A SERIAL KILLER MONK - HISTORIAN TO REVEAL MALMESBURY ABBEY’S DARK SECRETS

MALMESBURY ABBEY has a long, fascinating and, at times, grisly history, one that historian Tony Mcaleavy has been researching for many years and that he will be revealing in one of two talks he will give during this year’s Wessex Week which takes place in the town in October.

He will even talk about a monk previously unknown – John of Tintern, who was a serial killer and a ‘gangster’ in the 14th century.

Tony, who is a professional historian and author, has been, since 2016 one of the group of people, along with Julia Bowen and Barbara Pollard, and others, who have helped to organise and run Wessex Week in the town. 

This year will be slightly different, however, as Tony stepped back from the organisational side of things to concentrate on his latest book, Malmesbury Abbey 670-1539: Patronage, Scholarship and Scandal, the first full-length medieval history of the Abbey, which is due to be published this month (September 2023).

“I have lived in Malmesbury for over 40 years, and over the last few decades I have become completely obsessed with the history of the town. It’s got lots of history and there are lots of sources that have yet to be explored.”

The book was commissioned three years ago by Boydell Press, but “off and on, has taken almost ten years to research.”

During Wessex Week, Tony will be giving two talks both based on the research that went into his latest book. The first will be a broad-sweep history of the Abbey from the 7th to the 16th centuries, charting the rise and fall of the monks of Malmesbury.

“I’m delighted to be giving this talk in the Abbey, which will be very special, to be talking about the history of the place, in the place itself. 

“The stories are brilliant and the people associated with medieval Malmesbury are so interesting, full of saints and sinners and this extraordinary gamut of characters that were associated with the Abbey, so I’m particularly interested in that human dimension. 

“I’ve uncovered some quite extraordinary stories that are not in previous history books. The most startling discovery is that I’ve come across a monk, John of Tintern, who became an abbot in the 14th century who it turns out was a serial killer.”

Tony came across the criminal file while researching in the National Archives in Kew: “He was a bit of a gangster who terrorised the people of Wiltshire for years. He travelled with a hitman and was accused by local people of ‘bumping off’ anyone who crossed him. It was said he was responsible for four murders and got away with each of them. So, this Abbot was a serial killer who evaded justice but eventually succumbed to the Black Death.”

Another grisly event uncovered by Tony involved a massacre in the Abbey church in 1153. It was perpetrated by soldiers loyal to Henry Plantagenet, who was just about to become King Henry II, who chased the locals onto holy ground and killed them all.

Tony’s second talk will reveal the links between medieval Malmesbury and the Queens of England.

“There was a strong set of connections between the women of the Royal family from Anglo-Saxon times through to the Tudor period,” Tony says. 

The talk will be held in The Old Bell Hotel, close to the Abbey, and which is full of history itself.  

“The hotel was the former guest house of the Abbey and was a part of the Abbey precinct, which provides an amazing sense of continuity, which is why it’s often called the oldest hotel in England. You can still see a number of 13th century features in the hotel, including a beautiful early 13th century fireplace, so it’s another great venue.”

And history has always been a big part of Tony’s life.

“I studied History at Oxford University and for many years was the schools' history adviser for Gloucestershire County Council.”

He has also written a number of history books, including for English Heritage, secondary subject texts for Cambridge University Press and about education reform for the education charity he currently works for as a research director.

This year’s Wessex Week features a series of events that will celebrate the region’s history, culture and art through the centuries with a particular emphasis on Malmesbury and the Anglo-Saxon period. The events take place in the town between Saturday, October 14 and Saturday, October 21. 

“It’s a community event and an opportunity for Malmesbury folk to celebrate the town’s very rich, medieval heritage,” explains Tony. “It’s got different dimensions to it, with a mic of music and drama, as well as traditional academic history. So it’s got a festival feel to it and helps to put our beautiful town on the map.”

Tony’s talks at this year’s festival:

The Story of Malmesbury Abbey: 670 – 1539
October 14, 7 pm to 9 pm
£15.00
To be held in the Abbey

Malmesbury and the Queens of Medieval England 
October 18, 7:30 pm to 9 pm
£10.00
Garden Room: Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Tickets for any of these events are available online via the Wessex Week website https://wessex-week.org and there are some also available for purchase at the Tourist Information Centre based at Malmesbury Town Hall.