Poughley Priory
Encyclopedia
Poughley Priory was a priory of Austin Canons
at Chaddleworth
in the English
county of Berkshire
,
located between Great Shefford
and Leckhampstead
.
It was established around 1160 and dissolved in 1525.
, including the chapel of Wulney (Wolley) and all its appurtenances
. At the same time or shortly afterwards the priory received, from Thomas de Mazuy, the land that he held at West Batterton, Wilts; from Roger de Curridge, his lands at Curridge
; from Nicholas de Hedinton, his lands at Peasemore
; from Lambert de Faringdon, his lands at Faringdon
; and from Hugh de Bathonia, his lands at 'Werdeham,' and his meadow at Colthrop
. The same confirmation charter also briefly recites a number of later small donations, chiefly of plots of land in Berkshire.
This priory, erected on the site of the old hermitage and dedicated to the honour of St. Margaret
, was assigned to canons regular of the order of St. Augustine
.
Pope Alexander
in 1182 granted to the newly-founded house entire exemption from tithe
s, and further ordered by his apostolic authority both the bishop of Salisbury
and the archdeacon of Berkshire and their officials not to impose any new charges of any kind on the priory. In this bull
of papal protection the house is described as the priory of St. Margaret of 'Elenfordesmer.'
Pope Alexander IV
granted two bulls to this house in September, 1256. By the first of these, dated 22 September, the privilege was conferred of celebrating the divine offices in a low tone (voce supressa), and with closed doors and without ringing of bells, during interdict
s. By the second, dated five days later, the priory was taken, in general terms, under apostolic protection
.
The taxation roll of Pope Nicholas IV
in 1291 names a pension of 2s. 6d. due to this priory from the church of West Hendred
. Under the head of temporalities the annual sum of £14 19s. 4d. was due from lands in Belton, Lambourn
, Peasemore, Speen
, and Marcham
, all in the archdeaconry of Berkshire, and also 9s. out of the Wiltshire deanery of Marlborough.
A forty days' indulgence
was granted by the bishop on 12 April, 1313, to all who gave assistance to the convent of Poughley, for a grievous fire had destroyed their granaries and mills, and other buildings in which their goods were stored.
A commission was issued in February, 1428, to inquire into the complaint made by John Dyke, who stated that he had a crown grant, under a yearly rent, of a messuage
, lands, meadows, and a moiety
of the water of Lambourn
in the lordship of Speen, and that the prior of Poughley had recently built a mill across the water, wherethrough the water could not keep its right course, but had flooded its banks and the king's lands and meadows.
In January, 1469, Pope Paul II
granted to Prior Thomas Sutton of Poughley, the annual income of whose priory was stated not to exceed £50, dispensation to hold with the priory, for the term of his natural life, some other ecclesiastical benefice, usually held by a secular priest, whether it should be a rectory or vicarage, provided he was duly presented and instituted.
This small priory was amongst the first group of religious houses for the incorporation of which Cardinal Wolsey obtained the pope's bull and the king's licence, in 1524, for the use of his college in Oxford
. The dissolution of the monastery was formally accomplished on 14 February in that year, John Somers being prior, the spiritualities
being declared of the annual value of £10 and the temporalities
£61 11s. 7d.
The inquisitions taken at the time of its suppression showed that the priory then held the churches of Chaddleworth
and Kingston, the manors of West Batterton , Peasemore, Curridge, and Bagnor, and messuages, lands, and tenements in thirty-two Berkshire parishes.
In January, 1527, Edward Fetyplace, treasurer to the duke of Suffolk
, wrote to Thomas Cromwell
, upbraiding him with breaking his word as to granting him the site of Poughley, on the faith of which he had given Cromwell 40s. at the time of its dissolution, and yet the lease had been granted to another man. This letter is of particular interest, as showing that the house of the dissolved priory was for a time occupied by scholars of Wolsey's great college then in course of erection.
In February, 1529, Fetyplace wrote again to Cromwell desiring his interest that he might be assured of more years in the farm of Poughley. From this letter it is evident that Cromwell had been recently visiting the dismantled priory, as Fetyplace records a visit to Poughley, on 'the Thursday after our departing,' of one John Edden who came with a cart to carry off such stuff as was appointed to go to Wolsey's College at Oxford.
Certain 'wages' or pensions were being paid in 1530 by Wolsey to the dispossessed canons and monks of the dissolved houses. An entry was made that year of 'wages of 3 canons at Poughley, 40s.' The same year goods were sold at Poughley that realized £29, and the bells were valued at £33 6s. 8d.
SIGILL': SBE MARGAR . . . : CLENFORDE . . .
