28. THE PRIORY OF GOKEWELL
The small priory of Gokewell now in Broughton
was founded by William de Alta Ripa during the
reign of Henry II; (fn. 1) and received other benefactions from Roger of St. Martin, Adam Paynel,
and William de Romara. (fn. 2) The revenue of the
house was probably never more than sufficient
for ten or twelve nuns: in 1440 there were
eight, and at the dissolution seven. In the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries there was a
master or warden appointed to take charge of
the temporalities, as in other small nunneries:
and even in the fifteenth century a secular priest
acted as their steward.
In 1302 Bishop Dalderby excommunicated
certain persons who laid violent hands on the goods
of this monastery. (fn. 3) No regular visitation is
recorded before that of Bishop Alnwick in 1440.
He found the house very poor, but in good
order. The prioress told him that the nuns had
but two ' households,' in which they took turns
to entertain their friends. The revenues of the
house only amounted to £10 a year, and were
not sufficient to supply the sisters with anything
but their food; their clothing was probably paid
for by their relations. No dowry was exacted
at the reception of a nun; the prioress only
accepted what their friends willingly offered.
No girls over ten or boys over eight were
admitted to the convent school. The house was
much in debt to the rector of Flixborough, who
was its steward.
The other sisters answered omnia bene: one,
however, remarked that the prioress was multum
simplex and remiss in correction, and that the
younger nuns paid little heed to her. (fn. 4)
In 1519 Bishop Atwater visited, but made no
corrections: there were then eight nuns in the
priory. (fn. 5) It was dissolved before Michaelmas,
1536, the prioress receiving an annual pension
of £4, and the nuns 20s. each for apparel: a lay
sister only received 135. 4 d. (fn. 6) The prioress was
still living in 1553. (fn. 7)
The endowment of the priory consisted only
of some small parcels of land in the neighbourhood. (fn. 8) The revenue in 1440 was said to be
only £10. (fn. 9) In 1534 it was only £16 12s. 10d. (fn. 10)
The Ministers' Accounts amount to £20 1s. 4d. (fn. 11)
Prioresses Of Gokewell
Avice, (fn. 12) occurs 1234
Isabel of Thornton, (fn. 13) died 1300
Maud of Saperton, (fn. 14) elected 1300
Maud of Newode, (fn. 15) resigned 1343
Elizabeth Dan try, (fn. 16) elected 1348
Alice of Layfield, (fn. 17) resigned 1375
Alice of Egermorton, (fn. 18) elected 1375
Joan Thorp, (fn. 19) occurs 1440
Sibyl Thorney, (fn. 20) occurs 1519
Anne Castleford, (fn. 21) last prioress, occurs 1536