Syon Abbey, (or Sion Abbey) was a major mediæval monastery of the Bridgettine Order in the late Gothic or Perpendicular style (with alterations to meet the needs of this very distinctive order), its major site bordering Brentford and Isleworth, Middlesex, England. Syon House, seat of the Duke of Northumberland, partly overlies the site, which was identified as lying between Syon House and the River Thames. The abbey's remains were partially uncovered in excavations starting in 2003^[1]. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Monastery of St. ... The Bridgettine or Briggittine order. ... See also Gothic art. ... Perpendicular is a geometric term that may be used as a noun or adjective. ... Brentford is a suburb in the London Borough of Hounslow at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent in South West London, situated approximately 8 miles (12. ... Isleworth is also an affluent subdivision of Windermere, Florida, in the United States. ... Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... Syon House and its 200 acre (800,000 m²) park is in southwest London, in England. ... The title Duke of Northumberland was created in 1551 for John Dudley. ... The Thames (pronounced //) is a river flowing through southern England and connecting London with the sea. ...

[Abbey Church Representation and Seal:[4],[5]]

[Abbey Artifacts and Manuscripts:[6],[7]]

Foundation

Syon Abbey was founded in 1414 or 1415 at Twickenham Park, London by King Henry V of England and completed by his son. It was built in his 'manor of Isleworth Syon', located on the Middlesex bank of the River Thames opposite the royal palace in Richmond, on the boundary of the parish of Twickenham, near where Twickenham bridge crosses the river today. Under royal patronage, the Abbey grew quickly, relocating in 1431 and soon extending half a mile along the north bank of the Thames, near Brentford, using buildings constructed for a Celestine order, but never occupied, sited at Syon House. // Events Council of Constance begins. ... Events Friedrich I Hohenzollern (b. ... Twickenham is a leafy, affluent suburb in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the south-west of London. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ... Henry V, (August 9 or September 16, 1387 – August 31, 1422), King of England (1413-1422), son of Henry IV by Mary de Bohun, was born at Monmouth, Wales, in August or September 1386 or 1387. ... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England. ... The Thames (pronounced //) is a river flowing through southern England and connecting London with the sea. ... A royal residence 1327-1649, on The Green, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey. ... Twickenham is a leafy, affluent suburb in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the south-west of London. ... Events February 21 - The trial of Joan of Arc March 3 - Eugenius IV becomes Pope May 30 - In Rouen, France, 19-year old Joan of Arc is burned at the stake. ... Brentford is a suburb in the London Borough of Hounslow at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent in South West London, situated approximately 8 miles (12. ... Celestine may refer to: Five Popes of the Roman Catholic Church: Pope Celestine I (422–432) Pope Celestine II (1143–1144) Pope Celestine III (1191–1198) Pope Celestine IV (1241) Pope Celestine V (1294) A member of the Celestines, a branch of the Benedictine Order of monks. ... Syon House and its 200 acre (800,000 m²) park is in southwest London, in England. ...

Purpose, structure, scholarship and governance

A double monastery of men and women, under an abbess, the chief duty of the community was to pray for the souls of the royal founder and for all the faithful departed (see also chantry). However the abbey also became a centre of preaching and scholarship with one of the major libraries of England. An Abbess (Latin abbatissa, fem. ... Chantry is a term for the English establishment of a shrine or chapel on private land where monks or priests would say (or chant) prayers on a fixed schedule, usually for someone who had died. ...

The Abbess governed the Order; while a Confessor-General, elected by the brothers, controlled the spiritual direction. The Sisters had their own convent on one side of the shared, double-aisled, two-levelled church, with the accommodation for the Brothers on the other side. An Abbess (Latin abbatissa, fem. ...

