The Abbey of the Minoresses of St. Clare without Aldgate was a convent where Franciscan women lived a religious life. The monastery was founded at the end of the thirteenth century.
Londonka.uk will tell you more.
Early history and mystery of the name
According to many sources, the name of the monastery is connected with the Order of St. Clare, the female branch of the Order of St. Francis.
The history of the abbey began in 1291 when Pope Nicholas IV was preparing for a crusade.
The newly founded monastery was to house a group of poor nuns of the Order.
Then the nuns were brought to England by the second wife of Count Edmund, Blanche d’Artois, who was previously the wife of the King of Navarre, Henry le Gros.
By the way, at that time, the daughter of Blanche and Edmund, Joan I was a minor, which could influence the name of the monastery.
The nuns’ origin
Many sources indicate that the nuns were of Spanish origin. However, this is not entirely true. They came from Longchamp, France.
Thus, the Rule that Pope Boniface VIII prescribed for nuns was called Longchamp.
The benefactors
The founder of the monastery, Count Edmund, gave lands and apartment buildings in the possession of the monastery. It was located in the suburbs of London.
It is also worth mentioning Sir Henry le Galeys among the early benefactors of the abbey. He was engaged in the construction of the monastery chapel. Later, he was buried there.
Poverty
However, despite numerous possessions, privileges and benefits, the nuns were quite poor.
Later, the monastery was even exempted from paying ecclesiastical and civil fees because of poverty.
A significant difference
It is important to note that the monastery was distinguished by quite close royal connections. At first, it was planned that all women who wanted to become nuns should have a noble origin. But it never became a mandatory norm.
A terrible epidemic
The monastery repeatedly suffered from various epidemics. In particular, in 1514, the bubonic plague returned to London and, of course, it didn’t miss the inhabitants of the abbey.
As of 1515, approximately twenty-seven nuns died of this disease.
In order to finally get rid of the terrible epidemic, it was decided to burn the main buildings of the monastery.
Restoration
Numerous donations were invested to rebuild the monastery.
Many respected and high-ranking London officials, as well as ordinary townspeople, invested their funds generously.
Monastery income and maintenance
As of 1535, the monastery had considerable income. The property of the abbey consisted of London and suburban rents, estates and lands.
The living conditions of the nuns were the same as in other women’s monasteries.
For example, Abbess Elizabeth Salvage was granted an annual life pension of forty pounds sterling.
Further events
After the monastery was dissolved, it became the residence of John Clerk for some time. He was an English bishop and a veteran diplomat of Henry VIII.
Later, the King confiscated the bishop’s residence as compensation.
In 1554, the building was transferred to the government. It housed the Ordnance Office.
Some of the monastery’s buildings survived the fire of 1797. However, several magnificent old buildings disappeared forever. The fire was so strong that the buildings had no chance to survive.
Photo: aleteia.org, murreyandblue.wordpress.com.