Rushen Abbey

Rushen Abbey
Isle of Man
Some of the remains of Rushen Abbey
Location
Grid reference:	SC278701
Location:	54°5’53"N, 4°38’4"W
Village:	Ballasalla
Order:	Cistercian
History
Information
Website:	Rushen Abbey

Rushen Abbey is a ruined abbey in Ballasalla on the Isle of Man.

The monastery was founded in 1134, during the Norse period of the island's history, for monks of the Savignac order, it soon came under Cistercian control and remained so until its dissolution. The abbey is located two miles from Castle Rushen, the politically most important site on the island in the Middle Ages. The abbey stood by a river then known as the Awin Rosien, now called the Silver Burn.

History of the abbey

The abbey was founded in 1134, under Óláfr Guðrøðarson's control. He granted the land to Savignac monks from Furness Abbey. In 1147 the abbey came under Cistercian rule following the merging of the Savignac and Cistercian orders. The abbey church dedicated to St Mary was completed in 1257.

Around the period of 1257, the Chronicles of Mann were written at the Abbey. At this time the abbey was wealthy, controlling a number of Manx parishes and the income of estates granted to it. Along with the Chronicle, many other important documents relating to the island were written here, and became the centre of knowledge and literacy on the island.

During the reign of John Stanley II (1414 - 1452), Lord of Mann, laws were enacted to curb the power of the church. One law forbade the Abbott from sheltering felons seeking sanctuary in the abbey. Later laws imposed closer control, so that the licence of the Lord of Mann was required to receive new monk, or eventually any visitors.

The abbey was dissolved under King Henry VIII in 1540.

After dissolution

In 1853 the Isle of Man Government bought Rushen Abbey with the intention of turning it into a lunatic asylum, but it was never used for such a purpose, and in 1864 an Act was passed revoking the sale.

In the early 1900s, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination, famous for the strawberries and cream served in its gardens. After falling into disrepair after the Second World War, the abbey was acquired by Manx National Heritage in May 1998, and restoration work began. Soon afterwards, excavations began, and archaeologists discovered more about the monks' way of life and practices.

Heritage centre

The abbey is now a heritage centre (part of the "Story of Mann") with a building containing artefacts and telling the history of Rushen Abbey and the surrounding area. The remains of the original abbey have been restored and walkways constructed to allow visitors to get a close look. Between April and October the abbey is open to the public and an admission fee is payable. Before accessing the abbey gardens, visitors must walk through a museum that explains the role of the abbey. There is interactive, audio and video material available. At the end of the exhibition, there is an area designed for children, allowing them to build an arch and discover the monastery's history in a way that is more appealing to them. The centre is advertised to children with the phrase "Monky business".

Monks' Bridge

A drawing of the Abbey ruins from 1656

Monks from Rushen Abbey would sometimes have farms in the north of the island. A packhorse bridge was built in around 1350 to allow the monks to cross the nearby Silverburn River. Known today as The Monks' Bridge (or The Crossag), it is one of few surviving packhorse bridges in the British Isles.

Burials

• Olaf the Black
• Magnús Óláfsson
• Rögnvaldr Óláfsson (d. 1249)

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Rushen Abbey)

• Rushen Abbey – Manx National Heritage
• Information about Rushen Abbey