HOUSES OF BENEDICTINE NUNS
3. NUNNAMINSTER, OR THE ABBEY OF ST. MARY, WINCHESTER
To the north-east of St. Swithun's, and
immediately to the east of the New Minster,
stood the great abbey of St. Mary, the nuns'
minster, usually known as Nunnaminster. It
was founded jointly by Alfred and his queen
Eahlswith, about the close of the ninth century, (fn. 3) but the buildings were completed by
their son, Edward the Elder. After Alfred's
death, the queen retired to this monastery,
where she died. It would seem probable
that she should have been made abbess, but
Leland describes Edburga the daughter of
Edward, who died in 925, as the first abbess. (fn. 4)
The endowment of the monastery seems
to have been inadequate for its maintenance,
and it is said to have fallen into great poverty.
King Edred bequeathed to it Shalbourn and
Bradford in Wiltshire; (fn. 5) but notwithstanding
this addition to its revenues, Bishop Ethelwold,
possibly on account of its poverty but more
probably with a view of establishing there the
stricter form of Benedictine rule, practically
refounded it in 963, (fn. 6) and apparently re-endowed it.
By the Domesday Book we learn that the
abbess held Lyss, Froyle, Leckford Abbess,
Long Stoke, Timsbury, and Ovington in
Hampshire; Coleshill in Berkshire; and Urchfont and All Cannings in Wiltshire. We
know nothing of the history of this monastery
from this date till the middle of the twelfth
century, when during the civil war between
Maud and Stephen the city of Winchester,
together with this monastery, was burnt in
1141. (fn. 7) It was a rule that upon the election
of an abbess, the convent was. bound to find
in early times a corrody and later a pension
for a person nominated by the Crown, and
in this way it appears that Juliana de Leygrave, niece of the king's (foster) mother, Alice
de Leygrave, who suckled him in his youth,
received at the election of Maud de Pecham
in 1313 a nun's corrody for life, the value to
be received by her wherever she might be,
and a suitable chamber within the nunnery
for her residence whenever she might wish
to stay there. (fn. 8) This prerogative of the Crown
seems to have been exercised at each election
of an abbess, and writs for the payment of
such corrodies or pensions are to be found
among the public records. (fn. 9) The Crown also
seems at a later date to have claimed a right
to nominate a nun for admission to the monastery at the coronation of each sovereign, (fn. 10)
and a like privilege was exercised by each
Bishop of Winchester at his consecration. (fn. 11)
Besides the professed nuns and their household the abbey of Nunnaminster supported a
certain number of chaplains or canons who
had prebendal stalls in the abbey. (fn. 12) The
original idea of having canons attached to
these old Benedictine foundations seems to
have been to provide the nuns with suitable
chaplains, as well as with priests who could
superintend the management of their temporalities. The canons of Nunnaminster could,
however, as a rule, have been of little or no
service to the monastery, whose income they
drained. For instance, at his own request,
the pope granted Roger Holm, canon of this
monastery in 1349, the church of Elvydon,
in the diocese of Salisbury, notwithstanding
that he was also the holder of canonries in
Lincoln and London, and was expecting a
benefice from the Abbot of Ramsey. (fn. 1) Or
again, Canon Richard of Norwich of this
convent had papal sanction in 1355 to hold
a London canonry, although in addition to
the prebend from Nunnaminster he drew the
emoluments of prebends from Salisbury and
Kilkenny, and held the church of Adesham. (fn. 2)
Throughout the papacy of Clement VI.
(1342-52) pluralism was specially rampant,
and there were few worse cases than those of
the holders of prebends in the Hampshire
nunneries of Nunnaminster, Romsey and
Wherwell.
In 1317 papal sanction was obtained for
Roger de Inkepen, a wealthy and beneficent
citizen of Winchester, to found and endow
a chapel in the cemetery of Nunnaminster,
to be served by two priests, the patronage of
which was to belong to him and his heirs. (fn. 3)
This chapel was dedicated to the Holy
Trinity; one of the priests was termed the
warden and the other the chaplain; they
lived together and had a common table; they
were ordered to say daily mattins and evensong in the chapel in addition to the masses. (fn. 4)
In December, 1321, this chapel was defiled
by shedding of blood, when the bishop commissioned Peter, Bishop of Corbavia, to reconcile it. (fn. 5) We have mention also of another
chantry in the monastery founded at the altar
of St. Peter at the east end of the south quire
aisle by Robert de Wambergh, Archdeacon of
Wells, in 1328. It was endowed with lands
at Urchfont for the support of a chaplain to
pray for the souls of Emeline Longspee and
others. (fn. 6)
During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the abbey, like other similar foundations,
seems to have got into pecuniary difficulties.
