Dieulacres Abbey

Fisher, Michael J

Abstract

Dieulacres Abbey has always held out a strange fascination for me. As a schoolboy I often used to walk over the hill behind Abbey Farm and look down at the cluster of trees and shrubs which screened the abbey ruins, trying to picture what the buildings must have looked like in medieval times. Although I knew of the local legends concerning a secret tunnel running from the Abbey to the Parish Church, and a golden chair and candlesticks buried somewhere in the ruins, I knew practically nothing about the history of the place; and I often thought that I would like to find out all I could about Dieulacres and commit it to paper. This childhood dream has now come true, and I have found the work both interesting and rewarding.

During the course of my research I have received help and guidance from various sources, and I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to all those who have assisted me in any way. First of all my thanks are due to the University of Keele for their grant of a Research Studentship during my period of study. My transcription of the Dieulacres Chronicle was made possible through the kindness of Mr. B.M. Cocks, Librarian of Gray’s Inn, who permitted me to examine the document on several occasions and who arranged to have photostat copies made of those sections which I wished to study closely. Free access to the Eaton Charters was granted to me by the Trustees, and I am most grateful to the archivist, Mr. A.R. Mitchell, for his friendly assistance on the occasions when I have visited the Eaton Estate Office. My thanks are also due to M. Pierre Chaplais and Mr. N.R. Ker of the University of Oxford for their help with certain palaeographic queries, and to Professor Margaret Deanesly who first suggested that I should work for a Research Degree. For the help which I have received with my illustrative material I would like to thank the Photographic Department of the University Library for reproducing my maps and documents, Mrs. A. Docksey of Abbey Farm for allowing me to photograph the house and ruins, and Mr. Gerald Mee for the pictures of St. Edward’s Church and the Dieulacres Chalice. I am greatly indebted to Miss Millington of Leek for typing the bulk of this work - a difficult task in view of the numerous footnotes and Latin quotes. Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. H.R. Leech, who has supervised my work so efficiently throughout, and who has always been ready and willing to give me every possible assistance over the past eighteen months.

Citation

Fisher, M. J. (1967). Dieulacres Abbey. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/849874

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2024
• Keywords: Department of History
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/849874
• Award Date: 1967