Pamber Priory

Also previously known as WEST SHIREBORNE PRIORY and SHERBORNE PRIORY.

Henry I, the youngest (and fourth) son of William I, became King in 1100 and died in 1135 (succeeded by Matilda/Stephen/Matilda/Stephen). c.1110 AD Henry de Port applied for permission to build a Benedictine Priory as a daughter establishment to the Priory of St Vigor at Cerisy-la-Foret (founded in AD590) in Normandy, for the purpose of saying prayers for all the de Port family and the family of King Henry I (it was believed that the more prayers that were said for someone after their death, then the less time was spent in Purgatory – hence the inclusion of the family of King Henry). Permission was given in 1125 (during the later stages of building?) the Crown issued a licence allowing the collection and use of twocartloads of dead timber each week from Pamber Forest (a Royal Hunting Preserve) ‘for their hearth’.

1128 Consecration of The Benedictine Priory of West Shireborne (now known as Pamber Priory) by William Giffard the Bishop of Winchester (Winchester was then capital of England).

King Henry II, son of Matilda, became King in 1154 on the death of Stephen and died in 1189. King Henry II (and his Queen, Eleanor of Acquitaine) must have made significant use of the Priory during their travels across Southern England, but we have no documentary confirmation.

1170-1180 King Henry II had a large hunting estate constructed at Tidgrove Warren, near Hannington; it had stabling for 80 horses. These buildings were sold and demolished in the 1190’s by a ‘developer’.

1250-1270 the Priory was at its zenith – being very wealthy and well run with many expensive and valuable possessions. It was much used by King Henry III (1216-1272). The Queen (Eleanor of Provence) maintained lodgings at the Priory. Major re-building was carried out c.1245-1265 (the current chancel and significant other building).

1248 (October) the custodian of the King’s wines in Southampton was ordered to despatch one cask of wine to the Queen at Pamber Priory.

1249 (May) Permission was given to fell an oak tree in Pamber Forest (a Royal Hunting Forest) for the making of windows in the Queen’s chamber at Pamber Priory.

1252 (Feb) tuns of wine to be delivered to the following: Guildford (10), Chawton (4), Winchester (10), Reading Abbey (10), Wherwell (4), Ludgershall (4), Marlborough (10), Clarendon (10), Sandelford (4), Sherborne (Pamber) (4).

1254 (Sep) Two tuns of wine to Sherborne (Pamber).

1255 (Nov) Two tuns to Sherborne (Pamber ) Priory.

1257 (Dec) Two tuns to Sherborne (Pamber ) Priory. A tun of wine is 252 ‘wine gallons’ each of 3.785 litres or 231 cubic inches (the current US gallon), as opposed to the Imperial Gallon (official measure since 1826) each of 4.546 litres or 277.4 cubic inches. King Henry III was a generous benefactor to religious orders. With reference to Sherborne (Pamber) Priory, entries in the Close Rolls of 1247 to 1271 include:

1255 (Dec). Three oak trees were given ‘for the timber of the chapel which is being made’.

1256 (May). Four oak trees were given ‘towards the fabric of the church which is being shaped out’.

1256 (Nov). Six oaks were given ‘towards the fabric of this church, one for timber and five for making shingles’.

1257 (Jan). A gift of four marks (£1:6s:8d) ‘to make three altars in the new work at the Priory’.

1257 (July). A gift of four oaks ‘towards the repair of the church’.

1258 (June). A gift of four oaks ‘to make shingles for the church’.

1259 (March). A gift of three oaks ‘for the building of the church’.

1259 (May). A gift of four oaks from Alice Holt Forest ‘towards perfecting or completing the works at the Priory’.

1259 (Summer). A gift of three oaks ‘for the works at the almonry at the Priory’.

1271 (Jan). The last recorded gift of oaks.

These records suggest that there was a significant building project in progress in the mid-13th century. This is the probable construction of the current chancel at the Priory plus other building (including an almonry). King Henry III travelled frequently, often between Winchester (the capital of England) and Windsor (the military headquarters) or Reading Abbey and would nightstop with his entourage at Pamber.

1251 King Henry III stopped at the Priory 28 May.

1251 King Henry III stopped at the Priory 15 July.

1252 King Henry III stopped at the Priory 19 June.

1253 King Henry III stopped at the Priory 13 and 14June.

1261 King Henry III stopped at the Priory 24 Jan.

1253 The Prior went to law to recover 40/- per annum from Robert, rector at Shawes (Salisbury), which had not been paid for 6 years. The Prior won the case with costs against the rector of Shawes of 100/-.

1273 8th May. Lawrence was the abbot at Cerisy; Richard de Bordeignaise was prior elect at Pamber and was accompanied by Bartholomew Robyn.

1279 The ‘Statute of Mortmain’ forbade the leaving of money and possessions to the church; it was introduced by King Edward I in order to reduce the wealth and power of the religious orders.

1329 The Prior owed £26 to Thomas de Combe (clerk).

1337 The custody of the Priory was returned to the Prior at an annual rent to the King of £80 per annum.

1341 The ‘Hall of the Queen’s Scholars’ at Oxford founded by Queen Philippa and Robert de Eglesfield, chaplain to Queen Philippa, and named in her honour (see West window at All saints church in Monk Sherborne).

1343 Queen Philippa acquired St Julian’s Hospital in Southampton for The Queen’s College including its extensive lands, these lands later developed into Southampton Docks and associated commercial developments. During the period from about 1050AD to about 1300AD the weather had been generally beneficial to good crop yields; consequently the people prospered and the population grew rapidly.

