80. THE AUSTIN FRIARS OF STAMFORD
According to Leland (fn. 1) one Fleminge, a very
rich man of Stamford, founded the Austin Friary
here. The first founder appears to have been
Robert de Wodehouse, archdeacon of Richmond,
who in 1341 and 1342 obtained leave of the
king and the pope to found and build a house for
twelve Austin Friars in the west suburb of the
town near St. Peter's Gate, on land formerly
occupied by the friars of the Sack. (fn. 2) In 1343
the bishop of Lincoln gave his consent. (fn. 3) Robert
de Wodehouse was buried in the choir of the
church under a marble slab, probably in January,
1344-5, and left to the friars all his goods
within their enclosure, besides leaving £20 of
silver for funeral expenses. (fn. 4) The prior and
convent of the order of Semprihgham in 1372
granted these friars ten acres adjacent to their
dwelling. The land, which was held of Edmund
of Langley, lay between the wall of the friars
and 'le grene Dyke,' and was worth 6s. 8d.
a year. (fn. 5) Among the brethren of this house were
Thomas Winterton, D.D., of Oxford, provincial
prior, 1382: William Egmond or William of
Stamford, suffragan to the bishop of Lincoln,
c. 1390. (fn. 6)
The house was surrendered 6 October, 1538,
to Dr. John London by Richard Warnar, prior,
and five brethren. (fn. 7) Dr. London sold all the
glass, else it would have been stolen, for the
house stood outside the town. (fn. 8) The church
was well leaded. (fn. 9) In 1548 Austin Friars was
granted to Edward Lord Clinton: it consisted
of the site of the friary with the house, about
two acres; a close of five acres in the tenure of
William Wilton; one acre adjoining the close
in the tenure of Thomas Gedney; total annual
value 37s. 8d. In 1598 it was in the possession
of William Cecil Baron Burghley. (fn. 10)
81. THE BLACK FRIARS OF STAMFORD
No records of any grants of land to the
Black Friars at Stamford seem to have been
preserved. The first mention of them occurs
in the will of William de Paveli, who, 1 November, 1241, left them 2s. (fn. 11) They must have
been here already for some years, for in February,
1243-4 Henry III gave them ten oaks for their
refectory, and in July of that year fifteen marks
for making a conduit; (fn. 12) the spring for the supply
being in Northamptonshire the pipes must have
crossed the River Welland. Henry III frequently made them grants of fuel or timber. (fn. 13)
In August, 1247, he ordered the sheriff of
Lincoln to supply them with three days' food
for their provincial chapter at Stamford, and
gave them two casks of wine. (fn. 14) For a provincial
chapter held here October, 1261, the bailiff of
Stamford was ordered to supply food for one
day. (fn. 15) The chapter was also held here in 1276,
when Edward I gave ten marks for necessaries
on the first day. (fn. 16) He also gave them, 1293,
three oaks for making their stalls. (fn. 17) From the
executors of Queen Eleanor they received 100s.
in 1291 and 34s. 2d. in addition, probably in
connexion with her funeral rites. (fn. 18) When
Edward I passed through Stamford in 1299 and
1300 he gave them alms: on one occasion 28s.
for two days' food, on another 70s. for five days'
food, and again 13s. 4d. for one day's food. (fn. 19)
The friars numbered about forty or forty-two at
this time. When the court was at Stamford
the Crosses of St. Neot and the Holy Thorn were
kept in the Black Friars' church, and attracted
worshippers and oblations. (fn. 20)
Among those buried in the church were
Thomas son of William de Fortibus, earl of
Albemarle, soon after 1260, (fn. 21) and Emma wife of
Geoffrey de St. Medard, 1278. (fn. 22) The church
was rebuilt before 1310, when licence to dedicate
the new church was given by Bishop Dalderby, (fn. 23)
who also admitted friars of this house to hear
confessions. (fn. 24) Edward II lodged in this friary in
August, 1309, (fn. 25) and gave 12s. 8d. to thirty-eight
brethren here I December, 1314; (fn. 26) and Queen
Isabella, in 1315, made an offering of a cloth of
gold at the high altar. (fn. 27) The provincial chapter
again met here 8 September, 1320; the king
gave £15 towards the expenses for three days. (fn. 28)
In 1324 Edward II was again at Stamford, and
gave a pittance to thirty-eight friars preachers,
who presented him with sixty pears. (fn. 29) Edward III
spent Easter, 1332, in this friary, and on 14 May
paid fifty marks to the friars for damages done by
the royal household. (fn. 30) In 1335 Edward III was
again entertained here, and on several occasions
gave the friars pittances; there were thirty-eight
friars in March, 1335-6, thirty-four in June,
1337. (fn. 31) In 1340 the king gave £15 towards
the expenses of the provincial chapter here, (fn. 32) and
the like sum in 1370; on the latter occasion the
grant was not paid till March, 1373-4. (fn. 33)
Bishop Gynwell, 21 January, 1352-3, licensed
Friar Roger de St. Liz, D.D., of this house, to
hear confessions within the convent and grant
absolution in episcopal cases. (fn. 34)
In 1373 the prior was troubled with suits
brought against him for contracts into which his
friars had entered without his knowledge, and for
loans which had never gone to the use of his
house. He obtained a royal writ, 30 October, to
the bailiffs of the town commanding them to
