43. THE PRIORY OF WOOTTON WAWEN
Not long after the Conquest, Robert de Tony
gave the church of Wootton Wawen with all its
tithes and oblations, and an adjacent hide of land,
together with a hide at Doversele, to the Benedictine abbey of Conches, Normandy, which had
been founded by his father Roger de Tony.
These grants were confirmed by Nicholas de
Stafford, the founder's son, temp. Henry I, and by
Robert de Stafford his grandson, temp. Henry II.
A small cell or priory of monks from Conches
was established here by the founder. Henry I
granted to the abbey of Conches that all men
on their English lands were to be free, and
that they were to be exempt from all manner
of service and toll; moreover the monks were
always to have free passage from the port of
Dieppe.
The church was appropriated to the priory in
1178, and a vicarage ordained, which remained
in the gift of the priory of Wootton or the
abbey of Conches until it was made over to
King's College, Cambridge, in the fifteenth
century.
Among other benefactions to this priory were
several parcels of land at Ullenhall, in this parish,
by Robert de Stafford; a mill at Henley in Arden,
by Henry de Montfort; lands at Mockley and
Ullenhall, by Robert de Chaucombe; a virgate
of land with croft and messuage and chapel at
Burley, by William de Burley; lands at Buckley,
by Godfrey de Pouncefote; and the manor of
Monkenlane, and other tithes and lands in the
county of Hereford. (fn. 1)
About the beginning of the reign of Edward I
Peter de Altaribus was prior. His life was anything but creditable, and at last he became involved in a brawl which brought about the
interference of the bishop. The circumstances
are related with considerable detail in the episcopal registers.
An inquisition was held at Warwick on Tuesday after Palm Sunday, 1281, by the official of
the archdeacon of Worcester, by command of
Bishop Giffard, upon certain articles touching
the prior of Wootton, Peter de Altaribus, and
brother Roger his monk. William, vicar of
Wootton, deposed that on Friday after the feast
of St. Matthew, at the hour of evensong, he was
fetched by Lorekyn, the prior's groom, to the
priory, to stay a discord; that he met the prior
coming out of the hall door; that in the hall he
found brother Roger sitting in a chair bleeding
at the nose; that the prior immediately returned
and accused Roger of drawing blood by fraud, by
wounding himself in his nose with his own finger;
that the said Roger contrariwise asserted that the
prior had hit him on the nose with his fist to the
drawing of blood; and that this was corroborated
by others who saw the affair, and who stated
that Roger did not return the blow. He further
deposed that the priors had been in the habit of
making two distributions to the poor each week,
but that this prior had given up the custom; that
he had also abandoned the exercise of hospitality
previously exercised; that he wasted the priory's
goods, and was customarily drunk and pugnacious
with his household, sometimes chasing them from
their beds in the night; and that his conduct
was a matter of notoriety in Wootton as well as
in the neighbouring villages. Richard, chaplain
to the vicar of Wootton, deposed to a like effect.
John, a servant of the vicar's, said that he saw
the prior strike monk Roger between the eyes
with the keys, calling him a leprous clown.
William, clerk to the vicar, Walter Gopyl, a
thresher, who happened to be in the priory grange,
Walter, the prior's miller, Thomas, the carter,
John, the wheelwright, Walter, the porter, Jory,
the cook, and several others also deposed, all save
two laying the blame on the prior, but admitting
words of provocation on the part of Roger. The
prior was held guilty of laying violent hands on
Roger de Pauiliac, his monk, and Roger for doing
the same to the prior, and the sentence of greater
excommunication was pronounced against them
both. Shortly afterwards, namely on Wednesday
next before the feast of St. Mark, an inquisition
was taken in the church of Wootton concerning
the dilapidations made by the same prior. William
the vicar deposed that the prior pawned a chalice
of his house and afterwards sold it; he believed
that he also parted with a vestment. Roger
Premer deposed that the prior sold in perpetuity
certain land to Roger le Clerk and his heirs, at
the rent of one gilliflower only, which was
accustomed to render 3s. rent and aid in the
autumn.
The abbot and convent of Conches, through
John Barket, their monk and proctor, called upon
Prior Peter de Altaribus to depart from the priory,
but the prior resisted and appealed to the bishop.
