48. THE PRIORY OF TAKELEY
The foundation of Takeley is of special interest on account of its connexion with the
Conquest. When the Norman fleet was prepared for the invasion in 1066, it lay for a fortnight at the mouth of the Somme waiting for a
favourable wind. (fn. 1) Prayers were offered up at
the abbey of St. Valery, and at last the monks
brought out in solemn procession the shrine
containing the body of the saint. The blowing
of the south wind on Wednesday, 27 September,
was piously ascribed to this, and there can be no
doubt that the grants made to the abbey in
England, whether by the Conqueror or others,
were intended as a thank-offering. The exact
date of the foundation is not known, but it must
have been between 1066 and 1086.
The lands held by the abbey in Essex at the
time of the Domesday Survey have already been
given, (fn. 2) and it also owned the churches of Hampton, Heston, Isleworth and Twickenham in
Middlesex, and the advowson of the church of
Birchanger in Essex. Henry I granted a charter (fn. 3)
confirming the possessions in frankalmoin. The
temporalities amounted at the time of the Taxation in 1291 to £49 7s. 5d. yearly, the greater
part being fairly evenly distributed between
Widdington, Takeley, Bradwell, Birchanger,
Lindsell and Dengie, with smaller sums in
Manuden, London and Stansted. There were
also portions of £1 10s. in the church of Great
Canfield and £1 in the church of Debden. An
extent (fn. 4) of the priory was taken when it was
in the king's hands in 18 Edward II, and
valuations of the manors of Lindsell, Takeley,
Widdington, Birchanger and Bradwell show a
considerable advance on the amounts of 1291.
The priory owned goods and live stock valued
at £7 15s. 7d. at Lindsell, £22 15s. 10d. at
Takeley, £12 5s. 11d. at Widdington and
£7 10s. 8d. at Birchanger. Similar information
is given by the account of the keeper of the
priory for the period.
On 30 January, 1330, the king ordered (fn. 5) the
escheator to restore the temporalities of the priory,
which had been seized on account of the death of
John, late abbot of St. Valery. The prior had
complained of this and an inquisition was taken,
by which it was found that the abbey held the
possessions in frankalmoin, and they had never
been taken into the hands of any king by reason
of the death of any abbot.
William Wychard of Takeley brought an
action for trespass against the Prior Andrew in
1336, (fn. 6) and when the prior came to Stratford-atBow to defend his case certain persons attacked
him and his attorneys and servants and tried to
break into their lodging, so that he was afraid to
appear before the justices. (fn. 7) The prior alleged
that he was a bondman of the manor, and the
proceedings were delayed until it was found by
inquisition that it was not so. The king finally
on 26 February, 1339, ordered the justices to
render judgement. (fn. 8)
The priory was taken into the king's hands
and restored at farm to the prior during the war
with France. In 1337 (fn. 9) the prior paid £126
yearly, and in 1342 (fn. 10) this was increased to £140.
At the request of Queen Isabel, however, the
extra £14 was remitted (fn. 11) by the king on
20 September, 1343. The priors seem to have
had considerable difficulty in collecting their
rents, and in 1343 the king ordered (fn. 12) serjeantsat-arms to compel payment to be made. In
1351 the prior was in arrear to the extent of
£168 13s. 4d., and the king on 26 May granted (fn. 13)
him respite from payment. On 2 June, 1358,
protection for two years was granted (fn. 14) to the
prior, as he was still in arrear to the king and
other creditors of his predecessor troubled him.
The custody of the priory was committed (fn. 15) to
the prior on 8 May, 1378, at a farm of 200 marks
(£133 6s. 8d.) yearly, but he was not to be
charged with arrears before 35 Edward III. A
commission was issued in 1390 to inquire about
waste and dilapidations in the priory during the
king's reign. (fn. 16)
The priory was eventually sold by the abbot
and convent to William of Wykeham for the two
colleges founded by him, the possessions in Essex
being assigned to New College, Oxford, and
those in Middlesex to Winchester College.
Richard II granted licence for this on 10 March,
1391, (fn. 17) and released the colleges from payment of
the rent of 200 marks. The sale was also confirmed (fn. 18) by Pope Boniface IX on 2 February,
1392, and accordingly in 1403 we find Richard
Malford, warden of New College, holding the
priory. (fn. 19)
Priors of Takeley
John, occurs 1301. (fn. 20)
Andrew de la Gove, occurs 1320, (fn. 21) 1340. (fn. 22)
John de Maisnilio, occurs 1342, (fn. 23) 1345. (fn. 24)
Firmin de Fontains or Founteynes, succeeded
in 1357, (fn. 25) occurs 1370. (fn. 26)
Gerard de Ossencourt, occurs 1378, (fn. 27)
1384. (fn. 28)