6. THE PRIORY OF WETHERAL (fn. 1)
The priory of Wetheral, of the Benedictine order, was founded in the beautiful valley of the Eden a few miles above Carlisle
by Ranulf Meschin, the first Norman lord
of Cumberland, at a date not later than
1112 and perhaps in 1106. Ranulf conveyed
the manor of 'Wetherhala' and all the land
belonging thereto, which no doubt included
the churches of Wetheral and Warwick, to
Stephen, abbot of St. Mary's, York, in perpetual alms, and when the priory was brought
into being as a cell of that great Benedictine house, he supplemented his former gift
by the concession of a salmon weir and a
water mill in the Eden close to the site of
the new institution. The munificent founder
soon afterwards gave to the priory the two
churches of St. Michael and St. Lawrence in
his castellum or fortified town of Appleby, and
two parts of the tithe of his domain on both
sides of the Eden, and two parts of the tithe
of Meaburn and Salkeld. From these charters (fn. 2)
we are not able to gather the size of the
institution Ranulf founded, but we afterwards
learn that the priory was constituted with
twelve monks (fn. 3) at the outset, though that
number was not maintained at a subsequent
date. In the formalities attending the foundation of this house some of the leading men of
the district appear for the first time. In one
or other of the four charters granted by the
founder, such well-known persons as Waldeve
son of Earl Gospatric, Forn son of Sigulf,
Ketel son of Eldred, Odard, Hildred the
knight, Wescubrict, and Godard, are mentioned at this early period. We know little
of other local magnates associated with the
scheme, such as Richer, sheriff of Carlisle, to
whom Ranulf addressed the foundation
charter, (unless indeed he be identified with
Richard the knight of subsequent fame,) Hervey son of Morin and Eliphe de Penrith. Of
his own relations William Meschin and
Richard, his brothers, as well as his wife Lucy,
took part in the foundation as witnesses to his
charters. The priory was entitled in the
name of St. Constantine, but the dedication
was afterwards changed to the Holy Trinity
and St. Constantine, perhaps an amalgamation
of the original dedication with that of the
parish church of Wetheral.
The priory had many influential patrons,
not only amongst the kings but among the
great landowners of the district. Henry I.
was of course the first royal patron (fn. 4) who confirmed the acts of his subordinate and added
to his foundation grants of all the pasture
between the Eden and the highway called
the 'Hee-strette' running parallel to the
river and leading from Carlisle to Appleby,
and also the privilege of feeding swine in the
king's forest, free of pannage. Other privileges
were bestowed by succeeding kings with the
exception of Stephen, who had yielded up the
land of Carlisle to David, King of Scots, as a
preliminary to his attainment of the Crown.
The lords of Corby on the opposite side of the
Eden were good and generous neighbours to
the monks, though at times the fishing rights
in the river were the occasion of disputes,
but to the credit of both parties be it said
that they soon made up their differences and
settled their disputes. Some of the greatest
families of the district as well as some of the
humblest are numbered among the benefactors
of the house.
In its ecclesiastical aspect the priory of
Wetheral differed very widely from that of St.
Bees, though both were cells of the same
abbey, arising no doubt from their geographical
situation, the one being in the diocese of Carlisle and in close proximity to the cathedral
city, and the other being in the vast diocese
of York far removed from the centre of
diocesan life. The bishops of Carlisle exercised an immediate supervision over the affairs
of Wetheral, but no evidence has been traced
whereby it may be assumed that a similar
oversight was extended to St. Bees either
by the archbishops of York or by the arch
deacons of Richmond. At one time the
bishops of Carlisle claimed the custody of the
priory of Wetheral during a vacancy, as well
as the right of institution and deprivation of
the priors. These episcopal privileges were
contested in 1256 while Robert de Chause
was bishop of Carlisle. The dispute was
settled in a manner agreeable to the litigants.
The bishop consented to relinquish his right
to the custody, and to institute the nominee of
the abbey of York in consideration of the grant
of 2½ marks which the monks were accustomed
to receive out of the church of Nether Denton
since the episcopate of Bishop Walter. (fn. 5) The
bishops of Carlisle exercised their ordinary
power of visitation when they thought fit, and
never gave up the right of benediction and
institution of the priors to the very last.
The bishops also kept a firm hand on the
churches and spiritual revenues in the diocese
which belonged to the priory. Adelulf, the
first bishop of the see, confirmed to the monks
of St. Mary's, York, the churches they were
known to possess in his diocese, viz. the cell
of Wetheral with the parish of Warwick, all
the tithes of Scotby, the churches of St.
