Croxden Abbey Remains, listed building in East Staffordshire

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What is recorded here

Bertram de Verdun of Alton Castle founded Croxden Abbey for Cistercian monks during the twelfth century. The new house was linked to Aunay-sur-Odon Abbey in Normandy and remained a religious community until its closure in 1538 left the surviving abbey remains.

What this place is

The remains at Croxden belong to the Cistercian Abbey of the Vale of St Mary, a medieval religious house in Staffordshire.

People and events

Bertram the third de Verdun, lord of nearby Alton Castle, founded the community in the twelfth century. Its first close religious connection was with Aunay-sur-Odon in Normandy.

How it was used

Cistercian monks used the abbey for shared worship and daily life over several medieval centuries. That use ended when the house was dissolved in 1538.

What survives

The listed remains mark the position and buildings of the former abbey at Croxden, keeping its religious history visible after the community's end.

Why it mattered

Croxden shows how an English noble founded a new monastic house through an existing community across the Channel, creating a lasting link between Staffordshire and Normandy.