24. THE PRIORY OF IXWORTH
The priory of St. Mary, Ixworth, was first
founded for Austin canons about the year 1100,
by Gilbert Blundus or Blunt. The buildings
and chapel, which were erected near the parish
church, were ere long destroyed during an outburst of civil war; whereupon William, the son of
the founder, rebuilt the priory on a different site. (fn. 1)
The exact endowment bestowed on the priory
by the founder is not known. In 1228 Ralph
de Montchesny gave the advowson of the Norfolk
church of Melton Parva to this priory; (fn. 2) the
advowson of Hunston was given in 1235, (fn. 3) and
that of Sapiston in 1272. (fn. 4)
The taxation roll of 1291 shows that the
priory was by that date well supplied with appropriated churches. The rectories of Ixworth,
Thorp, Walsham, 'Lynterton,' Badwell, 'Bykynhall,' and 'Aysforth' belonged to the priory,
and they also held portions of two other churches;
the total income from spiritualities was £70 16s.
The temporalities in twelve different parishes
brought in £11 1s. 11½d., (fn. 5) so that the total
annual income was £81 17s. 11½d.
There was a further accession of endowment
in 1362, when half the manor of Ixworth was
bestowed on the canons, as well as three messuages
and 360 acres in Hunston, Langham, &c. (fn. 6) In
1377 the convent obtained the alienation to them,
by Richard de Pakenham and others, of a moiety
of the manor of Ixworth, for finding two canons,
in addition to the established number, to perform
divine service in the priory church for the good
estate of the king and of his soul after death,
and for the soul of the late king, of William
Crikecot, and of others. (fn. 7) Richard II, in 1384,
granted the priory a market and two fairs at
Ixworth. (fn. 8)
The Valor of 1535 shows that the gross
income was £204 9s. 5¼d.; but there were large
deductions, including £20 15s. definitely assigned
to the poor, so that the net value was brought
down to £168 19s. 7¾d. The temporalities
produced £152 7s. 3¾d. a year. The spiritualities at that time consisted of the rectories of
Ixworth, Badwell with Ashfield, Sapiston, Denham, and Melton Parva, with the altarage of Walsham (£6 8s. 5d.) and portions from three other
churches; the total amounted to £52 2s. 1½d. (fn. 9)
A commission was issued in October, 1283,
to two justices to inquire into the charge preferred against William, prior of Ixworth, John,
the cellarer of Ixworth, and a large number of
persons of Ipswich and the district, of assaulting
Ralph de Bonevill, the serjeant of Otto de
Grandison and Peter de Chaumpvent at Ixworth,
and committing depredations on their goods
whilst Otto and Peter were with the king in
Wales. (fn. 10)
Nicholas Goldwell, as commissary for his
brother the bishop, visited Ixworth in February,
1492-3, when Prior Godwin Bury and fourteen
canons (of whom four were not yet professed)
were privately and separately examined, with the
result that no reform was needed. (fn. 11)
Bishop Nykke visited in June, 1514, when
John Gerves, the prior, stated that all the brethren
were obedient and maintained a religious life;
that divine worship and the essentials of religion
were laudably observed; that there was no debt
on the house; that the various manorial buildings
were in good repair, save those of Saxton, which
had been entirely destroyed by fire in 1510.
He also stated that many buildings within the
priory were in ruinous condition, through the
fault of his predecessors, being prostrate at the
time of his institution. The only complaints of
Nicholas Wallington, the sub-prior, were a deficiency in lights and lamps in the church through
the fault of the sacrist, and that the clock neither
went nor struck. Simon Hirt said that the office
of chamberlain was filled by John Bache, a layman, contrary to religion, and that the brethren
had no common tailor to make their garments.
