16. THE ORATORY OF BARTON
The oratory or priory of Barton, dedicated
to the Holy Trinity, whose priests followed
the rule of St. Augustine, was situated in
Whippingham parish, Isle of Wight. It was
founded in 1275 by Thomas de Wynton,
rector of Godshill, and John de Insula, rector
of Shalfleet. (fn. 1) The oratory was endowed with
land in Whippingham, Arreton, Span, Appleford, Kerne, Rookley, Dolcoppice, La
Snape, Walpan, some pasture on St. Catherine's Down, two corn mills in Newport, and
with some house property at Southampton.
The foundation charter laid down that the
oratory was to consist of six chaplains with a
clerk, who were to live an honest life, follow
the Austin rule, and celebrate perpetually
both for the living and the dead. One of
their number was to be presented to the
bishop to serve as archpriest or superior, and
within twenty days of any vacancy among
the chaplains a fit person was to be chosen
and presented to the diocesan. The chaplains were to be under the immediate control
of the bishop, and their servants under the
archdeacon. They were to hold their goods
in common, and the effects of any chaplain
dying were to go to the oratory. There was
to be only one dish, with a pittance, at each
meal, save on great festivals, when there was
to be a third dish. The chaplains were to
be diligent in their prayers and reading; they
were not to go outside the precincts of the
house without the archpriest's leave; in the
oratory they were to wear surplices with black
copes, and when outside humble habits of one
colour, black or brown (burnet), with a frieze
cloak and cap. At table, the archpriest was
to sit at the head, next him the chaplain who
had celebrated high mass that morning, and
then in their respective order the chaplains
who had celebrated the masses of the Blessed
Virgin, the Holy Trinity, and Requiem.
The chaplains were to sleep in a common
dormitory where silence was to be observed.
In all offices they were to follow the use of
Sarum; one of the chaplains was to be appointed precentor and draw up the order of
services. The archpriest was to be responsible for the temporalities of the house.
Thirteen poor brethren were to have their
food daily, for which purpose the revenue
from Crudmore farm, in Carisbrooke parish,
was appropriated.
In the return of knights' fees made in 1346
it appears that the archpriest of Barton held a
quarter of a fee in Span and a seventh part
in Barton. (fn. 2)
In 1386 the bishop committed the charge
of the house to Gilbert Noreys, one of the
chaplains. (fn. 3) In a short time however grievous
complaints reached the bishop with regard to
warden Gilbert's conduct. His brother chaplains accused him of having given away or
sold, without their consent, 180 of the best
sheep, worth 12d. apiece; 20 of the best
beasts, worth £10, for 10 marks; all the
wool and sheepskins; a saddle horse for 30s.;
a mare and foal, well worth 20s., for 5s.;
several barge loads of timber and bricks; as
well as 30 quarters of barley, 30 quarters of
oats, and 10 quarters of pease. Moreover he
had pawned a chalice and vestments and
other silver. In addition he was accused of
grave incontinence, and of tavern haunting,
requiring an attendant to lead him nightly to
his lodging. Bishop Wykeham commissioned
the abbot of Quarr and two others to inquire
into this charge, with the result that Gilbert
Noreys was removed, and William Love, one
of the chaplains, admitted as archpriest on
7 June, 1387. (fn. 4)
Meanwhile the affairs of the oratory did
not improve, the buildings got into a sad
state, and Love, the archpriest, was taken
prisoner by the French. In his absence his
jurisdiction was formally suspended, and in
1390 the custody of both spiritualities and
temporalities were assigned by Wykeham to his
suffragan, Simon, bishop of Achonry. (fn. 5) Soon
after this Love escaped or was released from
his imprisonment across the seas, and resumed
his rule. Under pressure of his diocesan, in
January, 1394, a covenant was entered into
between William Love and Richard Lathbury, a tiler and mason, by which the latter
covenanted to keep the buildings in order,
Love providing materials and a labourer, and
allowing Lathbury his victuals and 10s. a year
and keep for a horse. (fn. 6)
But the house speedily got into further
trouble; Love became a prisoner in the Fleet,
we know not on what charge, and in October,
1394, the custody of the Oratory was committed by the bishop to the joint care of
Nicholas, rector of Niton, and William Smyth,
vicar of Brading. (fn. 1) In 1403 a commission
was directed to the abbot of Quarr and the
rector of Niton to inquire into charges of
apostacy, sacrilege, and other grave offences
preferred against Love, which resulted in his
removal. (fn. 2)
In 1439 Warden Thurbern, of Winchester
College, petitioned Cardinal Beaufort to permit the appropriation of the oratory to the
college on the ground of the insufficiency of
their income, which had been recently much
impaired by a fire among their house property
at Andover. Walter Trengof, the archpriest,
who had just been appointed archdeacon of
Cornwall, his native county, raised no objection. The cardinal bishop gave his consent,
and the return to writ ad quod damnum was
favourable. On 27 March, 1439, the royal
licence to Walter Trengof to alienate, and to
the warden and scholars of Winchester to acquire and hold in mortmain the possessions of
the oratory was duly sealed.
The college covenanted to maintain a chaplain in the chapel of the Barton oratory, to
deliver a pound of wax annually to the warden of St. Mary's altar in the minster of St.
Swithun, and to celebrate Trengof's obit in
consideration of his surrender.
The chaplain's stipend of £6 was duly
paid and service maintained at Barton until
the days of Edward VI., when all divine
worship ceased within its walls.
Archpriests or Priors of Barton
Jordan de Marisco, 1275
Simon in the time of Edward II.
Nicholas de Alresford, elected 1310
Richard, 1343
Roger Pope of Exeter, 1349
Robert Somborne, 1366-83
Gilbert Noreys, 1386
William Love, 1387-1403
John Godewyne, 1417
John Bradshawe, 1423-4
Walter Trengof, (fn. 5) 1424-39