HOUSES OF AUSTIN CANONS
13. THE ABBEY OF KENILWORTH
The priory of Austin Canons of Kenilworth,
afterwards an abbey, was founded in honour of
the Blessed Virgin in 1122, by Godfrey de Clinton, chamberlain and treasurer of Henry I, about
the same time that he erected a castle at the same
place. By the foundation charter he gave to the
canons all his lands and woods at Kenilworth,
save those reserved for the castle and its surrounding park; together with the manors of Salford,
Idlicote, and Newnham in Warwickshire; the
church of Wootton and a hide of land, the church
of Clinton and two hides in Lilenton, Oxfordshire; and the church of Barton, Northamptonshire. By a later charter the founder gave the
canons the tithe of everything brought to his
castle, whether to the cellar, larder, kitchen,
granary, or hall, although they might have been
elsewhere tithed before; as well as the whole of
the lamb-skins throughout his manor, both of
those that died casually as well as those killed for
eating. By a third charter he granted to the priory
the manor of Hitchenden, Buckinghamshire, and
the church of Stone, Staffordshire. Geoffrey de
Clinton, the founder's son, was also a great benefactor. He gave the canons land at Newton,
the manor of Packington with church and mill,
the greatest part of Leamington with the church
and mill, the mill of Guy's Cliff, the cell of Bretford, lands at Wridfen and Wootton, together
with the churches of Wormleighton, Harbury,
Radford, and Budbrooke, Warwickshire, and the
church of Stewkley, Buckinghamshire. The
most important of other early grants were the
church of Stoneleigh, by Henry I; the church
of Iffley, Oxfordshire, by Julian de St. Remigio;
the church of Heath, Oxfordshire, by Lescelina,
daughter of Geoffrey, the founder, and wife of
Norman de Verdon; the churches of Brailes and
Wellesbourne by Roger, earl of Warwick; the
churches of Hampton in Arden and Smite
(Combe), by Roger de Mowbray; and the
churches of Chesterton, Fenny Compton, Eatington, Langford (Derbyshire), and Charlton Camville (Somerset), by various donors. (fn. 1) In 1232,
Walter Espigurnell and Celestina his wife gave
to the priory the church of Milverton. In 1232,
Pope Gregory IX confirmed to the canons of
Kenilworth the grant of the church of Elindon,
due provision being made for a vicar. (fn. 2) In 1253
Peter de Mora gave to the canons the greatest
part of Loxley, Westcote, and Marton, together
with the advowson of the church of Loxley. (fn. 3)
The siege of Kenilworth Castle in 1266 was
very prejudicial to the priory and caused much
impoverishment. In September of that year,
though they allowed the king's forces 300 quarters
of corn and much besides to secure protection for
the rest of their goods, yet they were by no means
free from the soldiers' oppressions. To relieve
their wants Henry III, on 24 January, 1267,
after the surrender of the castle, addressed letters
patent to all their tenants requiring them to contribute thereto in such manner as they would
expect that God should bless them. (fn. 4)
The Valor of 1291 showed that the priory
was possessed of considerable endowments. The
appropriations and pensions from churches in the
county alone amounted to the annual sum of
£114 5s. 2d. (fn. 5)
From early days the prior of Kenilworth had
a right to take a daily load of brushwood out of
the woods of Kenilworth, but in June, 1308,
Thomas, earl of Lancaster, assigned the convent
15 acres of his wood at Kenilworth in lieu of this
right. (fn. 6)
The priory obtained licence to appropriate the
church of Colynton in October, 1331. (fn. 7) In 1333
the advowson of the church of Churchover
was given to the priory. (fn. 8) The last grant of any
importance made to the priory was in 1511,
when licence in mortmain was obtained for acquiring lands to the annual value of £40, for the
support of the mass of the Name of Jesus every
Friday except Good Friday, for the good estate
of the king and Katherine his wife, and for their
souls after death. This grant was made by
Henry VIII under privy seal, in terms of unusual
devotion with the remission of the usual fees. (fn. 9)
Edmund de la Beche, king's clerk, was appointed by the crown in September following the
election of Prior Warmington to the yearly pension that the priory was bound to grant a clerk
on the king's nomination at the election of a new
prior, until they could provide him with a fitting
benefice. (fn. 10) It was very rarely that the crown
provided for any male servants in their old age
save by assigning them corrodies in religious
houses, and still more exceptional to send a woman
elsewhere than to a nunnery, but in March, 1317,
Alice, widow of Henry de Morton, was sent by
the king to the prior and convent of Kenilworth
to receive the maintenance of a free servant.
