Abbots
‘The Abbot must have the utmost solicitude and exercise all prudence and diligence’ (The Rule of St Benedict)
Please select:
Alwin (Aelwinus) first mentioned as having attended Shire-mote in Exeter in about 1040. Known from the Doomsday Book to have been Abbot in 1066.
1066Eustace first mentioned in a Totnes Deed. He was Abbot when Buckfast was affiliated to the Abbey of Citeaux (Cistercian).which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.
11th CenturyBuckfast still followed the Rule of St. Benedict, as the Cistercians also live by that Rule.
William - acted as Papal Legate
1190Nicholas - elected in 1205 first mentioned in a Totnes Deed. He was Abbot when Buckfast was affiliated to the Abbey of Citeaux (Cistercian).which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.
1205Michael - mentioned in the Chartulary of Buckfast Abbey (C.B.A.) in 1223
1223Peter (I) - mentioned in the C.B.A. 1242
1242William (II) - mentioned in the C.B.A. 1249
1249Howell - mentioned in the Leger Book (L.B.) of Buckfast (Brit. Mus.) - no dates
No datesHenry - mentioned in C.B.A. 1264 and 1269
1265Simon - mentioned in C.B.A. and Petre Archives (P.A.) between 1273 and 1280
1273Robert - mentioned in L.B. and Exeter Episcopal Registers (Ep. Reg.) between 1280 and 1283
1280Peter de Colepitte - mentioned in the P.A. between 1291 and 1313
1291Robert II - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1316
1316William Atte Slade - mentioned in the Banco Rolls 1327
1327Stephen I - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1328
1328John of Churchstowe - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1332
1332William Gifford - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1333
1333Stephen of Cornwall - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1348
1348Philip (Beaumont) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1349
1349Robert Symons - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and P.A. between 1355 and 1390
1355William Paderstow - mentioned in the Ep. Reg and P.A. 1395
1395William Slade - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and by Leland - "Com. de Scriptoribus Britanniae" and Boase - "Annals of Exeter College, Oxford" between 1401 and 1415
1401William Beaghe - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and P.A. between 1415 and 1432
1415Thomas Roger - mentioned in Ep. Reg. and P.A. He was Prior Adminstrator c. 1422 - 1432, and blessed as Abbot in 1432
1432John Ffytchett - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1440
1440John Matthu (Matthew) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1449
1449John King - mentioned in the Statuta Cap. Gen. Ord. Cist. from 1464 to 1498
1464John Rede (I) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1498
1498John Bleworthy - mentioned in 1505 - Cal. of Early Chancery Proceedings, also in Powderham MSS
1505Alfred Gyll - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1512
1512John Rede (II) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1525
There is no record of death or resignation from his office
1525Gabriel Dunne (or Doone) - imposed on the Community in 1535 by Thomas Cromwell (State papers).He surrendered the Abbey to the King on 25th February, 1539
1539Boniface Natter - elected Abbot 19th November 1902. Died 4th August, 1906
Anscar Vonier - elected Abbot 14th September 1906. Died 26th December, 1938
Bruno Fehrenbacher - elected Abbot 10th January 1939. Resigned 1956. Titular Abbot of Tavistock until his death on 18th July, 1965
Placid Hooper - elected Abbot 5th January 1957. Ruling Abbot until 1976.Titular Abbot of Tavistock until his death on 11th December, 1995
Leo Smith - elected Abbot 30th January 1976. Ruling Abbot until 1992. Titular Abbot of Colchester until his death on 10th July, 1998
David Charlesworth - elected Abbot 3rd January, 1992. Ruling Abbot until 1999. Titular Abbot of Malmesbury
1992David Charlesworth - re-elected 27th January 2009. Ruling Abbot until 2017.
Abbot Administrator 2017-2019.
Titular Abbot of Tewkesbury.
David Charlesworth - re-elected Abbot April 9th 2021
Other Buckfast Superiors:
Thomas Duperou Superior, 1882 till 1884 (became Abbot of Sacred Heart, USA).
Leander Lemoine Superior 1884 till 1885.
Benedict Gariador Prior, August 1885, till February 1899.
Leander Lemoine Superior, March 1899.
Ignatius Jean Superior, April 1899, till March 1900 (not a Monk of Buckfast).
Leander Lemoine Superior, March 1900, till July 1902 (was also Abbot Visitor).
Savinian Louismet Superior, July 1902, till November 1902.
Sebastian Wolff Prior Administrator, January 2000 until December 2003.
Richard Yeo Abbot Administrator, February 2007 until January 2009.
Francis Straw Prior Administrator, 2019 until April 2021.
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