122. THE PRIORY OF CAMMERINGHAM

The church of Cammeringham was granted before 1126 to the abbey of L'Essay in the diocese of Coutances, by Robert de Haya, with the advice of his wife Muriel, (fn. 1) but it seems to have been granted also, with the manor to which it was appurtenant, to the Premonstratensian abbey of Blanchelande in Normandy, early in the reign of Henry II. (fn. 2) A dispute which arose between the two abbeys in consequence was settled in favour of Blanchelande in 1192, by William bishop of Coutances. (fn. 3) It was probably about this time that a small priory was built as a cell to Blanchelande.

The advowson of the priory passed first to Alice countess of Lancaster, and from her to Hugh le Despenser in 1325. (fn. 4) Shortly afterwards it was taken into the king's hands. There was a prior who had charge of it at any rate until 1345; (fn. 5) but from 1383 onwards it was let out by the king to various farmers. One of these, a canon of Torre, was in 1383 expelled from the priory and robbed by Adam Blakadam and others; (fn. 6) on his making complaint to the king he seems to have been found unfit for his office, for he was formally removed from it in 1387, and given a pension of 10 marks a year instead. (fn. 7)

In 1396 the abbot of Blanchelande sold all his rights in the house to the abbot of Hutton in Staffordshire. (fn. 8)

The revenue of the priory lands with the church of Cammeringham was in 1380 £37 6s. 9½d.; in 1387 it was given as £37 11s. 5½d. (fn. 9)

The only prior whose name is recorded is John Lutehale, who occurs 1337 (fn. 10) and 1345. (fn. 11)

Footnotes