This was done on account of her late husband's
good service to the king in Scotland, where he
died in the king's service. (fn. 11) In January, 1330,
Nicholas le Veutrer, king's yeoman, was sent to
the priory to receive such life-sustenance as had
been granted to Walter Joice, deceased. (fn. 12) Letters
patent were, however, granted in the following
month to the effect that their providing sustenance for life for Nicholas le Veutrer was not to
prejudice their house as a precedent. (fn. 13) But on
5 July, 1327, the priory was requested to admit
into their house as a life-pensioner Thomas le
Veutrer, the king's serjeant, in the place of John
Powys, deceased. (fn. 14) On the election of Abbot
Walle in 1516 Richard Dolphyn was appointed
to the pension which the abbot-elect of Kenilworth was bound to give to a clerk of the king's
nomination. (fn. 15)
There was a rather indefinite connexion between this priory and that of Stone, Staffordshire.
About 1135 Evisan de Waleton gave the church
of Stone to Kenilworth Priory; his grant being
confirmed by Ernald his son, by Nicholas son of
Robert de Stafford, and later by Henry II, Archbishop Becket, and Pope Alexander III. (fn. 16) The
exact degree of authority over the priory of Stone
obtained by the grant is not clear, but in 1260
a composition was entered into between Nicholas,
prior of Kenilworth, and Roger de Wygorn, prior
of Stone, and confirmed by the bishop of Coventry
and Lichfield, touching the exemption of the
priory of Stone. It was then agreed that the
prior of Stone be ever free to receive and profess
canons, and may freely dispose of the possessions
of the priory; that the prior and canons are free
from all subjection to Kenilworth, save that the
prior of Kenilworth may once a year visit Stone
with a train of ten horses, and dwell there for
two days. Further, that when the house of Stone
is vacant two of the canons of Kenilworth shall
be present at the election; that licence to elect be
obtained from the prior of Kenilworth; that
during a vacancy the prior and convent of Kenilworth, as patrons, should have custody of the
said house by one of their canons or servants; and
that when Kenilworth is vacant the prior of Stone
shall be present and have a place in chapter and
choir. It was also agreed that all the Kenilworth charters relating to Stone should be delivered under seal of the bishop. (fn. 17)
On 6 March, 1278, a mandate was sent by
the crown to the prior of Kenilworth and to
William Hamelyn, sheriff of Warwick and
Leicester, to send £600 out of the fifteenth which
was in their custody in the priory of Kenilworth
to the king at Quenington, so that he might
receive the money on the ensuing Thursday.
The receipt that was granted the prior and sheriff
for £619 2s. on 16 March shows that it was the
second moiety of the fifteenth arising from the
two counties, and it was paid to Master Thomas
Bek, the keeper of the wardrobe. (fn. 18)
In March, 1290, Pope Nicholas IV granted
relaxation of a year and forty days' enjoined
penance to penitents who visited the church of
the Austin monastery of Kenilworth on the feasts
of the Blessed Virgin and of St. Augustine, in
whose honour the church had been built. (fn. 19) In
the same month the pope commissioned the bishop
of Coventry to grant a dispensation to Richard de
Brumsgrave, priest, canon of Kenilworth, of illegitimate birth, so that he might minister in the
orders he received and accept the office of prior
or any other administration of his order. (fn. 20) About
the same time the pope, on the petition of the
prior and convent of Kenilworth, ordered the
bishop of Coventry, when visiting that priory,
not to bring seculars into the inclosure, and no
more than two or three of his canons in fitting
habit. (fn. 21)
A warrant was issued in 1336 to arrest, wherever found in the counties of Stafford and Derby,
William de Boydyn, canon of Kenilworth, then
apostate and vagabond, and to deliver him to his
prior to be chastised according to the discipline
of his order. (fn. 22)
In 1351 Pope Clement VI issued his mandate
to the archdeacon of Wells and two colleagues to
carry out the ordinances touching apostates in
regard to Henry de Quenton, canon of Kenilworth, who had left his order but desired to
return to it. (fn. 23)
In May, 1361, Bishop Stretton directed a
mandate to Prior John de Peyto, announcing
that he was shortly about to visit the house in
person by special direction of the king, as its unsatisfactory state had become notorious. The
prior was directed to see that all the brethren,
whether dwelling in cells pertaining to the monastery or elsewhere, were present in the chapterhouse on 21 June. (fn. 24) The result of the visitation
is not recorded, but it apparently brought about
the resignation of the prior.