Adam Ponde also objected to a lay chamberlain,
and that the door of the buttery was so placed
that the brethren had to stand in the rain when
they wished to drink. William Reynberd said
that four lights which ought to burn before
the image of the Blessed Virgin and four
other lights before the image of St. John
Baptist were not found. In all twelve canons
were examined in addition to the prior, five
of whom testified omnia bene. The bishop
ordered the prior to find the accustomed lights at
the proper season, so soon as the repairs of the
church and the glazing of the windows were
finished; to have the clock repaired; and to
supply a tailor as in times past. (fn. 12)
Ixworth priory was visited by the suffragan
Bishop of Chalcedon and Robert Dikar, as commissaries of the diocesan, in June, 1520. Prior
John Gerves and fourteen canons unanimously
reported omnia bene, and the bishop could find
nothing worthy of reformation. (fn. 13) The next
recorded visitation was held in July, 1526, when
sixteen canons were examined, in addition to
Prior Gerves. Six said omnia bene and the rest
had comparatively small complaints to make,
such as the absence of a convent tailor, the
insolence of the butler, and the letting of farms
without the consent of the chapter. The injunctions consequent on this visitation ordered
that particular inventories of the goods belonging
to each office should be prepared; that no letting
of farms or manors should be undertaken without
the consent of the majority of the chapter; and
that a suitable infirmary should be speedily
provided. (fn. 14)
At the last visitation, in July, 1532, Prior
Gerves and fifteen canons were unanimous in
replying omnia bene, save that Simon Fisher,
master of the novices, said that no convent tailor
was provided as was customary. The bishop
could find nothing worthy of reformation. (fn. 15)
On 22 October, 1534, Prior John Gerves,
Sub-prior William Reynberd, and fifteen other
canons, signed their acknowledgement of the
royal supremacy. (fn. 16)
Prior Gerves died a few months before the
overthrow of the house. Sir Edward Chamberlain, writing to Cromwell on 13 January, 1535-6,
told him of the death, adding that he was
founder (i.e. patron) of the priory, and that it
appeared from his ancestor's grants that the convent ought to proceed to an election immediately
with his consent. He begged Cromwell, as
visitor-general of monasteries, to sanction this
precedure. (fn. 17) The result was the election of
William Blome.
The notorious comperta of Leyton and Legh,
drawn up in this year, state that one of the
Ixworth canons acknowledged to a form of
incontinence. But the commissioners could
wring out very little from these canons, and
coolly add: 'there is also suspicion of confederation, for though eighteen in number, they have
confessed nothing.' (fn. 18)
The net income of this house being under
£200 it came within the meshes of the first
Suppression Act. On 28 August, 1536, the
Suffolk commissioners visited the priory for the
purpose of drawing up an inventory. The
church and vestry were well furnished with
ornaments, plate, and vestments. The most
valuable item at the high altar was 'a lectern of
latten praysed at xs.' There were tables of
alabaster at the various altars, and two pairs of
organs, one little and the other great. The
plate in the vestry, including three pairs of
chalices, a cross, and two cruets, all of silver,
was valued at £27 19s. 10d. The furniture
of the conventual buildings was simple and
of little worth. The cattle were valued at
£33 16s. 8d., and the corn growing on the
demesnes at £44 5s. The hay was another
important item, so that the total came to
£117 9s. 8d. The inventory is signed by
William Blome, the new prior. (fn. 19)
The actual suppression did not take place
until February, 1536-7, (fn. 20) when Prior Blome
obtained a pension of £20 a year, (fn. 21) but the rest
of the canons had to betake themselves to the
larger houses of the order or to go out penniless.
The site of the priory and most of its
possessions were granted on 20 July, 1538, to
Richard Codington and Elizabeth his wife. (fn. 22)
Priors of Ixworth
William de Ixworth, (fn. 23) died 1338
Roger de Kyrkested, (fn. 24) 1338
Nicholas de Monesle, (fn. 25) 1362
John de Hereford, (fn. 26) 1389
John de Welles, (fn. 27) 1395
Thomas Lakynghithe, (fn. 28) 1430
Reginald Tylney, (fn. 29) 1439
William Dense, (fn. 30) 1467
John Ive, (fn. 31) 1484
Godwin Bury, (fn. 32) occurs 1493
Richard Gotts, (fn. 33) 1504
John Gerves, (fn. 34) occurs 1514, died 1536 (fn. 35)
William Blome, (fn. 36) elected 1536, surrendered
same year
The first seal of this priory is a small pointed
oval bearing the Blessed Virgin seated on a throne
with the Holy Child on the left knee and a
sceptre in the right hand. There is hardly any
of the lettering remaining in either of the two
impressions at the British Museum. (fn. 37)
The second (fifteenth-century seal) is very
elaborate. It bears the Assumption of the
Virgin in a vesica of clouds uplifted by four
angels. Above is the Trinity (three halflength crowned persons side by side) in the
clouds. On the left of the Virgin is a bishop
with mitre and staff, and on the right a saint with
nimbus and a long cross. Below are the arms
of Montchesny, benefactor, and of Blount,
founder. Legend:—
SIGILLŪ : COMMUNE : CŌE E : BHĒ : MARIE:
DE: IXWORTHE (fn. 38)