43. THE ABBEY OF LANGLEY
The founder of the Premonstratensian abbey
of Langley, dedicated to the honour of the
Blessed Virgin in 1195, was Sir Robert FitzRoger Helke, who was lord of Langley by
marriage with Margaret, daughter and co-heir of
William de Cheney, and relict of Sir Hugh de
Cressi. The founder was sheriff of Norfolk and
Suffolk 1192-3. His descendants, with whom
the patronage of the abbey rested, assumed the
name of de Clavering from their lordship of that
name in Essex.
The house was colonized by brethren from
Alnwick, the abbot of Alnwick thus becoming
the father abbot to Langley.
Pope Innocent's bull of confirmation names
amongst the abbey endowments the churches of
St. Michael, Langley; St. Helen, Ranworth;
the Holy Trinity, Loddon; St. Margaret,
Trickley; St. Mary, Rushall; St. Mary, Kirkby; and St. Mary, Ewra. (fn. 1)
In the first year of his reign King John confirmed the grants of the founder and all other
benefactions with full exemptions from every
manner of toll and custom. He also granted to
the abbots and canons, in the same year, a fair of
two days on the vigil and the feast of Saints Philip
and James, and a Tuesday market. (fn. 2)
In 1235 Abbot Hugh obtained the appropriation to the convent of the church of St. Mary,
Kirkby, from Thomas, bishop of Norwich, a
stipend of eight marks being assigned to the
vicar. (fn. 3)
A letter of Richard (or Rycher) the abbot,
dated 21 January, 1276, recites the confirmation
by Roger, bishop of Norwich, of the appropriation and patronage of the churches of the Holy
Trinity, Loddon; St. Gregory, Heckingham;
St. Mary, Rushall; St. Mary, Kirkby; St.
Helen, Ranworth; St. Botolph, Limpenhoe;
and St. Margaret, Trickley; to the uses of the
abbot and convent of Langley, excepting the
collation to the church at Ranworth, which
belonged to the bishopric of Norwich. (fn. 4) Three
years later, in 1279, Walter de Turkeley gave
to the abbot and canons the advowson of the
church of Bodham, with two acres of land. (fn. 5)
Anthony, bishop of Norwich, and the prior
and convent of Norwich, gave their sanction to
the appropriation of the church of Bodham in
August 1330 (fn. 6) but the crown licence for the same
was not granted until 1332. (fn. 7) In 1338 licence was
also given to appropriate the church of Thurton
of their advowson, (fn. 8) but apparently advantage
was not immediately taken of this, as in 1343
the abbot and convent of St. Mary's, Langley,
signified to the pope that their income from the
market had been much reduced by floods both
of river and sea, as well as by the number of
people asking hospitality, and therefore prayed
that the parish church of Thurton, in their
patronage, value not exceeding twelve marks
might be appropriated to the monastery, notwithstanding that of custom the bishop takes the
fruits of the first year, they being ready to come
to terms with him. As the church was only
half a mile distant from the monastery, they
also prayed that it might be served by one of
their own canons. The diocesan was instructed
by the pope to arrange for this appropriation, but
to reserve a fitting vicar's portion. (fn. 9)
The taxation of 1291 shows that the abbey
had much prospered in the first century of its
existence. It had at that date possessions in
sixty-two Norfolk and thirteen Suffolk parishes,
and its annual income was estimated at
£178 5s. 0¾d.
Further additions continued to be made to the
abbey's endowment in rents and lands; thus
Edward I, in 1302, inspected and confirmed a
quit claim made by Roger le Bygod, earl of
Norfolk, to the Premonstratensian church and
canons of St. Mary, Langley, of 6s. rent and
suit at the earl's hundred of Ersham from three
weeks to three weeks, for lands which they hold
of the earl's fee in Riverhale, Brokedys Redenhall, Poringland, Yelverton &c. (fn. 10)
Abbot Richard and his canons acknowledged
by an undated deed that they owed Sir William
Monchesney homage and relief on the appointment of each abbot of their house for a
certain tenement, and an aid to knight his son
and marry his daughter, as they did in the time
of Sir Warin Monchesney. (fn. 11)
The abbot of Langley was the collector for
the diocese of Norwich of the crusade tenth imposed for three years by Boniface VIII; the
amount, £200, was handed in to the king's clerk
and a receipt obtained on 10 February 1304. (fn. 12)
The like sum was forwarded by the abbot from
Norwich diocese in the following year, and
£229 11s. 6d. in the third year. In discharging
this onerous office the abbot of Langley did not
give satisfaction, and on 10 December 1306,
Walter de Norwich was appointed by the king
to examine, in the presence of the abbot, the
acquittances given by him to the various contributors. The abbot and his fellow canon,
Thomas de Jernemuta, had been lately presented
at Westminster for entering as arrears divers
sums which certain defaulting clerks and religious
asserted that they had fully paid. Walter was
instructed to enrol all the sums received by the
abbot during the whole time he was engaged in
the collection, with the names of those who
paid, and those to whom he had failed to give
acquittances, and to certify to the auditors. The
bishop of Norwich was ordered to give notice to
all aggrieved persons to be present. (fn. 13)
Robert de Kendall, constable of Dover Castle,
and warden of the Cinque Ports was ordered, on
8 August 1316, to permit Geoffrey, abbot of
Langley, Bartholomew, abbot of Dereham, and
two other abbots of the Premonstratensian order,
to pass the sea from the port of Dover to attend
their chapter general at Prémontré, provided
that they carried with them no money in the
name of apport, 'census,' or imposition, contrary
to the late king's statutes. (fn. 14)
Robert de Maners, an old soldier, who served
the late king in his wars in Scotland and was then
too infirm for further service, was sent to the
abbey of Langley, in 1317, there to receive his
life maintenance. (fn. 15)
On Ascension Day 1345, William, abbot of
Langdon (Kent) as commissary for the abbot of
Prémontré, sent John de B. and Thomas de C.,
canons of Wendling, to the abbot of Langley
with a letter of request that they might be
admitted to the house of Langley, as the abbey of
Wendling was in such very straitened circumstances, mainly owing to the war, that it could
not support its own canons. In the spring of
that year, when Langley was formally visited by
the abbot of Langdon, as Premonstratensian
commissary, with the help of the abbots of
Alnwick (as father abbot), Dereham, and Leyton, canons John de London, John de Binham,
and Thomas de T., were sent away to other
houses of the order in consequence of their faults.