The reverse has the small counterseal of Prior William, representing the prior in his habit holding a book. Legend:— SIGILL': WILL'MI: PRIORIS: DE: POCCHELEG
Canons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
at Chaddleworth
Chaddleworth
Chaddleworth is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:The village of Chaddleworth lies below the southern slopes of the Berkshire Downs, just east of the A338 road, which runs between Hungerford and Wantage to form the western parish boundary...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
,
located between Great Shefford
Great Shefford
Great Shefford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Topography and history:The parish is in the district of West Berkshire, on the River Lambourn. The modern civil parish includes the historical parish of Little or East Shefford, a small hamlet and lost settlement...
and Leckhampstead
Leckhampstead, Berkshire
Leckhampstead is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England lying in the North Wessex Downs. It is a mixture of modern and more traditional thatched houses....
.
It was established around 1160 and dissolved in 1525.
History
A charter of inspection and confirmation of the year 1330 gives an authoritative account of the origin of Poughley Priory. It was founded by Ralph de Chaddleworth, about the year 1160, who endowed it with the site of a hermitage called 'Clenfordemere' or 'Ellenfordemere,' with an adjacent wood, and with the church of ChaddleworthChaddleworth
Chaddleworth is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:The village of Chaddleworth lies below the southern slopes of the Berkshire Downs, just east of the A338 road, which runs between Hungerford and Wantage to form the western parish boundary...
, including the chapel of Wulney (Wolley) and all its appurtenances
Appurtenance
Appurtenances is a term for what belongs to and goes with something else, with the appurtenance being less significant than what it belongs to. The word ultimately derives from Latin appertinere, "to appertain"....
. At the same time or shortly afterwards the priory received, from Thomas de Mazuy, the land that he held at West Batterton, Wilts; from Roger de Curridge, his lands at Curridge
Curridge
Curridge is a village in the civil parish of Chieveley in the English county of Berkshire.-Location and character:It is located in the south-east of Chieveley parish, adjoining Hermitage, and its chief population areas are Curridge village, Longlane and the Denison Barracks, home of the 42 Engineer...
; from Nicholas de Hedinton, his lands at Peasemore
Peasemore
Peasemore is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire in the United Kingdom. It is located in the West Berkshire unitary authority, west of the A34 road and north of the town of Newbury.-Amenities:...
; from Lambert de Faringdon, his lands at Faringdon
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
; and from Hugh de Bathonia, his lands at 'Werdeham,' and his meadow at Colthrop
Colthrop
Colthrop is a village in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Thatcham.The settlement lies on the A4 road, and is the location of numerous industrial parks and haulage depots due to the area's proximity to Thatcham railway station....
. The same confirmation charter also briefly recites a number of later small donations, chiefly of plots of land in Berkshire.
This priory, erected on the site of the old hermitage and dedicated to the honour of St. Margaret
Margaret the Virgin
Margaret the Virgin, also known as Margaret of Antioch , virgin and martyr, is celebrated as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches on July 20; and on July 17 in the Orthodox Church. Her historical existence has been questioned; she was declared apocryphal by Pope Gelasius I in 494,...
, was assigned to canons regular of the order of St. Augustine
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
.
Pope Alexander
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
in 1182 granted to the newly-founded house entire exemption from tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s, and further ordered by his apostolic authority both the bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
and the archdeacon of Berkshire and their officials not to impose any new charges of any kind on the priory. In this bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
of papal protection the house is described as the priory of St. Margaret of 'Elenfordesmer.'
Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV was Pope from 1254 until his death.Born as Rinaldo di Jenne, in Jenne , he was, on his mother's side, a member of the de' Conti di Segni family, the counts of Segni, like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX...
granted two bulls to this house in September, 1256. By the first of these, dated 22 September, the privilege was conferred of celebrating the divine offices in a low tone (voce supressa), and with closed doors and without ringing of bells, during interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
s. By the second, dated five days later, the priory was taken, in general terms, under apostolic protection
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
.
The taxation roll of Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
in 1291 names a pension of 2s. 6d. due to this priory from the church of West Hendred
West Hendred
West Hendred is a village and civil parish about east of Wantage. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire....
. Under the head of temporalities the annual sum of £14 19s. 4d. was due from lands in Belton, Lambourn
Lambourn
Lambourn is a large village and civil parish in the northwestern part of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. Its metropolitan district has a population of 4,017, and is most noted for its associations with British National Hunt racehorse training....
, Peasemore, Speen
Speen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
, and Marcham
Marcham
Marcham is a village and civil parish about west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Archaeology:...
, all in the archdeaconry of Berkshire, and also 9s. out of the Wiltshire deanery of Marlborough.