1315 to 1322. The weather across Europe, north of the Alps, became very wet and stormy and there were major failures of many crops, especially cereals. This was the Great Famine of England (and the bulk of Northern Europe). There may also have been a major volcanic eruption that had disastrous effects on world climate. The Priory was severely affected and had great difficulties paying heavy taxation to the King.

1340 the Priory was described as being ‘grievously burdened with debt’. In July of that year the Priory was given immunity from seizure of its cattle by the Crown. Nicholas de la Beche and James de Wodestock were appointed overseers of the Priory.

1349 The Black Death killed some 30 to 40% of the population of England in less than a year (population dropped from about 3.5 million down to some 2.5 million, maybe even less). The Priory was severely affected.

1351 Denis was the Prior at Pamber. 14th Nov. John att More leased lands in Sherborne, Tadley and Pamber from the Prior for 32/- per annum, later increased to 36/- per annum (was the Priory in desperate need of funds?).

1380s The King (Richard II) continued(?) an annual tax of £80 on the Priory, payable to the King. In 1388 the Prior was in arrears of £53 from the annual payment of £80 to the Crown (annual income was £96). The Prior was ordered to settle the debt ‘forthwith’ to Menaudus Brocas (one of the keepers of the king’s great horses). Note the Brocas family lived at Beaurepaire and their tomb is in St Andrews Church in Sherborne St John.

1398-1437 William Trenchfowe was the Prior at Pamber.

1414 Suppression of the Alien Monasteries Act by King Henry V, but the Priory appears to have been largely excluded from the limitations put on other establishments. This may have been due to its poverty.

1439 Benedict became Prior at Pamber.

1439 21st Mar. Thomas att More promises £40 to the Priory as a Corody, but stipulates that it is void if he does not avail himself of the facility.

1441 Eton College construction was completed by King Henry VI ‘to provide an educated elite to rule the country’.

1451 Pamber Priory given to Eton College (did Eton need finance to run the College?) by King Henry VI of the House of Lancaster. Eton takes possession in January.

1452 Eton College then ejects the Prior and the five monks, and sets about asset stripping and finishes up by largely destroying the Priory (only the chancel and tower survive).

1459 20th Nov. Confirmation of the Charter of Henry VI conferring Pamber Priory to Eton, made at Coventry.

1462(?) Following serious representations by the local population, the Priory was taken away from Eton College by King Edward IV of the House of York and given to St Julian’s Hospital in Southampton, also known as Domus Dei (which had come into the possession of The Queen’s College in Oxford in 1343).

1472 King Edward IV gave the Priory back to Eton College, but this was overturned by a ruling of the judiciary. Eton College went to court to recover what they considered to be rightfully theirs.

1474 After major repair work by The Queen’s College the Priory was re-consecrated as a church under the control of the vicar of Monk Sherborne with a curate at the Priory. The curate was paid a stipend of £10 per annum.

1491 2nd Oct. Eton College still trying to recover its lost possessions (including Whitchurch Manor); The Bishop of Salisbury, warden of God’s House, counter claims that Eton had broken the ‘Statute of Forcible Entry’.

1493 Pope Nicholas VIII confirmed the gift of Pamber to Eton in 1451 (or 1453), but this appears to have been ignored. Finally, after possibly 36 years of litigation (i.e. in 1399), Eton lost their claim!

Early1540’s One bell was cast (new installation or repair?).

1557-1564 Following the chaos of the Reformation, services at the Priory church ceased and it was claimed that it was being used as an agricultural store – for hay, straw, grain and implements; the use of farm carts in the chancel area could well have been the cause of damage to the tomb tops which were later re-located beneath the tower (behind the screen) and in the side chapels.

1557 At this time services were no longer being held at the Priory - presumably the curacy had ceased. A Bill of Complaint by Guy Ryce, Thomas Hyde, John Fuller and Phillip Wymboldon, on behalf of the parishioners of Pamber, was made to the Lord Chancellor. The complaint was forwarded to the Archbishop of York for a decision (the Archbishop of Canterbury was not available)

1564 Bill of Complaint continues in Chancery. 1564(?). Order in Chancery instructing The Queen’s College in Oxford to maintain the Priory Church in a condition whereby services could be held on a regular basis and that they must ensure that there is a qualified cleric available to hold those services. Much structural repair and material improvements made.

1567 6th June. Bill of Complaint goes to the Exchequer. 1567. 24th Nov. The Defendants (Queen’s College) are ordered to appear in Court – 8ve Hilary next.

1581 (approx). Four bells installed in tower (one cast in 1579, another in 1581 and the other two were removed in 1851 and, being cracked, were melted down and recast – one of these has the effigy of two monkeys cast into the bell supports, each monkey is about 5 inches high and they have their hands over their ears). The heaviest bell weighs about 8cwt (400 Kg).

1692 17 Dec. Peter Dalton, rector of Bramley, spent £32 on repairs at the Priory, with a further £3 still to be spent; these repairs were expected to last for the next 30 to 40 years.

1843-1852 Major repair work carried out by The Queen’s College, including re-roofing and the installation of stained glass throughout; some of the work was initiated by Sir Gilbert Scott.

1936 Further repair work was carried out by The College and most of the stained glass was removed, but not that in the four ‘bell’ windows located high up in the chancel. At the present time The Priory Church remains in the possession of The Queen’s College in Oxford and they are still bound by the Order in Chancery dated

1564 Two services are held here most months’ plus some additional services around Christmas and Easter, and is used by the adjacent Priory School for some of their special services.

Acknowledgements:

Moira Grant in Hampshire Studies Vol. 55, etc.

The Queen’s College Archive.

Hampshire County Records.