But on 6 May of the same year, the abbot of
Langley was instructed by the abbot of Langdon
to receive the temporarily banished brothers back
again. (fn. 16)
Licence was granted by the crown in 1346,
to the abbot and convent of Langley to build a
belfry within the abbey and crenellate the same. (fn. 17)
Sir James de Audeley, councillor of the Prince
of Aquitaine and Wales, petitioned Urban V in
1366, for an indulgence to those who visited on
Trinity Sunday and during the Octave the
chapel of the Holy Trinity in the Premonstratensian monastery of Langley, wherein his
ancestors are buried, and where three priests
celebrate the divine offices. In response to this
petition the pope granted an indulgence of a year
and forty days. (fn. 18)
Bishop Redman's first visit was paid on 1 July,
1475; he left on 3 July, dining at Beccles at
the expense of Langley Abbey. (fn. 19) The abbey was
again visited by this bishop as commissarygeneral, on the same day of the month in 1478.
In answer to the visitation questions the precise
date of the foundation was returned as 19 February, 1195, and the dedication as the Assumption
of the Virgin. The abbot of Alnwick was named
as their father abbot, and Wendling as their
daughter house. They had fourteen churches
of moderate value; in some of them the canons
served the cure, but not as perpetual curates.
Nicholas was the name of their abbot, and
Richard Fynes (who died in 1486) their patron. (fn. 20)
The visitor found the abbot bowed down by
age and sickness, and hence the discipline was
bad. Prior John Bristow was remiss in correction. Two of the canons were appointed to
look after the spiritualities and temporalities of the
house. Thomas Russell, for evil living, was
sentenced to forty days bread and water, and to
be banished to another house for three years.
Two others were apostate, going out without
leave, and were also sentenced to forty days of
penance. The fastening of any room so as to
prevent the entrance of the superior was forbidden. All recreation outside the precincts
was stopped until the next general chapter.
The prior was to attend that chapter and report
as to observance of injunctions. (fn. 21)
Redman's next visit to Langley was on
20 August, 1482; John Myntynge the abbot,
John Bristow the prior, and fifteen others (including a novice and an apostate) were in
attendance. There was again much scandal.
The abbot was accused of some incontinence
and waste; and his powers were temporarily
transferred to two of the canons under the abbot
of Wendling. Common taverns near the monastery were not to be visited. No one was to
leave the precincts save those responsible for services in churches. The injunctions also included
a variety of minor and usual orders. (fn. 22)
During his tour in the early summer of 1486,
Bishop Redman reached Langley at supper time
on 27 June. (fn. 23) Two years later, when Walter
Alpe the abbot, John Shelton the prior, and
thirteen other canons were present, he found
matters going on excellently, and the debt reduced from £200 to £100.
There must, however, have been some irregularities, for he left behind him injunctions against
hunting or fishing by night, against illicit desertion under pain of the greater excommunication.
At the visitation of 1491 the grave case of
Canon Thomas Ludham came before the visitor.
