Historical Background
After Evesham Abbey was founded by Egwin, the third Bishop of Worcester, in about 700, he became its first Abbot. There were around thirty Saxon Abbots until just after the Norman Conquest, when Abbot Walter was appointed by William the Conqueror in May 1077. He planted the first vineyard in Hampton and was responsible for plans to rebuild the Abbey, possibly based on churches in Caen and Canterbury. He was succeeded by Robert and records during his time show that there were 67 monks, 3 paupers, 5 nuns, 3 clerks and 65 servants at the Abbey, a sizeable population. There were nearly thirty more Abbots before the Abbey was dissolved in 1540.
In the period from 1379 to 1460, there were three Abbots with origins not too far from Evesham. John of Ombreslye was elected by the other monks on 20th November 1397 and installed on 24th December. He had previously been Sacrist of Evesham, with responsibility for the care of the Church, opening and closing its doors and ensuring there were enough candles and oil. During his time as Abbot, he arranged for the paving of the town, and for rebuilding the main span of the bridge to Bengeworth.
Richard de Bromsgrove was elected on 6th December 1419 and installed on the 25th. He had previously been the Infirmarer at the Abbey, with responsibility for supervising care of the sick monks and otherattendants, including the process of bloodletting. He died on 10th May 1435 and was buried in the Abbey’s St Mary’s Chapel, near the steps ascending to the altar.
He was succeeded by John Wykewone. His name was that of the village of Wickhamford at that time. He was elected on 21st December 1435, having been previously the Prior of Evesham Abbey. This was the highest position after that of Abbot.
He was followed by Richard Pembrok, a man from further afield. Under his leadership the monastery at Alcester was united and appropriated to Evesham Abbey. He died on 7th May 1467.
The Wickhamford Abbot
John Wykewone was probably born in Wickhamford, but Baptismal Registers were not in use until 1538, so it is impossible to find out more about his family origins. He was buried in the Abbey church, but the location of St Mary’s Chapel within the building is not now known. However, from the Abbot Richard’s, burial mentioned above, it would appear to have been close to the steps to the altar.
His time at Evesham Abbey, firstly as a monk, then as Prior and finally Abbot, would have spanned the years from about 1415 until 1461. A book edited by David Cox (2021), Evesham Abbey and Local Society in the Late Middle Ages: The Abbot’s Household Account 1456-7 and the Prior’s Registers 1520-40, covers part of the tenure of John Wykewone as Abbot. A summary of some of the information given in this excellent book follows.
John Wykewone’s Life
John Wykewone’s adopted surname (which had various contemporary spellings) was the name of one of the Abbey’s manors near Evesham, now called Wickhamford.
He entered the monastery in the time of Abbot Roger Yatton (1379-1418) and appears in a list of thirty-two monks who elected Yatton’s successor on 6th December 1418. His only kin, identified in the Abbey receiver’s accounts, were John Askham and Margery Barker. He may have been related to the Boteler family as a pedigree roll (from ca 1450) of Ralph Boteler, Lord Sudeley, includes a reference to Abbot John Wykewone (right).
In 1418, John Wykewone had been one of Evesham’s monk-scholars at Oxford. Before 1434, he had become Prior of Evesham under Abbot Richard Bromsgrove. He was elected Abbot when Bromsgrove died in December that year. John Wykewone was Abbot for twenty-six years. By 1540 he had acquired new properties and promoted the Feast of Epiphany to rank with the seven principal feasts of the liturgical year. By 1456 he had become an invalid and the receiver’s accounts refer to chronic ailments that included stiffness and defective eyesight, so he no longer travelled outside of Evesham. He died in Sunday, 1st February 1461 was buried in St Mary’s Chapel, in the Abbey church, before an image of St Katherine.
Life at the Abbey during Abbot Wykewone’s time
During his time as Abbot, he had his own stone-built lodgings in the Abbey precinct. The hall had a timbered roof, covered in lead, there was a vaulted two-storeyed porch, a kitchen and pantry. By 1456/57, the receiver’s accounts said the building had been extended to include a parlour and mention was also made of a garden and stable. Later still, a brewhouse and orchard were mentioned.
The Abbot’s household in 1456/57 contained several men named as being in attendance, such as monks John Broadway (sub-cellarer), John Winchcombe (presenter) and Richard Bromsgrove (almoner). In 1456/57, Abbot Wykewone bought an alabaster panel for his private chapel. He ordered an offering of 3s 4d to a hermit occupying the caves at Southstone Rock in N-W Worcestershire. The steps in the rock had a chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist (the same dedication as the church in Wickhamford).
The Abbot’s household was often the host to visiting entertainers, both professional, known as mimes, and local performers. During 1456/57, the household made seventeen payments to visiting mimes. There were also nine different bands of local performers in that period.
King Henry V1 and his entourage stayed in Evesham in March 1457 and the Abbot’s expenditure on luxuries and entertainments was undoubtedly strained. Several Abbeys built high-quality inns outside their walls in the fifteenth century and a new inn was built in Evesham. Abbot Wykewone put this in the hands of a tenant and received the rent, so he must have been the builder. The inn was a considerable size, as the rent was set at 60s a year. It is possible that this inn was the free-standing, timber framed building of three stories now called the Round House, by the market place in Evesham.
Wickhamford references in the Abbey Accounts in 1456-1457
The Abbey Accounts for the 12 months from 30th September 1457 to 30th September 1457 have survived and there are many references to Wickhamford within them, in sections dealing with accounts and old debts:
- An allowance paid to Geoffry Sclatter for working on the tithe barn of Wickhamford – 3s 4d
- For 1000 laths bought for the Manor of Wickhamford – 6s 8d
- Money paid to Robert, of the Lord Abbot’s stable, for fishing in the pond at Wickhamford – 2d
- To John Buntyng of Wickhamford – 3s 4d
- To Robert Yate, tenant of Wickhamford, a gift from the Lord Abbot – 3s
- Given to Manorial employees of Wickhamford – 8d
- Given to William Hondy of Wickhamford by order of the Lord Abbot – 6s 8d
- For woollen cloth bought for the making of gowns, payment to three men including William Hondy – 19s 2½ d
- To William Hythe of Wickhamford for wheat bought from him – 64s 8d
- To Thomas Sclatter and Thomas Doselle for sundry repairs in Evesham, Lenchwick and Wickhamford – 11s 2d
- To Thomas Foxe and John Burton for working upon Wickhamford tithe barn – 21s 5d
- To John Townysende, reeve of Wickhamford, for wages of employees for the terms of St Andrews Day, 30th November 1456, and Lady Day, 25th March 1457 – 42s. (The reeve was a minor official such as the manager of the Manor and overseer of peasants.)
Note: The Evesham Abbey Trust has a list of Abbots of Evesham on its website and there the spelling of the name of the man discussed here is given as “John Wykewan (Wykwane)”. In David Cox’s book, Wickhamford at the time was said to be spelled in various ways including Wikewone, Wykewon, Wykewone and Wikewonford.
Tom Locke – September 2024