HOUSE OF AUGUSTINIAN NUNS
11. THE PRIORY OF GRACE DIEU
The Priory of Grace Dieu at Belton was
founded by Rose de Verdon for Austin nuns
between 1235 (fn. 1) and 1241, and endowed with the
manor and advowson of Belton, and the manor of
Kirkby in Kesteven. (fn. 2) In the early days of the
house there was anxiety about both its spiritual
state and its material possessions, and the wellknown Franciscan, Adam Marsh, intervened on
behalf of the priory, writing to the Bishop of
Lincoln, the Archdeacon of Leicester, and others. (fn. 3)
An agreement concluded between John de
Verdon, son of the foundress, and the convent,
provided that the nuns should not elect a prioress
without the patron's licence, and that the patron
should have the right of presenting the prioresselect to the bishop. (fn. 4) The life of the nuns at Grace
Dieu seems to have had some special features;
they were forbidden ever to leave the precincts
of the priory, (fn. 5) while shortly before the Dissolution
they described themselves as 'White Nuns of St.
Augustine', and thought that there was no other
house of their own Order in England. (fn. 6) There is
no evidence that Grace Dieu was ever connected
with any of the separate congregations which
lived under the Augustinian rule, and it seems
probable that the peculiarities of Grace Dieu were
merely especial customs of the house.
The priory obtained some additions to the
endowments originally given by its foundress.
Amice de Freschenville gave lands at Staveley
Woodthorp (Derbys.), to provide for the nuns'
clothing, (fn. 7) and in 1306 the Earl of Buchan obtained
a licence to grant a hundred acres at Whitwick
to Grace Dieu. (fn. 8) Belton church was appropriated
to the priory before 1270. (fn. 9) The priory also
obtained the manors of Houghton (Northants.),
Great Limber (Lines.), and Harby (Notts.). (fn. 10)
There is some information about the state of
the nunnery during the 15th century. A surviving account book of the priory for the years from
1414 to 1418 gives some insight into the life of
the nuns. (fn. 11) There were at that time fourteen
nuns at Grace Dieu, besides several daughters
from local families lodging there. The nuns were
each allowed 6s. 8d. a year for clothing. The
priory possessed a considerable quantity of livestock, though much of its land at Belton was
evidently rented out. The accounts mention the
names of twenty-two male and eight female
servants. A less attractive picture of the priory is
given in the record of Bishop Alnwick's visitation
at the beginning of 1441. (fn. 12) The prioress was
accused of favouritism, and of failing to render
account of the convent's affairs to the other nuns.
The cellaress was said to be too familiar with the
convent's chaplain, to be very lax in her attendance
in choir, and to manage all the priory's affairs
without consulting others. The infirmary was in
a bad state of repair. The priory had previously
been £48 in debt, and in 1441 it was still in debt
for £38. The bishop issued injunctions designed
to remedy the faults disclosed. In 1441 the
number of nuns was again fourteen. Grace Dieu
was visited by the bishop's commissary in 1518,
when complaints were made by several nuns
about minor defects in the management of the
house. (fn. 13) At a visitation by the chancellor of
the diocese in 1528 there were again fourteen
nuns present. Nothing requiring correction was
found. (fn. 14)
The clear yearly income of the house was
assessed at about £92 in 1535. (fn. 15) In the following
year Dr. Legh and Dr. Layton reported that the
nuns reverenced the girdle and part of the tunic of
St. Francis, and accused two of the nuns of incontinence. (fn. 16) A commission of the local gentry,
however, visiting the convent in the same year,
stated that the fifteen nuns there were virtuous
and all desired to continue in religion. Nine
persons were supported by the priory's charity.
The buildings were in good repair, though not
stately. There were twenty-seven male and nine
female servants, about the same number as in the
early 15th century. (fn. 17) The priory would have
been suppressed with the other small religious
houses, (fn. 18) but in August 1536 the prioress obtained
a licence for the nunnery to continue its existence. (fn. 19) The priory was finally surrendered in
October 1538. (fn. 20) An inventory of the convent's
possessions, taken immediately after the surrender,
shows that to the end some of the priory's land
was being farmed under the direct control of the
nuns. The same inventory mentions the church,
cloister, and chapter house, with other buildings. (fn. 21)
The First Minister's Account shows a gross
income of £73. 11s. 8d. (fn. 22)
Prioresses of Grace Dieu
Mary of Stretton, elected 1242-3. (fn. 23)
Agnes of Gresleye, occurs 1268-9, (fn. 24) died
1286. (fn. 25)
Agnes, died 1318. (fn. 26)
Joan of Hastings, elected 1318, (fn. 27) died 1330. (fn. 28)
Joan Meinwaryng, elected 1331, (fn. 29) died 1349. (fn. 30)
Cicely of Strawley, elected 1349. (fn. 31)
Margaret of Twyford, resigned 1400. (fn. 32)
Margaret Rempston, elected 1400, (fn. 33) died
1418. (fn. 34)
Alice Dunwich, elected 1418, (fn. 35) occurs 1441. (fn. 36)
Elizabeth Shirburne, occurs 1485. (fn. 37)
Margaret Zouche, occurs 1493, (fn. 38) died 1524. (fn. 39)
Agnes Liderland, elected 1524, (fn. 40) surrendered
the priory, 1538. (fn. 41)
The 13th-century seal (fn. 42) of this priory is a
vesica, 2⅛ by 1¼ in., having a figure of our Lord
seated on His throne, blessing with His right
hand, and holding a book in His left. In the base
is a female figure, probably representing the
priory's foundress, kneeling and holding a charter.
All that remains of the legend are the words
SIGILL' CONVENT' . . . . ALUE DE GRATIA . . .
A seal (fn. 43) of Prioress Agnes of Gresleye has a
representation of the Virgin Mary on a throne,
holding the infant Jesus on her left knee. The
sun and moon are on either side of her head, and
in the base of the seal is a kneeling nun, probably
representing the prioress. The legend has been
wholly broken away. When complete, the seal
would have been about 1½ by 1 in.