During the voidance preceding the election of
Thomas de Merton as prior in 1386 there was
an inspection and confirmation of letters patent
of 4 Edward III, which were a grant to the
priory, in consideration of the great losses sustained by the house in consequence of the frequent visits of that king and his father, that at
every voidance the sub-prior and convent should
have the custody, at the rate of £117 2s. 8d. a
year. (fn. 25)
In 1426 Bishop Heyworth removed Thomas
Norton, sub-prior of Kenilworth, from his office,
and sent him to the cell of Brooke, Rutlandshire,
for having shown himself obstinate and contumacious to the prior. Two of the other canons,
Thomas Holygreve and Roger Stone, adherents
of the sub-prior, who, without leave, had gone
out of the cloister in contempt of obedience, were
also sent to the cell in disgrace. (fn. 26) One of these
rebellious canons, probably at this time a very
young man, appears subsequently in a more
honourable light, for it was during the rule of
Thomas Holygreve that the house was raised to
the rank of an abbey. (fn. 27)
In 1454 Abbot Thomas and the convent of
Kenilworth demised to Abbot William and the
convent of Bordesley the rectory of Bidford for
twenty years, for which Bordesley was to pay
22 marks the first year and 60s. yearly for the
rest of the term. (fn. 28)
The abbot of Kenilworth was put on the
commission of the peace for Warwickshire in
1524, and his commission was renewed in 1529,
1532, and 1534; he was the only religious
superior of the shire who received this civil
honour. (fn. 29)
The Valor of 1535 gave the clear annual
value of this wealthy house as £538 19s. 4d.
The total amount distributed in alms yearly
was £23 17s. 7d. (fn. 30)
Abbot Walle yielded to the solicitations of
Cromwell and granted a lease of the manor of
Brooke to a friend of the vicar-general's. In
March, 1536, he wrote to Cromwell saying
that he was informed that the prior of the
cell of Brooke, supported by some gentlèmen of the neighbourhood, trusted to remain
there and be at his liberty rather than to
be under the rule of Kenilworth. He was
about to send for him, and if he disobeyed
would inform Cromwell and ask his aid in his
reformation. (fn. 31) On 17 June of the same year
the abbot wrote again to the vicar-general saying that he and his poor house were much disquieted about their manor or cell of Brooke,
owing to the canon he sent to rule there giving
up the title of the house to the king because he
had not so large a pension assigned to him as he
wished. He reminded Cromwell that when in
reply to his letter he offered the lease of Brooke
to his friend, he gave a bond of 1,000 marks to
the lessee for his surety, and was then in danger
of that sum. He begged therefore that he
would influence the king to let them retain the
manor, or that they might have it at a reasonable rent, especially as his highness, for his good
service at the insurrection at Coventry, promised
him his favour in any reasonable suit. (fn. 32) The
'mixed commission' that reported on Rutlandshire
in that same month described Brooke as a head
house for anything they could hear to the contrary. They found only a prior and no more,
'as the abbot of Kyllingworth compelled two
other canons there to come to Kyllingworth.' (fn. 33)
The prior and convent obtained a congè d'èlire
on the death of their late abbot on 3 January,
1537, and assent was given to the election of
Simon Jekys, a canon of the monastery, as abbot
on 15 January, the temporalities being restored