The cause was first heard by Bishop Giffard,
then by the bishop's official, and afterwards before
the official of the archdeacon of Worcester on
23 April, 1281. At length both parties submitted to the bishop's ordinances to the following
effect:—absolution granted to Prior Peter and
brother Roger from their sentence of excommunication, ordaining that they should remit all
rancour; that both Peter and Roger should retire to the monastery of Conches, there to receive
condign penance from their abbot; and that
Peter, as he only continued in the rule of the
priory at the bishop's command after his recall,
was not to be imprisoned, but honestly treated as
his behaviour should merit. (fn. 2)
It is exceptional to find an alien priory subject
to diocesan visitation, but it was thus visited by
Bishop Giffard in 1269, 1284, and 1290.
On 12 March, 1285, a bond was entered into
by John de Barqueto, prior of Wootton and
proctor-general of the abbot of Conches in England,
to pay to Richard, vicar of Tysoe and rural dean of
Warwick, on behalf of the bishop, 31 marks. In
July of the same year the bishop wrote to the
abbot of Conches touching the appointment of the
prior of Wootton and the rule of the house.
Edward III on 3 August, 1337, suffered the
prior to retain charge of his alien house, but on
the condition of paying 10 marks annually for the
custody in addition to £20 from the profits to
the crown. On 28 August the sheriff of
Warwickshire was instructed at once to demand both sums, and if refused, to levy on the
goods and chattels of the priory and to arrest
the prior. (fn. 3)
The parish church of Wootton Wawen, as of
large size and convenient position, was usually
made the centre for the parochial visitation of
the whole or a moiety of the deanery of Warwick.
On 16 January, 1339, the clergy and people of
the whole deanery of Warwick were visited at
Wootton by the commissary of the prior of
Worcester. The usual procuration due on such
occasions was 4 marks, for which the rector or
appropriator of the church where the visitation
was held was considered responsible. At this
visit the fee was not paid, and on 22 January
Nicholas Maurice, sub-prior of Worcester, issued
his mandate to the prior of Wootton, as rector of
that church, to pay the procuration of 4 marks
before the feast of the Purification to the prior of
Worcester, by reason of the late visitation. (fn. 4)
In 1342 trouble arose as to the sequestration
of this priory to the crown during the wars
with France. The king directed his precept
to the sheriff of Warwickshire, reciting that he
had committed the custody of the priory to
Prior John for a certain sum to be paid yearly
into the Exchequer so long as the war should
last, but that on the prior neglecting to pay this
rent it had again been seized by the crown;
nevertheless, at the humble request of the
prior, who desired no more than a sufficient
allowance for himself and one monk his coresident, the king desired the sheriff to pay the
prior 3s. a week and the monk 18d. a week out
of the issues of the priory till the war should
cease. (fn. 5)
Edward III, on 6 March, 1374, directed a
writ to the keepers of the spiritualities of the
bishopric of Worcester to certify as to benefices
in the hands of aliens. The first entry in the
certificate, forwarded by the prior of Worcester,
was to the effect that brother John Maubert,
monk of Conches, occupied the monastery of
'Waweynes Wotton' and resided there with
another monk; that the true value of the priory
was estimated at 40 marks a year; and that
Roger Harewell occupied the priory by letters
patent of the king and received the profits, but
whether in the name of the said aliens or other
manner, or for what time, was not known. (fn. 6)
The custody of it was then committed to the
joint wardenship, under the crown, of Hugh,
earl of Stafford, John Maubert the prior, and
Michael Cheyne proctor of the abbot of
Conches. (fn. 7) In 1379 Richard II granted the
sole custody of it to Prior Maubert upon condition of his paying £40 per annum into the
Exchequer so long as the war should endure. (fn. 8)
Three years later, probably on the death or
removal of Prior Maubert, Richard II granted
the farm of the priory to Robert Selby, priest,
and to John de Burley, on their paying the
increased rental of £46 13s. 4d. (fn. 9)
An extent of the priory's property in 1380
assigned no value to the rectory house (priory),
garden, and fish-pond at Wootton, but returned
a dove-cote as of the annual value of 5s.; a
carucate of land, consisting of 60 acres with
the adjacent meadow, 13s. 4d.; a water-mill,
12s.; tithes of corn and hay, 4 marks; and
rents of both free tenants and natives, 3s. 4d.
At 'Molkeleye,' the lands and rents of the priory
were worth £2 18s. 10d. a year; tithes and
rents at Henley and Bulkeley, £1 6s. 8d.;
tithes and rents at Ellenhall, £4 14s.; tithes at
Edstone, 53s. 4d.; tithes at Burley, half a mark;
tithes at 'Waunesude,' 13s. 4d.; tithes at
'Whyteleys,' 13s. 4d.; and the tithes of wool
and lambs at Wootton and its hamlets 28s.