Michael and St. Lawrence in Appleby, the
churches of Kirkby Stephen, Ormside, Morland, Clibburn, Bromfield, Croglin, and the
hermitage of St. Andrew in the parish of
Kirkland, with the only condition that the
monks should make decent provision for the
maintenance of a priest in each of these
churches, and pay their episcopal dues which
included of course synodals and archidiaconals. (fn. 6)
As a rule the monks thought it desirable to
obtain similar confirmation from successive
bishops, thereby differing materially from the
priory of St. Bees, in whose register very few
of these confirmations from the archbishops
have been recorded. It must not be assumed
that all these churches continued in the
patronage of the priory. As all the religious
houses in Cumberland had been founded and
for the most part endowed before the diocese
of Carlisle enjoyed a regular succession of
bishops, many of the churches in the county
were in some way connected with these institutions. In after years the bishops were
not reluctant to obtain possession of some of
these churches where it was possible. It was
ever the policy of the see to gain a supremacy
within its own jurisdiction. Nor were the
heads of houses loth to conciliate the bishops
by an occasional indulgence of this kind, for
in many ways the good offices of the bishops
of Carlisle were of the greatest moment to
the monks.
In 1248 Bishop Silvester obtained from
the abbey of York the right of patronage of
the churches of Ormside, Musgrave and Clibburn, and also of the churches of Burghunder-Stanemore and St. Michael in Appleby, (fn. 7)
all of which remain to the present day in
the hand of the Bishop of Carlisle, except
the church of Clibburn, which passed into
lay patronage in 1874. (fn. 8) The laity were not
backward in protecting the interest of parishioners in case the appropriate churches of the
monks were insufficiently served. In 1366
Sir John de Warthewyk complained in forcible
terms to the Archbishop of York that the
priory had been dealing unjustly with the
churches of Wetheral and Warwick in not
supplying proper ministrations. (fn. 9)
Papal interference with the affairs of this
priory was not always successful. In 1165,
when the see of Carlisle was void, Alexander
III. granted an indult to the abbey of St.
Mary, York, which applied to Wetheral,
permitting chaplains to serve in the churches
where there were no vicars. (fn. 10) Gregory IX.,
relying on the confirmation of previous
bishops, allowed the priory to enter on the
appropriation of St. Michael's, Appleby, notwithstanding the opposition of Bishop Walter. (fn. 11)
But the papal court had not always its own
way. In 1309 Clement V. provided a prior
for the house in the person of Robert de
Gisburne, though the convent of St. Mary's,
York, the lawful patrons, had a prior of its
own presentation already in possession. The
Crown intervened and prohibited the induction of the papal nominee until the letters of
collation were examined in regard to any encroachment on the royal prerogative. (fn. 12) It is
known that at this time Bishop Halton was a
prelate of pronounced anti-papal proclivities. (fn. 13)
By a natural process the controversy with
Bishop Kirkby in 1338 about the advowsons
of Wetheral and Warwick was referred to
Rome, when the English ecclesiastical courts
failed to grant redress to one or other of the
contending parties.
One of the most interesting features in the
history of Wetheral is the right of sanctuary
or freedom from arrest which it afforded to
criminals for offences committed outside its
bounds. This privilege was conferred on the
priory by Henry I. when he endowed it with
all the customs and liberties enjoyed by the
churches of St. Peter in York and St. John
in Beverley. (fn. 14) It was also confirmed by later
kings. The bounds of the sanctuary were
not conterminous with those of the manor,
but were marked by six crosses, viz. the cross
on the bank of the Eden opposite Corby, the
cross near St. Oswald's chapel, the cross by
the lodge (juxta le loge) on the bank of the
river, the cross by the hedge at Warwick on
the boundary of the manor, called the
Wetheral 'gryth crosse,' the cross between
the vill of Scotby and the prior's grange there,
and the cross on the bank of the burn at
Cumwhinton. (fn. 15) It is a curious fact that no
refuge was allowed to those whose offence
was committed within the liberty. When
the felon reached the desired asylum, he was
obliged to toll a bell in the church and swear
before the bailiff of the manor that he would
henceforth behave himself as a law-abiding
subject.
The right of sanctuary was a conspicuous
privilege involving such far-reaching consequences to the community to which it appertained, that claims to the exercise of this
liberty were regarded by the law with a
jealous eye. It may be taken, we suppose,
that the church which enjoyed this privilege
was called upon at some time or another to
prove its title. There are few places of sanctuary that have not figured in the law courts.