In a quarrel he had cut off a man's right hand;
he was sentenced to forty days penance and to
perpetual imprisonment. (fn. 24) The visitation of 1494
was attended by the same abbot and prior as in
1482, but there were only eight other canons. (fn. 25)
The discipline of the house was bad, and the
abbot was threatened with punishment and deprivation. (fn. 26) During his tour in 1497 the bishop
reached Langley at supper time on 20 June; he
held his visitation the next day, but did not leave
until the 23rd, when he slept at Norwich at the
expense of Langley. This unusually long stay
of the bishop and his retinue was probably intended as a kind of punishment for the laxity
he had found at this abbey. (fn. 27) At the visitation
made in October, 1500, attended by Abbot Alpe,
Prior Shelton, and eleven other canons, a scandal
about the prior was repeated, but the visitor does
not seem to have considered it serious. (fn. 28)
In the year 1500 William Curlew was elected
abbot; but in 1502, for some delinquencies
which are not named, he was obliged to resign,
and on 10 December, 1502, Robert abbot of
Alnwick, as father-abbot of Langley, being too
aged and infirm to ride or in any way visit his
daughter church personally, wrote to Richard the
bishop of Ely, giving him full authority to act in
his name, and to conduct an election of a new
abbot. He told the bishop in his letter that the
house of Langley was in sore financial straits,
being much in debt, and not having sufficient for
its domestic needs, or for the spiritual benefices
that it held. He also anticipated certain difficulties or discord as to the election, and authorized
the bishop as his representative to excommunicate
any who might be rebellious. (fn. 29) Richard Redman,
abbot of Shap, was consecrated bishop of St. Asaph
in 1471; in 1495 he was translated to Exeter,
and in 1501 to Ely.
On 9 April, (fn. 30) Thomas abbot of Welbeck, as
commissary general of the abbot of Prémontré,
instructed John Maxe, abbot of Langley, and
William and Thomas Garrad, canons of the same
house, to peremptorily cite William Curlew, the
late abbot, under pain of suspension and excommunication, to appear personally at the provincial
chapter in the town of Nottingham on 9 April,
in certain causes and articles concerning his soul's
health and reformation. In case the said William showed contumacy or rebellion they were
/?/to deal with him after the full rigour of their
statutes, according to their rule and judicial
process. (fn. 31)
In 1513, John, abbot of Langley, was collated
by the bishop of Norwich to the rectory of Chedgrave. Robert Walkington occurs as abbot in
1517, in which year Pope Leo gave him permission to hold another abbey and two ecclesiastical benefices, or three ecclesiastical benefices
without another abbey. (fn. 32) In 1523 he was rector
of Carleton, and in 1529 of Claxton.
Thomas Kerdeston, archdeacon of Norfolk,
was buried in the church of this abbey before the
altar of the holy rood in 1276. Margaret, wife
of Sir William Kerdeston, was buried near the
archdeacon in 1328, and Sir Roger Kerdeston in
1337. Other burials in this conventual church
were John de Clavering (patron of the house),
Sir Robert Grey, Sir Robert Hodington, Sir
Robert Ufford, Sir Thomas Ufford, Sir Hugh
Gurney, Sir Robert de Vallibus, Sir Simon Grey,
Sir James Bradley, Sir William Poole, and several
of their wives. (fn. 33)
The clear annual value of the abbey in 1534,
according to the Valor Ecclesiasticus, was only
£104 16s. 5½d.
The county commissioners for suppression
reported in 1536 that there were at Langley
of religious persons 'vj alle prystes whereof one
desyrethe to contynue in Religione and the rest
require capasaties, they been of goode name.'
There were also twenty-one servants who had
their living there, namely two priests, seven
waiting servants, and twelve hinds. The lead
and bells were estimated at £160, and the goods
at £36 14s. 3d. The house was in debt to the
extent of £ 120 16s. 8d. (fn. 34)
An inventory of the abbey's possessions taken
this year shows that there were in the church
and vestry a cross of copper, three chalices and
patens, a crozier staff, six pewter cruets, twelve
copes, ten vestments, and ten albs.
Abbot Robert Walkington obtained a pension
of £13 6s. 8d. (fn. 35)
Abbots of Langley
Gilbert, (fn. 36)
temp. John
Hugh, (fn. 37) occurs 1233, 1249
Richard, (fn. 38) occurs 1276
Simon, (fn. 39) occurs 1251, 1267
Geoffrey, (fn. 40) occurs 1316
John de Strumpeshagh, (fn. 41) elected 1340
William, (fn. 42) occurs 1350
Geoffrey, (fn. 43) elected 1368
Peter, (fn. 44) elected 1375
John de Norwich, (fn. 45) elected 1392
John Walsham, (fn. 46) elected 1399
John Waterden, (fn. 47) occurs 1422
Nicholas de Wenyngton, (fn. 48) occurs 1428 and 1463
Nicholas Wamerton, (fn. 49) occurs 1467 and 1478
John Myntynge, (fn. 50) occurs 1482
Walter Alpe, (fn. 51) occurs 1488
William Curlew, (fn. 52) elected 1500
John Maxe, (fn. 53) elected 1503
Robert Walkington, (fn. 54) elected 1516, last abbot
An imperfect impression of the first seal of this
abbey is attached to a charter of 1267. Obverse,
the abbot seated has a crozier in right hand and a
book in the left; on each side a hand and arm
issuing and holding a candle in a candlestick.
Reverse, the Virgin seated with Holy Child on
left knee; candles in candlesticks the same as the
obverse. (fn. 55) A cast in the British Museum from a
fine impression gives the legend on the obverse:
S' ABBATIS ET CONVENTUS ECCLESIE SCE MARIE DE
LANGELE (fn. 56)
Of a second fourteenth-century seal there is
also a cast at the British Museum. The crowned
Virgin, seated in a tabernacled niche, has the
Holy Child on left knee, and in the right hand a
fleur-de-lis sceptre. (fn. 57)