RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



Mundeville, Newhouse, Coats-a-Moor, Nun 

 Stainton, Hett, Bishop Auckland, Hunwick, 

 Spennymoor, Broom, Woodyfield, Muggleswick, 

 Cocken, Durham, Brompton, Northallerton, 

 Ottrington, and Woodhall ; tithes from the 

 parishes of Jarrow, Wearmouth, Pittington, 

 Hesleden, Billingham, Aycliffe, Heighington, 

 Merrington, Northallerton, and Eastrington ; be- 

 sides various pensions, perquisites, &c."^ The 

 convent also held the advowsons of the rectories 

 of Dinsdale, Edmondbyers, Kimblesworth, and 

 Meldon ; and of the vicarages of St. Osvi'ald's, 

 Durham, Aycliffe, Heighington, Merrington, 

 Billingham, Hesleden, Pittington, Dalton-le-Dale, 

 Berwick-on-Tweed, Norham, Brankston, Ed- 

 lingham, Ellingham, Bedlington, Bywell St. Peter, 

 Fishlake, Brantingham, Northallerton, Bossall, 

 Frampton, and Ruddington ; and nominations 

 to seven chapels and nine chantries.^*^ 



In the time of Prior John Fossour (1342— 

 1374) the church and the monastic buildings 

 had been extensively repaired and beautified ; "^ 

 and this work was carried on by his successor, 

 Robert Benington alias Walworth. This prior 

 much enriched the convent, and was the first to 

 obtain the use of the mitre and pastoral stafF."^ 

 John of Washington [Wessington], who became 

 prior in 1416,"^ retained his office for nearly 

 thirty years, during which time he was active in 

 extending and repairing the buildings of the 

 monastery and its dependent cells.^^' One of the 

 ia-w priors of Durham addicted to literary pur- 

 suits, he was the author of various historical 

 works,"* and made a' collection of documents 

 with a view to writing a history of his own 

 monastery."^ On his resignation in 1446 the 

 chapter, in grateful recognition of his services, 

 made liberal provision for his old age. A pension 

 of ;^40 was assigned to him, together with a 

 private room in the priory, and the services of 

 five attendants — a chaplain, a squire, a clerk, a 

 valet, and a groom [garcio). Should he wish for 

 change of air, the principal room in the cell at 

 Finchale was reserved for his use.'^" 



Thomas Castell, who was prior from 1494 to 

 1 5 19, repaired the east gates of the abbey, with 

 the porter's lodge, and built upon the same a 

 stone chapel dedicated to St. Helen, with a 

 priest's room attached.''^' To this chapel the laity 



'" Feod. Prior. Dunelm. (Surt. Soc), 98-211. 



'" Hutchinson, Hist. Dur. ii, 100, loi, note. 



'" Dugdale, Mra. .Sngl. (ed. 1846), 1,230. '"Ibid. 



'" In that year the plague raged in and about Dur- 

 ham to such an extent that the bishop was obliged to 

 adjourn the great sessions (No. 1 8, Rot. Langley B. 

 in Cane. Dun.) ; this visitation lasted for five years. 



'" Script. Tres. cclxxi-vii. 



'« See Bernard's Cat. MSS. Jng/iae. ' 



"' Reg. Palat. Dun. (Rolls Ser.), iv, App. 483. 



^^ Diet. Nat. Biog.h, 322. 



'" Dugdale, Mon. Jng/. (ed. 1846), i, 231. For 

 further particulars of Prior Castell's architectural 

 works see .^nA. Aeliana (New Ser.), vi, 201. 



were admitted twice a day to the celebration of 

 mass, for which service two priests were assigned 

 by the convent. Prior Castell also restored the 

 great north transept window in the church, and 

 purchased and gave to the convent two mills 

 from thenceforth called 'Jesus' Mills.'"- In 1497 

 Bishop Fox made him master of his game, and 

 ordered that he was to have ' a dear of the 

 season ' whenever he required.^'' 



In the year 1540 most of the larger monas- 

 teries were surrendered to the king, among them 

 being Durham Priory, where the prior and 

 monks were replaced by a dean and twelve 

 canons. Hugh Whitehead, the last prior, be- 

 came the first dean.^*^ He was a man of virtuous 

 and religious life, and had conferred considerable 

 benefits on the convent, having repaired and 

 improved Bearpark, and built a new hall at 

 Pittington called ' the Prior's Hall,' together with 

 other edifices. He was hospitable, liberal, and 

 most exemplary in his private life.^** 



Taking into consideration the character of 

 this prior, and the general feeling in the north 

 of England on religious matters, it is somewhat 

 surprising that the priory should have been sur- 

 rendered without a struggle, and that the change 

 should, when accomplished, have produced so 

 little apparent effect. As has been already 

 pointed out, the north had remained almost un- 

 affected by the wave of Protestantism which was 

 passing over other parts of the country ; 



the old religion remained deeply seated in the breasts 

 of the northern people ; and (after the dissolution of 

 the smaller houses) the monastics of both sexes, expelled 

 from their habitations, and seeking food and shelter 

 through the country, were objects well calculated to 

 excite the popular indignation. "° 



In the autumn of 1536 the insurrection known 

 as the ' Pilgrimage of Grace ' broke out, and in 

 this the people of the bishopric were seriously 

 involved. In no county did the Reformation 

 make slower progress than in Durham ; yet the 

 dissolution of the priory roused no immediate 

 outburst of popular feeling, nor did the newly 

 constituted body of cathedral clergy meet with 

 any open opposition. 



The apparent apathy of the people was no 

 doubt partly traceable to the mild and moderate 

 character of Bishop Tunstall. He would have 

 been the natural leader of both monks and lay- 

 men in opposing the mandate of the king ; but 

 he had already bowed to the storm in silence, 

 suffering himself and his successors to be ruth- 

 lessly despoiled of some of the most important 

 rights and privileges pertaining to the Palatinate.'" 



'" Hutchinson, Hist. Dur. ii, 99, 100. 

 "' Dur. Curs. Rolls, Rot. 2, Fox, m. 1 1. 

 "^ Hutchinson, Hist. Dur. i, 423 ; Dugdale, Mon. 

 Angl. (ed. 1846), i, 231. 



'" Wharton, Angl. Sacr. 782. 

 "* Surt. Hist. Dur. i, Ixviii. 

 ■*' Ibid. Ixix. 



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