10. THE PRIORY OF REDLINGFIELD
The foundation charter of this priory of
Benedictine nuns, dated 1120, shows that it
was founded by Manasses count of Guisnes and
Emma his wife, who was the daughter and
heiress of William de Arras, lord of Redlingfield.
It was endowed with the manor of Redlingfield
and all its members and all such customs as
William de Arras held. (fn. 1)
The assignment of the parish church of Redlingfield to the priory is an exceptionally early
instance of appropriation. In the official list of
appropriated churches of this diocese drawn up
in 1416, it was stated that the nuns of Redlingfield had held this church to their own use
(in proprios usus) from the year 1120. (fn. 2)
Redlingfield is one of the very few religious
houses omitted from the taxation roll of 1291;
it was probably exempted on the ground of
exceptional poverty. In 1343, it was stated
that the prioress held part of the tithes of corn,
wool, and lambs of Redlingfield worth two
marks a year, and also forty acres of land
worth 14s. 4d. (fn. 3)
The prioress and convent obtained licence, in
1344, to acquire land or rents to the annual
value of £10 under the privy seal. (fn. 4) It was
not, however, until 1381 that grants were
obtained covered by this licence; in that year
Sir William de Kerdiston assigned to the priory
a third part of the manors of Hickling and
Rishangles, of the yearly value of £7 13s. 4d.,
in full satisfaction of the licence of 1344. (fn. 5) A
further licence to this priory, described as of the
patronage of Queen Anne, was granted in 1383
to obtain property to the value of £20 a year, (fn. 6)
and other small grants were subsequently made. (fn. 7)
The Valor of 1535 shows that the clear
annual value of this priory was at that time
£81 2s. 5½d. The temporalities in Suffolk and
Norfolk, chiefly from lands and rents at Redlingfield, Rishangles, and Thorndon, amounted to
£68 10s. 11d. The spiritualities consisted of
portions of the churches of Redlingfield, Walpole, Melton, and Levington, amounting to
£12 11s. 6d. The daily dole of pence, bread,
beef, and herrings, according to ancient use, and
certain alms to aged poor at Easter and Lent
cost the nuns £9. (fn. 8)
The foundation charter states that the house
was dedicated to God and St. Andrew, but the
Valor of 1535 gives the joint invocation of the
Blessed Virgin and St. Andrew. In 1418 the
Bishop of Norwich transferred the feast of the
conventual and parish church of Redlingfield
from 24 December to 24 September. (fn. 9) The
cause assigned for this change was that there
ought to be an abstinence from work on the day
of the dedication feast, but that immediately
before Christmas there were so many worldly
occupations and social duties pressing on both
the nuns and the parishioners that the day could
not be duly observed. The reason given by the
bishop for selecting 24 September was that on
that date the feast of the dedication of Norwich
Cathedral was observed.
More than one scandal came to light in
connexion with the episcopal visitations of this
nunnery; but it is satisfactory to find that
the house had recovered its good tone when
the last of the series was held. The sad
irregularities disclosed in 1427 supply another
proof of the evil result of the rule of an unprincipled superior; the result shows the genuine
character of such investigation. An inquiry
was held on 9 September, 1427, in this convent
by Dr. Ringstede, dean of the collegiate church
of St. Mary-in-the-Fields, Norwich, as commissary of the bishop, concerning alleged excesses
and dilapidations. Isabel Hermyte (prioress),
Alice Lampit (sub-prioress), five professed sisters,
and two novices, assembled in the chapter-house,
when the deputy visitor read his commission first
in Latin, and then in the vulgar tongue, in order
that it might be the better understood by the
nuns. The prioress confessed that on 25 January,
1425, she had promised on oath to observe all
the injunctions then made; she admitted that
since that date she had never been to confession,
nor had she observed Sundays or double principal
feasts as ordained. The prioress further admitted
for herself and for Joan Tates, a novice, that
they had not slept in the dormitory with the
other nuns, but in a private chamber contrary to
injunctions; that there ought to be thirteen
nuns, but there were only nine; that there
ought to be three chaplains, but there was only
one; that she had laid violent hands on Agnes
Brakle on St. Luke's Day; that she had been
alone with Thomas Langelond, bailiff, in private
and suspicious places, such as a small hall with
windows closed, and sub heggerowes; that no
annual account had been rendered; that obits had
been neglected ; that goods had been alienated,
and trees cut down and sold without knowledge
or consent of the convent; and that she was
not religious or honest in conversation. On
Joan Tates being questioned as to incontinence,
she said that it was provoked by the bad example
of the prioress.
The inquiry was adjourned to 11 September,
when the prioress, to avoid great scandal, made
her resignation in a written document witnessed
by all the nuns. The commissary's secretary
set down the details of this solemn scene, with
curious particularity, describing even the difference
in dress between the professed sisters and the
novices. Dr. Ringstede considered that all the
religious were to blame, and ordered the whole
convent to fast on bread and beer on Fridays.