desist from such suits except when the contracts
or money had been for his use or the use of his
house. (fn. 35)
Friar Henry of Aldwinkle, of the convent of
Stamford, was imprisoned for a carnal sin, escaped,
and appealed to Rome without the permission of
his superiors. The master-general imposed a
penance on him, and assigned him as student of
theology to the convent of Cologne. In February, 1395-6, the master ratified Friar Henry's
right of succession to the chamber in the Stamford priory which Friar Richard then held. Two
years later he restored him to all the graces of the
order, and forbade the English friars ever to
allude to his offence. (fn. 36) In 1399 this friar was
appointed by the master chaplain and confessor
'in the monastery of St. Mary in the isle of
Rowlandswerde of the nuns.' (fn. 37) The convent of
Stamford was in the visitation of Cambridge. (fn. 38)
In 1416 Henry Wolsey and Nicholas Grene,
'websters,' of Stamford, were charged with assaulting and beating Friars John Leverington
and William Spenser of this order. (fn. 39)
The Despensers had a chapel in this church.
Sir Hugh le Despenser, kt., directed in his will,
1400, that this chapel, 'where my uncle lies, be
made longer and a marble stone placed there for
my father and mother and another for my wife
and myself.' (fn. 40)
Among benefactors of the house, were Sir
Thomas Chaworth, kt., 1347; Sir Anketill
Mallore, kt., 1390, who was buried before the
altar of the Virgin on the north side; Sir W. de
Thorpe, 1391; Robert Fcreby, 1392; Robert
Flower of Oakham, 1424; Elizabeth, widow of
Richard Grey of Codnore, 1444; Agnes, widow
of John Brown, esq., of Stamford, 1470;
Sir Thomas Fisher, vicar of Gilden Morden,
1518; Sir William Fitzwilliam the elder of
Milton, Northamptonshire, kt., 1534. (fn. 41)
A sermon in Stamford. Church, 22 August,
1535, in favour of justification by faith produced
fierce replies from some Dominicans. (fn. 42)
The house was surrendered to Dr. London
7 October, 1538, by William Stafforde, S.T.B.
prior, and eight brethren. (fn. 43) Dr. London sold the
glass in the church and the brewing vessels, and
sent the plate to London. The church was well
leaded. (fn. 44) The site, containing 10 acres, with the
conduit, was valued at 40s. a year; a close or
meadow with garden and pools was let to
Geoffrey Villers for 20s.; 2 acres of waste land
were held by David Vincent at 16d.; total
annual value, 61s. 4d. David Vincent, 25 March,
1539, became tenant of the whole, but never
actually paid rent, and being a page of the bedchamber, had all given to him and Robert Butcher,
with other monastic lands, in recompense for his
faithful services, 25 January, 1541-2. (fn. 45)
The house stood in the south-east suburb near
the water-gate, and the grounds extended to the
river. Some remains are shown in Speed's plan
of Stamford. The proprietor in 1727 was
Savil Cust, esq. Nothing was left of the house
at that time. (fn. 46)
The seal, pointed oval, shows the Virgin halflength with Child on the left, and a saint, perhaps
St. Dominic, half-length on the right; over them
a head; underneath a friar kneeling. (fn. 47)
82. THE GREY FRIARS OF STAMFORD
The Friars Minors must have been settled in
Stamford before 1230, for Henry III made them
a grant of fuel 13 January, 1229-30. (fn. 48) In 1235
the king supplied them with timber to make
stalls. (fn. 49) A provincial chapter was held here in
September, 1239; Henry III ordered the sheriff
of Lincoln to give the friars 100s. for one day's
expenses. (fn. 50) At a chapter held here a few years
later, probably in 1247 or 1249, the Franciscans
formally welcomed the Austin Friars to England. (fn. 51)
In 1244 the king gave them 100s, for their
church from the revenues of the bishopric of
Chester (Lichfield). (fn. 52) They also received several
grants of fuel of the royal alms. (fn. 53) The sixth provincial minister was John of Stamford. (fn. 54)
In or about 1293 a provincial chapter was
held here, (fn. 55) and another in 1300; in support of
the latter Edward I gave £10. (fn. 56)
When passing through Stamford several times in
1299 and 1300 the king gave alms to these friars,
from which it appears that the number of inmates
of the friary varied between 39 and 46. (fn. 57)
The convent was in the custody of Oxford,
and the special studium for the friaries of the
custody was at Stamford in 1337. It is possible
that this was a temporary arrangement, connected
with the attempt to establish a university here. (fn. 58)
In 1365 the friars sought to acquire 7 acres of
land contiguous to their dwelling-place from
Sir Thomas le Despenser, kt., and Master Henry
le Despenser, but the townsfolk claimed right of
common on this land, and opposed the grant. (fn. 59)
The house stood in the east suburb near
St. Paul's gate; the boundary walls were still
standing in Peck's time, 'whereby it appears that
the church, monastery, and gardens took in a
great compass of ground.' (fn. 60) 'Out of the ruins,'
the Stamford antiquary continues, 'have been
frequently dug many fine pieces of carving in the
memory of several persons yet alive. And in the
outgoing wall down from St. Paul's to St. George's
gate is yet to be seen part of a figure of a woman
with dishevelled hair,' (fn. 61) which was dug up here.