on the 29th. (fn. 34) On 1 February the new abbot
was placed on the commission of the peace for
Warwickshire. (fn. 35)
On 10 March, 1538, Abbot Simon wrote to
Cromwell acknowledging his letters in favour of
Mr. John Greville for the tithes of Wellesbourne, appropriate to the house, which he held
by Cromwell's preferment. He stated that
these tithes were the only source of corn that
his house had, and begged to retain them, for to
pay their debts he had let out all except the park of
Rudfyne where their cattle were kept. If these
tithes went they would have to buy the whole
sustenance of their household. (fn. 36) However,
Kenilworth had only to wait a few weeks before
all was taken. On 15 April the canons were
called upon to surrender. The abbot, Simon,
John Lister the prior, and fourteen canons
signed the surrender of their monastery with all
its possessions in the counties of Warwick,
Gloucester, Worcester, Northampton, Buckingham, Somerset, and Oxford. (fn. 37)
On 6 May, 1539, Abbot Jekys had the
handsome pension of £100 assigned to him,
the prior, John Lister, obtained £8, while small
pensions of rather more than the usual amount,
varying from £7 to £5, were bestowed on
twelve of the canons. (fn. 38)
The site and demesnes were soon afterwards
granted to Sir Andrew Flamock. (fn. 39)
Priors of Kenilworth
Bernard, c. 1122-30 (fn. 40)
Laurence, temp. Stephen
Robert, c. 1160-80 (fn. 41)
Silvester, occurs 1202 (fn. 42)
Walter, 1204 (fn. 43)
Henry, c. 1232; resigned 1236 (fn. 44)
David, 1236 (fn. 45)
Nicholas, 1258 (fn. 46)
Humphrey, 1266
Robert de Esteley, 1266 (fn. 47) ; resigned 1276
William de Evesham, 1276 (fn. 48)
Richard de Tyvelesford, 1279 (fn. 49) -92
Robert de Salle, 1292 (fn. 50) -1312
Thomas de Warmyngton, 1312 (fn. 51)
Thomas, occurs 1340 (fn. 52)
John de Peyto, 1345 (fn. 53)
Henry de Bradweye, 1361-75 (fn. 54)
Walter de Cherlton, 1375-85 (fn. 55)
Thomas de Merston, 1385-1400
Walter de Brayles, 1400, (fn. 56) resigned 1403
Thomas Kidderminster, 1403 (fn. 57) -39
Thomas Holygreve, 1439 (fn. 58)
Abbots
Thomas Holygreve, 1458
John Yardley alias Erdeleye, (fn. 59) 1458 (fn. 60)
Ralph Maxfield, 1495 (fn. 61) -1516
William Walle, 1516 (fn. 62) -37
Simon Jekys, 1537 (fn. 63) -39
First Seal: The Virgin, crowned, and with
nimbus, wearing embroidered dress and mantle,
in the right hand a book. She is seated on the
roof of the priory church, which is shown from
the south, with western tower, south door,
south transept, and lantern tower, the pinnacle
of which she is grasping with the left hand.
On her left wrist a long maunch. Legend:—
SIGILLV . . ECCL . . . . . . ILDEWRDA (fn. 64)
R. A smaller round counterseal. An angel,
half-length, lifting up the right hand. Legend:—
CERA PATĒS CELAT QE CARTVLA SCESA REVELAT (fn. 64)
The second seal (attached to a deed of 1512) is
a pointed oval: the Virgin, crowned, and with
nimbus, seated in a canopied niche of the style
of the Renaissance, the Child on the left knee,
in her right hand a sceptre. In the field, on
each side, a wavy scroll of foliage. In base, an
ornamental shield of the royal arms of England.
Legend:—
✠ S ChE MONASTERII ByE MARIE DE
KENELLWORTH ✠ (fn. 65)
The seal of Abbot William Walle, 1533, is
oval: the Virgin crowned, seated in a canopied
niche with tabernacle work at the sides, the
Child on the left knee, in the right hand a sceptre.
In base, under a round-headed arch with masonry
at the sides, the abbot, half-length, in prayer.
Legend:—
S * WILLIAM * WALLE (fn. 66)