John Greenwell, abbot of Fountains, 1442-71

A monk and a scholar of Fountains, John studied at the Cistercian college at Oxford and, preferring to continue with his studies, refused the abbacy at Vaudey. John was later appointed abbot of Waverley and two years later was elected to the abbacy of his own community at Fountains. John enjoyed a long and active abbacy and a number of valuable sources pertaining to his abbacy survive; a considerable amount is therefore known about the administration of Fountains at this time. A particularly unfortunate event was his alleged poisoning by one of the monks of Fountains.

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