S. John of Beverly

Community ID:

2881

Alternate Names:

Silva Derorum, Inderauuda, Deirwalde, Endeirwood

Town:

Beverley

Region:

Yorkshire

Dedication:

S. John the Evangelist

Date Founded:

700

Date Terminated:

1450 or after

Rule:

Benedictine

Foundation Information:

In 700, John the archbishop of York founded a monastery with a church dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist. He attached an oratory to the church and installed nuns in the oratory. This monastery was founded on the site of a monastery that was supposed to have originally been founded in 126 AD and destroyed in 450 AD. Dugdale considers this story improbable (Dugdale's Monasticon Volume 2, 127).

First Members:

Yolfrida, the daughter of a patron, was nun at the monastery and was buried there upon her death.

Patrons/Benefactors:

Athelstan refounded the monastery as a house for secular canons in either 828 or 928 (Dugdale's Monasticon Volume 2, 128).

Relics:

Supposedly, the minster contained the relics of St. John of Beverley, the founder, who was officially canonized in 1037 largely due to the efforts of archbishop Aelfric.

Published Primary Sources:

Joannis Lelandi antiquarii De rebus britannicis collectanea, Volume 3:3, 153

Secondary Sources:

Dugdale's Monasticon Volume 2
Monastery of St. John of Beverley, in Yorkshire
Collegiate Church of St. John at Beverley, 1302-1304."
The Victoria History of the County of York3:353-59 available online at ">http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36303&strquery=st.%2... [Victoria County History]

Miscellaneous Information:

There is no mention of nuns at this location after 866 when the Danes destroyed the community.