Year |
Monastery (& Dedication) |
Founder |
Notes |
250 |
Thebes, Egypt |
St Paul the Hermit (228-343) |
“The first hermit” |
306 |
St Anthony’s Monastery, Egypt |
St Anthony the Great (251-356) |
“The father of monks” |
323 |
Nitra, Egypt |
St Pachomius (292-348) |
|
325 |
Nisibis, Mesopotamia |
St Eugenius (Augin) (d 379) |
|
344 |
Chirpan, Bulgaria |
St Athanasius the Great (296-373) |
Founded on St Athanasius being restored as Bishop of Sardica (Sofia) |
360 |
Ligugé, France |
St Martin (316-397) |
First monastery in Gaul, Ligugé became St Martin |
371 |
Marmoutiers, Tours, France |
St Martin (316-397) |
Founded on St Martin becoming Bishop of Tours |
383 |
Mar Saba, Holy Land |
St Saba |
|
397 |
Whithorn, Galloway, Scotland (St Martin) |
St Ninian (360-432) |
First recorded Christian Church in Scotland. St Ninian was disciple of St Martin |
410 |
Lerins, France |
St Honoratus |
|
412 |
Kilroot, Ireland |
St Colman |
|
415 |
Marseilles, France (St Victor) |
St John Cassian |
|
478 |
Llantwit-Major, Wales |
St Illtyd |
|
<480 |
Rossory, Ireland |
St Fanchea |
|
513 |
Bachannis, Wales |
St Piro |
|
<514 |
Kells, Ireland (St Mary) |
St Macnise |
|
<516 |
Bardsey, Wales (St Mary) |
|
|
520 |
Clonard, Ireland (St Peter) |
St Finnian |
|
522 |
Llandaff, Wales |
St Dubricius |
|
529 |
Monte Cassino, Italy |
St Benedict of Nursia |
“The father of western monasticism” |
563 |
Isle of Iona, Scotland |
St Columba (d 597) |
|
<577 |
Bledach, Isle of Tiree, Scotland |
St Brendan the Navigator (484-577) |
|
597 |
Canterbury, Kent, England (SS Peter & Paul, later St Augustine) |
St Augustine of Canterbury (d 604) |
|
6th C |
Skellig Michael, Ireland |
St Fionan |
|
600 |
Cork |
St Finbar |
|
<612 |
Hoddam, Scotland |
St Kentigern Mungo |
|
616 |
Clynnog Fawr, Wales |
St Beuno |
|
620 |
Faremoutiers, east of Paris, France |
St Fara (d 643) |
St Ethelburga daughter of King Ana of the East Angles later abbess (d 664) |
635 |
Isle of Lindisfarne, England |
St Aidan (d 651) |
|
635 |
Coldingham, Scotland (St Mary, St Ebba and St Cuthbert) |
St Ebba (d 683) |
|
635+ |
Melrose, Scotland (St Cuthbert) |
|
|
640 |
Hartlepool, England |
St Hieu |
St Hilda later abbess in 649 |
642 |
Malmesbury, England (SS Peter & Paul) |
St Maelduf (d 675) |
Re-founded as Benedictine monastery by St Aldhelm (676) |
649 |
Tadcaster, England |
St Hieu (possible St Bee) |
|
653+ |
Bradwell; Tilbury; Prittlewell; Lastingham, all England |
St Cedd (d 664) |
“The apostle of Essex” |
654 |
Iken, England |
St Botolph (d 680) |
|
657 |
Whitby, England |
St Hilda |
St Hilda was simultaneously abbess of Hartlepool and Whitby. Council of Whitby held 664 |
658 |
Chelles, west of Faremoutiers, France |
St Balthild, widow of King Clovis II |
St Hildelith was nun until called to Barking, St Mildred of Minster trained at Chelles |
661 |
Chertsey, England |
St Erkenwald |
St Erkenwald was later Bishop of London, “the light of London” |
666 |
Barking, England (St Mary, later St Mary and St Ethelburga) |
St Erkenwald for St Ethelburga |
St Hildelith second abbess, re-founded 970 by St Edgar the Peaceable and St Dunstan of Canterbury |
669 |
Lichfield, England (St Chad) |
St Chad (d 672) |
On site of present parish Church |
665- 670? |
Chich, England (SS Peter & Paul) |
St Osyth (d 700) |
Chich became St Osyth |
670 |
Minster-in-Thanet, England (St Mary) |
St Domneva/Ermenberga former Queen of Herefordshire |
St Mildred later abbess |
670 |
Minster-in-Sheppey, England (St Mary, later St Mary and St Sexburga) |
St Sexburga former Queen of Kent |
|
670 |
Exeter, England (St Mary and St Peter) |
|
Re-founded 928/932 by King Athelstan, re-founded by St Dunstan of Canterbury 968 |
673 |
Applecross, Scotland (St Maelrubha) |
St Maelrubha of Bangor |
|
673 |
Ely, England (SS Peter & Paul, later St Peter and St Mary) |
St Etheldreda (d 679) |
|
674 |
Monk Wearmouth, England (SS Peter & Paul, later St Peter) |
St Benedict Biscop |
|
682 |
Jarrow, England (St Paul) |
St Benedict Biscop |
Founded as part of Wearmouth, Venerable Bede a monk here |
686 |
Nursling, England |
|
|
710 |
Restenneth, Scotland |
Nechtan, King of the Picts |
|
705 |
Wimborne, England (Queen of Virgins) |
St Ina King of the West Saxons |
St Cuthberga and St Cwenburga first and second abbesses trained at Barking |
739 |
Crediton, England |
Aethelheard King of the West Saxons |
|
<747 |
St Andrew’s, Scotland (St Andrew) |
|
|
<757 |
Axminster, England |
|
|
810 |
Rossclogher, Ireland |
St Tigenach |
Founded for his mother, St Mella |
830 |
Jedburgh, Scotland (St Mary) |
Ecgred Bishop of Lindisfarne |
|
<842 |
St Serf’s Inch, Scotland |
Brude mac Ferat |
|
<849 |
Dunkeld, Scotland |
Kenneth mac Alpin |
|
<856 |
Abergele, Wales |
|
|
904? |
Plympton, England |
|
|
961+ |
Tavistock, England (St Mary and St Rumon) |
Ordgar Earl of Devonshire |
|
<975 |
Brechin, Scotland |
|
|
1018 |
Buckfast, England |
|
Benedictine, later Cistercian |