Euphemia de Walliers (1100s – 26 April 1257) was a Benedictine nun of Flemish descent who became the abbess of Wherwell Abbey. She is known for building and rebuilding at the abbey whilst the number of nuns rose by 40 to 80 during her management.
Her mother was Margaret de Walliers and her father is considered to be Theodore de Walliers although her birthplace and birthday are unknown. In 1212 she was a nun at Wherwell Abbey when her aunt, Matilda de Bailleul, died. Her aunt had been the abbess and de Walliers was elected as her replacement. She became head of an abbey with four prebends with forty nuns[1] and she was also given a psalter which had belonged to her predecessor. The Saint Bertin psalter is still extant and Euphemia was the second abbess to add annotation and details to it.[2] This is why the name of her mother is known and her father's name can be implied.[3]
Virgin Mary Illumination from the Abbess's Saint Bertin Psalter
Her predecessor, Maud/Matilda de Bailleul, had reestablished the abbey after it was burned during the Anarchy in 1141.[1] de Walliers devoted her time to reconstructing buildings.[citation needed]
Euphemia seems to have been a veritable whirlwind. As the surviving cartulary records. Euphemia built a new farmery, dorter and latrines with running water, all away from the main buildings, and nearby a chapel of the Blessed Virgin, with a large enclosed garden. By the river bank, she constructed other buildings leaving access to the river for the nuns. She cleared older buildings and built a new hall for the manor court, and further away a new efficient mill. She completely rebuilt the dilapidated manor house at Middleton, and she took similar measures at Tufton. She was attentive to charitable works and in providing hospitality.[4]
She embellished the Norman church that had replaced the original Saxon church with crosses, reliquaries, precious stones, vestments, and books. When the decaying bell tower collapsed on to the dorter in the early hours, narrowly missing the nuns, she built a tall and handsome replacement that matched the remaining buildings and in her old age she had dismantled and rebuilt with 12-foot deep foundations the sanctuary of the church.[4]
Death and legacyedit
She died on 26 April 1257 and it is presumed that she was buried in the Abbey's church.[3] de Walliers had added details of her relatives' obituaries and prayers to the psalter given to her by her predecessor, Matilda.[2] The psalter continued to be passed down and it is now in St John's College, Cambridge.[2]
Referencesedit
^ ab"Bailleul, Matilda de (d. 1212), abbess of Wherwell". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/105478. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
^ abc"Seminar: "Made for a Templar, Fit for an Abbess: The Psalter, Cambridge, St John's College, MS C.18 (68)" – Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies". Retrieved 28 March 2021.
^ ab"Walliers, Euphemia de [Euphemia of Wherwell] (d. 1257), abbess of Wherwell". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/54451. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
^ ab"Houses of Benedictine nuns: Abbey of Wherwell | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
January 01, 1970
euphemia, walliers, 1100s, april, 1257, benedictine, flemish, descent, became, abbess, wherwell, abbey, known, building, rebuilding, abbey, whilst, number, nuns, rose, during, management, born1100sdied26, april, 1257nationalitykingdom, englandoccupationnunknow. Euphemia de Walliers 1100s 26 April 1257 was a Benedictine nun of Flemish descent who became the abbess of Wherwell Abbey She is known for building and rebuilding at the abbey whilst the number of nuns rose by 40 to 80 during her management Euphemia de WalliersBorn1100sDied26 April 1257NationalityKingdom of EnglandOccupationnunKnown forAbbess of Wherwell AbbeyPredecessorMatilda de BailleulLife editHer mother was Margaret de Walliers and her father is considered to be Theodore de Walliers although her birthplace and birthday are unknown In 1212 she was a nun at Wherwell Abbey when her aunt Matilda de Bailleul died Her aunt had been the abbess and de Walliers was elected as her replacement She became head of an abbey with four prebends with forty nuns 1 and she was also given a psalter which had belonged to her predecessor The Saint Bertin psalter is still extant and Euphemia was the second abbess to add annotation and details to it 2 This is why the name of her mother is known and her father s name can be implied 3 nbsp Virgin Mary Illumination from the Abbess s Saint Bertin Psalter Her predecessor Maud Matilda de Bailleul had reestablished the abbey after it was burned during the Anarchy in 1141 1 de Walliers devoted her time to reconstructing buildings citation needed Euphemia seems to have been a veritable whirlwind As the surviving cartulary records Euphemia built a new farmery dorter and latrines with running water all away from the main buildings and nearby a chapel of the Blessed Virgin with a large enclosed garden By the river bank she constructed other buildings leaving access to the river for the nuns She cleared older buildings and built a new hall for the manor court and further away a new efficient mill She completely rebuilt the dilapidated manor house at Middleton and she took similar measures at Tufton She was attentive to charitable works and in providing hospitality 4 She embellished the Norman church that had replaced the original Saxon church with crosses reliquaries precious stones vestments and books When the decaying bell tower collapsed on to the dorter in the early hours narrowly missing the nuns she built a tall and handsome replacement that matched the remaining buildings and in her old age she had dismantled and rebuilt with 12 foot deep foundations the sanctuary of the church 4 Death and legacy editShe died on 26 April 1257 and it is presumed that she was buried in the Abbey s church 3 de Walliers had added details of her relatives obituaries and prayers to the psalter given to her by her predecessor Matilda 2 The psalter continued to be passed down and it is now in St John s College Cambridge 2 References edit a b Bailleul Matilda de d 1212 abbess of Wherwell Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 ref odnb 105478 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a b c Seminar Made for a Templar Fit for an Abbess The Psalter Cambridge St John s College MS C 18 68 Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies Retrieved 28 March 2021 a b Walliers Euphemia de Euphemia of Wherwell d 1257 abbess of Wherwell Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 ref odnb 54451 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a b Houses of Benedictine nuns Abbey of Wherwell British History Online www british history ac uk Retrieved 28 March 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Euphemia de Walliers amp oldid 1193676972, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
