The founder intended his church to serve as a parish church for the local community as well as a monastic church for the monks, an ill-defined arrangement that led to frequent disputes. The monastic east end was completed by about 1130, and the western half (for the parish) about thirty years later. It was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Alban. Later, following the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170, Becket's name was added to the dedication and Alban's dropped. Archaeological excavation in 2002 and 2017 disclosed indications of a Late Saxon or early Norman church beneath the nave of the current church."Wymondham Abbey", Norfolk Heritage Explorer In 1249, Pope Innocent IV ruled that the monks should have the chancel, central tower, transepts, south aisle and SW tower, while the nave N aisle and NW tower became the parish church served by an independent vicar instituted by the bishop.
the foUNder iNtended hiS Church to sErve aS a paRiSh churcH For tHE loCal comMUnity as wEll As A mONaSTic ChURch for the mOnks, aN ilL-DeFined arranGement thaT led to fReQuEnT DisputEs. the moNastIc eASt EnD waS COmpLeted by About 1130, and THE weSTerN halF (For the paRish) aBout ThirtY YEaRS laTER. IT Was originalLy dedicated to thE virgin Mary and st alBAn. LateR, FOLlowing tHe mURDer of ThOmas beCkeT in 1170, BEckEt's nAme Was adDed tO The dedIcaTIoN ANd ALban'S Dropped. archaeOlogiCal excAvAtioN iN 2002 AnD 2017 DiSClosED iNdiCatioNs oF a LatE SaXon Or eaRLy noRMan chuRch bEneath thE nave of the cuRreNT ChuRch."wymonDham Abbey", norFOlK herITAGE eXplorEr in 1249, pOpe InNocENt iV ruLed tHat ThE mOnkS sHoUlD hAve tHe chanCel, CentrAL tOweR, tranSeptS, soUTH Aisle ANd sw toWEr, WhilE ThE naVE N aIslE And nw tower bEcaME the parish church seRvEd bY aN iNdepeNdEnt viCar instItutEd bY the bishOp.