouen, bernay, located, hellouin, normandy, france, most, influential, abbey, 12th, century, anglo, norman, kingdo. Bec Abbey formally the Abbey of Our Lady of Bec French Abbaye Notre Dame du Bec is a Benedictine monastic foundation in the Eure departement in the Bec valley midway between the cities of Rouen and Bernay It is located in Le Bec Hellouin Normandy France and was the most influential abbey of the 12th century Anglo Norman kingdom 1 South side of the abbey the church and the monks cells seen from Le Bec Hellouin Like all abbeys Bec maintained annals of the house but uniquely its first abbots also received individual biographies brought together by the monk of Bec Milo Crispin Because of the abbey s cross Channel influence these hagiographic lives sometimes disclose historical information of more than local importance Seal Abbaye du Bec Contents 1 Name 2 First foundation 3 Second foundation 4 List of abbots 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 7 1 Citations 7 2 Bibliography 8 External linksName editThe name of the abbey derives from the bec or stream that runs nearby The word derives from the Scandinavian root bekkr 2 First foundation edit nbsp Herlwin Building His First Church from E M Wilmot Buxton s 1915 Anselm 3 nbsp West side of the Tour Saint Nicolas between the ancient pottery to its left and the monks residential building to its right The abbey was founded in 1034 by Saint Herluin n 1 whose life was written by Gilbert Crispin Abbot of Westminster formerly of Bec and collated with three other lives by Milo Crispin Abbey construction began in 1034 and continued through 1035 Further lands were added through 1040 4 Saint Herluin was a Norman knight who in about 1031 left the court of Gilbert Count of Brionne to devote himself to a life of religion the commune of Le Bec Hellouin preserves his name One hundred and thirty six monks made their profession while Herluin was in charge 5 With the arrival of Lanfranc of Pavia Bec became a focus of 11th century intellectual life Lanfranc who was already famous for his lectures at Avranches came to teach as prior and master of the monastic school but left in 1062 to become abbot of St Stephen s Abbey Caen and later Archbishop of Canterbury He was followed as abbot by Anselm also later an Archbishop of Canterbury as was the fifth abbot Theobald of Bec Many distinguished ecclesiastics probably including the future Pope Alexander II and Saint Ivo of Chartres were educated in the school at Bec The life of the founder Vita Herluini was written by Gilbert Crispin Archbishop Lanfranc also wrote a Chronicon Beccense of the life of Herlui Milo Crispin s biography of the first four abbots was published at Paris in 1648 6 The followers of William the Conqueror supported the abbey enriching it with extensive properties in England Bec also owned and managed St Neots Priory as well as a number of other British foundations including Goldcliff Priory in Monmouthshire founded in 1113 by Robert de Chandos The village of Tooting Bec now a London suburb is so named because the abbey owned the land Bec Abbey was the original burial place of the Empress Matilda whose bones were later transferred to Rouen Cathedral where they remain Bec Abbey was damaged during the Wars of Religion and left a ruin in the French Revolution but the 15th century St Nicholas Tower Tour Saint Nicolas from the medieval monastery is still standing 7 Second foundation editIn 1948 the site was re established as the Abbaye de Notre Dame du Bec by Olivetan monks led by Dom Grammont who effected some restorations The abbey is known for its links with Anglicanism and has been visited by successive archbishops of Canterbury The abbey library contains the John Graham Bishop deposit of 5 000 works concerning Anglicanism Today the Abbey is probably best known for the pottery the monks produce nbsp Abbey church nbsp Residential building nbsp Tour Saint Nicolas nbsp Close up of the Tour Saint Nicolas nbsp Cloister nbsp Sarcophagi in the park of the abbey nbsp Morning in the abbey groundsList of abbots editThe following is a list of the abbots 8 9 10 11 1034 1078 Herluin or Hellouin 1078 1093 Anselm afterwards archbishop of Canterbury 1093 1124 Guillaume de Montfort sur Risle 1124 1136 Boson 1136 1138 Theobald afterwards archbishop of Canterbury 1139 1149 Letard 1149 1179 Roger de Bailleul elected archbishop of Canterbury but declined the position 1179 1187 Osbern 12 1187 1194 Roger II 13 1195 1197 Gauthier 14 1197 1198 Hugues de Cauquainvilliers 15 1198 1211 Guillaume Le Petit 16 1211 1223 Richard de Saint Leger alias de Bellevue afterwards bishop of Evreux 1223 1247 Henri de Saint Leger 1247 1265 Robert de Clairbec 17 1265 1272 Jean de Guineville 18 1272 1281 Pierre de la Cambe 19 Pierre de la Cambe 20 1281 1304 Ymer de Saint Ymer 21 1304 1327 Gilbert de Saint Etienne 22 23 1327 1335 Geoffroy Fae afterwards Bishop of Evreux 1335 1351 Jean des Granges 24 25 1351 1361 Robert de Rotes alias Couraye 26 1361 1388 Guillaume de Beuzeville alias Popeline 1388 1391 Estout d Estouteville 1391 1399 Geoffroy Harenc 27 1399 1418 Guillaume d Auvillars 1418 1430 Robert Vallee 1430 1446 Thomas Frique 28 1446 1452 Jean de La Motte 1452 1476 Geoffroy d Epaignes 1476 1484 Jean Boucard 1484 1491 Robert d Evreux 1491 