Hailes Abbey, Hailes, Winchcombe

Medieval pilgrims to Hailes Abbey were rewarded with an elaborate piece of theatre, now just a peaceful stop on both the St Kenelm’s Way and St Kenelm’s Trail

Highlights

• ‍‍Former shrine of Christ’s holy blood

A vial of Christ’s blood was kept in this abbey, attracting pilgrims in their thousands. The base of a stone shrine built to hold this wondrous artefact can still be seen in the abbey ruins. Such a relic was among the most likely to arouse the ire of reformers, keen to destroy all trace of its veneration at the Reformation.

Hailes Abbey is not as famous as many of England’s former monasteries, but it was among the most popular in medieval England, thanks to its miraculous treasure. The silver and crystal vial of holy blood was kept in a gold shrine decorated with jewels, and covered by a canopy that was raised to allow pilgrims a glimpse.

The holy blood was given to the monastery in 1270 by Edmund, the son of the abbey’s founder Earl Richard of Cornwall. The Patriarch of Jerusalem himself had guaranteed the authenticity of this exotic and unlikely sounding relic. He later became Pope Urban IV. Edmund also donated a fragment of the True Cross he had acquired.

Pilgrims would process around the shrine, in a chapel whose foundations are still visible. As you walk into the first section of abbey ruins the base of the shrine is on the left, a grassy mound behind a smaller mound that was the high altar. This is all that remains of the structure. The vial was taken to London in 1538 and declared to be a fake: clarified honey, coloured with saffron was the claim.

It may seem a strange type of relic, but such was the devotion that shaped medieval belief. The impressive abbey ruins give some insight into its popular appeal.

While at Hailes Abbey

Opposite the entrance to the Hailes Abbey car park is a little, undedicated Norman church. Jenkins puzzles why it is so seldom visited compared to the abbey ruins.

The church is even older than the abbey, with far greater preserved artworks and artefacts. It has 14th-century wall paintings, including some lean-looking dogs chasing a frightened hare, and tiles from the abbey itself.

The church is a small, humble parish building, which was greatly overshadowed by the miracle-working wonders in the neighbouring abbey church. No one else came in while I looked around, even though the ruined abbey was full of visitors. Old habits die hard?

Directions

Hailes Abbey, Salter’s Lane, Hailes, Winchcombe GL54 5PB

www.english-heritage.org.uk (search for Hailes Abbey)

W3W: quote.pixel.chest

GPS: 51.9692N 1.9277W

The abbey ruins are at the end of Salter’s Lane, signposted off the B4632, 2 miles north of Winchcombe. It is run by English Heritage on behalf of the National Trust: members of both enter for free; otherwise adults £6.20, children £3.70, concessions £5.60. It is open April to early Nov 10am–5pm (closes 6pm July/Aug, 4pm Oct). The parish church is on the left as you approach the Hailes Abbey car park.