The sanctuary of Wetheral was not singular
in this respect. Three cases of considerable
interest came before the justices itinerant at
Alston in 1292, whereby the title of the
priory to the liberty was established. Andrew,
son of Thomas of Warwick, having slain a
man by a blow on the head with a stick, fled
to Wetheral and obtained 'the peace' according to ancient custom. As it was not known
by what warrant the priory exercised such a
privilege, the abbot of St. Mary's, York, was
summoned to prove the title. It was maintained that from time immemorial the liberty
of receiving felons within its jurisdiction
(infra banlucam) was possessed by the priory
of Wetheral, an oath having been first taken
by such felons that they should conduct themselves well and not depart beyond the bounds.
The verdict of the jurors was given in favour of the right of sanctuary. In two other
cases of manslaughter at the same assize, the
felons sought refuge at Wetheral, and the
jurors found to the same effect. (fn. 16) From the
fact that Edward III. offered pardon in 1342
to all the 'grithmen' or criminals who had
obtained the 'grith' or peace at Wetheral,
Beverley, Ripon and Tynemouth, on the
condition that they should go out and fight
in Scotland, it may be inferred that the
liberty of sanctuary was largely used in the
northern counties at that date. (fn. 17)
During the wars of Scottish independence
the resources of the religious houses (fn. 18) on the
Border were put to a severe strain by the
entertainment of royalties and magnates on
their way to Scotland. The English side was
of course the basis of military operations.
The depredations of the Scots or the expenses
incurred by hospitality were the principal
excuses alleged for the appropriation of
churches to meet the increased outlay.
Edward I. had stayed at the priories of Carlisle and Lanercost and the abbey of Holmcultram, as well as with the bishop of the
diocese at Rose Castle. It is not surprising
therefore that the Prince of Wales should
have sojourned at Wetheral about the same
period. He was there, presumably, as the
guest of the monks, on 20 October, 1301,
and again early in the year 1307, a few
months before he came to the throne. It
was on the latter occasion that Dungall Macdowill, a Galwegian captain, brought to the
prince's court at Wetheral Sir Thomas de
Brus and Alexander his brother, brothers of
Robert de Brus, King of Scots, and Reynold
de Crauford, whom he had wounded and
taken in battle, together with the heads of
certain Irish and Cantire men decapitated by
him and his army during the war. The
Chronicle of Lanercost gives a grim account
of the subsequent execution of the prisoners at
Carlisle, the head of Thomas de Brus having
been placed on the keep of the castle. (fn. 19)
Several of the priors of Wetheral were
advanced to the distinction of being abbots
of the mother church of St. Mary, York,
and one of them was appointed to the great
priory of Durham. William Rundel rose to
be abbot of York in 1239, John de Gilling
in 1303, William de Brudford in 1382,
Thomas Pigott in 1399, Thomas Bothe in
1464, and William Thornton in 1530, the
latter being the last abbot of St. Mary's. (fn. 20)
William de Tanfeld was 'provided' to the
priory of Durham by Clement V. in 1308, and
the monks of Wetheral were not sorry at his
promotion. It is said that he paid for the
appointment 3,000 marks to the pope and
1,000 marks to the cardinals, the enormous
sum having been extorted from the priory of
Wetheral to the impoverishment of the
house. Robert de Graystanes, an official of
Durham at the time and one of its historians,
described the new prior as tall in stature,
handsome in countenance, pleasing in manners, and liberal in spending money, but
ignorant of the way to get it, inasmuch as
he increased rather than diminished the debts
of the house. (fn. 21)
In 1536 the royal commissioners made
their report on this house, when, strange
to say, they had only an accusation of personal
depravity to make against two of the monks,
Nicolas Barneston and Robert Goodon. At
that time the priory was reputed to have
possessed as relics a portion of the Holy Cross
and some of the Blessed Virgin's milk. (fn. 22) It is
probable that Ralf Hartley, the last prior, was
