38. THE COLLEGE OF STRATFORD-ON-AVON
On 8 October, 1331, John Stratford, then
bishop of Winchester, founded a chantry in the
chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr in the south
aisle of the parish church of Stratford-on-Avon,
which he had recently rebuilt. (fn. 1)
For the maintenance of this chantry of five
priests in the town of his birth, the bishop settled
a messuage in Stratford-on-Avon, together with
the manor of Ingon in that parish. They were
to celebrate daily at the altar of St. Thomas for
the good estate of the founder and of his brother
Robert, afterwards bishop of Chichester, and for
the souls of Robert and Isabel, their parents.
They were also to pray for the good estate of
Edward III and for the bishop of Worcester for the
time being, and also for the souls of all the kings
of England and bishops of Worcester deceased.
Of these five priests, two were to be perpetual or
beneficed; and one of the two was to be termed
the warden, and govern the rest; the second was
to be the sub-warden, but the remainder were to
be merely chaplains, removable at the warden's
will. The founder ere long increased the endowment in 1334, by giving 69s. of rents in Stratford. (fn. 2) After his advancement to the archbishopric of Canterbury, he purchased the
advowson of the parish church of the Holy
Trinity in 1337, from Simon Montacute, bishop
of Worcester. The rectory of Stratford, valued
in 1291 at 35 marks, had been in the patronage
of the diocesan from its earliest foundation. The
archbishop united the advowson to his chantry of
St. Thomas. (fn. 3) Three years later he obtained a
charter from Edward III, conferring privileges
and immunities on these chantry priests and
their successors; and later in the same reign he
materially increased their endowment by further
grants of lands in Stratford and Ingon. (fn. 4)
In June 1345 Clement VI granted confirmation of the foundation of this chantry to Archbishop Stratford with the statutes and ordinances
as successively modified, together with the endowments of Adam, bishop of Winchester (translated from Worcester), and of Simon, bishop of
Worcester. (fn. 5)
An excellent house of squared stone, for the
habitation of these priests, adjoining the churchyard, was built by Ralph Stratford, bishop of
London (1340-55), the near relative of the
founder. He began the work in 1353, employing ten carpenters and ten masons together with
their respective labourers. (fn. 6) From that date the
clergy led a collegiate life in their new house or
college, having separate chambers, but a common hall.
On 16 June, 1340, John Geraud, who had
been rector of Stratford since 1334, was presented
to the reconstructed wardenship, which now included the charge of the whole church. From
that date the collation to the wardenship rested
with the diocesan. Early in the days of Bishop
Brian (1352-62) Warden Geraud resigned in
order to visit Rome, but passage being refused by
the king, he was reappointed; finally, however, he
resigned in 1354. Previous wardens had been instituted or collated as wardens of the chantry of
Stratford. But on the death of Warden Stoley in
1423, his successor Richard Praty was appointed
under the more appropriate title of warden or dean
of the collegiate church of Stratford. Warden
Henry Seber, B.D., who retired in February, 1466,
was granted the large retiring pension of £24 by
the bishop. Dr. Balsall, his successor, rebuilt the
quire of the collegiate church at his own cost. He
was followed by Dr. Ralph Collingwood, afterwards dean of Lichfield. Dr. Collingwood, with
the consent of Bishop Silvester de Gigliis (14981511), established a foundation of four boys choristers in connexion with the collegiate church,
who were to live in the college and wait at table.
Warden Collingwood by his will dated 10 November, 1521, left £6 to the college. (fn. 7) He
was succeeded in the wardenship by Dr. John
Bell.
On 19 August, 1534, John Bell, warden,
William Crace, sub-warden, Robert Midleton,
precentor, Humphrey Sadler, curate, and Richard
Borrow, and Thomas Reddell, vicars, signed their
acceptance of the royal supremacy. (fn. 8)
The Valor of 1535, when John Bell, LL.D.
was warden, gave the clear annual value of the
college as £123 11s. 9d. Dr. Bell drew the
large sum of £55 as warden; William Crace,
sub-warden, £6 13s. 4d.; Humphrey Sadler and
Robert Midleton, as the two curates (capellani
curati ecclesie parochialis) the like sum each; and
Richard Borowes and John Elys, chaplains, £6
each. (fn. 9)
In 1546 on the eve of the suppression of the
college, another survey was taken, when Anthony
Barker was warden. The annual value was then
returned as £127 18s. 9d. The warden's stipend
was £68 5s. 1d.; but out of that Barker had to
pay Dr. Bell, who had been consecrated bishop
of Worcester on 17 August, 1539, £22 a year
as a resigning pension. (fn. 10)
The commissioners reported that:—
The seyd College was Founded by one John
Strattforde somtyme Archebysshoppe of Canterburye,
For one Warden Fyve prests and 4 querysters to maynteyne Dyvyne servyce within the parisshe churche of
Strattforde whyche be there nowe Reysdent, And the
seyde Warden ys parson of the same churche as in the
ryght of the seyd college and the same parisshe ys 10
myles compasse, And he hathe the cure of M.D.
(1500) Houselyng people within the same parisshe so
that withowte the helpe of the seyd prestes he ys not
able to serve the seyd Cure.
Also there ys belongyng to the same Collegiate
Churche 2 chapelles, the one caulyd Bysshopston, and
the other Luddyngton, being members of the seyd
parisshe, and eche of them Dystaunt from the seyd
churche 2 myles and the preste of the same chapell of
Bysshopston hathe the mynute tythes of the village of
Bysshopston for servyng the cure there, Whiche ys not
comprised above in the Revennewe of the seyd college,
nor yet within the Deduccions of the same; And the
other Curate of Luddyngton, ys payde by the Warden
as apperythe above in the Deduccions of the same
college.
The site of the college was granted in 1550 to
John, earl of Warwick. (fn. 11)
Wardens of Stratford (fn. 12)
John de Offchurch, 1331
John de Suthwaltham, 1336
John Geraud, 1340-54
Hugh de Ferrariis, 1354
William Boys, 1368
William Owty,
William Hulle, 1379
Robert Mile, 1384
Simon Stoley, 1414
Deans
Richard Praty, 1423
Henry Seber, 1436
Thomas Balsall, 1485
Ralph Collingwood, 1491
John Bell, 1518
Anthony Barker, 1536
Two seals ad causas in the British Museum
are attributed to this college. The first is a
pointed oval: the Trinity, in a canopied niche
with tabernacle work at the sides. In base, a
shield of arms: on a fesse three crosslets.
Legend:—
SIGILLŪ CŌE COLEGII DE STRATFORD AD CĀS (fn. 13)
Beaded borders.
The other shows the Trinity, in a canopied
niche with tabernacle work at the sides. Legend:—
SIGILLŪ AD CAUSAS GLORIA TIBI TRINITAS (fn. 14)