33. THE COLLEGE OF NORTON
The date of the foundation of the college at
Norton is unknown. (fn. 1) The earliest authentic
mention of it occurs in the Patent Rolls of
1227, when, the see of Durham being vacant,
the king presented to prebends in Norton Collegiate Church. (fn. 2) At and after that date it consisted of eight prebends, and so continued until
the dissolution. In 1291 these prebends were
valued at £6 per annum, but the total value in
1534 was £4 6s. 8d. each, or £34 13s. 4d. the
whole; (fn. 3) and in 1548 the total yearly value is
given as £48. (fn. 4) The stipends arose from part of
the tithe corn of Norton parish. (fn. 5) The successive vicars of Norton appear to have acted as
heads of the college, but did not bear the title
of dean.
Footnotes
| 1 |
Surtees, Hist. Dur. iii, 154. It is said that some
of the ejected seculars from Durham were placed here
by Bishop William (Leland, Coll. i, 332, 385), but
Tanner doubts this statement, as there is no mention
of the college till 1227. |
| 2 |
Pat. 11 and 12 Hen. III. |
| 3 |
Surt. ut supra. |
| 4 |
Chant. Cert. Surt. Soc. Publ. vol. 22, App. vi,
p. lxix. |
| 5 |
Surt. Hist. Dur. iii, 154. |