1515 Guillaume Guerin 1515 1515 Jean Ribault 1515 1520 Adrien Gouffier de Boissy created cardinal in 1515 also bishop of Coutances and the administrator of the see of Albi 1520 1533 Jean d Orleans Longueville also archbishop of Toulouse and bishop of Orleans created cardinal in 1533 1534 1543 Jean Le Veneur also Bishop of Lisieux 1544 1557 Jacques d Annebaut created cardinal in 1544 also Bishop of Lisieux 1558 1572 Louis de Lorraine created cardinal in 1553 also successively bishop of Troyes archbishop of Sens and bishop of Metz 1572 1591 Claude de Lorraine 1591 1597 Emeric de Vic 1597 1661 Dominique de Vic also archbishop of Auch 1661 1664 vacant 1664 1707 Jacques Nicolas Colbert also archbishop of Rouen 1707 1717 Roger de La Rochefoucauld 1717 1771 Louis de Bourbon Conde 1771 1782 vacant 1782 1790 Yves Alexandre de Marbeuf also bishop of Autun later archbishop of Lyon 1790 1948 vacant 1948 1986 Paul Grammont fr 1988 1990 Philippe Aubin 1990 1996 Philibert Zobel 1996 2020 Paul Emmanuel ClenetSee also edit nbsp Catholicism portal List of Benedictine monasteries in France St Werburgh s Abbey Povington Priory Tooting Bec Weedon BecNotes edit Not to be confused with Herluin father of Odo of Bayeux and Robert of MortainReferences editCitations edit C Warren Hollister Henry I Yale English Monarchs 2001 16 Notre Dame Abbey Le Bec Hellouin Abbayes de Normandy Retrieved 27 Feb 2021 Wilmot Buxton 1915 p 20 Vaughn Anselm of Bec and Robert Meulan the Innocence of Doves and the Wisdom of the Serpent p 21 Adolphe Andre Poree Histoire de l abbaye du Bec Vol 1 p 131 note 1 amp Appendix no 1 1 Archived 2005 10 23 at the Wayback Machine 1 Archived 2005 11 19 at the Wayback Machine Poree Adolphe Andre 1901 Histoire de l abbaye du Bec in French Evreux Imprimerie de Charles Herissey Bourget Dom John 1779 The History of the Royal Abbey of Bec London J Nichols pp 135 137 Consternation dans le diocese d Evreux Une double demission pour raisons sentimentales a l abbaye du Bec Hellouin Le Monde in French 29 March 1990 Clenet Paul Emmanuel 2008 Dom Philibert Zobel 1921 2008 L Ulivo in French 38 1 332 33 former prior of the Trinity of Beaumont was abbot from October 1179 until he died on September 23 1187 Roger II was elevated from the position of prior at Bec Gauther was elevated from position of prior at Bec otherwise de Coquainvilliers died May 16 1198 at the priory of Bonne Nouvelle of which he was former prior Also known as Guillaume II was elevated from a position of former monk at Bec Robert 1st of Clairbec died on November 23 1265 former monk of Bec was steward of the vineyards of the abbey in Ile de France Jean 1st of Guineville died October 11 1272 was elevated from position of a local prior Pierre de la Cambe died November 2 1281 was elevated from Prior of Envermeu History of Bec Abbey Ymer de Saint Ymer died November 15 1304 was elevated from Prior of Saint Hymer History of Bec Abbey Gilbert de Saint Etienne died on August 24 1327 was previously prior of Saint Nicaise de Meulan 1293 and barnkeeper of the Bec abbey Jean II des Granges died February 19 1351 first justice of the abbey History of Bec Abbey Also known as Robert II and Robert Couraye died September 15 1361 was doctor of decrees History of Bec Abbey History of Bec Abbey Bibliography edit Anonymous Chronique du Bec et Chronique de Francois Carre ed A A Poree Rouen Meetŕie 1883 Anonymous De libertate Beccensis monasterii In Giles Constable ed and Bernard S Smith trans Three Treatises from Bec on the Nature of Monastic Life Toronto Univ of Toronto Press 2008 Anselm Sancti Anselmi Cantuariensis archiepiscopi Opera Omnia ed F S Schmitt Stuttgart Frommann 1968 Chibnall Marjorie The English Lands of the Abbey of Bec Oxford OUP 1968 1946 Crouch David The Beaumont Twins The Roots and Branches of Power in the Twelfth Century Cambridge CUP 1986 Gazeau Veronique From Bec to Canterbury Between Cloister and World the Legacy of Anselm a personne d autorite In Giles E M Gasper and Ian Logan edd Saint Anselm of Canterbury and His Legacy Toronto Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies 2012 Milo Crispin Vita venerabilis Willelmi abbatis Beccensis tertii In Patrologia Latina vol 150 coll 713 724 Orderic Vitalis The Ecclesiastical History ed M Chibnall Oxford OUP 1969 vols 1 2 and 1975 vols 3 4 Pohl Benjamin and Laura Gathagan edd A Companion to the Abbey of Le Bec in the Middle Ages Leiden Brill forthcoming Poree Adolphe Andre Histoire de l abbaye du Bec Evreux Herissey 1901 Vaughn Salley Anselm of Bec and Robert of Meulan The Innocence of the Dove and the Wisdom of the Serpent Berkeley Univ Calif Press 1987 Wilmot Buxton Ethel Mary Illustrations by Morris Meredith Williams 1915 Anselm London George G Harrap amp Co External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abbaye Notre Dame du Bec in French Abbaye de Notre Dame du Bec official website Le Bec Hellouin official website in English gite site with details and photos nbsp Texts on Wikisource Bec Encyclopedia Americana 1920 Bec New International Encyclopedia 1905 49 13 44 N 0 43 19 E 49 2288 N 0 7220 E 49 2288 0 7220 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bec Abbey amp oldid 1219594516, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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