HYDE, ABBEY OF

Former Benedictine monastery, known also as New Minster, in the county of Hampshire, England, ancient see of winchester. In 901 King Edward the Elder, in

fulfilment of the wishes of his father, alfred the great, established the New Minster in honor of the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin, and St. Peter. Located at Winchester, it was the church where Alfred was buried. In 965 ethelwold of winchester replaced the secular canons with Benedictine monks from abingdon. The community moved from its original site close to Winchester cathedral to new buildings at Hyde in 1111. After destruction by fire during the Barons' War (1141) the monastery was rebuilt. It was famous for the production of fine liturgical and Biblical manuscripts, of which the Benedictional of St. Ethelwold is an excellent example. At the Dissolution in April 1538 the 21 monks of the community were pensioned and the buildings completely destroyed.

Bibliography: Hampshire Record Society, Liber vitae: Register and Martyrology of New Minster and Hyde Abbey, Winchester, ed. w. de g. birch (London 1892). The Victoria History of the County of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, ed. h. a. doubleday and w. page, 5 v. (Westminster, Eng. 1900–12) v. 2. d. knowles, The Monastic Order in England, 943–1216 (2d ed. Cambridge, Eng. 1962). d. knowles, The Religious Orders in England, 3 v. (Cambridge, Eng. 1948–60). d. knowles and r. n. hadcock, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales (New York 1953).

[f. r. johnston]