8 MARCH 1879, Page 24

Historical Memorials of Beauchief Abbey. By Sidney Oldale Addy, 3I.A.

(James Parker.)—Beauchief was a Premonstratensian abbey, founded by Robert FitzRanulph, in honour of St. Thomas of Canter- bury, thirteen years after the murder, a deed with which the founder seems to have had something to do. It was an ecclesia filialis of the great Abbey of Welbeck, and though never wealthy, continued to have a fairly prosperous existence until the Dissolution, in 1536. It was one of the smaller houses, its income amounting to £126 13s. 4d., or as otherwise stated, to 2157 10s. 2d. Of its buildings very little is left, but its documentary remains are considerable. Among these may be mentioned a very copious "obituary," occupying, together with the notes which Mr. Addy has appended, nearly forty quarto pages. There are also records of visitations, which are particularly frequent during the latter half of the fifteenth century. Altogether, Beauchief Abbey supplies an abundance of materials, of which the editor of this volume has made excellent use.