Tewkesbury
 Abbeys |
Tewkesbury is an ancient town. It stands at the confluence of the Rivers Severn and Avon, a strategically important position in the north of the county. The town contains many of historically significant buildings and is most famous for the battle during the Wars of the Roses fought there in the 15 th century.
Because Tewkesbury was founded between the banks of two rivers, as it developed and grew in size, its expansion outwards was inhibited. As a result the narrow streets became densely packed with unusually tall buildings, pre-empting a tradition more associated with the 20th century. The 15th and 16th centuries saw much of this construction which marked a period of growth and prosperity for the town. Unfortunatley this was followed by a decline in its fortunes. This reversal of fortunes for Tewkesbury proved a blessing in disguise, however, for posterity, as the handsome black-and-white half-timbered buildings that characterise the town have remained intact, rather than having been replaced or adapted to accommodate more modern building styles. Almost all the older houses in the town have historical associations. The 16th century Tudor House, now a hotel, contains a priest's hole or hiding place, in the chimney of what is now a coffee room. Among the selection of medieval inns of great interest is the Royal Hop Pole Hotel, where Charles Dickens set part of his ‘Pickwick Papers', the timber-framed and atmospheric Bell Inn and the Black Bear.
At the centre of the town, surrounded by narrow alleyways, hidden courtyards, angled rooftops and inns and cottages, stands Tewkesbury Abbey. It is a haven of conformity and tranquillity, pride of place going to its lofty Norman tower. A parish church built on cathedral-like dimensions, the church of St Mary the Virgin was founded in the 8th century but was completely rebuilt at the end of the 11th century. Some of the memorial stones are very old and considered the finest of their type. It originally served as the church of the mighty Benedictine Abbey of Tewkesbury, one of the last monasteries dissolved by Henry VIII. When the abbey was destroyed during the Dissolution of the 1530s the church was saved from a similar fate by the townspeople, who purchased it in 1540 from the crown for the considearble sum of £453. Since then, the abbey church was called Tewkesbury Abbey.
Its tower, at 132ft in height and 46ft square, is the largest Norman Tower still in existence, offering from the top wonderful views of the twon and surrounding area. One of the most fascinating features of the church is the huge double row of 14 Norman pillars in the naïve, supporting some fine early 14 th century decorated roof vaulting now restored to its original colour. In the central choir are seven incredible stained-glass windows which contain glass dating from the 14 th century. The magnificent high altar, a 13ft long slab of Purbeck marble was consecrated in 1239 and is one of the longest and oldest in the country. Opposite the choir stands the abbey's Milton organ, whose pipework dates from 1610 and is considered to be one of the oldest church organs still in use.
The high abbey tower was used as a lookout position in the 15th century during one of the bloodiest and most decisive confrontations of the Wars of the Roses between the Lancastrians and Yorkists - the Battle of Tewkesbury. On the 14 th of May 1471, in a field lying just south of the town, a fierce battle ensued. The field is now referred to as Bloody Meadow. The Yorkist victory confirmed Edward IV's claim to the throne of England, while the 17-year old Lancastrian son of Henry VI, Edward Prince of Wales, was killed in battle. He is now buried in the abbey nearby, his burial place marked by a plaque. Those Lancastrians who had not been killed on the battlefield fled to the abbey where they were butchered by the jubilant Yorkist troops. Legend has it that the abbey monks halted the massacre, permitting Lancastrian knights to seek sanctuary. This however, only delayed the inevitable. The remainder were dragged from the abbey and executed at the town's Market Cross. Almost two centuries later Tewkesbury was again the scene of military action during the British Civil Wars between The Crown and Parliament, when the town changed hands several times during the conflict.
For more information see http://www.visitcotswoldsandsevernvale.gov.uk/