List 20: Prebendaries, Bramham

Prebend

Bramham (W.R.), with church and pr., held in 1086 by Nigel Fossard of honour of Mortain (Yorks. DB fos. 307v, 373v, 379), of which he became tenant-in-chief on count of Mortain's forfeiture in 1088.

Preb. created for priory of Nostell (Aug., W.R., founded c. 1114) by abp. Thurstan, prob. before 1129, by which date it had been conf. by Henry I (EYC II no. 1013, cal. Regesta II no. 1627). Thurstan's surviving chs., however, were issued a little later, 1135 × 25 Jan. 1140 (EYC III nos. 1466-7, cal. EEA V nos. 54-5), and the ch. of the donor Robert Fossard carries a witness-list that could well date from the same time, and is certainly to be assigned to the broad limits 1135 × 43 (EYC II no. 1012). Preb. as first created included: church of Bramham with 14 bov., church of Wharram le Street (E.R.) with 4 bov., and church of Lythe (N.R.) with 10 bov. Robert Fossard added augmentation of preb. in Bramham 1129 × 35 (ibid. no. 1014). Preb. further augmented by Agnes Fossard who gave 2 car. and mill in Bramham 1147 × 53 (ibid. no. 1018). Conf. by abp. Roger to Nostell as preb. 1164 × 22 Nov. 1181 (ibid. III no. 1480 = EEA XX no. 132). Further addition in Bramham by gift of William de Stuteville c. 1175 × 1203 (EYC II no. 1031). Chapter of York ordered to restore church of Bramham to prior and cans. of Nostell 3 Dec. 1216 (Sayers, Papal Govt. pp. 211-12).

Disputes between Nostell and Meaux (Ben., E.R.) over tithes in Wharram le Street 1197 × 1210 and 1280 × 6 (Chronica de Melsa, ed. E. A. Bond (RS xliii, 1866-8) I 323, II 174).

Land in Petergate, York, by 1290 (Chs. Vicars Choral no. 428), ? Goodramgate by c. 1250 (ibid. nos. 160-1), and Stonegate, with prebendal house in Coffee Yard (RCHM York V 232).

Chapel in Tickhill castle (EYC III no. 1466, cal. EEA V no. 54), but see EEA XX no. 65 note.

Advowson of church of Lythe exch. for rent of 36m. from patron Robert de Turnham, conf. by abp. 6 Aug. 1225 (Reg. Gray p. 4). Pension of 36m. from church of Lythe recorded in 1291 (Taxatio p. 297b).

In c. 1295 preb. consisted of churches of Bramham and Wharram le Street, with lands, and 36 sheaves for church of Lythe, land, chapels and tithes (Extents p. 4).

Valuation

1291 £40 (Taxatio p. 297b).

Prebendaries

The prebendaries of Bramham were the priors of the Aug. priory of St Oswald, Nostell.

Priors of Nostell

See also Heads of Relig. Houses pp. 178-9. The 15th-century Nostell Act Book (used by J. Burton, Monasticon Eboracense (York, 1758) p. 310) is at Leeds, West Yorks. Archives, NB C1/1/1, cited below as NAB. (fn. 144)

Adelulf

First occ. as prior 1122 (Regesta II nos. 1319-20). Bp. of Carlisle, nom. before Jan. 1124, cons. prob. 6 Aug. 1133, but allowed by pope Calixtus II (1119-24) to retain priorate. Retained priorate, and therefore this preb., until 1153 × 54, when he res. (EYC I no. 28, cal. EEA V no. 97; EYC III nos. 1473-4; 1 Fasti II 19).

Savard

Can. of Nostell (EYC I no. 28). El. in succession to Adelulf before 8 June 1154 (EYC I no. 28, cal. EEA V no. 97). Occ. as prior 1153 × 54 (Regesta III no. 624; EYC III nos. 1473-4, 1497). Said to occ. 1155 (NAB p. 89, citing a privilege of pope Adrian IV, now lost). Commem. 8 Aug. (ibid. p. 89), presum. before 1157 (below).

Geoffrey

Succeeded Savard (NAB p. 89). First occ. as prior prob. before 1157 (Cart. Whitby I no. 283, temp. Osbert the archdcn., list 13). Said to occ. 1170 and to have d. as prior 1175 (NAB p. 89, over a correction), but this is impossible to reconcile with the evidence for Ansketil (below).

