Chertsey Abbey

Chertsey Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in the English county of Surrey. It was dedicated to St. Peter.

Chertsey Abbey was founded by the Bishop of London, Erkenwald, in the year 666 His original name was Cerotaesei, ie Cerots island. His first possessions it received from Ecgberht I., king of Kent. After King Wulfhere of Mercia was able to extend its influence in areas south of the River Thames, Frithuwold, the sub- king of Surrey, Chertsey gave extensive lands between 672 and 674

After the Norman Conquest of England, the monastery remained in the favor of the new ruler, William the Conqueror. The buildings of the monastery, the monastery fell into disrepair but there could never have the same income as other large monasteries. The reconstruction started in the first decade of the 12th century and continued with many changes until the end of the 13th century.

In the late Middle Ages, the monastery of Chertsey was famous as the burial place of King Henry VI. , Whose remains were later transferred to the St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

During the Reformation, the monastery was dissolved in 1537 by Henry VIII.

Letter patch

In the ruins were found the remains of a composite of letters brick pavement that was laid in the 13th century after the Scrabble principle. Since so any text sound can be created by mere aggregation of individual bricks, it is according to the linguist Herbert Brekle an early form of printing with movable type.