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Netley and Titchfield Abbeys

(vero;2020-June-10)

After failing to persuade Rome to void his marriage with Catherine of Aragon so that he could wed Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII broke with the papal authorities in 1533 and became Supreme Head of the Church of England in 1534. There was a lot of discontent about the catholic clergy at that time, the Reformation was well under way and the King used his new powers to reform the clergy and disband some of the numerous monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in the country by appropriating their income, disposing of their assets and converting this wealth into Royal revenue. However the strain of his military campaigns weighted more and more on the Kingdom's finances and Henry VIII eventually ended up in selling off all monastic properties in an attempt to fill the everlasting gap in his treasury. This became known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the result of which can still be seen all over the country today where only ruins remind us of the former wealth and grandness of many abbeys and monasteries. Two such monasteries can be found in Hampshire not far from each other: Netley and Titchfield abbeys which make for a nice and easy day-trip from Basingstoke.

Netley Abbey - Founded in 1238 this is the most complete surviving Cistercian monastery in southern England. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the buildings were converted into a mansion for Sir William Paulet, the first Marquess of Winchester, a very influential and powerful Hampshire statesman. He was a companion of Henry VIII and held throughout his life high offices in the Kingdom.

The ruins of Netley Abbey, close to Southampton Water and the Netley nature reserve make up for a quite romantic setting. They are now property of English Heritage.

Titchfield Abbey was founded in the 13th century and was the home of a community of Premonstratensian canons who lived communally like monks, but also preached and served as priests in the local community. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries Henry VIII gave the abbey to Sir Thomas Wriothesley, first Earl of Southampton, an influential but unscrupulous courtier who served as a loyal instrument in the break of the King with the Catholic church and transformed the existing buildings into a grand Tudor mansion called Place House.

The ruins of Titchfield are not so romantic as Netley but feature an impressive turreted gatehouse, which was built across the nave of the church and gives an idea of the former grandness of the mansion. They are now property of English Heritage.

Titchfield Abbey - Remnants of Place House Mansion.

Go back to Hinton Ampner, go on to Portchester Castle or go up to Hampshire