ALIEN HOUSES
34. THE PRIORY OF ST. HELEN
The small Cluniac priory of St. Helen,
situate on the northern shore of Brading
Haven, was founded circa 1090. (fn. 2) It is
mentioned in 1292 with a long list of other
houses of the Cluniac order, to whose superiors
the king granted protection. (fn. 3) In 1295 there
was but one professed monk (an Englishman)
in the house, in addition to the prior. The
prior left the island and the monk joined the
Carisbrooke community. (fn. 1)
Brother Aymo, the prior of St. Helen, together with the majority of the beneficed
priests of the Isle of Wight, got into serious
trouble with Bishop Sandale, apparently for
resisting his diocesan authority, and were excommunicated. In the case of Prior Aymo,
the excommunication was relaxed, and due
intimation of his absolution forwarded to the
secular authorities on 20 November, 1316. (fn. 2)
In 1347 Peter de Chirlu, prior of St. Helen,
quitclaimed to John de Wallup, prior of Breamore, the advowson and rectory of Brading. (fn. 3)
On 8 May, 1388, Richard II. remitted for
seven years the annual farm of 50s. with all
the arrears, by which the priory of St. Helen
was held of the Crown by Richard Newbury,
the prior thereof, during the wars with France
on account of the poverty of the house.
This remission was made on condition that
Prior Newbury continued in residence, and
maintained divine service and the buildings so
far as the means of the priory admitted. (fn. 4)
St. Helen was suppressed with other alien
houses in 1414 and made over to the Crown.
At Michaelmas, 1461, the priory was granted
by Edward IV. to William Beaufitz for ten
years, and in the following year this grant
was renewed for twenty years. (fn. 5) Nevertheless, in 1467, Edward IV. granted it to Eton
College; and again in 1474, in free alms, to
the warden or dean and canons of the king's
free chapel of St. George within the castle of
Windsor. (fn. 6)
Priors Of St. Helen
Aymo, 1316
Peter de Chirlu, 1347
Richard Newbury, 1388