I have been following up on the ‘spooky’ goings on at the theme park in Chertsey known as ‘Thorpe Park’.

In the article (which I posted yesterday), it talked about the necessity of having to re-locate the planned erection of the new ride, due to the intervention of some (how shall I put . . . um)  -‘older’, former resident’s . . . . (much older) !

About 1027+ years old to be precise . . . !

In The Daily Mail today, they wrote about the Theme Park problems and told readers that the Psychic Investigators who were carrying out research in the site had found a connection to the terrible, murders of the Benedictine Monks circa 850 – 984 by the hands of the Vikings (Danes).

I had been trying to find the ‘Monk’s Walk’, which was mentioned in the newspaper article and I believe in my posted article yesterday.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything (but, I am still looking). However, I did come across this mention of the Abbey. I have copied and pasted  the relevant part. I did think, that the date the article mentioned for the ‘founding’ of the Abbey, was a little . . . um – ‘scaremongering’ . . . ?! I was ‘wrong’ though – it was, founded in 666AD!!!

I thought I would show you so as to give the construction workers some ‘back-up’.

The Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter of Chertsey was founded in the year A.D. 666 (fn. 1) by Erkenwald, afterwards Bishop of London, (fn. 2) who became its first abbot, the new foundation being endowed with lands by the munificence of Frithwald, Subregulus of Surrey, under Ulfar, King of the Mercians, who in subsequent accounts is associated with Erkenwald as co-founder. In the first charter of the foundation Frithwald recites that, for the augmentation of the monastery first built under King Egbert, he had granted 200 dwellings and 5 dwellings in a place called Thorpe to Erkenwald the abbot. (fn. 3) This charter was witnessed and confirmed by King Ulfar and specifies the boundaries of the donation. (fn. 4) A charter of privileges granted by Pope Agathon (678-82) was brought personally from Rome by the abbot then raised to the metropolitan see. (fn. 5)

Subsequent kings confirmed the possessions of the monastery: Offa, King of the Mercians, in 787, at the request of Cynedritha his queen, and Ceolnod the abbot; (fn. 6) Ethelwulf in 827; (fn. 7) and King Athelstan in 993. (fn. 8)

From the year 850, and onwards through the ninth century, the monastery shared the perils of the country threatened by the incursions of the Danes. This contact with national history is reflected in the pages of their chronicle; it narrates the story of the struggle against the heathen, describes the dangers to which all the coasts were exposed, and in particular the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, the fruitless efforts of the kings, the death of King Ethelbert 'broken with many labours,' and culminates in the account of the attack on the monastery itself, the slaughter of Beocca the abbot, Ethor the priest, and ninety monks, their home burnt down, and their lands wasted. (fn. 9)

Many years elapsed before the work of restoration was begun. Then Ethelwald, Bishop of Winchester (936-84), sent to the abbot and convent of Abingdon commanding that thirteen monks be sent to colonise a new house on the old site. There they elected one of their number abbot, and a new church was raised. (fn. 10) It was also divinely revealed to a certain monk that the bodies of those who had been slain by the heathen should be removed from the place where they were resting and honourably collected and placed in a wooden shrine, which was accordingly done.

The new colony however, did not remain long undisturbed. In 964 King Edgar, inflamed by the reforming zeal of Dunstan, drove forth the inmates sent by Ethelwald and established regulars there with Ordbright as their abbot. (fn. 11) After these vicissitudes the house seems to have entered upon a period of ease and prosperity wherein its borders became enlarged.

Edward the Confessor certified by charter to Stigand the archbishop and Harold the earl that he had granted to Christ and St. Peter of Chertsey that town with the towns of Egham, Thorpe and Chobham, (fn. 12) and that the abbot and convent should have soc and sac, tol, theam and infangnethef within all their manors, and also confirmed the gift by a previous charter of the Hundred of Godley. (fn. 13) The 'Saint of England' further added to the endowment the village and church of White Waltham, Berks, with woods and 20 acres of pasture at Cookham. (fn. 14)

The house seems to have enjoyed the favour and protection of the Conqueror, (fn. 15) who confirmed the possessions which the abbot and convent held in the time of King Edward with soc and sac, and conferred on them rights of warren, liberty of the chase, the right to keep dogs, and take hares, foxes, etc., within all their lands in Surrey, with a mandate addressed to the sheriff, the king's foresters and ministers that the abbot and convent should not be molested. (fn. 16)

The Domesday Survey shows that the estates held by the abbey were already very considerable and not confined to the county of Surrey alone, (fn. 17) and they were later increased by further donations from the descendants of the Conqueror.