Our common ancestors - Despenser - Contents

Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire

Tewkesbury Abbey, in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
See map and street view.

Burial place of:

• Gilbert de Clare, 5th Earl of Gloucester (died 1230).
• His son Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester (died 1262).
• The 6th Earl's son Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester (died 1295).
• The 7th Earl's son Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester (died 1314) and his wife.

• The 7th Earl's daughter Eleanor's 1st husband Hugh Despenser the Younger (died 1326).
• Eleanor's 2nd husband William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche (died 1337).
• Eleanor and Hugh's grandson Edward Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser (died 1375) and his wife.
• Edward's son Thomas Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester (died 1400).
• Thomas' son Richard Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh (died 1414).

• Thomas' daughter Isabel le Despenser (died 1439).
• Her 1st husband Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester (died 1422).

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Brass plaques

Near the altar are brass plaques marking various burials.
See p.79 of [Masse, 1901].

The de Clare row has the names of:

• Gilbert de Clare, 5th Earl of Gloucester.
• Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester.
• Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester.
• Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester and his wife.

The Despenser row has the names of:

• Thomas Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester.
• Richard Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh.
• Isabel le Despenser.

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Stained glass windows

There are seven 14th century stained glass windows at Tewkesbury Abbey.
Given to the Abbey around 1335 by Eleanor de Clare. She died in 1337, before the work was finished. The work finished around 1344.
Two are of special interest to us, showing various noble figures connected to Eleanor and the Abbey.
The windows were restored in 1923. See plaque.
They are some of the finest surviving 14th century stained glass in Europe.
See Wikimedia Commons.

First window

First stained glass window. Over the Beauchamp chantry.
See larger and full size. Photo 2015. From here. Creative Commons.

Guide to the window. From [Rushforth, 1924].
There are four de Clares in the two windows, probably the 5th Earl to the 8th Earl, but there is uncertainty as to "who is who" among these four. Many sources both online and in print assert who is who, but Rushforth says all the de Clares are uncertain.
Following Rushforth, the figures above would be (left to right):

• Robert, Earl of Gloucester (died 1147).
• (Maybe) Gilbert de Clare, 5th Earl of Gloucester.
• Hugh Despenser the Younger.
• Robert Fitzhamon, founder of Tewkesbury Abbey.

Second window

Second stained glass window. Opposite the previous.
See full size. Photo 2015. From here. Creative Commons.
See wider but lower quality 2026 shot.

Guide to the window. From [Rushforth, 1924].
Rushforth shows that the 2nd figure is:

• William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche.

And the three de Clares are probably the following. But we do not know in what order:

• Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester.
• Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester.
• Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester.

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References

• The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury by H.J.L.J. Masse, 1901.
• Tewkesbury Abbey guide book, C.E. Whitney, 2024.

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Sources yet to be fully consulted

• "The Glass in the Quire Clerestory of Tewkesbury Abbey", G. McNeil Rushforth, pp.289-324 of Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, Vol. 46, 1924.

• Tewkesbury Abbey history, art & architecture, ed. Richard K. Morris and Ron Shoesmith, 2003.

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Sources yet to be consulted

• The history of Tewkesbury, by James Bennett, 1830.

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• Book of Founders and Benefactors of Tewkesbury Abbey, early 1500s.
  • See images of many notable people.

• There is a vast amount of material about Tewkesbury Abbey online:
  • Tewkesbury Abbey
  • Wikimedia Commons
  • Flickr
  • Flickr Creative Commons
  • Tewkesbury Abbey books at archive.org