Bec Abbey

Bec Abbey () in Le Bec Hellouin,often also written "Le Bec-Hellouin" Normandy, France, is a Benedictine monastic foundation in the Eure département, in a valley midway between the cities of Rouen and Le Havre. 
==First foundation==
The abbey was founded in 1039 by Herluin,later Saint Herluin; not to be confused with Herluin, father of Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain a Norman knight who in about 1031 left the court of Gilbert, Count of Brionne, to devote himself to a life of religion: the commune of Le Bec Hellouin preserves his name."Bec" is the name of the stream running through the abbey, Old Norse bekkr, in English place or river names Beck.
With the arrival of Lanfranc of Pavia, Bec became a focus of 11th century intellectual life. Lanfranc, who was already famous for his lectures at Avranches, came to teach as prior and master of the monastic school, but left in 1062, to become abbot of St. Stephen's Abbey, Caen, and later Archbishop of Canterbury. He was followed as abbot by Anselm, also later an Archbishop of Canterbury, as was the fifth abbot, Theobald of Bec. Many distinguished ecclesiastics, probably including the future Pope Alexander II and Saint Ivo of Chartres, were educated in the school at Bec.
The life of the founder (Vita Herluini) was written by Abbot Gilbert Crispin. Archbishop Lanfranc also wrote a Chronicon Beccense of the life of Herluin, and of the first four abbots, which was published at Paris in 1648.
The followers of William the Conqueror supported the abbey, enriching it with extensive properties in England. Bec also owned and managed St Neots Priory as well as a number of other British foundations, including Goldcliff Priory in Monmouthshire founded in 1113 by Robert de Chandos. The village of Tooting Bec, now a London suburb, is so named because the abbey owned the land.
Bec Abbey was damaged during the Wars of Religion and left a ruin in the French Revolution but the 15th century Tour Saint-Nicolas ("St, Nicholas's Tower") from the medieval monastery is still standing.
==Second foundation==
In 1948 the site was re-settled as the Abbaye de Notre-Dame du Bec by Olivetan monks led by Dom Grammont, who effected some restorations. The abbey is known for its links with Anglicanism and has been visited by successive archbishops of Canterbury. The abbey library contains the John Graham Bishop deposit of 5,000 works concerning Anglicanism.
Image:Abbaye du Bec église abbatiale.jpg|Abbey church
Image:Abbaye du Bec tour S Nicolas closer2.jpg|Close-up of the Tour Saint-Nicolas
Image:Abbaye du Bec-Hellouin - Le cloître.jpg|Cloister
Image:Abbaye du Bec - Tour S Nicolas.jpg|West side of the Tour Saint-Nicolas west side, between the ancient pottery to its left and the monks' residential building to its right
==See also==
*List of Benedictine monasteries in France
==Notes==
==External links==
* Abbaye de Notre-Dame du Bec: official website
* Le Bec Hellouin: official website
* gite site with details and photos
Category:Benedictine monasteries in France
Category:1039 establishments
Category:Buildings and structures in Eure
Category:Christian monasteries established in the 11th century
ast:Abadía de Bec
de:Abtei von Bec
eo:Abatejo Bec
fr:Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec
gl:Abadía de Bec
it:Abbazia di Bec
pl:Opactwo Notre Dame w Bec