Vale Royal

[CyrilSebastian]

During a violent storm at sea on his return from the Crusades, Prince Edward, later King Edward I of England, vowed that on his return he would found an abbey in the county of Cheshire, of which he was the Royal Earl.   
The abbey was founded in 1277 in what Edward declared to be Vale Royal.

[CyrilSebastian]

Vale Royale was closed in 1538 by King Henry VIII as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Much of the abbey and its church were demolished.

[Shin]

Vale in Latin means 'Farewell'.

[CyrilSebastian]

In 1276 King Edward I agreed to move the abbey to a better site and a location was chosen in Over.   
On August 13, 1277 King Edward, Queen Eleanor, their son Prince Alphonso, and other nobles arrived at Over to lay the foundation stones of the new abbey.

[CyrilSebastian]

In 1359 soon after the building work had recommenced under the patronage of Edward the Black Prince,     
a great storm caused the collapse of the massive nave of Vale Royal Abbey.

[CyrilSebastian]

Early during construction, England became involved in war with Wales.   
As the treasury was in need of resources, Vale Royal lost all of its grants, skilled masons and buildrers.