In 1343 the convent attributed one of the
chief causes of their poverty to the action of
the king in taking the profits of the temporalities during a vacancy, and to assist them
they petitioned the pope for licence to appropriate the parish church of Froyle. To this
the pope assented, but ordered that it should
be done through the diocesan. (fn. 7) The preliminary arrangements for this appropriation
had been carried out by Bishop Orlton just
before his death; but on the succession of
Bishop Edingdon, that prelate, with the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, refused his sanction. Whereupon the convent
in 1346 again approached the pope, setting
forth the state of affairs, and pleading the
sterility of their lands, the destruction of their
woods, the diminution of their rents, and the
excessive number of nuns and sisters, whereby
they were unable to pay their debts, provide
for the inmates, or repair the buildings.
They further pleaded the reduction of their
temporalities through royal administration.
The pope in reply empowered the Bishop of
Hereford to carry out the appropriation. (fn. 8) In
the same year Bishop Edingdon issued an inhibition to the abbess not to receive sisters
beyond the ancient number. (fn. 9)
A few years later in 1349 the monastery
suffered on account of the Black Death. The
abbess, Maud Spine, apparently succumbed to
this plague, at all events there was a vacancy
in that year. (fn. 10) The cattle plague which followed the Black Death severely affected the
convent. This, coupled with the general reduction of their rents and the barrenness of
their lands, caused by the sparsity and dearness
of labour, were among the causes again pleaded
on behalf of Nunnaminster, in a petition to
the pope in 1352, for the appropriation of
the church of Gretford, in the diocese of
Lincoln, valued at 40 marks. The prayer
was granted, and the ordinance of the vicarage
was committed to the Bishops of Salisbury,
Worcester and Wells. (fn. 11) Notwithstanding that
the custody of the temporalities during a
vacancy was granted to the prioress and conVent at a rent to the Exchequer in I464, (fn. 12)
which, as we have seen, was a concession
much sought after by the convent, the abbess
and convent in 1468 again complained that
they were so burdened with the repair of their
houses and church, and with the payment of
tenths and other imposts that they could not
fulfil the obligations of their order as to hospitality. To assist them in their distress King
Edward IV. granted that they should have
view of frankpledge and assize of bread and
ale, with waif and stray at their towns of
Urchfont and Allcannings, in the county of
Wilts, from ail their tenants and other resients. (fn. 1) In 1476 a further grant was made, as
the previous one was not so valid as had been
hoped, that the nuns should have all sums of
money and rents due to the king from themselves or their tenants or other residents in
the same towns. (fn. 2)
On 24 January, 1370, the bishop excommunicated certain persons who had been instrumental in the abduction of one of the
nuns; (fn. 3) and in June of the same year he issued
his mandate to the abbess to re-admit a nun,
Isabel Gerway, who had apostatized, but was
then anxious to return. (fn. 4) The name of the
abducted nun is not given in the first of these
documents, and they both probably refer to
the same sister.
Some idea as to the internal rule of the
house can be obtained from the frequent visitations of the bishops of the diocese. In 1308
Bishop Woodlock commissioned Lawrence,
sub-prior of St. Swithun, and Master Stephen
de Dene, his commissary general, to visit the
nunnery; on 16 March, 1309, he issued an
elaborate series of injunctions for the better
government of the house, divided into thirteen
heads. (fn. 5) Bishop Stratford (1323-33} also held,
or caused to be held, various visitations of
his monastery, and on two occasions cited the
Abbess Maud for the correction of excesses. (fn. 6)
It is recorded that Bishop Orlton (1333-45)
personally visited Nunnaminster on 9 April,
1334, when he preached in the chapter
house from the text, ' Deo per omnia placentes.'
In 1336 he commissioned his official to visit
for the correction of excesses (the usual
phrase), and there was a further visitation in
1337. (fn. 7) Bishop Wykeham paid considerable
attention to the monastery. In 1384 he addressed a mandate to the abbess for the correction of nuns who were disobedient to their
officers, and censured the superior for lack of
discipline. (fn. 8) In September, 1396, the bishop
commissioned Nicholas Wykeham, Archdeacon of Wilts, and John Elmere, the official, to visit the abbey, (fn. 9) and on 14 June,
1403, he granted his licence to the abbess
and nuns to hear divine service in their new
Lady Chapel adjoining the quire. (fn. 10) By his
will Wykeham left to the abbess five marks,
and each of the nuns one mark.
