The Grave of Idonea Audley Abbess of Burnham Abbey (1314 -1324) at St John the Baptist Church, Windsor
Grave as seen in mid 1600s
Idonea Audley the Abbess of Burnham Abbey died in 1324 and was buried near the Chancel in St John the Baptist Church (New) Windsor. It is not known why she buried in Windsor or whether she was originally buried at Burnham Abbey and reburied at Windsor at a later date.
Elias Ashmole visited the church in the mid 1600s and drew the grave which is recorded in Ashmole Manuscript 850.
In 1820 to 1822 St John the Baptist Church was rebuilt. As a result approximately 50 grave inside the church were buried under the new floor and the grave of Idonea was relocated to outside the main entrance to the church.
At some date probably when the church was being rebuilt in the 1820s Idonea’s grave was significantly modified with a new brass matrice added and a new inscription replacing the old inscription that surrounded the grave.
The Memorial Doors at St John the Baptist Church, Windsor
The Brass Matrice on Idonea Audley’s grave was used as a diamond cut design on the glass door of the church to form a luminous commemoration of the fallen of the Royal Borough 1939 to 1946
The doors were dedicated on 8th November 1959.
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