Episode 3148
Poisoning of Abbot Greenwell
Wed, 2025-Dec-17 02:20 UTC
Length - 1:58
Direct Link
Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.
The featured article for Wednesday, 17 December 2025, is Poisoning of Abbot Greenwell.
Around June 1447, the abbot of Fountains Abbey, in Yorkshire, Northern England, John Greenwell, was poisoned by a monk, William Downom (also Downam). By the 15th century, Fountains was the richest abbey in England, and its abbot was an important figure in local political society. The first half of the century saw it wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions and, possibly, embezzlement. Greenwell appears to have brought a degree of peace to the abbey upon his election, but he does not seem to have been popular.
Downom poisoned a dish of pottage, which he then attempted to feed the abbot while the latter was sick. Greenwell survived, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains' motherhouse of Cîteaux Abbey, Downom—who may already have been an apostate—was eventually expelled. Greenwell himself remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and later incurred the distrust of King Edward IV for his political leanings. Greenwell eventually resigned in 1471; Downom stayed a monk after being expelled from Fountains and may have joined Kirkstead Abbey in Lincolnshire, following which he disappears from the record.
This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:20 UTC on Wednesday, 17 December 2025.
For the full current version of the article, see Poisoning of Abbot Greenwell on Wikipedia.
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Until next time, I'm standard Joanna.
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