Bec Abbey

South side of the abbey, the church and the monks' cells seen from Le Bec.

Bec Abbey (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec) in Le Bec Hellouin,^[1] Normandy, France, once the most influential abbey in the Anglo-Norman kingdom of the twelfth century,^[2] is a Benedictine monastic foundation in the Eure département, in the Bec valley midway between the cities of Rouen and Bernay.

Like all abbeys, Bec maintained annals of the house, but uniquely its first abbots also received individual biographies, brought together by the monk of Bec, Milo Crispin. Because of the abbey's cross-Channel influence, these vitae sometimes disclose historical information of more than local importance.

First foundation

The abbey was founded in 1034 by Herluin,^[3] a Norman knight who in about 1031 left the court of Gilbert, Count of Brionne, to devote himself to a life of religion: the commune of Le Bec Hellouin preserves his name.^[4] One hundred thirty-six monks made their profession while Herluin was in charge.^[5]

With the arrival of Lanfranc of Pavia, Bec became a focus of 11th century intellectual life. Lanfranc, who was already famous for his lectures at Avranches, came to teach as prior and master of the monastic school, but left in 1062, to become abbot of St. Stephen's Abbey, Caen, and later Archbishop of Canterbury. He was followed as abbot by Anselm, also later an Archbishop of Canterbury, as was the fifth abbot, Theobald of Bec. Many distinguished ecclesiastics, probably including the future Pope Alexander II and Saint Ivo of Chartres, were educated in the school at Bec.

The life of the founder (Vita Herluini) was written by Gilbert Crispin, Abbot of Westminster. Archbishop Lanfranc also wrote a Chronicon Beccense of the life of Herluin, and of the first four abbots, which was published at Paris in 1648.

The followers of William the Conqueror supported the abbey, enriching it with extensive properties in England. Bec also owned and managed St Neots Priory as well as a number of other British foundations, including Goldcliff Priory in Monmouthshire founded in 1113 by Robert de Chandos. The village of Tooting Bec, now a London suburb, is so named because the abbey owned the land.

Bec Abbey was damaged during the Wars of Religion and left a ruin in the French Revolution but the 15th century Tour Saint-Nicolas ("St, Nicholas's Tower") from the medieval monastery is still standing.[1]

Second foundation

In 1948 the site was re-settled as the Abbaye de Notre-Dame du Bec by Olivetan monks led by Dom Grammont, who effected some restorations. The abbey is known for its links with Anglicanism and has been visited by successive archbishops of Canterbury. The abbey library contains the John Graham Bishop deposit of 5,000 works concerning Anglicanism.

In modern day, the Abbey is best known for the pottery the monks produce.

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  Abbey church

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  Close-up of the Tour Saint-Nicolas

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  Cloister

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  West side of the Tour Saint-Nicolas west side, between the ancient pottery to its left and the monks' residential building to its right

See also

Normandy portal

• List of Benedictine monasteries in France

Notes

1. ^ often also written "Le Bec-Hellouin"
2. ^ C. Warren Hollister, Henry I (Yale English Monarchs) 2001:16.
3. ^ Later Saint Herluin; not to be confused with Herluin, father of Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain; his vita by Gilbert Crispin abbot of Westminster, formerly of Bec, was brought together with three other lives by Milo Crispin. Abbey construction began in 1034 and continued through 1035. Further lands were added through 1040. See Vaughn's Anselm of Bec and Robert Meulan: the innocence of doves and the wisdom of the serpent, 21.
4. ^ "Bec" is the name of the stream running through the abbey, Old Norse bekkr, in English place or river names Beck.
5. ^ Adolphe-André Porée, Histoire de l'abbaye du Bec, Vol. 1, p. 131, note 1 & Appendix no 1.

External links

• (French) Abbaye de Notre-Dame du Bec: official website
• (French) Le Bec Hellouin: official website
• (English) gite site with details and photos
• Texts on Wikisource:
  • "Bec". Encyclopedia Americana. 1920. 
  • "Bec". New International Encyclopedia. 1905. 

Coordinates: 49°13′44″N 0°43′19″E / 49.2288°N 0.7220°E / 49.2288; 0.7220