Shrewsbury Abbey - Where is the Benedictine Monastery Now - Story of Shr...

The Story of Shrewsbury Part 6: Where is the Benedictine Monastery Now?

In Shrewsbury as elsewhere throughout the UK the Catholic monasteries for a very long time. In fact Shrewsbury monastery existed for more than 400 years. The end came when Henry VIII asked for annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and the church in Rome refused. So, in 1534 Henry VIII decread that the Church of England be separated from the Roman Catholic Church.

That led to Shrewsbury Monastery, which was by then much in need of repair, being sold and falling into further decay.

Ancient pulpit (C) Geograph-1732941-by-John-S-Turner

Those that took an interest in history at school may remember that the Church of England became the established church by an Act of Parliament, in the "Act of Supremacy". That was the start of a series of events known as the "English Reformation", but there was no dramatic sacking and burning of Shrewsbury Abbey. According to Wikipedia, the lead from the roof was removed, leading to decay and eventual collapse.

Some evidence of the monastic buildings remained until the famous Engineer, Thomas Telford, built his A5 road through the Abbey grounds c.1836. It was during that roadbuilding that they removed much of the remaining evidence of the monastic layout.

However, the old refectory pulpit is still visible across the road from the church, and a single wall of an Abbey building still stands as an integral part of another building.

The Abbey's Church that you can visit today had always doubled as the church for the Abbey Foregate parish, and has continued in that use. The western part of the Abbey Church (nave, side aisles, porch and west tower) have survived as parts of the parish church.

In the late 19th century the possibility of the Abbey becoming a cathedral again was considered. A bill to make that happen was drafted in 1922. But, in 1926 the plans for Shrewsbury Cathedral were defeated by just one vote, in the House of Lords.