A forty days' indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
was granted by the bishop on 12 April, 1313, to all who gave assistance to the convent of Poughley, for a grievous fire had destroyed their granaries and mills, and other buildings in which their goods were stored.
A commission was issued in February, 1428, to inquire into the complaint made by John Dyke, who stated that he had a crown grant, under a yearly rent, of a messuage
Messuage
In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden. At one time messuage supposedly had a more extensive meaning than that conveyed by the words house or site, but such distinction no longer survives.A capital messuage is the...
, lands, meadows, and a moiety
Moiety title
Moiety title is legal term describing a portion other than a whole of ownership of property. The word derives from Old French moitié meaning "half" , from Latin medietas "middle", from medius....
of the water of Lambourn
Lambourn
Lambourn is a large village and civil parish in the northwestern part of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. Its metropolitan district has a population of 4,017, and is most noted for its associations with British National Hunt racehorse training....
in the lordship of Speen, and that the prior of Poughley had recently built a mill across the water, wherethrough the water could not keep its right course, but had flooded its banks and the king's lands and meadows.
In January, 1469, Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II , born Pietro Barbo, was pope from 1464 until his death in 1471.- Early life :He was born in Venice, and was a nephew of Pope Eugene IV , through his mother. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope...
granted to Prior Thomas Sutton of Poughley, the annual income of whose priory was stated not to exceed £50, dispensation to hold with the priory, for the term of his natural life, some other ecclesiastical benefice, usually held by a secular priest, whether it should be a rectory or vicarage, provided he was duly presented and instituted.
This small priory was amongst the first group of religious houses for the incorporation of which Cardinal Wolsey obtained the pope's bull and the king's licence, in 1524, for the use of his college in Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. The dissolution of the monastery was formally accomplished on 14 February in that year, John Somers being prior, the spiritualities
Spiritualities
Spiritualities is a term, often used in the Middle Ages, that refers to the income sources of a diocese or other ecclesiastical establishment that came from tithes...
being declared of the annual value of £10 and the temporalities
Temporalities
Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...
£61 11s. 7d.
The inquisitions taken at the time of its suppression showed that the priory then held the churches of Chaddleworth
Chaddleworth
Chaddleworth is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:The village of Chaddleworth lies below the southern slopes of the Berkshire Downs, just east of the A338 road, which runs between Hungerford and Wantage to form the western parish boundary...
and Kingston, the manors of West Batterton , Peasemore, Curridge, and Bagnor, and messuages, lands, and tenements in thirty-two Berkshire parishes.
In January, 1527, Edward Fetyplace, treasurer to the duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII. His father was the standard-bearer of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and was slain by Richard III in person at...
, wrote to Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
, upbraiding him with breaking his word as to granting him the site of Poughley, on the faith of which he had given Cromwell 40s. at the time of its dissolution, and yet the lease had been granted to another man. This letter is of particular interest, as showing that the house of the dissolved priory was for a time occupied by scholars of Wolsey's great college then in course of erection.
In February, 1529, Fetyplace wrote again to Cromwell desiring his interest that he might be assured of more years in the farm of Poughley. From this letter it is evident that Cromwell had been recently visiting the dismantled priory, as Fetyplace records a visit to Poughley, on 'the Thursday after our departing,' of one John Edden who came with a cart to carry off such stuff as was appointed to go to Wolsey's College at Oxford.
Certain 'wages' or pensions were being paid in 1530 by Wolsey to the dispossessed canons and monks of the dissolved houses. An entry was made that year of 'wages of 3 canons at Poughley, 40s.' The same year goods were sold at Poughley that realized £29, and the bells were valued at £33 6s. 8d.
Priors of Poughley
- Jerome, occurs 1182
- William, occurs 1236
- Robert, thirteenth century
- Yvo, resigned 1313
- John de Lamborne, elected 1313
- Ralph de Pesmere, 1348
- Geoffrey, occurs 1350
- William Marlborough, resigned 1442
- John Helme, alias Hungerford, elected 1442
- Thomas Sutton, occurs 1469-1474
- Thomas Ware, resigned 1497
- William Nordon, elected 1497, died 1521
- John Devynyshe, appointed 1521
- Somers, surrendered 1524
Common seal
The common seal of this priory (1244) bears St. Margaret trampling on a dragon, with a triplethonged scourge in the right hand, and a book in the left. Legend:—SIGILL': SBE MARGAR . . . : CLENFORDE . . .
The reverse has the small counterseal of Prior William, representing the prior in his habit holding a book. Legend:— SIGILL': WILL'MI: PRIORIS: DE: POCCHELEG