The buttresses on the left
were added in the early 1900s, to replace the support from the
missing portion of the building. |
Pershore Abbey, at
Pershore in
Worcestershire, was founded in the
7th century, and came under the
Benedictine rule in about the
10th century. It was originally dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin,
Saint Peter and
Saint Paul, and later to
Saint Mary and
Saint Eadburga. The main building was begun in about 1100. The abbey was
dissolved in
1539. A monk of Pershore, named Richard Beerely, was one of those who gave evidence to
Thomas Cromwell about the misbehaviour of some of his brothers, writing that "Monckes drynk an bowll after collacyon tell ten or xii of the clock, and cum to mattens as dronck as myss, and sume at cardes, sume at dyss."
The abbey church remained in use as a parish church. When the north transept collapsed in 1686, a wall was built in its place. Further alterations were carried out, including a restoration by George Gilbert Scott in 1852; however, the church as it now stands represents only a small portion of the original building.
