4. SALBURN PRIORY IN STANDON
The Benedictine priory of St. Michael of
Salburn in Standon was a cell of the priory of
Stoke by Clare. Between 1173 and 1178 (fn. 1)
Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford granted to
his monks of Stoke the hermitage of Standon
which William the Anchorite built, that they
might celebrate service there to the honour of
St. Michael, St. John Baptist and St. John the
Evangelist for him and his relatives, saving,
however, the right, peace and quiet of William
the Anchorite. (fn. 2)
It was apparently the earl's intention to
establish a community of religious there, and the
hermitage was probably for a time a cell of
Stoke, for in the 13th century it was known as
the house of St. Michael of Salburn, (fn. 3) and several
grants (fn. 4) were made by various persons to the
'brothers of Salburn.' (fn. 5)
From the beginning of the 14th century
there is no sign of any community here. In
1306 Roger de Castone, chaplain, was made
brother of the Chapel of Salburn, (fn. 6) but as the
expression 'house' never occurs again in this
connexion the place had no doubt already
become a free chapel, (fn. 7) and is so named in 1384 (fn. 8)
when the king presented owing to the minority
of the patron. The anchorite William had
successors: Richard le Hermit (fn. 9) of Salburn
obtained papal confirmation for certain gifts
made to him (fn. 10) ; Brother John the hermit is
mentioned in the Standon Court Rolls in
1357, (fn. 11) and John Benwell, hermit chaplain,
received the hermitage of Salburn in 1398. (fn. 12)
The chapel was leased to different people
by Stoke College (fn. 13) from 1471 to 1516, (fn. 14) at first
for 30s. a year, later for 26s. and finally for 20s.
Wardens Or Chaplains Of Salburn
John de Salburn, chaplain, appointed 27 May
1269 (fn. 15)
Roger de Castone, chaplain, appointed
11 June 1306 (fn. 16)
Andrew, chaplain, occurs 1351 (fn. 17)
Robert de Lincoln, king's clerk, appointed
1384 (fn. 18)
Simon Bynham, chaplain, appointed 1392 (fn. 19)
John Benwell, hermit chaplain, appointed
1398 (fn. 20)
A seal of the 13th century, (fn. 21) in shape a
pointed oval, shows St. Michael trampling on
the dragon and piercing its head with a long
cross. Legend: s'. DOMVS SBI MICAELIS
D'SALEBVRNE.