Thomas Holland, earl of Kent, who died
28 December, 1360, was buried in a chapel adjoining the Grey Friars church of Stamford; (fn. 62)
and in January, 1385-6, his wife Joan, the fair
maid of Kent, who after his death married the
Black Prince and became the mother of Richard II,
was buried here (fn. 63) near her first husband 'in a
sumptuous chapel recently built next the choir.' (fn. 64)
The king kept the chapel in repair. (fn. 65)
Blanche, daughter of Henry, earl of Lancaster,
and widow of Thomas, Lord Wake of Lydell,
desired, 1380, to be buried in this church 'between
my cousine of Tatteshale et le degreez.' (fn. 66) Her
confessor, Friar William Folville, D.D., of Cambridge, was buried here in 1384. (fn. 67) Robert Fereby
was buried in the church in 1392, and left
40s. to the convent. (fn. 68) Sir Robert Holland, kt.
(1372), Sir William Thorpe, kt. (1391),
John de la Warre, kt. (1397), were among the
benefactors of the house. (fn. 69)
Among the Franciscans implicated in treasonable practices against Henry IV was Friar John
Leycestre of the convent of Stamford, 1402. (fn. 70)
William Russell, a Grey Friar, maintained in a
sermon at Stamford in 1424 that a religious
might lie with a woman without sin. (fn. 71)
In May, 1520, Henry VIII granted £10 to
the Friars Minors for their provincial chapter to
be held at Stamford. (fn. 72)
Some of the Observant Friars, Francis Lybert,
Abraham, Hugh Norrysse, were sent to the friary
at Stamford and treated as prisoners after the
suppression of the Observant houses. (fn. 73)
The friary was surrendered to Dr. London
8 October, 1538, by John Schewyn, the warden,
and nine other friars. (fn. 74) The visitor dispatched
the friars all well contented, and made what he
could of the movables. He left the friars their
brewing vessels, and could get only 8s. for all the
kitchen stuff; he sold the church ornaments and
glass. The church was well leaded. At the
Grey Friars, however, was left as yet unsold 'a
goodly image of copper and gilt, and the bed laid
upon marble, made for Dame Blanche duchess
of Lancaster. It is very weighty; I reserved it
to know if the King's grace would occupy it.' (fn. 75)
A few days after the surrender Dr. London, by
Cromwell's order, gave the custody of the house
to Mr. Vincent, but within three hours the Duke
of Suffolk wrote that he trusted to have that
house. Dr. London thought that the town would
be helped by the duke lying there. (fn. 76) The friary
was granted to the duke in 1541. The site and
grounds comprised 11 acres, besides the orchard;
and the whole, including kiln-house, maltingchamber, two leaden cisterns with conduit, was
valued at 41s. a year. The principal buildings
had already been levelled with the ground. (fn. 77)
The seal represents the Assumption of the
Virgin, in a vesica-shaped frame, upheld by angels
over an embattled tower. (fn. 78) R. de Falle was
warden here about 1253, (fn. 79) Baldwin Gubaud
warden 1276, (fn. 80) and John de Codington 1300. (fn. 81)
83. THE WHITE FRIARS OF STAMFORD
The White Friars settled here in the east
suburb shortly before 1268, when Henry III
granted them six oaks for the fabric of their
church. (fn. 82) The house claimed to be a royal
foundation; one of the gates bore the royal
arms, and the English kings and princes are said
to have lodged in the friary in their journeyings
to and from the north. (fn. 83) The establishment of
the friary was perhaps due to Henry de Hanna,
the second provincial prior, 1254-71. (fn. 84) He is
said to have been prior of Stamford, and was
buried in the choir of the White Friars here in
1299. (fn. 85) His successor, William Ludlington,
S.T.P. of Oxford, and friar of Stamford, was
elected provincial prior in 1300 at the provincial
chapter held here (to the expenses of which
Edward I gave £10), and was likewise buried at
Stamford. (fn. 86)
In 1319 again a chapter was held here at which
Richard Blyton was elected provincial. (fn. 87) It would
seem that the convent was of special importance
in the province at this period. The royal alms
granted to these friars between 1298 and 1314
show that there were from twenty to twenty-six
brethren in the house. (fn. 88)
The White Friars obtained three messuages in
Stamford in 1285 from Master Henry Sampson,