put in by Cromwell's influence for the purpose of the dissolution. The deed of surrender was executed on 20 October 1538, and
authenticated, not with the official seal of the
house, but with a seal bearing the prior's
initials. The document has only two signatures: 'per me Radulphum Hartley priorem
Monasterij sive prioratus de Wederhall: per me
Johannem Clyfton monachum ibidem.' (fn. 23) The
surrender was enrolled on 28 January following
before Thomas Legh, one of the clerks of the
Chancery. (fn. 24) By a warrant dated 20 November 1539, a pension of £20 was allotted to
the late prior, and smaller sums to Thomas
Hartley, John Wytfeld alias Batson, John
Clyfton, and John Gale, brethren of the
house. On 31 January 1539-40, Ralf Hartley's pension was revised and fixed at £12
with the addition of his interest in the rectory
of Wetheral and Warwick and the annexed
chapels of St. Anthony and St. Severin. (fn. 25) In
1555 only two of the pensioners of Wetheral
were alive, viz. Ralf Hartley, who was still
drawing his pension of £12, and one Edward
Walles who was enjoying his annuity of 40s. (fn. 26)
The demesne lands and churches of this
house were granted to the dean and chapter
of Carlisle by their charter of endowment,
with the exception of the churches of Wetheral
and Warwick, which were afterwards bestowed by letters patent, dated 15 January
1547, on the petition of that body. (fn. 27)
The work of dismantling the priory was
soon commenced. Account was rendered by
Sir Thomas Wharton and James Rokebie, the
commissioners of surrender, on 31 December
1538, of the sale of divers church utensils,
tables of alabaster, brass candlesticks, various
wooden images, choir stalls, vestments, censers,
altar linen, and a lectern, not to mention the
domestic furniture and farming stock, implements and produce belonging to the monks,
the more costly articles like chalices, vases and
jewels having been delivered to William
Grene, the king's receiver. (fn. 28) In 1555 Lancelot Salkeld, dean of Carlisle, reported 'that
one bell of the thre bells perteyning to the
layte sell of Wetherell came to Carlysle,
whiche bell was hanged uppon the walle called
Springall Tower in Carlyle to call the workmen to worke at the making of the new
cytydall in Carlyle and mending of the castell
ther.' The other two bells, he said, remained in a house at Wetheral unbroken
awaiting removal. (fn. 29) The priory buildings soon
went to decay and were never repaired.
Thomas Denton, writing in 1687, stated that
only the gatehouse remained entire and in
good repair in his time. Its survival may
probably be accounted for by the fact that
it then 'served the minister for a vicaragehouse.' (fn. 30) As for the dormitories and cloisters,
iam seges ubi Troja fuit.
Priors of Wetheral
Richard de Reme, early twelfth century (fn. 31)
Ralf, circa 1130
William, late twelfth century (fn. 32)
Thomas, circa 1203-14 (fn. 33)
Suffred, circa 1218-23 (fn. 34)
William Rundel, circa 1225-39 (fn. 35)
Thomas, circa 1241
Richard de Rouen, circa 1251
Henry de Tutbury (Tutesbiri), circa
1257
Thomas de Wymundham, circa 1270-90
William de Tanfield, 1292, (fn. 36) prior of
Durham in 1308
John de Gilling, resigned on becoming
abbot of York in 1303 (fn. 37)
John de Thorp, appointed on 16 November, 1303 (fn. 38)
Robert de Gisburn, circa 1309, (fn. 39) excommunicated in 1313 (fn. 40)
Gilbert de Botill, instituted in 1313, (fn. 41)
prior of St. Mary, York, in 1313–9
Adam de Dalton, 1319, (fn. 42) 1330, (fn. 43) 1341 (fn. 44)
William de Tanfield, 1341, (fn. 45) 1366 (fn. 46)
William de Brudford, admitted in 1373, (fn. 47)
abbot of York in 1382 (fn. 48)
Robert Grace, circa 1379 (fn. 49)
Richard de Appilton, circa 1382 (fn. 50)
Thomas Pigott, admitted in 1386, (fn. 51)
abbot of York in 1399
John de Stutton, 1399 (fn. 52)
Thomas Stanley, 1434 (fn. 53)
Robert Hertford, 1444, 1446 (fn. 54)
Thomas Bothe, 1456, abbot of York in
1464 (fn. 55)
Robert Esyngwalde, 1490
Robert Alanby, 1497, afterwards prior
of St. Mary's, York, (fn. 56) and St. Bees
William Thornton, made abbot of York
in 1530 (fn. 57)
Richard Wederhall, 1535 (fn. 58)
Ralf Hartley, last prior, 1539
The only known seal referring to this
monastery is that attached to the deed of
surrender, (fn. 59) which is Prior Ralf Hartley's signet. It is shield-shaped and bears his initials
united by a knot looped and tasselled.