Prebendaries: Wilmington

Prebendaries

PREBEND

The abbot of Grestain held Wilmington of the count of Mortain 1086 (DB I 21c, 'Wineltone'); Willingdon also a manor of the count of Mortain (ibid. 21a, 22a). Churches of Wilmington, Willingdon and Eastdean (E. Suss.) granted to cathedral by abbot of Grestain and created a preb. for the abbot and his successors by bp. Seffrid II, 8 March 1198 × c. 17 March 1204, at the same time as the foundation of preb. Firle (list 16) (Acta no. 97, discussed ibid. pp. 43-4). (fn. 1) Abbot of Grestain became canon of cathedral, with full rights to commons if resident, and right to attend chapter meetings, but without a vote in els. of bps. and deans; duty to provide a pr.-vicar if not resident.

Ordination of vicarage of Willingdon 9 Nov. 1204 (ibid. no. 143). Settlement of dispute over tithes of Willingdon 14 June 1238 (Chart. Chichester nos. 4-5).

Ordinance of bp. Ralph de Neville that church of Westham (near Pevensey, E. Suss.), when next vacant, to be annexed to this preb., 3 March 1242 (ibid. no. 214); certainly appropriated by 1291 (ibid. no. 954 p. 318).

Abbot's rights 1 Nov. 1240 (Close R. 1237-42 p. 246), 1 Sept. 1251 (ibid. 1247- 51 pp. 496-7).

For tithes in Alfriston and elsewhere, see Chart. Chichester nos. 215, 223, 775, 784.

Preb. suppressed and converted into Mortimer chantry 1413 (CPR 1413-16 pp. 76-7, 250; CCR 1413-19 pp. 89-91; Chart. Chichester no. 728).

On 31 Dec. 1266 it was reported to the abp. of Rouen that two monks of Grestain were in England (The Register of Eudes of Rouen, trans. S. M. Brown, ed. J. F. O'Sullivan (New York and London, 1964) p. 681). For the priory of Wilmington, see W. H. Godfrey, 'Wilmington priory: an architectural description', Suss. Archaeol. Collections lxix (1928) 1-27, and W. Bugden, 'Wilmington priory: historical notes', ibid. pp. 29-52.

Pr.-preb.

Valuation 1291 £36 13s 4d (Taxatio p. 138a).

PRIORS OF WILMINGTON

The priors of Wilmington were proctors in England of the prebendaries, the abbots of Grestain. The list of priors given in VCH Suss. II 123, may be revised for the period before 1300 as follows:

Reginald occ. 1 July 1229 (Suss. Fines I no. 260).

Robert Aualin occ. 14 June 1238 (Chart. Chichester no. 4).

John occ. Oct. 1243 (Suss. Fines I no. 416).

W- occ. 27 Dec. 1256 (Chart. Chichester no. 218).

Robert Pikard occ. Sept. 1261 (see abbots, below).

William de Gymeges occ. 13 July 1268 (CPR 1266-72 p. 244).

Regenald granted power of attorney for 5 years from 17 July 1268 (PRO, JUST 1/913 m. 4).

William le Clerk, occ. as abbot's proctor 16 Aug. 1293 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 36), and as proctor-general 28 Sept. 1294 (ibid. p. 93).

Unnamed prior occ. 18 Apr. 1296 and 23 March 1297 (CPR 1292-1301 pp. 176, 270).

William occ. 16 March 1299 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 398).

Next known prior is William, who occ. 20 Oct. 1320 (CPR 1317-21 p. 542).

PREBENDARIES

The prebendaries of Wilmington were the abbots of Grestain. The following list represents a revision of that in Gallia Christiana XI (Paris, 1874) 843-5.

ABBOTS OF GRESTAIN

R[obert]

Monk of Grestain, el. abbot 8 Sept. 1197 (Gallia Christiana XI 844). Occ. 8 March 1198 × c. 17 March 1204 (Acta no. 97) and 9 Nov. 1204 (ibid. no. 143). Said to be still alive 8 Dec. 1233 (Gallia Christiana XI 844), but William occ. 1229 (below).

William [de Farnoville]

William abbot first occ. 1 July 1229 (Suss. Fines I 260). Also occ. soon after June 1238 (Chart. Chichester no. 5) and Nov. 1241, 1242 and 29 July 1245 (ibid. nos. 213, 216, 217; cf. Suss. Fines I no. 416, of Oct. 1243). Presum. the unnamed abbot who occ. 9 July 1245 (Close R. 1242-7 p. 325), 23 May 1248 (ibid. 1247-51 p. 52), 17 Jan. 1249 (Reg. Eudes of Rouen p. 67), 8 June 1251, 22 Nov. 1252 (Close R. 1247-51 p. 456; ibid. 1251-3 p. 427). Called William de Farnoville when occ. as abbot at dedication of Grestain, 23 Aug. 1254 (Gallia Christiana XI 844).

An unnamed abbot occ. 29 Dec. 1257 (Reg. Eudes of Rouen p. 333).

Thomas

First occ. 30 Apr. 1259 (C. Bréard, L'Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Grestain (Rouen, 1904) pp. 218-20). Resigned before 1 Aug. 1262 (CPR 1266-72 p. 728; cf. Close R. 1261-4 p. 195).

Robert Pikard (fn. 2)

Monk of Grestain; prior of Wilmington, occ. Sept. 1261 (Close R. 1259-61 p. 492). El. abbot on resignation of Thomas, conf. by bp. of Lisieux, mandate for restitution of temps. in England 1 Aug. 1262 (CPR 1266-72 p. 728). Presum. the unnamed abbot who occ. 3 Oct. 1262 and 10 Jan. 1263 (Close R. 1261-4 pp. 89, 195).

An unnamed abbot occ. 31 Dec. 1266 (Reg. Eudes of Rouen p. 681).

[William

Said to occ. between Thomas and Reginald in a list of Norman abbots who bound themselves to go to the holy war at their own expense (Gallia Christiana XI 844).]

Richard

Occ. 1264 × ? 1285 (Chart. Chichester no. 7). Not in list in Gallia Christiana XI 844, or in Bréard, Grestain. Perhaps an error for Reginald, below.

Reginald Caruel

Mandate for restitution of his temps. in England, already el. and conf. by dean and chapter of Lisieux, 9 July 1285 (CPR 1281-92 p. 185). Occ. Feb. 1286/7 (Bréard, Grestain, pp. 221-3). Safe-conduct for staying beyond seas for four years, 16 Aug. 1293 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 36). Said to have died 1297 (Gallia Christiana XI 844).

Ralph Vincond

Monk of Grestain, became abbot 4 May 1297 (Gallia Christiana XI 844). Safeconduct 10 May 1298 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 349). Presum. the unnamed abbot who occ. 6 Sept. 1300 (ibid. p. 532). Deposed by bp. of Lisieux, at request of monks, 1302 (Gallia Christiana XI 844; see Bréard, Grestain pp. 76-8).