62. THE PRIORY OF LYMINSTER
Roger de Montgomery, earl of Sussex, granted
an estate at Lyminster to the abbey of St. Peter
of Almenesches, of which his daughter was
abbess. Shortly after the death of his wife in
1082 he gave for the good of her soul half the
manor of Climping, with the church of that
vill. These two estates constituted the abbey's
possessions in Sussex at the time of the Domesday Survey, but the church of Poling was probably added shortly after this date, and in 1178
Pope Alexander III confirmed to the nuns of
Almenesches all their rights in the churches of
Lyminster, Climping, Poling, Ford, and Rustington, as well as in the manors of Climping, Rustington, Ford, Preston, and Poling. Some twenty
years later Seffrid II, bishop of Chichester, in
consideration of the poverty and good fame of
the nuns of Almenesches granted them pensions
of 100s. from the church of Climping, 60s. from
that of Rustington, and 40s. from that of Ford. (fn. 1)
So far there is no reference to any priory at
Lyminster, but later tradition asserted that it was
founded by Earl Roger, (fn. 2) and the fact that the
abbey's portion of Lyminster was called 'Nonneminstre' in 1086 (and 'Nummenistre' in the
bull of 1178) suggests that there may have been
nuns resident here from an early date.
The first actual mention of the priory of
St. Mary of Lyminster appears to be in an action
brought in 1263 with reference to lands granted
some years earlier to a former prioress, Mabel. (fn. 3)
Of history this priory had none, and its name
only occurs in connexion with its periodic
seizure into the king's hands during war with
France. It was a very small house; in 1380
there were only two sisters, Julia and Margaret,
besides the prioress, Katherine, (fn. 4) and it came to an
end when the alien houses were suppressed by
Henry V, its property being granted by Henry VI
to Eton College.
Prioresses of Lyminster
Mabel, before 1263 (fn. 5)
Agatha, occurs 1277 (fn. 6)
Agatha de la Poynte, occurs 1294, (fn. 7) 1296 (fn. 8)
Omelina, occurs 1320 (fn. 9)
Joan del Isle occurs 1346 (fn. 10)
Joan de Ferrariis, occurs 1364 (fn. 11)
Katherine de Lisle, occurs 1377, (fn. 12) died
1400 (fn. 13)
Georgia la Cloustiere, (fn. 13) Gloustiere, (fn. 14) Glovernestre, (fn. 15) appointed 1400, (fn. 15) died 1409 (fn. 16)
Nichola de Hercez, appointed 1409 (fn. 17)