RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



In 1228 a fine was levied between Rodland, 

 prior of Weybourne and William Mainwaring 

 (grandson of the founder), by which 305. rent at 

 Kessingland, Suffolk, was assigned to the 

 former.' 



The king's escheator in 1275 distrained on 

 the prior and canons of Weybourne on account 

 of the 60 marks they had returned to the execu- 

 tors of John de Hedenham, which they had had 

 of John during his life, and by virtue of his 

 office recovered from them 5 marks.^ The 

 taxation of 1 29 1 gave the annual value of this 

 priory at ;^I5 lOs. i^d. Its chief endowment 

 was the manor and church of Weybourne, but it 

 had small possessions in thirty Norfolk parishes. 



Roger de Geistweyt, who was admitted prior 

 on I December, 1334, obtained licence from 

 Edward III in 1338 for the alienation in mort- 

 main to the priory of Weybourne, by Adam de 

 Shyringham and John atte Eshe, of the advow- 

 son and appropriation of the church of Calkirk.' 

 In 1346 licence was obtained for the appropria- 

 tion of the church of East Beckham.* 



Prior Roger de Hoxne occurs in 1309 ; on 

 his death in 1314 a contest arose as to his suc- 

 cessor between Henry the sub-prior and the 

 canons of Weybourne and the prior and convent 

 of West Acre. Weybourne claimed the right of 

 choosing a prior out of their own canons, but 

 the prior of West Acre asserted that the old use 

 was for Weybourne to seek licence to elect from 

 the superior house, and then to choose one of 

 the West Acre canons. On the matter being left 

 to arbitration, the right of choosing a prior out 

 of their own canons or otherwise was granted to 

 Weybourne for ever, but an annual pension of 

 ys. hd. was assigned to the priory of West Acre. 

 This covenant was confirmed by the bishop of 

 Norwich in the early days of January, 131 5, and 

 was again confirmed by the pope in 1319.^ 



On the death of Prior Elyngham, in 1422, it 

 was found that there were only two canons in 

 the house, John Newbury and John de Laxfield. 

 The number being insufficient for an election, 

 the bishop collated the latter as prior. ^ 



Bishop Goldwell visited Weybourne Priory on 

 25 August, 1494, and found there Prior Clement 

 and three canons. One of the canons, Robert 

 Coker, served the cure of East Beckham, and 

 the church of Weybourne was sometimes served 

 by the prior and sometimes by a canon. The 



' Blomefield, Hist. o/Norf. ix, 450. 



' Huttd. R. (Rec. Com.), i, 494. 



^ Pat. 12 Edw. Ill, pt. i, m. 27. 



* Ibid. 20, Edwd. Ill, pt. ii, m. 15. According 

 to a return made to the crown in 141 6 of the 

 appropriated churches of this diocese, with the dates 

 of their appropriation, the church of Weybourne 

 was appropriated in 1 106 at the time of the founda- 

 tion, East Beckham in 1 344, and Calkirk in 14 1 I 

 (Norw. Epis. Reg. viii, 129). 



' Cnl. Bod I. Charters, 226. 



' Norw. Epis. Reg. viii, 76. 



canons were wont to receive 20s. as salary, but 

 the prior had not paid the salary of William 

 Williamson. The bishop found nothing worthy 

 of reformation, and so dissolved the visitation, 

 reserving power to make injunctions if he should 

 afterwards think it necessary.' 



When the house was finally visited in July, 

 1 5 14, by Bishop Meke, there was only a prior 

 and one canon. Canon William Herley said 

 that by the foundation there ought to be seven 

 canons or at the least three, but that now it was 

 scarcely possible to sustain these three through 

 the poverty of the house. The bishop enjoined 

 the prior to pay annually to his brother canon 

 the salary of 33/. 4^.* 



John Frost was admitted prior on 15 June, 

 1526. On 16 July, 1530, the prior and single 

 canon changed places. Canon Thomas Bulman 

 being made prior and John Frost resigning to 

 become canon. On 11 August, 1534, both prior 

 and canon subscribed to the king's supremacy." 



The Valor of 1535, when John [sic) Bulman 

 is entered as prior, gave the clear annual value 

 of this small house as ;^28 "js. 2d. 



The suppression commissioners of 1536 

 reported that the clear annual value of Wey- 

 bourne was j^24 19s. 62^d., with j^5 Hi. 9^. 

 for the demesne land. They found there two 

 religious persons ' of slaunderous name as ytt ys 

 sayde and they require thier dispensacion.' 



There were three other persons who had their 

 living in the house, two of them having cor- 

 rodies under the convent seal. The house was 

 in decay, and the lead and bells worth ;^6o. 

 The movable goods were worth 57/. 2d.^^ The 

 same commissioners certified on 16 February, 

 1537, that the goods and chattels contained in 

 the inventory were sold to Thomas Pygeon for 

 66j. 8^." 



A full inventory taken later in the same year 

 shows the poverty of the house. The chief 

 ornament of the church was a copper-gilt cross 

 with a silver crucifix. There was an old 

 written missal, as well as ' a litill prynted masse 

 boke.' Mention is made of three chambers, 

 hall, buttery, parlour, kitchen, and brewhouse, 

 all meagrely furnished. The live stock simply 

 consisted of six swine.'^ 



Immediately after its suppression, the priory, 

 with the rectories of Weybourne and East Beck- 

 ham, were granted to John Gresham, son of 

 Richard Gresham, mercer of London.^' 



Thomas Bulman, the prior, obtained a pen- 

 sion of ;r4." He was presented to the Norfolk 

 rectory of Egmere in 1543. 



' Jessopp, Norw. Fisit. (Camd. Soc), 56. 



' Ibid. 123. 



' Rymer, Foedera (Rec. Com.), xiv, 519. 



'» Chant. Cert. Norf. No. 90. 



" Suppression Papers, Exch. K. R. -*My-. 



'2 P.R.O. Ch. Gds. R. Norfolk, 1%. 



" Aug. Off. Bks. ccix, fol. nob.' 



'* Ibid, ccxxxii, fol. 48. 



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