Dr. Hede visited St. Mary's on 2 March,
1501, when Abbess Joan Legh washable to
give satisfactory evidence as to the order and
administration of her house. The common
seal was kept in a chest, the three keys of
which were in the respective possession of
the abbess, prioress and sacrist. Margaret
Fawcon, the prioress, testified that all the
sisters had their meals in the frater, save one
who was very aged. Agnes Tystede, subprioress, testified that all the convent rose
at night for mattins, save the sick and
aged. Christiane Whytyngton, infirmarer,
stated that the annual balance sheet was duly
presented in chapter. Margaret Bawdewin,
precentor, testified that omnia bene. Agnes
Trusset, the second cantor, Agnes Kyng,
the third cantor, and Agnes Massaw, the
fourth cantor, gave brieif evidence to the
same effect, and so also did Alice Tystede, scrutator, Agnes Byrcher, Margaret
Shafte, Agnes Cox, senior teacher (dogmatista), and Margaret Legh, mistress of the
novices. Elia Pitte, the librarian, was also
well satisfied with that which was in her
charge. (fn. 11)
The first commissioners appointed for visiting the Hampshire monasteries were Sir James
Worsley, John and George Poulet, and
William Berners. Their report of St. Mary's,
Winchester, was highly favourable. They
visited this nunnery on 15 May, 1536, and
examined on oath Elizabeth Shelley, the
abbess; Thomas Lee, auditor; Thomas Legh,
receiver; and Thomas Ticheborne, clerk.
They found in the convent 102 persons,
namely, 26 religious, 5 priests, 13 lay sisters,
9 women servants, 20 officials and waiting
servants, 3 corrodiers, and 26 children. Their
names are all set forth in full. Of the religious persons, all, save four, were professed,
and ' every of them entende to kepe theyr
habits and religion to what house religious
or ever they shall be comytted by the kinge's
highness, Dame Frith Welbek only excepted,
which desireth thanne to be comytted to any
oder house to have capacite.' All the professed are termed Dames. The five chaplains
were Master John Hazard, confessor, and
four others.
Among the women servants were Jane
Sherley, ' the abbas gentyllwoman,' as well as
a servant. The prioress, sub-prioress and
' sexten ' (sacrist) had each their servant in
their respective houses, and so had 'Dame
Maud Burne in her house.' The other three
were ' lavenders ' (washerwomen) to the
abbess and convent. The officials and servants
were a general receiver, clerk, ' curtyar ' (curtiler), cater, butler, cook, under-cook, baker,
convent cook, under convent cook, brewer,
miller, porter, under-porter, porter of Eastgate,
two ' churchemen,' ' Peter Tycheborne chylde
of the high aulter,' and two servants of the
receiver and clerk respectively. The corrodiers were Thomas Legh, John Lichfeld and
Richard Yeckley.
The twenty-six ' chyldren of lordys,
knyghttes and gentylmen brought up yn the
sayd monastery ' were: ' Bryget Plantagenet,
dowghter unto the lord vycounte Lysley;
Mary Pole, dowghter unto Sir Gefferey Pole
knyght; Brygget Coppeley, dowghter unto
Sir Roger Coppeley knyght; Elizabeth Phyllpot, dowghter unto Sir Peter Phyllpot knyght;
Margery Tyrell; Adryan Tyrell; Johanne
Barnabe; Amy Dyngley; Elizabeth Dyngley; Jane Dyngley; Frances Dyngley;
Susan Tycheborne; Elizabeth Tycheborne;
Mary Justyce; Agnes Alymor; Emma
Bartue; Myldred Clerke; Anne Lacy;
Isold Apulgate; Elizabeth Legh; Mary
Legh; Alienor North; Johanne Sturgys;
Johanne Fylder; Johanne Francis; Jane
Raynysford.'
The commissioners put on record that the
religious persons of this house 'have been and
are of very clene, vertuous, honest, and charitable conversation, order, and rule synce the
furst profession of thym, which is also reported
not only by the Mayors and Comynaltye of
the Citye of Winchester, butt also by the
most worshipfull and honest persons of the
Centre adjoynynge thereunto, which have
daylye made a contynuall sute unto the said
Commyssioners to be suetors unto the Kinges
highnes for tolleracon of the said monastery.'
'Item the said monastery is in a very good
state of Reparacon and standeth nigh the
middell of the Citye of a great and large
com passe envyround with many poor household es which have theyr only lyvynge of the
said monastery, and have no demaynes whereby they may make any provysion butt lyve
only by theyr handes, making theyr provysion
in the markettes.'
