Redwall Abbey is a peaceful order of brothers and sisters located in Mossflower Woods. It was co-founded by Abbess Germaine and Martin the Warrior. There is no religious aspect.
Older members of the order wear dark green-brown habits, while novices wear light green habits.
Redwall History
Following the destruction and flooding of Kotir, an ancient castle in Mossflower ruled for seasons by the Greeneyes family, and the evacuation of Loamhedge Abbey as the result of a plague, blueprints of the Abbey complex designed by Germaine became reality with Martin's assistance.
The Abbey was built out of red sandstone from a neighboring quarry by Mossflower woodlanders and Loamhedge survivors. Construction took more than 20 seasons. Its weather vane was smithed by Ferdy and Coggs Stickle.
Later, a bell tower was added to the structure during the time of Abbot Saxtus.
A tapestry dedicated to Martin the Warrior was woven and hung in Great Hall. After the deaths of Germaine and Martin, both mice were entombed beneath the Abbey.
While it is ordained to be a peaceful location, many times a warrior is called upon from the residents to combat a threat against this peace.
Redwallers traditionally name the Seasons after some large occurrence or event. Young citizens of the Abbey are called Dibbuns.
The unwritten rule of Redwall Abbey is that "Redwall mice can go anywhere, through any territory, and pass unharmed."
Regions of Redwall Abbey
Redwall Abbey as depicted in the Redwall TV Series
- Abbess Germaine's Tomb
- The Apiary
- The Attic
- The Bell Tower
- Cavern Hole
- The Cellar
- The Dormitories
- The Gatehouse
- Great Hall
- The Infirmary
- The Kitchen
- The Lawns
- The Library
- Martin the Warrior's Tomb
- The Orchard
- The Pond
- The Roof
- Warbeak Loft
Redwall Abbey Charter
The Redwall Abbey Charter is as follows:
- To be brothers and sisters of peace and goodwill while living together under the protection of Redwall Abbey.
- Forsake all unnecessary forms of violence, not only to Mossflower, its trees, grasses, flowers and insects, but to all living creatures.
- Help and comfort the dispossessed.
- Harbor orphans and waifs.
- Offer shelter to all creatures alike.
- Give clothing, warmth and food to any beast or creature that is deemed in need of such.
- Educate and learn, particularly in the healing arts, comfort the sick, nurse the injured and help the wounded.
- Take food from the earth and replenish the land by caring for it; husbanding crops, living in harmony with the seasons always.
- To honor and protect friends and brethren, only raising paw to do battle when life at Redwall is threatened by treachery and the shadow of war; at these times every Redwall creature should show courage, fortitude and obedience to the Father Abbot. The taking of another life must always be justified and never carried out in a wanton manner.
The Abbey Charter only appears in Mariel of Redwall.
Abbots and Abbesses
Abbots and Abbesses are leaders of Redwall Abbey who are generally selected for the role by their predecessors or a Council of Elders.
The following is chronological list of all the known leaders of Redwall Abbey:
- Abbess Germaine (appears in Mossflower, The Legend of Luke)
- Abbess Meriam (appears in Outcast of Redwall)
- Abbess Bryony (appears in Outcast of Redwall)
- Abbot Thomas (mentioned in Mariel of Redwall)
- Abbot Bernard (appears in Mariel of Redwall)
- Abbot Saxtus (appears in Martin the Warrior, Mariel of Redwall, The Bellmaker)
- Abbess Vale (appears in Salamandastron)
- Abbot Saxus (mentioned in Mattimeo)
- Abbot Cedric (mentioned in Redwall; appears in The Lost Legends of Redwall)
- Abbot Mortimer (appears in Redwall)
- Abbot Mordalfus (appears in Redwall, Mattimeo, A Redwall Winter's Tale, The Great Redwall Feast)
- Abbot Durral (appears in Pearls of Lutra)
- Abbess Tansy (appears in Pearls of Lutra, The Long Patrol)
- Abbot Arven (appears in Pearls of Lutra, The Long Patrol; mentioned in Marlfox, Taggerung)
- Abbess Songbreeze (appears in Marlfox; mentioned in Taggerung)
- Abbess Mhera (appears in Taggerung)
- Abbot Apodemus (appears in Triss)
- Abbot Phredd (appears in Loamhedge)
- Abbot Carrul (appears in Loamhedge)
- Abbess Fenna (appears in Loamhedge)
- Abbess Furtila (mentioned in Rakkety Tam)
- Abbot Humble (appears in Rakkety Tam)
- Abbess Lycian (appears in High Rhulain)
- Abbot Daucus (appears in Eulalia!)
- Abbot Glisam (appears in Doomwyte)
- Abbess Perrit (appears in Doomwyte)
- Abbess Marjoram (appears in The Sable Quean)
- Abbot Thibb (appears in The Rogue Crew)
Abbot's Report was a known type of punishment used by Abbey leaders.
Statistics
Total number of known leaders: 28
- 12 Abbesses
- 16 Abbots
- 14 Mice: Germaine, Meriam, Bryony, Bernard, Saxtus, Vale, Mortimer, Mordalfus, Durral, Apodemus, Carrul, Lycian, Daucus, Marjoram
- 5 Squirrels: Arven, Songbreeze, Fenna, Perrit, Thibb
- 4 Unknown: Thomas, Saxus, Cedric, Furtila
- 3 Hedgehogs: Tansy, Phredd, Humble
- 1 Dormouse: Glisam
- 1 Otter: Mhera
Badger Mothers
Badgers mothers look after young ones who reside in Redwall, and, as they live seasons longer than other creatures, are known for their wisdom.
