Combermere Abbey

Combermere Abbey

Abbot's house and clock tower
Location within Cheshire
Monastery information
Order	Savigniac, Cistercian
Established	~1130
Disestablished	1538
Dedicated to	Virgin Mary and St Michael
Controlled churches	Acton, Baddiley, Church Coppenhall, Church Minshull, Nantwich, Wrenbury, Sandon, Alstonfield, Child's Ercall
People
Founder(s)	Hugh Malbank, 2nd Baron of Wich Malbank
Important associated figures	William Malbank, 3rd Baron of Wich Malbank, Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester
Site
Location	Dodcott cum Wilkesley, Cheshire, England
Coordinates	52°59′37″N 2°36′50″W / 52.99361°N 2.61389°W / 52.99361; -2.61389
Grid reference	SJ 58726 44130
Visible remains	Abbot's house
Public access	Occasional
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name	Combermere Abbey
Designated	10 June 1952
Reference no.	1136900[1]

Combermere Abbey is a former monastery, later a country house, near Burleydam, between Nantwich, Cheshire and Whitchurch in Shropshire, England, located within Cheshire and near the border with Shropshire. Initially Savigniac and later Cistercian, the abbey was founded in the 1130s by Hugh Malbank, Baron of Nantwich, and was also associated with Ranulf de Gernons, Earl of Chester. The abbey initially flourished, but by 1275 was sufficiently deeply in debt to be removed from the abbot's management. From that date until its dissolution in 1538, it was frequently in royal custody, and acquired a reputation for poor discipline and violent disputes with both lay people and other abbeys. It was the third largest monastic establishment in Cheshire, based on net income in 1535.

After the dissolution it was acquired by Sir George Cotton, who demolished the church and most of the buildings, and converted part of the abbey into a country house. The house was remodelled in 1563 by Sir George's son, Richard Cotton, altered in 1795 by Sir Robert Cotton, and Gothicised in 1814–21 by Stapleton Cotton, Viscount Combermere. It remained in the Cotton family until 1919, and is still in private ownership.

The abbey is listed at grade I, with its North Wing now operating as a bed and breakfast. Its park includes the large lake of Comber Mere, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. A total of around 400 hectares (990 acres) of the park are listed at grade II; several structures are also listed, including a game larder at grade II*.