The total clear value was £19 1s. 2d. The
jury also certified that the advowson of the
vicarage of Wootton belonged to the priory. (fn. 10)
An inquisition of 1387 gave the annual value
of the extent or survey as 48 marks 5s. The
goods and cattle were estimated as worth
£16 15s. The jury also reported that the
repair of the dilapidations of the houses of the
priory and of the chancel of the church would
cost £20. (fn. 11)
In 1398, when Richard II was augmenting
the foundation of the newly founded house of
Carthusians at Coventry, Wootton was one of
the several alien priories conferred upon them. (fn. 12)
But this grant was not of long continuance, as
it was shortly afterwards reversed by Henry IV,
and the monks re-established. Accordingly
John Soverain, monk of Conches, was instituted
to the priory and its estates on 11 August, 1400.
It was granted to him and his successors on the
conditions of paying into the Exchequer, during
the continuance of the war, the tribute that was
paid to the abbey of Conches in times of peace;
of maintaining there as many monks, secular
priests, and English servants as had been ordained
at its first foundation; and of paying all tenths,
fifteenths, and other subsidies required of the
clergy and commonalty as often as there should
be occasion. (fn. 13) But in 1403 Parliament interfered with regard to the alien houses, when it
was decided that all, save those which were
conventual, should be again seized into the
king's hands. The sheriff of Warwickshire
was directed to summon the prior of Wootton
and the other alien priories of the shire to
Westminster in Hilary term, bringing with
them all charters and evidences that it might be
known whether they were conventual or not. (fn. 14)
Wootton had never had a chapter of its own,
so could not possibly claim exemption under that
head; but the action taken in 1400 for its
re-establishment probably caused it to be spared.
In 1414 came the general action with regard to
alien priories of the Parliament at Leicester,
when it was decided that all alien priories, save
those specially exempt, were to be made over to
the crown. Wootton ought not to have been
included under this action, but through colour
of some wrong information, the crown granted
Wootton Priory and its possessions to Sir Rowland
Lenthall, and divine service is said to have ceased
in the house. This, however, was probably not
the case, for John Soverain, who had been duly
instituted prior in 1400, still retained the office.
When his death came on the morrow of Easter,
1437, Sir Rowland Lenthall hastened to present
one William Saunders, clerk, as prior to the
bishop, which proves that in his opinion the
priory still existed. The bishop accepted the
presentation, and in April the first prior with an
English name was duly instituted. (fn. 15) Upon this
the proctor of the abbot of Conches appealed to
the king, Henry VI, who, to the intent that God's
service and works of charity should be duly
performed, for the good estate of himself and
for the souls of his ancestors and heirs, annulled
the institution of Saunders, and presented for
institution a monk termed John de Conches,
whom the bishop instituted on 17 June,
1438. (fn. 16)
Sir Rowland Lenthall received, as compensation for his dispossession, a rental of £20 in the
county of Hereford. The priory, however, did
not long enjoy its new lease of life, for in
December, 1443, the fickle king bestowed it,
with all its possessions, on the provost and
scholars of his new foundation of King's College,
Cambridge. Four years later the college obtained
a formal release from Prior John of all his right,
claim, and title in the priory, and soon after
strengthened their position by a further special
patent. (fn. 17) There must have been some doubt as
to the validity of the first patent, for in 1445,
and again in 1446, institutions were made to
the vicarage of Wootton Wawen, at the presentation of 'the prior and convent of Wootton
Wawen.' (fn. 18)
Priors of Wootton Wawen (fn. 19)
Robert, temp. Stephen
Grimbald
Ernulph, temp. Henry II
Roger de Bretoil
Roger de Conches
Ralph, temp. John
Taurinus, temp. Henry III
Peter de Altaribus, temp. Edward I
John de Barqueto, -1285 (resigned)
Roger de Pavilliaco, 1285-88 (fn. 20) (resigned)
John de Broyca, 1288 (fn. 21)
John de Avrion, 1300-5 (fn. 22) (resigned)
John de Broyca, 1305 (fn. 23)
William de Laverceye, 1309
John de Tonnelier, 1328
John de Loto, -1341 (resigned)
John de Silvaneto, 1341
Michael de la Bouche, -1349
Guillerimus (Pinchart), 1349 (fn. 24)
William de Senye (Chesney), 1367-71 (resigned)
John Maubert, 1371-82 (fn. 25)
John Soverain, 1400-37
William Saunders, 1437 (fn. 26)
John de Conches, 1438-47 (fn. 27)