The Blessed
Richard Whiting (1458-1539), The Last Abbot of Glastonbury
13 x
great-uncle of Jennifer Greet
My grandmother
had an expression – sometimes of of amazement, sometimes of dismay - “Oh my
sainted aunt!” - well, this story is a case of “Oh my sainted uncle!” -
literally! I came upon this man, Richard Whiting, my 13 x great-uncle, as a
character in an historical novel I was reading recently, and recognizing the
name from my Family History research my interest was sparked in finding out
more about the real person. [For those interested in the novel – Phil Rickman;
“The Bones of Avalon”]
Abbot Richard
Whiting is not a direct ancestor of mine (for obvious reasons), but his
brother Robert Whiting of Shepton Mallet in Somerset, England, is my 12 x
great-grandfather, so this sainted man, The Blessed Richard Whiting, is a
great-uncle many times removed.
Richard Whiting
was born about 1458 at Wrington in Somersetshire, one of at least two sons of
Thomas Whiting. The family held Kilver
Court at Shepton Mallet and other lands, and were wealthy mill owners and wool
merchants, or clothiers as they were called then. The Whiting family also had
strong connections with the church - remember it was the Roman Catholic Church
in the 1400s - and there were a number of men (and women) of that name
connected with major religious foundations.
The sons of
Thomas Whiting were probably schooled at Glastonbury Abbey in the cloistral
school run by the Benedictine monks. While Robert
Whiting (our ancestor) appears to have followed his father's trade in the wool
industry, his brother Richard was destined for the church. From Glastonbury Richard went on to Cambridge
to complete his education, taking his MA in 1483. After some years at Cambridge
(some sources suggest about 15 years) he returned to Glastonbury where he was made a deacon in 1500. He was ordained
into the priesthood at Wells on 6 March 1501.
For the next 25
years little is known of his activities. The monastery, which had about 100
monks, was one of the richest and most influential in England. It was a place
of learning for the sons of the nobility and the gentry, before they went on to
University. Richard Whiting eventually held the office of Chamberlain, in
charge of many of the administrative aspects of the Abbey.
In February
1525 the Abbot, Richard Beere, died after a term of more than 30 years, and a
successor had to be chosen. The community were unable to agree on a suitable
person, so appealed to a higher authority (in this case Cardinal Thomas Wolsey)
to make a selection. Richard Whiting was chosen as the new Abbot of
Glastonbury.
Contemporary
accounts record that the new Abbot was held in high esteem. Cardinal Wolsey is
reported to have stated that he was "an upright
and religious monk, a provident and discreet man, and a priest commendable for
his life, virtues and learning." As Abbot he was now able to take his
place in the House of Lords. Another notable scholar of the times, John Leland,
antiquary to Henry VIII, referred to Whiting as "a man truly upright and
of spotless life and my sincere friend." [John Leyland is another
fascinating character, also featured in Phil Rickman's novel].
For about 10 years life went on peacefully at
Glastonbury under the rule of Abbot Whiting. The Abbey was well run and
prosperous and the revenues of Glastonbury exceeded even those of Canterbury.
However, this was the time of King Henry VIII's struggle with the Pope and the
Roman Catholic Church, and as the power of Cardinal Wolsey faded, and the power
of Thomas Cromwell strengthened, the Monasteries and Abbeys in England were
being dissolved and their assets subsumed into the coffers of the King and his
favourite courtiers. Glastonbury, so well ordered (and so far from London!) was
able to survive longer than most.
In 1534 Abbot Whiting, probably against his
religious training but in the interests of a peaceful existence for those in
his care, signed the Act of Supremacy, recognizing Henry VIII as head of the
English Church. Despite his compliance much of his traditional jurisdiction
over the town of Glastonbury was suspended, although he was assured that there
was no intention of dissolving the Abbey.
False promises! One by one the abbeys of the
West Country fell to the royal wreckers. By 1539, Glastonbury was the only
monastery left in Somerset, and the end came in September of that year. Three
royal commissioners arrived without warning, and virtually arrested the Abbot,
taking him back to London and the dreaded Tower to be examined by Cromwell
himself. The precise charges against him remain unknown, but were given
generally as “treason” - possibly there was evidence (real or concocted) of
sympathy for Queen Katherine, but no evidence in any of his actions. As a
member of the House of Lords, Whiting should have been called before his Peers
following an Act of Parliament, but Parliament was not convened and a summary
verdict was made, presumably on the secret orders of the King and Cromwell.
After six weeks in the Tower, Abbot Richard
Whiting was sent back to Wells where some sort of mock trial was held at the
Bishop's Palace and the charge of high treason confirmed. On Saturday 15
November 1539, this good man, 80 years old, beloved and revered by many, was
taken to Glastonbury to meet his end within sight of his poor pillaged Abbey.
Along with two of his monks, Dom John Thorne and Dom Roger James, he was
cruelly tied to a hurdle and dragged behind a horse to the top of Glastonbury
Tor, overlooking the town. Here, all three men were executed, after Abbot
Whiting prayed for forgiveness for himself and for his persecutors. Not only
was Abbot Whiting hanged, but his body was desecrated - drawn and quartered –
his head fastened over the gate of the now deserted abbey, and his limbs
exposed in four quarters of the County, at Wells, Bath, Ilchester and
Bridgewater.
Such was the tragic end of our kinsman, Richard
Whiting, the Last Abbot of Glastonbury. Is it any wonder that he has become the
subject of so many tales. His story became enshrined in the annals of the
Catholic Church and after 350 years, on 13 May 1895, he was beatified by Pope
Leo XIII as “The Blessed Richard Whiting”.
Note: Glastonbury Tor is a place of great
significance in the legends of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, so is
interesting for that reason also. The old Celtic name for Glastonbury is
Ynys-witrin, the Island
of Glass (Avalon).
A fascinating sad, story.
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