Colleges: Auckland St Andrew

32. THE COLLEGE OF AUCKLAND ST. ANDREW

It is not known who founded the Collegiate Church of Auckland, but it was in existence as early as 1226, when the king presented Alan Poynnant to a prebend therein. (fn. 1) Having fallen somewhat into decay, it was reconstituted and endowed in 1292 by Bishop Bek, who erected a new chapel and other buildings for the canons, (fn. 2) and bestowed tithes to the amount of £10 per annum for a new prebend. He provided for the constant residence of the dean, and ordained that the prebendaries should provide vicars; priests in the case of the five senior canons, deacons for the next four, and sub-deacons for the remaining two or three. (fn. 3) Divine service was to be celebrated after the use of York or of Sarum, with high mass daily, and daily mattins for the benefit of the parishioners. (fn. 4)

In 1314 the then dean obtained a licence of nonresidence on account of the disturbed state of the country, owing to the war with Scotland. (fn. 5) In 1428 the values of the prebends having altered considerably, and the vicars' stipends being insufficient, Bishop Langley re-arranged the prebends, dividing some and uniting others in order to equalize their values; provided for the necessary increase in the salaries; and issued a fresh set of rules for the conduct of the canons and their vicars. (fn. 6) He also (1431-2) ordered that the houses, cloisters, &c., of the college should be repaired. (fn. 7)

There is in existence a curious inventory, made in 1499, of the household goods belonging to the deanery of Auckland, which were handed on from one dean to another; the list includes a considerable collection of books. (fn. 8) In 1500 or 1501 the dean had licence for himself and his successors to acquire lands of the value of £20 per annum in augmentation of the sustenance of the choristers. (fn. 9)

In the Taxation of 1291, the revenues of the college were given as £249 13s. 4d.; in 1534 as £179 13s. 8d.; (fn. 10) and in 1548 as £171 10s. 4d. (fn. 11) The chantry certificate (1548) states that the establishment then consisted of a dean and ten prebendaries, and that the dean had the cure of souls in the parish as vicar. (fn. 12) When the college was dissolved, the church was left as a more curacy, very meanly provided for. The last dean had a pension granted him of £50, which was paid in 1553. (fn. 13)

Deans of Auckland

Robert de Alberwyk, occ. 5 March, 1293-4 (fn. 14)

Thomas de Clifford, occ. 1314, (fn. 15) 1316 (fn. 16)

John de Insula (fn. 17)

Hamon de Belers, occ. 1340 (fn. 18)

John de Houton, coll. 1340, p.r. H. de Belers (fn. 19)

John Mauduyt, coll. 1343, by exch. with J. Houton (fn. 20)

William Westlee, occ. 1350 (fn. 21)

John Kingston, occ. 1362 (fn. 22)

Richard de Barnard Castle, occ. 1369 (fn. 23)

John de Newthorpe of Pontefract, occ. 1377 (fn. 24)

William de Walworth, coll. 3 September, 1377, p.r. J. Newthorpe (fn. 25)

Hugh de Westwick, occ. 1388 (fn. 26)

John Burgess, occ. 1395, (fn. 27) 1415 (fn. 28)

Thomas Lyes, coll. 17 May, 1415, p.m. Burgess (fn. 29)

Thomas Hebbedon, coll. 29 December, 1431 (fn. 30)

William Doncaster, coll. 30 June, 1435, p.m. T. Hebbedon (fn. 31)

Robert Thwaites (fn. 32)

Bartholomew Radcliffe, occ. 1466 (fn. 33)

John Kelyng, occ. 1476 (fn. 34)

John Newcourt (fn. 35)

William Sherwall, or Sherwood, occ. 1485, (fn. 36) 1498 (fn. 37)

William Thomeson, coll. 21 July, 1498, p.m. Sherwall (fn. 38)

Thomas Patenson, coll. 1511, p. m. Thomeson (fn. 39)

William Strangeways, coll. December, 1520, p. m. Patenson (fn. 40)

Robert Hyndmer, coll. 1541, p. m. Strangeways; (fn. 41) dean at the dissolution (fn. 42)