Joan Tates having confessed to incontinence,
was to go in front of the solemn procession of
the convent next Sunday, wearing no veil and
clad in white flannel. The full form of resignation and confession of the prioress was entered
in the diocesan register, and she was sent in
banishment to the priory of Wykes. (fn. 10)
Bishop Nykke personally visited Redlingfield
on 7 August, 1514, when certain minor irregularities were brought to light. The prioress
complained of the disobedience of some of the
sisters. Several of the nuns complained that
the sub-prioress was cruel and too severe in
discipline, even to the often drawing of blood.
It was objected by others that no statement of
accounts had been rendered for some years;
that there were no curtains between the beds in
the dormitory; that boys slept in the dormitory;
that they had no proper infirmary; and that the
refectory was unused for meals, being put to
other purposes. The visitor ordered the prioress
to exhibit an inventory of the valuables, of the
cattle, and of all movables before the feast of
All Saints, and a statement of accounts at
Michaelmas, 1515. The refectory and infirmary
were to be put to their proper uses, and a
warden of the infirmary appointed. The subprioress was to correct and punish with discretion
and not cruelly. Curtains were to be provided
between the beds, and boys were not to sleep in
the dormitory. (fn. 11)
The suffragan Bishop of Chalcedon and Dr.
Cappe visited this priory, as commissaries of
Bishop Nykke, in August, 1520. Margery
Cokrose, the prioress, and nine other nuns were
all examined, with the result that not a single
complaint nor any remissness was brought to
light; a full inventory of all the goods was
exhibited, and the annual account would be
presented at Michaelmas. (fn. 12) There was an
equally satisfactory visitation in July, 1526,
when there was nothing to redress; the visitation
was attended by Grace Sansome (alias Sampson),
prioress, and by five professed sisters and three
novices. (fn. 13) The last visitation of this house,
undertaken by Bishop Nykke, with Miles Spenser
as auditor and principal official, was held on
5 July, 1532, when the same prioress and nine
other nuns testified; all returned satisfactory
answers, and the bishop could find nothing
needing reformation.
This house coming under the Suppression Act
of the smaller monasteries of 1536, the Suffolk
commissioners visited Redlingfield on 26 August
to draw up an inventory. The ornaments of
the altar were only valued at 7s. 8d. A pair of
organs and four books in the quire were estimated at 5s. The contents of the vestry 8s. 4d.,
including a silver chalice, many old altar cloths
and linen cloths, and a pair of censers and a ship
of latten. The contents of the Lady chapel
only added 8d. to the total. The hall, parlour,
chambers, &c., were but poorly furnished. The
only substantial items were the cattle £11 14s.,
and the corn £11 16s. The total of the
inventory was £130 7s. 11¼d. (fn. 14)
Grace Sampson, the prioress, on the day before
the taking of this inventory, deposed to Sir
Anthony Wingfield and the other commissioners
that the house had seven religious and twentythree servants, of whom two were priests, four
women servants, and seventeen hinds.
The priory was surrendered on 10 February,
1536-7, when each nun received the trifling sum
of 23s. 4d., the two priests 25s. each, and
thirteen other servants sums varying from 15s.
to 2s. 6d. The nuns were turned out penniless
save for their 'rewards.' The prioress obtained
no reward, but then she had been well pensioned
on the preceding 20 January at twenty marks
a year. (fn. 15)
The house and site of the dissolved monastery,
with the whole of its property, were granted on
25 March, 1537, to Sir Edmund Bedingfield
and Grace his wife. (fn. 16) Sir Edmund was a large
purchaser of the church furniture from the
inventory of 10 February. The lead and bells
were valued at £90. (fn. 17)
Prioresses of Redlingfield
Emma (probably daughter of the founder),
c. 1120 (fn. 18)
Alice Davolers, temp. Henry III (fn. 19)
Margery, 1303-14 (fn. 20)
Agnes de Stuston, 1314 (fn. 21)
Julia de Weylond, 1331 (fn. 22)
Alice Wynter de Oxford, 1349 (fn. 23)
Eleanor de Bockynge, 1394 (fn. 24)
Ellen Hakon, died 1416 (fn. 25)
Margaret Hemenhale, 1416 (fn. 26)
Elizabeth Clopton, died 1419 (fn. 27)
Isabel Hermyte, 1419 (fn. 28)
Alice Lampit, 1427 (fn. 29)
Alice Brakle, 1459 (fn. 30)
Margaret, died 1482 (fn. 31)
Alice Legatte, 1482 (fn. 32)
Margery Cokrose, 1520 (fn. 33)
Grace Sampson, 1524 (fn. 34)
There is a poor impression of the twelfth-century seal of this house attached to a charter.
It is a pointed oval, and represents the Blessed
Virgin with the Holy Child on her knees.
The only word of the legend remaining is
Radeling. (fn. 35)