Dissolution - Death of Henry VIII of England

In 1535 Saint Richard Reynolds and other brothers were hung, drawn and quartered for their opposition to King Henry VIII. The abbey was destroyed by the King in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the community expelled. A long-standing legend states that King Henry VIII´s coffin, lying in the ruined chapel at Syon on its way to Windsor for burial, burst open during the night and in the morning dogs were found licking up the remains. This was regarded as divine judgement for his desecration of the abbey. The Dissolution of the Monasteries (referred to by Roman Catholic writers as the Suppression of the Monasteries) was the formal process, taking place between 1538 and 1541, by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the Roman Catholic monastic institutions in England and took them to himself, as the... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro April - Jacques Cartier discovers the Iroquois city of Stadacona, Canada (now Quebec) and in May, the even greater Huron city of Hochelaga June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster (see Münster Rebellion) is conquered and disbanded. ... Saint John Houghton, Saint Robert Lawrence, and Saint Augustine Webster - all Carthusian priors - and Saint Richard Reynolds, a Brigittine monk, were executed in London for refusing the Oath of Supremacy to King Henry VIII of England. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Events May 30 - In Florida, Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay with 600 soldiers with the goal to find gold. ... The Dissolution of the Monasteries (referred to by Roman Catholic writers as the Suppression of the Monasteries) was the formal process, taking place between 1538 and 1541, by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the Roman Catholic monastic institutions in England and took them to himself, as the... Windsor (IPA: usually , but also ) is a suburban town and tourist destination in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, South East England. ...

Acquisition by the Somersets - Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I

After dissolution, the estate came into the possession of the 1st Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector to young Edward VI. He having been executed in 1552, it was reconfiscated by the crown under Queen Mary I. She briefly re-established the community there in 1557, but it was driven into exile again under Elizabeth I, who gave the manor to Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, and the freehold to his heir. The Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. ... Lord Protector is a particular British English title for Heads of State, with two meanings (and full styles) at different periods of history. ... Edward Tudor redirects here; for another (though unlikely) Edward Tudor, see a putative younger son of Henry VII of England, who, if existed, would be the uncle of this Edward Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England, King of France and King of Ireland from... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... Mary Tudor is the name of both Mary I of England and her fathers sister, Mary Tudor (queen consort of France). ... Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533–24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland (1532 - 1585) Henry was the son of Thomas Percy and Eleanor Harbottle. ...

History as a stately home

Between 1547 and his death by execution in 1552, the 1st Duke of Somerset built Syon House in the Italian Renaissance style, over the foundations of the west end of the huge abbey church. The square house seen today is hollow in the middle, as it was built around the convent's cloister garden. The Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. ...

The legend is that the lion (the family emblem) on the roof has its back to London since the Duke has fallen out with the king.

Post-Elizabethan history of the community

The expelled community moved from place to place in France and Spain, until they finally settled in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1594. The Lisbon community returned to England in 1861, settling first in Spetisbury, Dorset, in 1887 in Chudleigh, Devon and then in 1925 to its current location near to South Brent, Devon. As such, the Abbey of Syon has the distinction of being the only English monastic community that survived the reformation in an unbroken lineage to the present day. District or region Lisbon Mayor   - Party Carmona Rodrigues PSD Area 84. ... Events February 27 - Henry IV is crowned King of France at Rheims. ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Spetisbury is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour and the A350 road, four miles south east of Blandford Forum. ... For other uses, see Dorset (disambiguation). ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Chudleigh is a small town in Devon located between the town of Newton Abbot and Exeter. ... Devon is a large county in South West England, bordering on Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Map sources for South Brent at grid reference SX697603 South Brent is a large village on the southern edge of Dartmoor, in the valley of the Devon Avon, population 2998 (2000), five miles north-east of Ivybridge, and next to the Devon Expressway which connects Exeter (32 miles to the... Devon is a large county in South West England, bordering on Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. ...

In 2004, the remaining mediæval books in the Abbey's collection were deposited for safe-keeping with the University of Exeter Library ^[2]. Also a large piece of sculptural stonework from the Abbey's remains was returned to them by Syon House. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Exeter is the principal University in the English city of Exeter, in Devon. ...

Excavation of the Abbey

In the summer of 2003 (broadcast 4th January 2004), investigations by Channel 4's Time Team relocated the foundations of the church and abbey(Time Team page on this dig). In 2004, 2005 and 2006 further excavations by Birkbeck^[3] have continued. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Channel 4 is a public service television broadcaster in the United Kingdom (see British television). ... Time Team is a popular British television series explaining the process of archaeology for the layman in the UK. Broadcast by Channel 4, the programme was first shown in 1994, and is presented by Tony Robinson, well-known for his appearances in many popular historical and humorous TV series, including... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The façade of the main building of Birkbeck, University of London (formerly Birkbeck College). ...

External links

1. ^ [1] Museum of London Archeological Services Report
2. ^ [2] The present-day abbey
3. ^ [3] Discovery of the site at Syon House

• History of the abbey
• Painting of Syon Abbey
• Abbey Seal
• Drawing of Abbey Manuscript

[Abbey Artifact:[8]]