41. THE PRIORY OF WARMINGTON
Henry Newburgh, earl of Warwick, temp.
Henry I, gave his lands in Warmington, except the hamlets, to the Benedictine abbey of
St. Peter, Préaux, in the diocese of Lisieux.
The monks of Préaux are said to have built
a cell or priory here, and sent over some of their
number to occupy it. Their religious house,
according to the tradition of the inhabitants in
the days of Dugdale, stood about the middle of
the town. (fn. 1) The chartulary of Préaux contains
a notification between 1123 and 1146 from the
chapter of the collegiate church of St. Mary,
Warwick, addressed to abbot Ricard and the
convent of Préaux, allowing the grant by their
brother Richard of the tithe of Warmington,
Shotteswell, and Arlescote (Orlavescote). Somewhat
later Roger earl of Warwick confirmed the gift
that Ralph de Sancto Sansone gave to the monks
of Préaux, namely, a hide and a virgate of land
in Warmington, the tithe of Warmington, Arlescote and Shotteswell, and a hide which Roger
Wandard held in Shotteswell of demesne, all of
which were given by Ralph son of Helebold to
Richard father of Ralph, in fee for his service. (fn. 2)
Waleran, earl of Warwick, circa 1200, confirmed the grant of his grandfather, Earl Henry,
of the whole town of Warmington, save the
hamlets, and willed that it should be held as
freely as any alms can be. (fn. 3)
Even if the tradition of Warmington having
been a priory is correct, it is clear that this cell
was in the fourteenth century under the control
of that of Toft Monks, Norfolk, which also
belonged to the abbey of Préaux. (fn. 4)
An extent of 1380 gave the annual value of
the manor of Warmington, described as parcel of
the priory of 'Toftes,' Norfolk, as £29 0s. 11½d.
The items include a dove-cote valued at 20d.,
and a windmill at 13s. 4d. The autumn and
winter labour of the natives was reckoned as
worth 77s. 8d. The service due from the
natives for 33 virgates of land was 13d. a
virgate, and 36s. 3½d. for buying the lord a
palfrey. The rector of Warmington paid
a pension of 46s. 8d., and the rector of Wylye
13s. 4d. The advowsons of both these churches
belonged to the priory. The jury also reported
that twenty-four ash trees had just been cut
down for the repairs of the houses and the windmill. (fn. 5)
An inquisition of 1387 gave the annual value
as £29 19s. 1½d. The jury also gave the value
of the grain and cattle at the time of the departure of Clement, the late prior of Toft,
and stated that the manor belonged to that
priory, and that all the houses and buildings and
the cloister were in sufficient repair. (fn. 6)
After the dissolution of the alien priories
Warmington was granted by Henry VI (1428)
to the Carthusians of Witham, Somersetshire. (fn. 7)