By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. Si47 



of the ingenuity and taste of Bishop Edingdon. The Chapel of St. 

 Stephen, Westminster, was re-built and made collegiate in 1347 by 

 King Edward III., who probably availed himself of the Bishop's 

 skill in constructing it, as he did so in framing a code of regulations 

 for that establishment; Bishop Edingdon being named as " Conditor 

 Statutorum ■" (compiler of the statutes) in the register of St. 

 Stephen's, still extant.^ 



Contemporary with that Royal foundation in its renovated state, 

 and not unlike it in form, was the Institution, by which the Bishop 

 proceeded to connect his name and memory with his native village. 



2. — Edingdon, a College or Chantry of Priests under a 

 Warden: for seven years, A.D. 1351 — 1358. 



The Bishop carried his first plan into execution in A.D. 1351. 

 The parish being large and populous, and the Prebendary Rector 

 of Edyngdon being generally absent, the Bishop's object was 

 to make the property of the Church more directly and continually 

 available in future, for the immediate benefit of the parish. Three 

 priests were appointed to reside, and were endowed; one, as Custos 

 or Warden, superior to the other two, who, as chaplains, were to 

 serve a chantry for the special good of the founder's soul, and as 

 curates, to minister generally to the parishioners. The number to 

 be increased as additional endowment should be obtained. To carry 

 out this plan the prebend was for the time filled up by a " Master 

 John of Edyngdon, Clerk" (probably some near relative), and then 

 (in 1351) leave was obtained from the Bishop of Sarum to appropriate 

 the Church and advowson of the prebend with the Chapel of North 

 Bradley annexed, and a messuage and 2 acres. Three more priests 

 were then added, making a total of six. The warden was to con- 

 tinue to hold the rank of Canon of Romsey. Master John of 

 Edingdon then resigned, and Walter Scarlett was inducted as first 

 Warden or Custos. The title adopted by the new establishment 

 was the same as that of the parish Church : " The B. V. Mary, St. 

 Katharine and All Saints." 



' Baker's Northamptonshire, i., 653. 



