COLLEGES
29. THE COLLEGE OF ST. MARY DE CASTRO
The College of St. Mary de Castro at Leicester
is traditionally said to have existed before the
Norman Conquest, when it is stated to have been
destroyed, (fn. 1) but there is no reliable evidence for
this. A college for a dean and twelve secular
canons was established at St. Mary's church at
Leicester by Robert de Beaumont, (fn. 2) in honour of
the Virgin Mary and in veneration of All Souls,
and for the souls of William I, his queen Maud,
and his son William II, and in the future for the
souls of Henry I, his wife and children, and for
the souls of the founder and his relatives. Robert
de Beaumont endowed the college with the
churches of All Saints and St. Peter at Leicester,
the churches of the sokes of Shepshed (Leics.)
and Halse (Northants.), with various lands near
Leicester, and with revenues worth £6 yearly
from the town of Leicester itself. Ralph pincerna
gave the college the church of St. Martin
at Leicester, and the church of Lilbourne
(Northants.). The date of foundation is said to
have been 1107. (fn. 3)
The college of secular canons existed until
1143, when all its endowments were transferred
by the founder's son, Robert le Bossu, Earl of
Leicester, to the canons of the new Augustinian
abbey at Leicester. (fn. 4) The new abbey, however, did
not altogether replace the old college of secular
canons. At some date before 1167 the Abbot and
convent of Leicester agreed to provide for the
service of St. Mary's church eight clerks, consisting of a sacrist, a chaplain, and six others, who
were all to be appointed, and if necessary removed,
solely at the will of the abbot and convent. The
Abbot of Leicester, or one of his canons appointed
for the purpose, was to preside over the chapter of
the collegiate church. The eight clerks were to
receive all the offerings of St. Mary's parish, and
most of the tithes, with a revenue of 20s. given
by Robert de Beaumont for the lamps and other
needs of the church. The sacrist and clerks of the
college had to serve in person, and were not
allowed to appoint vicars to act in their places. (fn. 5)
About 1220 there were seven clerks, including
presumably the sacrist, serving at St. Mary's, with
two chaplains, instead of only one as originally
provided. (fn. 6) The college existed in obscurity for
the rest of the Middle Ages. In 1379 the Abbot
and convent of Leicester had licence to alienate
the advowson of Hathern to the sacrist and canons
of St. Mary's, on condition that the grantees
should provide a chaplain to celebrate daily for
the souls of the king, his mother, Robert le Bossu,
and others. (fn. 7) The alienation was carried out
within the next few years. (fn. 8) The college's clear
yearly income, as assessed in 1535, was only
£23. 12s. 11d., of which the dean (fn. 9) had a stipend
of £4. 19s. 2d., and the prebendaries £2. 9s. 7d.
each. (fn. 10) The certificate returned in 1546 under
Henry VIII's Chantry Act (fn. 11) states that one of
the prebends was then vacant. It also mentions
that a dwelling-house was provided for the college's
clergy. (fn. 12) The college was dissolved under the
Chantry Act of Edward VI. (fn. 13)
Sacrissts (fn. 14) Of The College Of St. Mary De
Castro
Richard de Tuttebury, resigned 1376. (fn. 15)
John de Hemyngburgh, collated 1376, (fn. 16) died
1382. (fn. 17)
Simon Bache, collated 1382, (fn. 18) occurs 1390. (fn. 19)
James Whistones, died 1512. (fn. 20)
John Yong, collated 1512. (fn. 21)
Thomas Darby, occurs 1534. (fn. 22)
Richard Fowler, occurs 1535, (fn. 23) resigned
before 1546. (fn. 24)
Ralph Cowley, occurs 1546. (fn. 25)
A 14th-century seal, (fn. 26) a pointed oval about
2 by 1¼ in., shows the Virgin Mary, crowned,
seated beneath a canopy, holding the infant Jesus
on her left knee. Both Mother and Child have
their right hands raised in benediction. All that
remains of the legend is:
. . . CESTRIE . . .