The Last Patron of Tintern Abbey: The Family and Piety of Roger Bigod

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the life of Roger Bigod with particular attention given to his piety, demonstrated through patronage and family connection. His political life is first examined with regards to his allegiance to family, and as context for his religious activities. This is followed by the analysis of his various contributions to religious houses; the pattern of donation allocations and recipients that emerges here shows his loyalty to maternal ancestors among the several options available. Finally, it will be argued that Roger is the original owner of the Gorleston Psalter, on the basis that several coats of arms in it belong to his extended family; the arms found in the psalter provide evidence linking his religious piety to a sense of family commitment and loyalty. The study finds that Roger went beyond the expectations of family allegiance and religious piety understood by past familial records of donations, and that his attention to the burial place of his grandmother and great grandmother at Tintern Abbey provided for a tangible synthesis of both religious and filial expressions of piety.