They returned the monastery as out of
debt, and reported that the convent seal was
put in a bag sealed with the seal of Richard
Poulet, locked in a coffer with three keys,
which remained in the custody of the abbess
and two of the chief governors of the monastery; that the value of the lead on the
church and houses was £154 10s., and there
were five great bells and one little one, worth
£28 2s. 6d.; that the inventory of the jewels,
ornaments, household stuff, stock and stores
amounted to £486 13s. 7d.; that £24 6s. 8d.
was owing to the monastery; that the annual
value of the lands and possessions was £330
18s. 6¼d., and that the value of the woods
was £231 6s. 4d. (fn. 1)
The Valor of 1535 returned the gross
annual value of the abbey as £245 17s. 2½d.,
whilst the clear value was only £179 7s. 2d.,
which brought it well within the limit of the
Act of the following year for the suppression
of the smaller monasteries. It is difficult to
account for the great discrepancy between this
valuation and that made by the commissioners
in 1536 as given above even after making
allowance for the former being an assessment
value. It was possibly owing to this higher
estimate that St. Mary's escaped the destruction of those houses whose revenue was less
than £200 per annum, but more particularly
on account of the payment of the great sum
or bribe of £333 6s. 8d. On 27 August,
1536, letters patent placed the establishment
on a new and diminished foundation, the
Wiltshire manors of Urchfont and All Cannings being granted to Sir Edward Seymour
(Viscount Beauchamp) and Anne his wife.
Elizabeth Shelley was at the same time confirmed in her position as abbess. (fn. 2)
But the respite was not for long. In
September, 1538, Cromwell's commissioners
proceeded ' to sweep away (from St. Mary's)
all the rotten bones that be called relics.' (fn. 3)
At last, on 15 November, 1539, the Surrender ' was signed, before Robert Southwell
and other commissioners, pensions being
granted to the abbess of £26 13s. 4d.; to the
prioress, £5; to two nuns, £4; to two, £2
16s. 8d.; and to seventeen others, £2 13s. 4d. (fn. 4)
In the following years these pensions were
confirmed, as well as 6s. 8d. each to twelve
poor women called sisters, and the Site granted
to John Bello and John Brarholme. The
' houses' that were recommended to be ' susstained ' were the abbess' lodging, stretching
from the church to the frater on the north,
with its court and appurtenances, the buttery,
pantry, kitchen and larder; the gatehouse;
the barn; the bakehouses; the brewhouse;
the garner; the stables; and the mills. Among
the superfluous buildings was of course the
church, and also the cloister, chapter house,
dorter, frater, farmery, convent kitchen, the
two garners on the south side of the court,
the priest's lodging and the plumber's house.
The lead on the church, quire, aisles, steeple,
cloister and other houses was estimated at 220
fothers. There were five bells, but no
'jewels.' There were 118 ounces of plate,
and the ornaments, goods and chattels had
been sold for £69 15s. 4d. (fn. 1)
At the time of the dissolution of the
monastery the possessions included the manor
of Froyle with the rectory, the manors of
Itchen, Leckford Abbess, Timsbury, Greatford with the rectory, and Braceborough, and
lands, rents, etc. in the city of Winchester,
Lyss Abbas, Wetham, Godsfield, Shamelhurst,
Swindon, 'Hacheborne,' Shipton Moyne, Blandford and ' Barnethorpe.' (fn. 2)
In the days of Camden, at the beginning
of the seventeenth century, there were considerable remains of the Nunnaminster; but
now no traces of it exist save the name and
certain watercourses. It stood between High
Street and Colebroke Street.
ABBESSES OF NUNNAMINSTER
Edburga, died 925
Ethelreda, 963
Edith, in the time of King Edgar
Beatrice
Alice, (fn. 3) 1084
Avice, (fn. 4) 1120
Clarice, 1174
Agnes, (fn. 5) 1236-64
Euphemia, (fn. 6) 1265-70
Lucy, (fn. 7) 1270-87
Christine de Winton, (fn. 8) 1287-99
Agnes de Ashley, (fn. 9) 1299-1313
Maud de Pecham, (fn. 10) 1313-37
Maud de Spine, 1337-49
Margaret Molins, 1349-64
Christiane Wayte, 1364-5
Alice de la Mare, (fn. 11) 1365-85
Joan Denemede, (fn. 12) 1385-1410
Maud Holme, (fn. 13) 1410-4
Christine Hardy, (fn. 14) 1414-8
Agnes Denham, 1418-49
Agnes Buriton, (fn. 15) 1449-86
Joan Legh, 1486-1527
Elizabeth Shelley, 1527-39