page_title: Tewkesbury Abbey
section_title: Abbots
hierarchical_section_title: Tewkesbury Abbey / Abbots
caption_attribution_description: Tewkesbury Abbey, England
context_page_description: The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, in the English county of Gloucestershire, is a parish church and a former Benedictine monastery. It is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Britain, and has probably the largest Romanesque crossing tower in Europe.
  Tewkesbury had been a centre for worship since the 7th century, becoming a priory in the 10th. The present building was started in the early 12th century. It was unsuccessfully used as a sanctuary in the Wars of the Roses. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became the parish church for the town. George Gilbert Scott led Restoration in the late 19th century. The church and churchyard within the abbey precincts includes tombs and memorials to many of the aristocracy of the area.
  Services have been high church but now include Parish Eucharist, choral Mass and Evensong. These are accompanied by one of the church's three organs and choirs. There is a ring of twelve bells, hung for change ringing.
context_section_description: Gerald of Avranches (1102–1109). Previously served as Abbot of Cranborne, when Tewkesbury was a dependent cell. Gerald was made Abbot when the abbey was transferred to Tewkesbury by William Rufus and Robert Fitz Haimon. He also previously served as chaplain to Hugh, Earl of Chester
  Robert (1109–1123)
  Benedict (1124–1137) Previously served as Prior of Tewkesbury
  Roger (1137–1161)
  Fromund (1162–1178)
  Robert (1182–1183)
  The Bishop of St. David's held the priory for three years (1183–1186)
  Alan of Tewkesbury, (1186–1202). His tomb is in the south ambulatory of the choir
  Walter (1202–1213). Previously served as the Sacrist at Tewkesbury
  Hugh or Henry (1212–1215). Previously served as Prior of Tewkesbury
  Peter of Worcester (1216–1232)
  Robert (1232–1254). Previously served as Prior of Tewkesbury. A tomb thought to be his is in the south ambulatory
  Thomas de Stoke or Stokes (1255–1276). Previously served as Prior of St James' Priory, Bristol
  Richard of Norton (1276–1282)
  Thomas of Kempsey, Kemeseye, or Kemes (1282–1328)
  John de Cotes (1330–1347). Previously served as Prior of Tewkesbury
  Thomas de Leghe (1347–1361)
  Thomas de Chesterton (1361–1389)
  Thomas Parker (1389–1420)
  William de Bristol, or de Bristow (1425–1442)
  John de Abingdon (1444–1452)
  John Galeys, Gales, or Galys (1452–1468)
  John Streynesham, or Streynsham (1468–1480)
  Richard Cheltenham, or Cheltynham (1480–1509)
  Henry Beely, Beauley, Beley, or Beoly (1509–1534)
  John Wyche alias John Wakeman (1534–1540). Last Abbot before the surrender of the monastery on 9 January 1540. Appointed Bishop of Gloucester in September 1541
caption: The chancel and decorated vault
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