3. THE PRIORY OF ALVECOTE
Alvecote, which was a member of Seckington,
was, with Shuttington, granted by William Burdet, in the year 1159, to the Benedictine monks
of Great Malvern, upon condition that they
should by Michaelmas send two of their convent
to serve the church of Alvecote, and that in the
following year they should add two more. It
was further agreed, in the presence of Lawrence,
abbot of Westminster, Robert, abbot of St. Albans, and Gregory, abbot of Malmesbury, that
so soon as the building of a monastery at Alvecote
was completed, more monks should be received
therein, according to its capacity, on the advice
of the abbot of Westminster and other religious
persons; and that the prior of Alvecote should
always be appointed by the prior of Great
Malvern.
Dugdale tells the story current in his time, as
to the cause of the foundation of this little monastery. It was said that William Burdet, a valiant
and devout man, joined a crusade to the Holy
Land; that his steward, in his absence, in vain
solicited his lady, whereupon on his master's
return he accused her of incontinence; that the
knight believing the slander stabbed her; and
that afterwards, discovering the truth, he founded
this priory as an act of expiation. Dugdale states
that in his days, when the priory church of Alvecote was still standing, the founder's grave was
in an arch of the wall on the north side, covered
by a 'plain free stone curiously embossed with
the sculpture of a large cross.' (fn. 1)
The priory had but few benefactors; an early
one was Robert de Bramcote, who gave a meadow
called Bramcote meadow. (fn. 2)
The taxation of 1291 gave the annual value of
the priory's property at Alvecote as £7 9s. 2d, (fn. 3)
which included a mill worth 14s. a year, a dovecote 1s. 6d., and fishing rights 3s. The priory
also held 8s. in temporalities in the diocese of
Lincoln. (fn. 4) This latter entry probably refers to
the grant of half a virgate of land and a watermill at Ratcliffe, Leicestershire, left by William
Burdet, the grandson of the founder.
After a period of about two centuries, the
church and conventual buildings of this little
priory were sorely in need of restoration. Through
the favour of the king, the monks of Alvecote
were able to resort to exceptional means to procure the necessary funds. Protection was granted
by Edward III in January, 1334, to the prior
and brethren of the house of St. Mary, Alvecote,
and their attorneys and proctors, collecting alms
in churches for the repair of their church and
cloister. (fn. 5)
Richard de Malverne, prior of the cell of Alvecote, was admitted to the cure and administration
of the church of Shuttington, appropriated to that
cell, on the presentation of the prior of Great
Malvern, on 19 July, 1341, it being vacant by
the death of William de Beaulis, the last prior. (fn. 6)
Leland, writing in the time of Henry VIII,
states that there were four monks in this
cell. (fn. 7)
When the Valor of 1535 was taken, the clear
annual value was returned as £28 5s. 2d. (fn. 8) The
appropriate rectory of Shuttington was of the
annual value of 72s. (fn. 9) A pension of 60s. was
paid to the prior of Malvern.
The commissioners of 1536 delivered a privy
seal to 'William Umberleye, prior of Alvecote,
who allegeth his house to be a celle to the monastery of Myche Malverne,' on 25 July, ordering
him to appear before the chancellor and council
of the Court of Augmentations within fourteen
days. (fn. 10)
After the suppression of Great Malvern, the
site and possessions of the cell of Alvecote were
granted by the crown in January, 1543, to Lord
Chancellor Audley. In June of the same year
he had licence to alienate it to Joan Robynson,
widow, late wife of George Robynson, deceased,
mercer of London. (fn. 11)
Priors of Alvecote
William de Wikwane, resigned 1282 (fn. 12)
William de Beaulis, appointed 1315 (fn. 13)
Richard de Malverne, occurs 1341 (fn. 14)
William Sutton, occurs 1535 (fn. 15)
William Umberleye, occurs 1536 (fn. 16)