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    A Fret, a Fretty, and a Heater; see the pages on Audley Coats of arms

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    Members of Audley Family AA

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    How different members of the Audley Family 'differenced' their Coats of Arms

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    Members of Audley Family F

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    Members of Audley Family AB

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    Members of Audley Family AC

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    Members of Audley Family J

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    Audley End House, Saffron Walden, Essex, England

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    Members of Audley Family Z

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Idonea Audley Abbess of Burnham

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Category: Biographies
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Idonea Audley Abbess of Burnham Abbey, Buckinghamshire

  

Idonea Audley was the fourth Abbess of Burnham Abbey in Buckinghamshire. She was appointed by the bishop of Lincoln on 18th October 1314 after the election for the Abbess was quashed. She died shortly before 6th June 1324 and the 5th Abbess was appointed on 8th June 1324.

Her parentage has not been established. One other member of the “Audley Family” has been recorded as being a Nun around this time namely; Katherine the widow of Nicholas Baron Audley of Heleigh, in Staffordshire. She was the daughter of John Giffard, Baron of Brimsfield by Matilda de Clifford the widow of William Longespee, the Earl of Salisbury. She was born in 1272 and became a Nun in Ledbury in 1322. Whilst Katherine and Idonea were almost certainly alive at the same time the dates indicate that they cannot be the same person.

Burnham Abbey; the Abbey of St Mary was founded in 1266 by Richard (brother to King Edward III) King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall. The first Abbess was a Nun from Goring under the rule of St Augustine. The abbey may have been for about 20 nuns and the income in 1291 was over £63. In 1530-6 there were 9 nuns besides the Abbess, with 2 priests and 35 servants. The Abbey was surrendered 19th September 1539 by the Abbess and 9 nuns, as part of the dissolution of religious housed instigated by King Henry VIII.

 Idonea's Grave in Mid 1600s

  berkshire4

 
 Idonea was buried in the Chancel of Saint John the Baptist’s Church, Windsor, Berkshire. A drawing of the grave, was recorded by Elias Ashmole, in the mid 1600’s, in his Manuscript 850. (see image right)

It is not known why Idonea was buried in Windsor. It is possible she could have been buried at Burnham Abbey and her grave relocated to Windsor, approximately 6 miles from Burnham Abbey, at a later date, such as after the surrender of the Abbey in 1539.

The inscription around the grave reads in English.
“Ideyna of Audele Abbess of Burnham lies here.
May God have mercy on her soul.”
and at the head of the grave
“Whoever prays for her soul will have 60 days of pardon”.

 Idonea's Grave 1800 to 2025

  
In 1820 to 1822 the church of St John the Baptist, Windsor, was rebuilt. Approximately 50 graves in the floor of the old church were buried under the new floor and are no longer visible. One grave, that of Idonea ,was relocated from the Chancel to outside the main doors to the church. At this time, the brass matrice on the grave was replaced and a new inscription was added.

In 2025 the inscription around 3 sides of the grave reads in English


“Idonea Audley Abbess of Burnham buried June 24th, 1334 in Church of St John the Baptist New Windsor.

 

On the top 4th side is the 3 line inscription (in smaller letter size).

 


“This Gravestone of the Abbess Audley lay formerly in the Chancel The Rare Fleur De Lys cross has been restored”.

 


It is not clear whether these two inscriptions were inscribed at the same time. The 3 line inscription was clearly inserted when the grave was relocated, but the other inscription that replaced the inscription recorded by Ashmole could have been inserted prior to the relocation of the grave.
 berkshire2.jpg

  There is conflicting information in various documents about Idonea Audley. A more detailed discussion of this conflicting information is given in the pdf file below

pdfimage      Discussion of Conflicting Information About Idonea Audley

 
 dlu 20250418  

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