Vaudey Abbey, Medieval Cistercian monastery in Edenham, England
Vaudey Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Edenham that once spread across extensive grounds with stone buildings and monastic structures. Today only earthworks remain, though an original doorway from the site was relocated to Edenham Church in 1967 and can be viewed there.
William, Count of Aumale, founded this monastery in 1147 and brought monks from Fountains Abbey, who relocated from Bytham to Edenham by 1149. When the monastery was dissolved in 1539, the lands passed to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
The monastery was a center for wool production that supplied regional markets with high-quality materials. This economic activity shaped how the monks organized their daily work and routines.
The site is challenging to explore since only earthworks remain visible, but it is easy to locate near Edenham Church. Wear sturdy shoes as the ground is uneven and can become muddy after rain.
The stones from this dissolved monastery were reused by Charles Brandon to construct his new mansion, showing how abbey ruins were repurposed for practical purposes. This salvage practice was common among the nobility when acquiring land from the crown during the 1500s.
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