41. THE PRIORY OF ELLINGHAM
An alien priory was founded at Ellingham,
as a cell to the Benedictine Abbey of St.
Sauveur-le-Vicomte, in the diocese of Coutarices, by William de Solariis in the year
1160. The charter specifies the church of
St. Mary of Ellingham with all its appurtenances, together with 43 acres of land and
20 of meadow in that vill, and 3 acres near
the church on which to build. (fn. 5) A charter of
Henry II. notifies that the endowment of
William de Solariis at Ellingham was under
his care and protection. (fn. 6)
A charter of Walter de St. Quintin, circa
1170, granted to the Abbey of St. Sauveur,
for the honour of God and the Blessed Virgin,
and for his weal and that of his friends, his
chapel at Rockford (a mile to the east of
Ellingham) and all his demesne in his fee of
Rockford; the chapel to be subject to the
church of Saint Mary and All Saints of
Ellingham, as daughter to mother, and to
receive from it the service of masses three
days a week at the hands of the chaplain of
Ellingham, or of a monk (of the priory). The
chartulary of St. Sauveur also records two other
small bequests of land to the priory of Ellingham of about the same date, (fn. 7) and two others,
at Fordingbridge and Chardford, occur in the
charters at Eton.
In 1292 Bishop Pontoise assumed the
custody of the priory in consequence of the
prior having departed across the sea without
a licence; (fn. 8) but on 13 July, 1292, the bishop
instituted to the priory, on the death of
Michael the last prior, Thomas dit le Petit,
presented by the abbot of St. Sauveur. In
1298 Thomas de Bere, acting for the Bishop
of Winchester, made an award in favour of
William Cancelot, then prior, who claimed
to present to the church of Ellingham.
Of the next two priors there is apparently
no record of their institution, but in September, 1305, the official of the Bishop of Bath
and Wells made an award in favour of
Geoffrey, prior of Ellingham, who claimed
half a mark yearly from John, rector of
Babington, Somerset, of which the church
had been given to St. Sauveur by William
Fitz John of Harptree, temp. Henry II. (fn. 9) On
10 April, 1311, Bishop Woodlock granted
Prior Geoffrey leave of absence (fn. 10) until 1
August; and on 5 September, 1318, Bishop
Sandale granted leave of absence to John le
Vyonn, prior of Ellingham, to visit his abbey,
from that date until the next feast of St. Peter
ad Vincula (1 August). He was enjoined,
after this eleven months' absence, to return
without further delay. (fn. 11) A second leave of
absence to cross the seas was granted to Prior
John by Bishop Strafford on 19 October,
1327. His death occurred whilst he was
abroad, and the priory was sequestrated by the
bishop on 19 January, 1328. (fn. 12)
When Edward I. seized Ellingham priory
in 1294, in consequence of the war, it was
found that the prior held a messuage and 10½
acres of land worth by the year 10s. 3d., that
there were thirteen tenants holding 23 acres
of land and 10½ acres of meadow, paying a
rental of 41s. 7d., a pound of pepper, and a
pound of cinnamon worth 8d., and that the
church was worth £12 a year.
On 17 March, 1328, Richard Pelleue, a
monk of St. Sauveur, was instituted by Bishop
Stratford, on his abbot's presentation. Protection was granted in July, 1337, to various
aliens to secure the goods in their custody,
among whom was Prior Pelleue. (fn. 13)
The references to Ellingham Priory on the
Patent or Close Rolls are very few. In May,
1385, the king, by reason of the alien priory
being in the hands of the Crown through the
war with France, presented William Olyver,
keeper of the neighbouring hospital of St.
John's, Fordingbridge, to the vicarage of
Ellingham. (fn. 14)
At an inquisition held at Ringwood on 10
September, 1397, concerning the true value
and extent of the priory of Ellingham by
virtue of a letter of the king to the escheator,
the jurors declared the clear annual value at
£11 6s. 8d., and stated that Thomas Trewyn,
who had been appointed by letters patent
custodian of the priory, had secured the tithes
of corn and hay for that year about the feast
of St. Peter ad Vincula (1 August). (fn. 1)
After the final dissolution of the alien
priories the rent reserved to the Crown from
Ellingham Priory was bestowed by Henry VI.
on Eton College, to which Edward IV., in
1462, added the fruits of the parish church of
Ellingham. (fn. 2)
Priors Of Ellingham
Richard de Wauville, (fn. 3) 1240
Michael, died 1292
Thomas dit le Petit, (fn. 4) 1292
William Cancelet, 1298
Denys, instituted 1301
Geoffrey, 1305, 1311
John le Vyoun, 1318, 1327
Richard Pelleue, instituted 1328
Galicanus de Hamberga, instituted 1347
William de Albigneye, instituted 1361