Ansketil

Succeeded Geoffrey (NAB p. 89). First occ. as prior before 1159, prob. before c. 1157 (Cal. Docs. France no. 1062). (fn. 145) Also occ. 6 June 1163 (PUE III no. 149). Occ. several times in 1180s and 1190s. Occ. in connection with this preb. 1175 × 96 (EYC II no. 1093) and 1186 × 87 (ibid. no. 1036). Last occ. 1193 × 95 (J. Nichols, History and Antiquities of Leics. (1795-1815) III 865-6). D. as prior Apr. 1196, perhaps 2 Apr. (NAB p. 89, giving the impossible 'viii non. Apr.').

Robert of Woodkirk

Succeeded Ansketil and ruled for 3 years less 13 weeks (NAB p. 89), i.e. calculated from Apr. 1196. Can. of Nostell, his el. as prior reported by Roger de Lacy to abp. Geoffrey (cart. Nostell fo. 14v). D. as prior 4 Jan. 1199 (NAB p. 89).

Complaint to pope against cans. of Nostell by Roger de Lacy, as patron, 10 March 1201, over el. of next prior, settled before judges-delegate 7 Dec. 1201 (PRO, DL 25/1223; Letters of Innocent III no. 298).

Ralph of Bedford

Succeeded Robert of Woodkirk and ruled for 8 1/2 years and 3 weeks (NAB p. 89), i.e. calculated from late Jan. 1201. Occ. as prior once only, c. 22 June 1203 (Cal. of Feet of Fines for Bucks., ed. M. W. Hughes (Bucks. Rec. Soc. iv, 1920) p. 27). D. as prior 19 July 1208 (NAB p. 89).

John

Succeeded Ralph of Bedford and ruled for 29 years, 2 months and 3 days (NAB p. 92), i.e. calculated from c. 24 July 1208. First occ. as prior 1209 (cart. Nostell fo. 166v). Occ. several times. Last occ. 13 Oct. 1236 (Yorks. Fines. 1232-46 p. 44). D. as prior 27 Sept. 1237 (NAB p. 92).

Ambrose

Succeeded John and ruled for 3 years, 7 weeks and 3 days (NAB p. 92), i.e. calculated from c. 27 Sept. 1237. D. as prior 18 Nov. 1240 (ibid.).

Stephen

Succeeded Ambrose and ruled for 4 years before resigning (NAB p. 92), so presum. res. 1244. Commem. 17 July (ibid.).

Ralph

Succeeded Stephen and ruled for 2 years (NAB p. 92). Occ. as prior 1244 (Notes on Religious ... Houses of Yorkshire, ed. W. P. Baildon (YRS xvii, 1895) I 19). D. 18 May 1246 (NAB p. 92).

Robert de Behal (fn. 146)

Succeeded Ralph and ruled for 8 years and 5 months (NAB p. 93), so presum. el. early Aug. 1246. First occ. as Robert prior 13 Dec. 1247 (Reg. Gray p. 205). Last occ. 9 June 1252 (Yorks. Fines 1246-72 p. 84). D. 4 Jan. 1255 (NAB p. 93).

William de Clifford

Succeeded Robert de Behal and ruled for 22 1/2 years (NAB p. 93), so presum. el. mid-March 1255. First occ. as prior Hilary Term (after 13 Jan.) 1255 (Notes on Yorks. Relig. Houses I 153). Last occ. 1 July 1269 (Yorks. Fines 1246-72 p. 172). D. 16 Aug. 1277 (NAB p. 93).

Richard de Warter

Succeeded William de Clifford and ruled for 15 years (NAB p. 94), i.e. calculated from Aug. 1277. Occ. as R. prior and can. of York 18 Nov. 1279 (Reg. Wickwane p. 2). Occ. as Richard prior 24 May 1286 (Yorks. Fines 1272-1300 p. 76). D. 26 Aug. 1291 (NAB p. 94).

William of Birstall (fn. 147)

Abp.'s conf. of el. as prior, with mandate to install as can. holding this preb., 2 Oct. 1291 (Reg. Romeyn I 114). Res. 10 Apr. 1312 (Reg. Greenfield II 117; cf. NAB p. 95, which gives date of res. as c. 19 Apr. 1312, 'circa festum Sancti Elphegi').