3. THE PRIORY OF SNELSHALL
There is no record of the existence of this
priory earlier than 1219 (fn. 1) ; and the charter of
confirmation granted by Henry III. in 1228
names Ralf Martel as the founder, and donor
of the demesne land with the chapel of Tattenhoe. Several smaller benefactions were
confirmed at the same time, but they are not
connected with any well-known names. The
priory was dedicated to St. Leonard, and it is
probable that it was never intended to support more than about half a dozen monks.
Like the other Benedictine houses of this
county, it has very little history. A visitation of Bishop Burghersh, dated 1321, (fn. 2) describes it as so poor that the monks had
scarcely the necessaries of life, and had to
beg even for these; an indulgence was
granted at this time to those who should
contribute to their support. Again in
1490 (fn. 3) the prior of Snelshall was presented
to the archdeacon for not paying tithes
to Shenley Church for lands which lay
in that parish. In 1529 Bishop Longland (fn. 4)
visited the house and evidently found
some irregularity amongst the two or
three monks who remained. He ordered the
prior, William Maltby, on pain of deprivation,
to observe the purpose of the foundation and
to see that others did the same: and enjoined
him also within ten days to dismiss all women,
married or unmarried, from the precincts of
the monastery, (fn. 5) retaining only two of more
than forty-eight years and of unexceptionable
character as servants. There were to be
three brothers in the house besides the prior,
and no strangers were to be entertained except
in the way of hospitality.
In 1535, after the passing of the first Act of
Suppression, the local commissioners reported
that there were only three monks in the house,
two priests and one only a novice, and none of
them guilty of immorality; that there were
eight servants also living in the monastery, as
well as the prior's father and mother, who had
brought all their goods with them, and hoped
to spend their old age there. The house was
said to be 'wholly in ruin': but it was not in
debt. (fn. 6)
William Maltby, the prior, with two monks
had signed the Acknowledgment of the Royal
Supremacy in the same year. (fn. 7) At the surrender of the house, which must have been
before 28 July, 1535, he received an annual
pension of £5. (fn. 8)
The original endowment of the priory by
Ralf Martel comprised the land on which it
stood, with 'husbote and haybote' in the
woods of Tattenhoe, sufficient for fuel and
building purposes, and of underwood enough
for making bread and beer, and quittance of
pannage for hogs. The chapel of Tattenhoe
was also granted to the monks with a virgate
of land, and some small parcels of land in the
neighbourhood and in Northamptonshire. (fn. 9)
The temporalities of the priory in 1291
amounted to £8 14s. 8d. (fn. 10) ; the chapel of
Tattenhoe seems only to have been worth
13s. 4d. A taxation of 1383 only amounted
to £6 19s. 3d. besides the chapel. (fn. 11) The
commissioners of 1535 reported the clear
value of the monastery to be £18 1s. 11d.; on
the second survey £19 14s. 8d.; bells, lead,
etc., were worth £10 16s. 8d. (fn. 12) The Minister's Accounts of the same year give a total of
only £15 7s. 10d. (fn. 13)
Priors of Snelshall
William, (fn. 14) occurs 1219
Hugh, (fn. 15) occurs 1226
Nicholas, (fn. 16) occurs 1232
John, (fn. 17) occurs 1240
Hugh of Dunstable, (fn. 18) elected 1251, resigned
1272
Warin, (fn. 19) elected 1272
Nicholas of Hanslope, (fn. 20) resigned 1300
Richard of Eye, (fn. 21) elected 1300, resigned
1302
Nicholas of Hanslope (fn. 22) re-appointed 1302,
died 1319
John of Conesgrave, (fn. 23) elected 1319
Hugh of Leckhampstead, (fn. 24) elected 1334,
died 1357
Richard de Nibbeley (fn. 25) (or de Nuble),
elected 1357, died 1367
Roger of Oving, (fn. 26) elected 1367, died 1393
John Middleton, (fn. 27) elected 1393
Simon London, (fn. 28) resigned 1431
William Whaddon, (fn. 29) elected 1431
Hugh Fuller, (fn. 30) occurs 1461
John Medburn, (fn. 31) occurs 1478
John Wells, (fn. 32) occurs 1488, resigned 1492
Thomas Broke, (fn. 33) elected 1492, resigned
1503
Hugh Brecknock, (fn. 34) elected 1503, died
1529
William Maltby, (fn. 35) last prior, elected 1529
A seal of this priory is attached to the Acknowledgment of Supremacy (No. 105). It is
in red wax and represents a prior standing
with a staff in his right hand and an open book
in his left. Legend: S. PRIORIS ET C . . .
DE SNELLESHALL.