26. THE PRIORY OF FLITCHAM
This small Austin priory was founded about
the beginning of Henry III's reign by Sir Robert
Aguillon, as is proved by documents cited in
Blomefield. (fn. 1) Damietta de Flitcham is sometimes
named as the foundress, but this lady merely gave
the manor of Snoring in Flitcham parish to the
priory of Walsingham. Although the priory of
Flitcham became a cell of Walsingham at an
early date, the manor of Snoring was held by
Walsingham down to the dissolution independently of Flitcham Priory.
In 1275 the jury of the hundred of Freebridge
found that the prior and convent of Flitcham
held a carucate of land in free alms of the gift
of Robert Aguillon in times beyond their
memory. (fn. 2)
The taxation of 1291 shows that the priory
had possessions at that date in eight Norfolk
parishes, and its annual income was estimated at
£27 10s. 7d.
From the year 1316 the vicars of the parochial
church of Flitcham were presented by the
priory, the great tithes being appropriated by the
convent. The diocesan muniments generally
term this house St. Mary ad Fontes or de
Fontibus. Documents of the sixteenth century
name it as the priory of St. Mary at the Welle.
In 1365 the prior and convent received the
fourth part of the manor of Flitcham at the
hands of John de Cheverston. (fn. 3) Five years later
the priory obtained the additional endowment of
180 acres of land at Anmer from Thomas
Balle and others. (fn. 4) At this latter date there were
five canons here, in addition to the prior. In
1383 the priory received a grant of lands and
rents of the annual value of 70s. 2d. from
Thomas de Flitcham and Nicholas Barome, to
find a canon-chaplain to celebrate three days a
week for the good estate of the donors whilst
living and their souls after death. (fn. 5) These and
other grants brought the income of the priory up
to just double its former amount, the clear annual
value in 1535 being £55 5s. 6¼d. (fn. 6)
Edmund Litchfield, appointed prior of Flitcham
in 1498, was consecrated bishop in partibus of
Chalcedon in 1502, and acted as suffragan in
Norwich diocese; he was followed as prior by
John Martin.
The priory was visited on 12 July, 1514, by
Bishop Nicke. John Martin, the prior, stated
Canon Thomas Hokar had handed £11 to the
prior of Walsingham. Canon Geoffrey Swaffham said that the barns and other buildings of
the priory required repair, and that agriculture
was neglected. He further stated that the prior
and John Stinge had made a compact for the
delivery to the latter, at a date now passed, of a
hundred combs of barley for the sum of £6 or
£7; and because the prior had failed to deliver
the barley at the appointed time he would have
to hand over 160 instead of 100 combs. He
also alleged that the house was in debt for barley
to WIIIiam Fuller, of Castle Acre, and for sheep
to Master Fyncham, of Marshland, and that the
common seal of the priory was in the exclusive
keeping of the prior. As a consequence of this
visitation, the prior was summoned to Norwich.
The brief entry relative to this priory in the
visitation of 1530 is IIIegible through injury to
the MS. (fn. 7)
The county commissioners of 1536 reported
that 'the priory of Chanones of Flychame ys
namyde to be a cell to the priory of Chanones
of Walsynghame.' (fn. 8) In consequence of this it
escaped at the time of the destruction of the
smaller houses, but fell with Walsingham on
4 August, 1538. (fn. 9)
Priors of Flitcham
Philip, (fn. 10) occurs 1256 (fn. 11)
Fulk Briton, (fn. 12) occurs 1300
Vincent de Flitcham, (fn. 13) elected 1332
John de Flitcham, (fn. 14) elected 1349
Lawrence de Weston, (fn. 15) 1374
John de Hillington, (fn. 16) elected 1375
John Flitcham, (fn. 17) elected 1404
Thomas Berdon, (fn. 18) died 1438
Thomas Pope, (fn. 19) elected 1438
John Leson, (fn. 20) elected 1448
John Dorking, (fn. 21) elected 1458
WIIIiam Wiltshide, (fn. 22) elected 1467
Richard Gottys, LL.B. (fn. 23) elected 1490
Edmund Litchfield, (fn. 24) elected 1496
John Martin, (fn. 25) occurs 1514
Thomas Podishe, (fn. 26) occurs 1526
Richard Vowell, (fn. 27) occurs 1535