UNRECORDED DEANS OF WIMBORNE MINSTER. 35 



the Confessor ; but that nearly two centuries later the 

 Regulars gave place to Seculars, and that it became a Deanery 

 in the time of Henry III. 



Now the first Dean, who is mentioned in any of the above 

 lists, is Martin de Patshull, who was appointed to that office 

 on the 6th of December, 9 Henry III. (1224). 



But the Deanery of Wimborne is much older than the 

 time of Henry III., as I shall be able to show ; and I shall 

 be able to give the names, certainly of one, and almost cer- 

 tainly of two, other .Deans who were anterior to Martin de 

 Patshull, as well as to furnish the names of six or seven 

 later ones, who are not mentioned in any of the known lists. 



The Deanery of Wimborne, being in the King's gift, was 

 almost invariably bestowed upon one of the " King's Clerks," 

 or Royal Chaplains. Eyton, in his Key to Domesday, seems 

 to prove fairly conclusively that Hugh, who was Bishop of 

 London from 1075 until 1085, and Maurice, a Royal Chaplain, 

 who succeeded him in the episcopate (1085-1108), were 

 successively Deans of Wimborne. 



The following extracts from Domesday Book and from 

 Eyton's Key will give his reasons for the assumption : 



De eademipsa terrft (i.e. 14 hides of Hineton 21 ) pertinet ad 

 siam de Winburne i hidaet dimidiaet dimidia virgata terrae. Mauri - 

 cius Episcopus tenet, et ibi habet vi Bordarios et viii Burgenses et 

 Molinum reddentem v solidos, et xv acras prati et dimidiam lenuam 

 pasturae in longitudine et iiii quarentinas in latitudine. Valet vi 

 librae et vii so lidos et vi denarios. 22 



Commenting on this Eyton says : 



Here we have a reference to the great Collegiate Church afterward* 

 known as Wimborne Minster and to a part at least of its endowment. 

 But we have also hints of some chronological and historical importance. 

 Maurice, a Royal Chaplain, was nominated to the See of London at the 

 Council of Gloucester, Christmas, 1085, but was not consecrated till 



21. The ancient manor of Hin,eton now includes Hinton Martel and 

 Hint on Parva. 



22. Domesday, folio 76a. 



