ALIEN HOUSES
111. THE PRIORY OF COVENHAM
The manor which formed the endowment of
the priory of Covenham was granted in 1082
by William the Conqueror to the abbot and
convent of St. Carileph, Le Mans, at the request
of the bishop of Durham, (fn. 1) who had formerly
been a monk of that abbey. A small Benedictine priory was built here soon after, but it
is probable that there were never more than two
monks, or perhaps only one to take charge of
the estate. The advowson remained with the
bishops of Durham. (fn. 2)
In 1303 the cell had become so far unprofitable to the abbey of St. Carileph that licence
was sought from the king to sell it to the abbot
and convent of Kirkstead. (fn. 3) It was then in
possession of the original manor of two carucates
in Covenham, Grainthorpe, Skidbrook, and Little
Grimsby, with the advowson of the church of
Covenham, and was charged with a corrody due
to Robert Merle of Swinthorpe. (fn. 4)
Priors of Covenham
William, (fn. 5) presented 1238
Matthew, (fn. 6) presented 1261
Footnotes
| 1 |
Pat. 31 Edw. I, m. 17. |
| 2 |
Dugdale, Mon. vi, 993, from Inq. a.q.d. The
Lindsey Survey, c. 1115, states that the monks held
3 carucates of land in Covenham and 1 in Ludney. |
| 3 |
Ibid. and Pat. 31 Edw. I, m. 18. |
| 4 |
Ibid. |
| 5 |
Linc. Epis. Reg. Rolls of Grosteste. |
| 6 |
Ibid. Rolls of Gravesend. |