HOUSES OF AUSTIN CANONS
15. THE PRIORY OF BERDEN
Nothing is known of the origin of this house,
though it was probably founded by some of the
Rochefords, lords of the manor of Berden. It
appears to have been at first a hospital. (fn. 1) It was
dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.
Its possessions are valued in the Taxation of
1291 at £6 9s. 10d. yearly. There was a
portion of 10s. in the church of Dengie. The
temporalities amounted to £1 5s. 4d. in Berden,
£1 4s. 7d. in Clavering and Langley, and £1 in
Rickling, with smaller sums in Paglesham,
Elsenham, Rochford, Hawkwell, Newport,
Dengie and Little Shoebury in Essex, East Reed,
Brent Pelham and Little Pelham in Hertfordshire
and Cambridge.
A fair at midsummer at Berden was granted to
the prior and convent in 1214, (fn. 2) 1222, (fn. 3) and
1267. (fn. 4) In 1314 they had licence (fn. 5) to acquire
from Robert de Rocheford 18 acres of land in
Berden, and the advowson of the church, and to
appropriate the church. The appropriation was
not actually carried out till 1427, when a vicarage was ordained (fn. 6) ; and in 1514 they were
allowed, in consideration of their poverty, to
appropriate this also and to serve the church by a
removable chaplain. In 1317 they had licence (fn. 7)
to acquire rent in Shoebury, Great Stambridge
and Bretton from Walram de Rocheford; in
return for which they agreed (fn. 8) to find a canon to
celebrate divine service at the altar of St. Mary
in the church for the souls of himself and his
wife for ever.
Pope Gregory X on 13 March, 1272, granted
a bull confirming the liberties of the priory; and
on 4 March, 1308, twenty-one bishops promised
forty days' indulgence to all who should help the
rebuilding of the priory or make gifts to it of
ornaments and other things, as the church,
cloister, refectory, dormitory, infirmary and hall
and almost all the buildings had lately been burnt
to the ground. (fn. 9)
In 1343 the advowson of the priory was
granted by William de Bohun, earl of Northampton, and Elizabeth his wife to the abbot and
convent of Walden. (fn. 10)
On 20 February, 1455, notice was given to
the prior of intended visitation on 30 April by the
priors of Holy Trinity and Elsing Spital, London,
who had been appointed visitors in the dioceses
of London and Ely at. the last chapter general of
the Augustinian order celebrated in the priory of
St. Bartholomew, London. On 5 April in
another year not far off the priors of Holy
Trinity and Blackmore, similarly appointed at
the last chapter at Leicester, announced visitation
on 6 May. (fn. 11)
A few letters (fn. 12) from various persons to Prior
Thomas Dane are preserved, though they are of
no great importance. He appears to have had a
dispute about homage and relief demanded from
him at the honour of Rayleigh, and also trouble
in collecting arrears of rent from his lands in
Rochford hundred. The tenants maintained
that they had paid to John Ive of Rayleigh, late
receiver of the prior, and the executors of the
latter said that he had paid every penny. One
tenant had left the district without paying.
The value of the priory is given in the
Valor as £29 6s. 4½d., the gross value being
£31 5s. 1¾d. It was dissolved in 1536, the
prior receiving a pension (fn. 13) of £5. An inventory (fn. 14)
of the goods in the various chambers and buildings was taken on 18 June. These were only
worth £7 7s. 2d. in all, besides cattle valued at
£2 6s. 8d. The house had no corn and nothing
was owing to it, but it was in debt to the
extent of £2 19s. 5d. The whole of the stuff
was sold to Henry Parker for £7 1s. 0d. except
the plate, which amounted to twelve ounces, and
was valued at £2 3s. 2d.
The priory was leased (fn. 15) in 1537 to Parker;
and in January, 1539, it was granted (fn. 16) for £100
to him and Mary his wife in tail male, with the
rectory of Berden and various possessions in
Berden, Manuden, Elsenham, Henham, Takeley,
Rickling, Clavering, Ugley, Rochford, Brent
Pelham and Stokyng Pelham, of the total yearly
value of £23 7s. 0d., at a rent of £2 7s. 0d.
Priors of Berden
Stephen. (fn. 17)
Gilbert, occurs 1235, (fn. 18) till 1241. (fn. 19)
John. (fn. 20)
Nicholas, occurs 1285. (fn. 21)
W. occurs 1317. (fn. 22)
William, occurs 1337. (fn. 23)
John de Marchia, resigned 1393. (fn. 24)
John Parent, elected 1393, (fn. 25) died 1429. (fn. 26)
Thomas Whaplode, collated 1429, (fn. 26)
resigned 1440. (fn. 27)
William Cotyngham, collated 1440, (fn. 28) resigned 1441. (fn. 29)
Thomas Dane, collated 1441, (fn. 30) occurs
1463, (fn. 31) resigned 1473. (fn. 32)
William Wodde, collated 1473, (fn. 33) died
1486. (fn. 33)
Robert Harlow, collated 1486, (fn. 34) resigned
1487. (fn. 35)
John Clement, collated 1487, (fn. 36) resigned
1490. (fn. 37)
John Scott, collated 1490, (fn. 38) occurs 1501. (fn. 39)
John Wakeley, occurs 1514, (fn. 40) 1534, (fn. 41) the
last prior. (fn. 42)
The seal (fn. 43) of the priory is a pointed oval, 2 in.
by 1½ in., representing St. John the Evangelist
in a canopied niche with tabernacle work at the
sides, holding in the left hand a chalice from
which a serpent issues and pointing to it with
the right hand. Legend:—
SIGILLUM COMUNE DOMUS . . . . . .
IOHANNIS EVANGELISTE DE BERDEN.