The following is a chronological list of all the Badger Mothers of Redwall Abbey:
- Bella of Brockhall (appears in Mossflower, The Legend of Luke, and Outcast of Redwall)
- Mellus (appears in Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker)
- Mara (appears in Salamandastron)
- Constance (appears in Redwall, Mattimeo, A Redwall Winter's Tale)
- Auma (appears in Mattimeo, Pearls of Lutra)
- Cregga Rose Eyes (appears in The Long Patrol, Marlfox, and Taggerung)
Abbey Warriors and Champions of Redwall
Abbey Warriors are creatures of any species called upon by the spirit of Martin the Warrior to defend the Abbey in times of need or to perform some special task. Warriors should not be confused with those who wield the Sword of Martin.
Champions of Redwall are those who have been officially designated the task of defending the Abbey by its residents.
Sometimes, Abbey Warriors and those who hold the Champion position overlap. Champions do not always receive visions of Martin.
| Name | Warrior Visited by Martin | Appointed Champion | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin the Warrior | N/A | Yes | Mossflower, The Legend of Luke, Martin the Warrior (corporeal) |
| Dandin | Yes | No | Mariel of Redwall, The Bellmaker |
| Samkim | Yes | Yes | Salamandastron |
| Matthias | Yes | Yes | Redwall, Mattimeo, The Great Redwall Feast, A Redwall Winter's Tale |
| Mattimeo | No | Yes | Redwall, Mattimeo |
| Martin II | No | Yes | Mattimeo, Pearls of Lutra |
| Arven | Yes | Yes | Pearls of Lutra, The Long Patrol |
| Tamello De Fformelo Tussock | Yes | No | The Long Patrol |
| Dannflower Reguba | Yes | Yes | Marlfox |
| Deyna (Tagg) | Yes | Yes | Taggerung |
| Trisscar Swordmaid | Yes | Yes | Triss |
| Rakkety Tam MacBurl | Yes | Unknown | Rakkety Tam |
| Tiria Wildlough | Yes | No | High Rhulain |
| Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee | No | Yes | Doomwyte |
| Clarinna | Yes | No | The Sable Quean |
Statistics
Total number of known Warriors and Champions: 15
- 12 Males
- 3 Females
- 5 Mice: Martin the Warrior, Dandin, Matthias, Mattimeo, Martin II
- 5 Squirrels: Samkim, Arven, Dannflower Reguba, Trisscar Swordmaid, Rakkety Tam MacBurl
- 3 Hares: Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee, Tammo, Clarinna
- 2 Otters: Tagg, Tiria Wildlough
- Samkim, Matthias, Arven, Dannflower Reguba, Tagg, and Trisscar Swordmaid are the only known Abbey Champions who received visits from Martin the Warrior.
Other Positions
Many other creatures perform needed duties in and around the Abbey. Those without an indirect link on this page include Skippers and Foremoles.
Enemies of Redwall Abbey
Many wicked creatures see or hear about Redwall and hope to take it as their own, either by using force or tricking the Redwallers, whom they believe to be naive "country bumpkins." The following is a chronological list of vermin leaders who have attempted to take or infiltrate the Abbey.
Cluny and Ironbeak have the distinction of being the only villains to successfully hold the Abbey. However, Badredd successfully gained access to the grounds and trapped the residents inside the main building while commandeering the Gatehouse for his gang. When Raga Bol arrived, he took over and continued the siege.
- Greypatch
- Cluny the Scourge
- Slagar the Cruel
- General Ironbeak
- Lask Frildur
- Damug Warfang
- The Marlfoxes
- Vallug Bowbeast and Eefera
- Ruggan Bor
- Princess Kurda and Plugg Firetail
- Badredd
- Raga Bol
- Freeta and Zerig, under the command of Gulo the Savage
- Groffgut
- Vizka Longtooth
- Gruntan Kurdly
- Korvus Skurr
- Vilaya and Zwilt the Shade
- Razzid Wearat
Books
Redwall Abbey appears in every book except Lord Brocktree.
Trivia
- The name "Redwall Abbey" was inspired by the Childwall Abbey pub in Liverpool.
- Listen to Brian Jacques discuss the origin story for Redwall Abbey here.
- The red sandstone exterior of Redwall was inspired by the red walls in Stanley Park, located in Liverpool's Kirkdale district. There was a "huge, old, red sandstone wall ... It looked nice, in the summer, and I used to imagine it was some kind of castle. And that was the start of Redwall Abbey." - Brian Jacques, Biography Today: Profiles of People of Interest to Young Readers. Author Series, Volume 5. (1999)
- "I always delicately point out that while Redwall is an abbey, normally a religious institution, in my books Redwall Abbey is actually a secular institution whose leader, the Abbot or Abbess, is a figure of experience and wisdom, sort of the heart and historical repository of a community and very much a kind and loving father or mother to all the people in his or her care. Only a very few of the inhabitants of Redwall are monks. Most residents of the community are secular and have all of the human foibles and strengths that all of us have. It is how these strengths and weaknesses are tolerated and used which make Redwall a strong and loving community. So Redwall is populated with the absent-minded uncle, or the brash, overt neighbor, or the quiet introverted friend. All have their place in Redwall and all contribute to the success and survival of the community in their own way, just as real families tolerate the cousin who is obnoxious, the aunt who tipples a little too much, the grandfather who roars but is really meek as a lamb. Implied in all of this is forgiveness and acceptance. We forgive our family members their weaknesses and accept them because they are members of our family. The same is true in Redwall." - Brian Jacques, National Catholic Register (March 10, 2002)