Leicester Abbey: the ruins of Leicestershire's wealthiest religious house

Leicester Abbey is what remains of a former Augustinian abbey in the city of Leicester, in the English Midlands. The site is a Grade I listed building, the highest level of heritage protection in England. The community's full name was the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis, or Saint Mary of the Meadows.

Who founded Leicester Abbey, and when?

The abbey was established in the 12th century, with 1143 usually given as the year of foundation. Its founder was Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester, who settled a community of Augustinian canons there. It counted among the largest abbeys in England and, within Leicestershire itself, grew into the richest religious establishment.

Where did the abbey's wealth come from?

Its fortune grew through patronage and donations. The abbey gained the advowsons, the rights to appoint clergy, of countless churches across England, along with large landholdings and several manorial lordships. It also kept a cell, a small dependent religious house, at Cockerham Priory in Lancashire.

Special privileges granted by English kings and by the Pope strengthened its position. The abbey was exempt from sending representatives to parliament and from paying tithe on certain land and livestock.

Why did the abbey decline?

Despite those privileges and its sizeable estates, financial trouble set in from the late 14th century, and the abbey had to lease out some of its lands. The situation worsened through the 15th and early 16th centuries under a series of abbots described as incompetent, corrupt and extravagant. By 1535 its debts were greater than its still considerable income.

The end of the abbey

Monastic life at Leicester Abbey ended during the dissolution of the monasteries. The abbey was finally closed in 1538 by Henry VIII. What survives today are ruins that recall the former standing of the place.

Frequently asked questions

What is Leicester Abbey? The ruins of a former Augustinian abbey in Leicester, known in full as the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis.

Who founded it? Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester, in the 12th century; 1143 is the date usually cited.

When was the abbey closed? In 1538, on the orders of King Henry VIII.

Is it a protected monument? Yes. It is a Grade I listed building, the highest category of listing in England.

Why did the abbey fall into trouble? From the late 14th century it struggled financially, and incompetent, extravagant abbots in the 15th and early 16th centuries deepened its debts.