Vale Royal Abbey is a medieval abbey, and later a country house, located in Whitegate, between Northwich and Winsford in Cheshire, England. During its 278-year period of operation, it had at least 21 abbots (possibly 22).
The abbey was founded in 1270 by Prince Edward for monks of the austere Cistercian order. Edward intended the abbey to be on the grandest scale. However, financial difficulties meant that these ambitions could not be fulfilled and the final building was considerably smaller than planned. The project ran into problems in other ways. The abbey was frequently grossly mismanaged, relations with the local population were so poor as to regularly cause outbreaks of large-scale violence on a number of occasions, and internal discipline was frequently bad.
Image Name From To Notes Walter c. 1270Probably oversaw the move from the original foundation at Darnhall to Vale Royal. Henry c. 1275Although these dates are given by the Victoria County History, nothing more—in fact, nothing at all—is known of this Henry, and it has been suggested that it was in fact a scribal error for Walter, above, and so may never have actually existed. John Chaumpeneys c. 1275c. 1289First abbot of the re-sited Abbey. Walter of Hereford c. 1294c.1307 John of Hoo c. 1308-9c. 1314-15 Richard of Evesham 13161322 Peter 13221339Murdered in office. Robert de Cheyneston 13401349 Thomas 13511369 Stephen c. 1373c. 1400John14051411Thomas Oxenford14141418Henry Arrowsmith14281437Died in office.Thomas Kirkham1438-91475William Stratford14761494Thomas14851496William Stratford14981504Richard1505William Stratford15091517John Butler15171529Removed from office.William1529John Butler15301535Restored; died in office.John Hareware15351538(surname possibly Harwood) Surrendered the abbey during the dissolution.
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