46. THE PRIORY OF CLATFORD OR HULLAVINGTON
Late in the 11th or early in the 12th century
Ralph de Mortimer gave the churches of Hullavington and Surrendell to the Benedictine Abbey
of St. Victor in Caux (Rouen dioc.). The gift was
confirmed by Hugh, Ralph's son, who at the same
time himself gave the manors of Clatford and
Hullavington to the abbey. (fn. 1) By 1261 these estates
had apparently been placed under the superintendence of a prior, (fn. 2) who presumably also managed
the abbey manor of Stratfield Mortimer (Berks.).
He was known indiscriminately as of Clatford or
Hullavington, but after the middle of the 14th
century usually bore the name of the former rather
than that of the latter village.
It is hard to say whether any real form of conventual life was practised at either place. In 1325
there were found to be two beds in the prior's
chamber at Hullavington. (fn. 3) In 1348 a monk of
Clatford was licensed to pass beyond the seas with
a yeoman, a horse, and money for his expenses on
business touching himself and his prior, provided
that he made no apport to the parent abbey. (fn. 4)
There were thus by this time at least two religious
at Clatford. The last prior known by name, and
probably the last absolutely, appears to have died
about 1390. Whereas in 1297 and 1343 the
Prior of Hullavington presented to the vicarage of
Hullavington on behalf of the Abbot of St. Victor,
in 1364 and 1379 he appears to have presented on
his own behalf. On the several occasions before
1444 on which the presentation was in the hands
of the Crown, because of the French wars, the
king presented on behalf of the abbot. (fn. 5) The
inference therefore is that from the mid-14th
century at least the Crown and the bishops of
Salisbury looked upon the priory as a genuine
ecclesiastical community.
Before 1443 there seems to have been a chapel
at Clatford. (fn. 6) There is a building at Hullavington,
reputed to be monastic, the restored part of which
is known as Bradfield Manor Farm; and a farm
at Clatford may be presumed to incorporate remains of a monastic building.
During the French wars the custody of the
lands of St. Victor in England was granted to
keepers. Normally the priors of Clatford received
the custody, on the usual understanding that intercourse with the Continent was prohibited. The
rent normally ranged from £26 13s. 4d. to £48.
The first recorded keeper (the prior) was appointed in 1324, (fn. 7) the last in 1439. (fn. 8) On 25 March
1441 the priory was constituted a part of the
endowment of Eton College, where several documents relating to it still survive.
Priors of Clatford
Michael de la Lunde, occurs 1294. (fn. 9)
Matthew, occurs 1297. (fn. 10)
Thomas, occurs 1308. (fn. 11)
Thomas de Valle, occurs 1321. (fn. 12)
Michael Clarel, occurs 1342, (fn. 13) died 1357. (fn. 14)
Nicholas Lalouier, la Louier, Lalouyer, Laloyer, Loloyer, Lalomer, appointed 1357, (fn. 14) occurs 1384. (fn. 15)