HOUSE OF UNCERTAIN ORDER
19. WILCHESWOOD (fn. 1)
The history of this priory, chantry, or free
chapel is very obscure, and can only be partially
reconstructed with the help of certain documents
which came into the possession of the Coker
family on the Dissolution. (fn. 2) Coker, in his Survey
of Dorset (1732), states that this house, dedicated to
St. Leonard, was founded by Roger le Walleys,
lord of the manor of Langton Wallis and
grandson of Ingelram le Walleys, in the fortyseventh year of Edward III (1373); (fn. 3) but it was
certainly founded many years earlier, probably
in the first part of the century. According to a
charter, undated, Alice, once the wife of William
de Ponsont and widow of Ingelram le Walleys,
gave a tenement in the manor of Mappowder for
the maintenance of William Bonet, chaplain, to
celebrate an obit for the souls of the said William
and their ancestors at Wilcheswood for life, with
a proviso that in the event of the transference of
the prior and brethren of the house the chaplain
should receive satisfaction out of the revenues. (fn. 4)
By another deed, also undated, William de
Watercumb, chaplain, warden of the house of
St. Leonard at Wilcheswood and the brethren
there leased to William Aignel and his wife
of Stour Provost a certain tenement with houses,
lands, &c., for the term of their lives for the
sum of 8 marks sterling in hand. (fn. 5)
Roger le Walleys, Wallis, or Walsh, whom
Coker erroneously gives as the founder, appears
to have added rather to the endowment of the
house; in 1373 he presented Henry Attechapelle, chaplain, to the chantry, that he might
find maintenance for himself and two fellows
(socii) in the chapel of Wilcheswood and St. George
of Langton (Matravers), serving God and St.
Leonard there, with the grant for life of 1 carucate of land in Mappowder, and charged only with
the provision of a lamp to burn during mass in
the chapel of Langton. (fn. 6)
The advowson of the priory appears always
to have accompanied the manor, and by a fine
levied in 1398 between John Fauntleroy and
Joanna his wife, granddaughter of Roger le
Walleys, and John Foliol, the second husband
of Margaret, daughter of the same, the manor
of Langton Wallis, &c. with the 'chantry'
of Wilcheswood was granted to John Foliol for
his life with remainder to William Foliol his
son and Joanna his wife and the heirs of
Joanna. (fn. 7) In the third year of Henry V
William Talbot, clerk, warden of the chantry
of Wilcheswood, delivered over to William
Foliol the muniments of the chantry, consisting
of nineteen charters and indentures sealed, and
one indenture unsealed, two papal bulls, four
royal letters patent, and a copy of the presentation of Henry Attechapelle by Roger le Walleys. (fn. 8)
The lands of the priory in the reign of
Henry VIII consisted of a carucate of land in
Mappowder valued at 6s., lands in Knowlton,
parcel of the manor of Woodlands, with other
lands and a mill estimated at £6 16s. 4d.; (fn. 9)
after the Dissolution these came into the hands of
the Coker family.
Chaplains or Wardens
Adam de Watercumb, occurs in a deed without date (fn. 10)
Ralph de Sayr, occurs in a deed of 1316-17 (fn. 11)
Henry Attechapelle, presented 1373 (fn. 12)
William Talbot, occurs 1413 and 1417 (fn. 13)
Richard Petworth, presented 1417 (fn. 14)
Hugh Filiol, occurs 1506-7, and in the reign
of Henry VIII (fn. 15)