History of The Abbey Garden | A 12th Century Legacy
A place with centuries of history in Arroyo de la Encomienda
The origins
A priory house serving the clergyUntil 1836, following the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal, this house belonged to the clergy and served as a residence for friars and as a priory house. Thanks to its privileged location in the fields of the Pisuerga and next to the parish church, it is believed to have been a stopping place for pilgrims and a temporary refuge for crusader knights travelling through Castilla.
12th century
The Order of the Knights HospitallerIn the 12th century, the Crown of Castile granted these lands as royal property to the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem, giving them the priory and jurisdiction over the village of Bamba and its Encomienda (Arroyo).
By the end of the same century, the Order built the magnificent Romanesque church of Arroyo de la Encomienda, a true historical‑artistic treasure and one of the few examples of this style in the province of Valladolid.
This context gives the location of the current hotel a setting filled with symbolism and tradition.
18th century
Refuge de guérilleros pendant l’invasion napoléonienneThere are indications that during the 18th century, the house served as a refuge for guerrilla fighters resisting during the Peninsular War following the Napoleonic invasion.
A particularly significant historical event took place here:
The night of 8 December 1811
A detachment of French troops arrived at the priory house, convinced that the famous guerrilla fighter Victoriano Díez “Chagarito” and three of his men were inside. The soldiers opened fire on the building, set it ablaze and reduced it to ashes, capturing the priest Don Alexo Antón and the guerrilla fighters, who were taken naked to the prison of the Chancery of Valladolid.
In Valladolid, one of the captured men was tried and, after betraying his companions in a failed attempt to save his life, was sentenced to death by garrotte on 24 December. His body was later dismembered as a public warning.
The legendary Chagarito, described by the French officer Élzear Blaze as “the terror of Castilla”, continued fighting in the surroundings of Valladolid under the command of another local, Juan Martínez, and Tomás Príncipe, leader of the Húsares de Simancas.
Modern reconstruction
Respecting the original spiritIn 2001, the Oliveira Family began rebuilding the property, preserving its original structure thanks to the foundations that still remained.
During the restoration, several historical elements were preserved and recovered:
- The cross at the hotel entrance, one of the few remaining examples of Romanesque wrought‑iron crosses.
- Original components from an old wheat mill of the period.
- Romanesque‑style mural paintings paying homage to the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.
The result is a building that blends history, essence and authenticity with the comfort and services of a contemporary hotel.