252 



The Churches of Devizes. St. Mary's. 



his Brethren of the Devizes, belonging to the other chantry founded 

 in this church by William Coventre. 



In 1554 (2 Phil, and Mary) the king and queen granted the 

 lands and messuages belonging to the Coventre chantries to William 

 and Roger Allen to hold in fee. 



A list of the property belonging to these chantries, with the 

 names of the tenants in occupation, and the annual rent of each, 

 is preserved in the survey of 1546 before alluded to. 



Obits, Lights, &c. — The following lands and tenements have 

 been given to the church at various times for these purposes : — 



c. 1388. Richard Gobett of Devizes, purchased from Thomas Snappe of ! 

 Rowde, certain lands in the latter parish, known as Isabel's Mead and Croft, l 

 described as being in extent twenty acres, more or less. These he subsequently 

 enfeoffed to John Paynter of Devizes, to the intent that ' ' a perpetual memory 

 and Obit should be celebrated annually in the parish church of St. Mary, on the 

 Friday next after the Epiphany for the Souls of himself, Agnes his wife, William 

 Estmonde, John Coventre, and Joan his wife ; and the predecessors, heirs, and 

 kinsfolk of them." A dole was also to be distributed at the said Obit to priests, 

 clerks, and poor people. 



c. 1436-60. William Smyth and Thomas Smyth, his son, gave two tenements 

 (one of which was situate in Southbroom) with their appurtenances 1 'for the 

 maintenance of three Sepulchre Tapers and the Font Taper, and also that an i 

 Obit should be celebrated annually in the above church to pray for the Souls of 

 the Father and Mother of the said Thomas, as also for the Soul of himself." 



1467. John Vylde 2 of Devizes, gave to Thomas Davy and Robert Helyar, 

 procurators of the altar of St. Katherine the Yirgin in the above church, a tene- 

 ment and garden in the Old Port, " for the maintenance of a light at the said 

 Altar, and to help a Priest to say Mass for the Souls of Edward Danyel and 

 Joan his wife, the Soul of John Vylde his father, and for the Souls of all the 

 faithful departed," 



The following tenants were in occupation of this property in j 



1574 (16 Elizabeth). 



Isabel's Breach and Croft. — George Raynoldes, annual rent 21s. 

 Tenements of William and Thomas Smyth. — Thomas Hull, Clothman, and 

 John Knapp, annual rent 10s. 



Tenement and Grarden of John Yylde. — Richard Come, annual rent 4s. 



At this period an inquisition certified to the crown the uses for 



which the property was held, when it is presumed that these being 



1 This property, after a lapse of four hundred years, is still held of the church. It is at the present 

 day better known as " Waite's Mead," which name it received from having been rented about 1600-20 

 by one Robert Waite. It is a pasture ground in the parish of Rowde. 



2 Written in a document of 1446 " John Ffielde." 



