303 



Her family may have ^ven the name to Mansel Gamage.* Bishop Swinfield 

 confirms the appointment of Catherine de Genevyle at Bosbury, 5th October, 1288. 

 This lady held office for at least 38 years. A dispute arose between this Prioress 

 and others against John de Gamel and others, about a right of common in Bishop- 

 stone, 19 Ed. II., 1325 (MSS. at St. Michael's), and it is stated there also that 

 Matilda and Beatrice, daughters of Peter de Genevyle, probably her nieces, died 

 in the nunnery. Matilda de Grandison was sister of Sir Otto de Grandison. The 

 family held estates at Ashperton, and other places in the county, and gave the 

 distinctive name to Stretton Grandison. Isabella Gardiner, who presided for at 

 least 45 years over the community, was confirmed as Prioress by Bishop Milling, 

 at Wytborne, 20th March, 1489. (Chart Antiqua I., 26.) 



The Rev. C. Hartshorn's "Illustrations of Domestic Manners," British Archa- 

 ological Journal, Vol. xviii., gives the following notes :— "Saturday, February, 1297. 

 Feast of the Purification. The Lady Joanna de Valentia, Countess of Pembroke, 

 entertained guests at Goodrich Castle. The Lady of Bicknor, the Lady of Kaglan, 

 the Prioress of Aconbury, with many others." This Prioress was Catherine de 

 Genevyle.t " On Monday," the notes go on, " Gilbert, Earl of Clare, and others 

 of his family came ; others came to breakfa.st on Tuesday ; on Wednesday came 

 the Earl and Countess of Gloucester, &c., and February 25th the Prioress took 

 her departure." On the Sunday after Easter, John de Hastings, the Prioress of 

 Aconbury, and Dominus John de Barry were there. The Prioress of Acornbie 

 was again on a visit to the Countess two days after the Feast of the Invention of 

 the Holy Cross. 



In 1354 the Bishop of Hereford gives a dispensation to Joanna Blount, nun of 

 the Priory of Aconbury, respectiug her defect of birth, she being illegitimate, 

 which would otherwise have interfered with her religious profession. (Ex Keg. 

 Trellec. ) 



The MS. abstract in the Hereford Free Library of the Deeds in the Augment- 

 ation Office, extracted in 1763, points out much of the property which belonged 

 to Aconbury Priory, and the full list is given in Dugdale's Monmticon for the 

 Computation Rolls 28, Henry VIII. (1536). It was principally situated in the 

 county of Hereford. Besides the demesne and lands immediately surrounding the 

 Priory, the churches of Brugge Solars, Wolfrelow, and Malmeshull Lacy,^: already 

 mentioned, with adjoining lands and mill, the following properties are named :— 



* Godfry de Gamaches (from Gamaches in Normandy) held, under Lacy, two Knight's Fees 

 in the Barony of de Lacy (1165), hence the distinction between Mansel Lacy and Mansel Gamage. 

 After the separation of Engl.and and Normandy, the head of the family (eldest son of above Godfry) 

 lost his English possessions, and returned to Normandy. William, the younger brother, got 

 Mansel Gamage, and died before 1240; and was probably the father of the Princess Beatrice de 

 Gamage. Godfrj' succeeded him, and left three daughters, who married three Pembrigges (see 

 Robinson's Manors.) John de Gamachus, Prior of Hereford, was made Abbot of Gloucester 

 (1284), a contemporary of Beatrice, "the most noble man in the elegance of his manners and 

 " splendour of his binh " (A nnals 0/ IVorcesterJ. " He died in 1307, on the Sunday on which is 

 "sung ' Misericordia Domini ' in the morning. Domii.ical letter, B." (Thos. Blashii.l.) 



t Godfry de Geneville, or Joinville, was one of the French favourites of Henry IIL, and 

 married the heiress of the De Lacy's. Catherine may possibly have been their daughter. 

 (Thos. Blashill.) 



\ The grants of livings and of land in the parishes of Bridge Sollars, Mansel Lacy, Bishop- 

 stone and Bunshill, point to the association of the Priory with the family of the foundress, with 

 whom the Gamaches family was closely connected. (Thos. Blashill.) 



