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.
Eustace first mentioned in a Totnes Deed. He was Abbot when Buckfast was affiliated to the Abbey of Citeaux (Cistercian)
Buckfast still followed the Rule of St. Benedict, as the Cistercians also live by that Rule.
William - acted as Papal Legate
Nicholas - elected in 1205 first mentioned in a Totnes Deed. He was Abbot when Buckfast was affiliated to the Abbey of Citeaux (Cistercian)
Michael - mentioned in the Chartulary of Buckfast Abbey (C.B.A.) in 1223
Peter (I) - mentioned in the C.B.A. 1242
William (II) - mentioned in the C.B.A. 1249
Howell - mentioned in the Leger Book (L.B.) of Buckfast (Brit. Mus.) - no dates
Henry - mentioned in C.B.A. 1264 and 1269
Simon - mentioned in C.B.A. and Petre Archives (P.A.) between 1273 and 1280
Robert - mentioned in L.B. and Exeter Episcopal Registers (Ep. Reg.) between 1280 and 1283
Peter de Colepitte - mentioned in the P.A. between 1291 and 1313
Robert II - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1316
William Atte Slade - mentioned in the Banco Rolls 1327
Stephen I - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1328
John of Churchstowe - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1332
William Gifford - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1333
Stephen of Cornwall - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1348
Philip (Beaumont) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1349
Robert Symons - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and P.A. between 1355 and 1390
William Paderstow - mentioned in the Ep. Reg and P.A. 1395
William Slade - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and by Leland - "Com. de Scriptoribus Britanniae" and Boase - "Annals of Exeter College, Oxford" between 1401 and 1415
William Beaghe - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. and P.A. between 1415 and 1432
Thomas Roger - mentioned in Ep. Reg. and P.A. He was Prior Adminstrator c. 1422 - 1432, and blessed as Abbot in 1432
John Ffytchett - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1440
John Matthu (Matthew) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1449
John King - mentioned in the Statuta Cap. Gen. Ord. Cist. from 1464 to 1498
John Rede (I) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1498
John Bleworthy - mentioned in 1505 - Cal. of Early Chancery Proceedings, also in Powderham MSS
Alfred Gyll - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1512
John Rede (II) - mentioned in the Ep. Reg. 1525
There is no record of death or resignation from his office
Gabriel 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
Boniface 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
David 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.
