Saint Gilbert JOCELIN
of
SEMPRINGHAM

in Lincolnshire England
June 2000

Sempringham has its own local English Saint: Gilbert of Sempringham, born 1083, died 1189.
His father was a Norman knight Jocelin and his mother was Anglo Saxon.
He studied in France and became a cleric. Returning to Lincolnshire, he founded a school for boys and girls,
unusual in those times. Later he became a priest and in 1131 he was settled at Sempringham
where he founded an order for both monks and nuns with 13 monasteries;
nine were "double" houses for monks and nuns and four for monks only.
He supported Thomas a Becket and helped him to escape to the Continent,
disguised as an ordinary lay brother.
Gilbert lived to be nearly 106 and founded orphanages and hospitals for lepers.
He was buried at Sempringham and declared a saint in 1202.

His Order, the Gilbertines, flourished until the Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries;
it was the only order founded by an Englishman and his Feast Day is February 4th.
This information comes from The Oxford Dictionary of Saints.

   
Sketch of Saint Gilbert found inside the Church of St Andrew Sempringham

Margaret and I visited the Parish Church of St. Andrew Sempringham on our return from the
“Josselin Millennium Event” in Essex, on a very beautiful English summers day June 12th in the year 2000

Sempringham village and the Abbey no longer exist, it is not marked on newer road maps. But it is on the OS map.
St Andrews Church stands alone amidst corn fields and is easily spotted from the main road
(B1177) between Pointon and Billingborough. It is about 8 miles north of Bourn and a similar distance south of Sleaford.
The Church is well worth the visit and although it is kept locked, a key can be obtained from a house at Pointon.

I have since made contact with the present day Lady Vicar of St Andrews Church
She has charge of four Parishes and is a very busy lady, my contact in Pointon is 'Nan'
Mrs Nan Devonport is happy to guide visitors to Sempringham and has taken on the supply
of Eric Iredale's 170 page book;
'Sempringham and Saint Gilbert
and the Gilbertines'
By Eric W Iredale
ISBN 0 9519662 0 0

        
Nan can be contacted for the book by phone on: 01529 240260
Her other passion is the story of 'The Princess Gwenllian' (1282-1337) the daughter of the welsh
Prince Llywelyn and she was held prisoner in Sempringham nunnery for 54 years,
that's another story and another book. Details from Nan or the
'Gwenllian Society' website www.princessgwenllian.co.uk

click here for  Gilbertines