Peter son of Robert le Clerk of Berham, and
Reginald le Chapeleyn; and small pieces of land
from Roger de Rowell and William de Cornestall. (fn. 89) In November, 1317, they had licence
from the king to acquire in mortmain eleven
plots of land to the north of their dwelling-place
and measuring 400 ft. by 230 ft. Eight of these
plots had already been granted, and were now
confirmed by royal authority, (fn. 90) namely, a croft or
piece of ground given by Walter Flemynge son
of Andrew of Stamford; a plot of land given by
William son of Andrew of Cornestall; 18d. of
rent in Stamford from Robert de Stokes, merchant; a plot of land in Stamford from Roger de
Rowell; houses in the parish of Holy Trinity
without the east gate between the houses of
William de la Chekere and Walter Be, weaver,
granted by Peter son of Robert le Clerk of Berham; houses in the east suburb bought from
William de la Chekere by Adam de Sancto Laudo
and given by him to the friars; a tenement in
the parish of Holy Trinity lying between the
tenements of William son of Andrew of Cornestall and Simon the apothecary, granted by
Master Henry Sampson, rector of the church of
Eston by Stamford; and lastly a remise by
'Table de Repynghale' to all claim in a plot of
land lying without the east gate of Cornestall,
between the area of the friars and a lane stretching from the street of Cornestall to the east gate
of Stamford. These grants were confirmed by
Edward III in 1333, (fn. 91) and in 1336 the friars had
licence to acquire the three remaining plots,
measuring 60 ft. in length and 230 ft. in breadth,
from Clement de Haconby, Richard le Melemongere, and Master Robert de Berudon. (fn. 92) In
1350 they obtained a toft and three gardens
from William dc Shilvington. (fn. 93)
There seems to be very little evidence now
extant to support the tradition that the educational
eminence of Stamford in the early part of the
fourteenth century was mainly owing to the
Carmelites. (fn. 94) John Burley, D.D., of Oxford,
was an inmate of this house, where he is said to
have died 1332. (fn. 95) Walter Heston, D.D., of
Cambridge, is said to have succeeded Ludlington
as prior at Stamford and to have lectured in the
Carmelite schools here. (fn. 96) A house standing east
of the parsonage house in St. George's parish,
pulled down by the Earl of Exeter about 1720,
was known in the sixteenth century as the White
Friars School; (fn. 97) it was within the walls of the
town and at some distance from the friary.
The friary is said to have been a magnificent
structure, famous for its beautiful church and
steeple; and the grounds appear to have been
nearly a mile in circumference. (fn. 98)
In 1348 many brave knights, according to
Bale, entered the order, among them Geoffrey
Suthorpe at Stamford. (fn. 99) John de Repingale, S.T.P.,
confessor to John Gynwell, bishop of Lincoln,
and author of many sermons, was a friar here
1359. (fn. 100) Ralph of Spalding, D.D. of Cambridge,
and a supporter of Wyclif, lived here about 1390
and was buried at Stamford. (fn. 101) The council of
Stamford in 1392 met at the White Friars. (fn. 102)
The Carmelites held a provincial chapter here in
1444, when Nicholas Kenton was elected provincial. (fn. 103)
Dr. John London, 8 October, 1538, received
the surrender of the house, the deed being signed
by John Kyrtun the prior and six brethren. (fn. 104) The
church was well leaded. (fn. 105) Richard Cecil seems
to have promptly taken possession of the house
and site, and there was some talk of the king
having the Grey and White Friars for his lodging, 'which be scant meet to lodge his dogs.'
Cecil obtained a lease of the site in 1542 for a
rent of 50s. (fn. 106) It was granted to Lord Clinton in
1552. (fn. 107)
The seal of the friary was pointed oval, representing a saint full-length, in a canopied niche
with tabernacle work at the sides; a palm branch
in the right hand. (fn. 108)
84. THE FRIARS OF THE SACK OF STAMFORD
The house of the Friars of the Sack, or Friars
of the Penance of Jesus Christ, must have been
founded here before 1274, when the council of
Lyons decreed the suppression of the order.
Edward I gave a pittance for four friars of this
house in 1300. (fn. 109) The ground which they had
occupied was in 1342 conferred on the Austin
Friars. (fn. 110)