History Wilton Abbey

river adjacent site of former abbey

in 955 king eadwig granted nuns of wilton abbey estate called chelke (chalke, saxon aet ceolcum) included land in broad chalke , bowerchalke.

wulfthryth, wife (or concubine) of edgar, king of english (959-75), abbess of wilton between 960s , 1000. brought daughter, saint edith, , must have occurred before 964, when edgar married Ælfthryth. wulfthryth brought substantial properties, , used wealth build wilton s relic collection. able use royal connections protect wilton in other ways, such securing release of 2 wilton priests had been imprisoned reeve of wilton. daughter died between 984 , 987 @ age of 23, , mother promoted cult saint.

in 1003 sweyn, king of denmark, destroyed town of wilton not know whether abbey shared fate. edith of wessex, wife of edward confessor, had been educated @ wilton, rebuilt abbey in stone; had formerly been of wood.

in 1143 king stephen made headquarters, put flight matilda s forces under robert, earl of gloucester. abbess of wilton held entire barony king, privilege shared 3 other english nunneries, shaftesbury, barking, , st. mary, winchester. cecily bodenham, last abbess, surrendered convent commissioners of king henry viii on 25 march 1539 during dissolution of monasteries. site granted sir william herbert, afterwards earl of pembroke, commenced building of wilton house, still abode of descendants. there no remains of ancient buildings.