Waterbeach Abbey

• Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
• Scheduled Monument
• Monument Number 371810

Medieval moated Abbey site with earthworks. 

Finds include Samian Ware, St Neots and Stamford Ware. 

1281                            Denise Munchensey granted her Waterbeach Manor to the church. 

1294                            Franciscan Nunnery. Denise Munchensey had been preparing buildings for the Nunns. The site came under the control of the Franciscan Minister General and Provincial in England. Joan de Nevers was the first Abbess of Waterbeach. 

1314                            The Abbey acquired a licence to receive rents and lands. 

1338                            Isabel de Olneye was Abbess.

1342                            The Bishop of Ely was to pay the Abbey £10 yearly.

1342                            Most of the Nunns had moved to the new Denny Abbey.

1348                            Emma was the Abbess selected by the rebellious Nunns.

1349                            The remaining Nunns chose another Abbess and refused to move to Denny Abbey – they were forcibly removed.

1350                            The Minister General ordered some Brothers to go to Waterbeach, but they never did. 

1351                            Moved to Denny Abbey.

1359                            In a bad state and uninhabited, Pope Innocent VI approved the removal of the bodies of those buried to be taken to Denny Abbey. 

1963                            Excavated by Ministry of Public Building and Works. 

1972                            Field Investigation.