7. THE PRIORY OF NEWNHAM
The Augustinian priory of Newnham was
not actually built until some time after the
accession of Henry II., but it may fairly claim
to be the most ancient religious foundation in
Bedfordshire, in so far as it still held the church
of St. Paul's and succeeded to the endowments of the secular canons there. It is
implied in the Domesday Survey that these
latter were in Bedford before the Conquest;
and Leland records the tradition that they
lived in houses 'round about the Church.' (fn. 1)
How long they had been there, and whether
they were in any way descended from the
original monastery of Bedford, named in 971
in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it is difficult
now to discover: all we know is that they
were living at the Conquest as secular canons,
and had property at Biddenham and Bedford. (fn. 2)
Their patron at this time must have been
Hugh de Beauchamp, who first held the
barony of Bedford; a little later Payn de
Beauchamp, son of Hugh, (fn. 3) and his sister
Ellen are both named as benefactors. (fn. 4) But
the foundation of the priory of Newnham was
the work of Simon de Beauchamp, son of
Payn, about 1166. Tradition ascribes the
change to the scandal caused by the affair of
Philip de Broi, (fn. 5) one of the canons, whose
name has become famous in connection with
the quarrel between Becket and the king.
This man was accused of homicide, and
cleared himself by oath; but the evidence was
so much against him that Simon Fitz Peter,
the king's justiciar, summoned him to a new
trial. On receiving the summons, Philip
broke out into such angry words and insults
against the justiciar that the king considered
his own authority slighted in the person of his
delegate; and the archbishop, fearing that a
very severe punishment would follow, interposed and passed sentence upon the offender
in his own court. This sentence—the loss
of his prebend, and further some penance for
two years only—was considered by the king
as a glaring instance of the failure of the
ecclesiastical courts in dealing with serious
crimes; it contributed something towards the
estrangement between him and the archbishop, (fn. 6) and also made it advisable for the
canons to change their place of residence.
This story has quite good authority, but it
has probably no casual connection with the
foundation of Newnham Priory. The change
from secular to regular canons was going on
in many religious houses at this time; the
scandal of Philip de Broi can only at the
most have hastened an event already inevitable. All that Simon de Beauchamp says (fn. 7) is
that prudent and religious men had often
counselled him to turn the gifts and endowments of his ancestors to a use more productive
of reverence to God and honour to true
religion, and that he was at last convinced of
the wisdom of their advice. He names the
king, Henry II., Pope Alexander III., Blessed
Thomas the Martyr and Bishop Robert of
Lincoln as having given their consent. (fn. 8)
The transference of all the endowments of
the secular canons to William, first prior of
Newnham, was solemnly made in the church
of St. Paul in the presence of many witnesses. (fn. 9)
The old canons were six in number: Nicholas
archdeacon of Bedford, was one of them. (fn. 10)
They probably kept some portion of their
prebends for the term of their lives; perhaps
being presented to or left in possession of
churches in the gift of the house. The
priory was specially rich in churches: fourteen are named in the first charter of Simon
de Beauchamp, and eleven of these were still
the property of the house in 1535. Simon's
endowment was a generous one; his mother
and other benefactors added to it, (fn. 11) but his own
title to the name of founder is unquestionable.
During the first century of their existence
the canons of Newnham had a good deal to
endure. They had first to suffer from the
violence of Fawkes de Bréauté, who with the
consent and approval of King John actually
pulled down the greater part of the church
of St. Paul to strengthen the fortifications of
Bedford Castle; he was probably an oppressive neighbour all the time he lived there,
until the capture of the castle in 1223 by
Henry III. The losses of the canons were
partly made good to them by the gift of the
church of Tinden, and by a present of stones
from the dismantled castle. (fn. 12)
It was in the same year (Easter term 1223)
that the priory was involved in a very interesting suit for the church of Aspley Guise.
There were three claimants in the field,
namely Fawkes de Bréauté and the priors of
Dunstable and of Newnham. The last parson,
Nicholas, has been presented by Roger de
Salford, who held a knight's fee of Simon de
Beauchamp in 1166. This Roger had then
given the advowson to the church of Dunstable, his charter being confirmed by Simon
de Beauchamp and by Robert Bishop of
Lincoln (1147-66). The prior of Newnham
pleaded that Guy de St. Walery and Aubreye
his wife had given the church to St. Paul's,
Bedford, their gift being confirmed by Simon
de Beauchamp and Bishop Hugh (11861200). It was proved that Roger had only
held Aspley as baillee until he was assigned
land to the value of £10 elsewhere (which
he afterwards received in Stotfold), and that
Guy de St. Walery had recovered Aspley
against him by fine. Therefore his gift was
invalid, and Newnham was assigned the
church under St. Walery's gift. (fn. 13)
But new troubles soon arose through the
tyrannical behaviour of William de Beauchamp, son of the founder; who, encouraged by his wife Ida, proved himself
quite as much an enemy to the religious
of the neighbourhood as Fawkes de Bréauté
had been. The first difficulty was connected
with the church of Wootton, and other
property of the priory; (fn. 14) but it was at the
election of a prior that William's conduct at
last brought him under episcopal censure.
The charter of Simon had provided that the
convent should have the right of free election,
only asking his consent as patron: William
wished to do the part of both bishop and
patron. There was some unpleasantness over
an election in 1247; (fn. 15) but in 1254 William
came in person to the priory with his wife,
and compelled the new prior, Stephen, to
come outside the gate to him to receive the
temporalities; then, taking him by the hand,
he led him into the church, and installed him
in his place in choir. (fn. 16) This, however, was
too much for the bishop: he at once visited
the priory and made William apologise for his
invasion of the liberties of the church. (fn. 17) It
is possible that the great charter of Newnham,
in which William confirmed all the gifts of
his father and others, including the licence for
free election, belongs to this time. (fn. 18) The
next of the Beauchamps, another William,
made some reparation for the misdeeds of his
father. (fn. 19)
When the barony of Bedford passed to the
Mowbrays the advowson of the priory went
with it. An attempt was made in 1347, (fn. 20) at
the death of John of Astwick, to prove that
it was held of the king in capite; but the
jury then called proved conclusively that it
was held always of the barony of Bedford,
and that Sir John Mowbray was at that time
the patron. In 1352 Thomas Mowbray,
Earl Marshal, confirmed the charter of
William de Beauchamp. (fn. 21) The foundation
charter, charter of transference to Newnham
and others were confirmed by Henry II.,
Edward I., Edward II., Edward III. and
Richard II.; the last royal charter was that
of Henry IV. dated 15 February 1408-9. (fn. 22)
Of the internal history of the priory we
know very little. It seems to have had a
good reputation at all times. Hervey, the
prior in 1228 (previously prior of Osney),
was commissioned in that year, with Richard
de Morins of Dunstable, to visit all the houses
of their order throughout the dioceses of
Lincoln and Coventry; two priors resigned
in consequence. (fn. 23) In Grossetête's unsparing
visitations of 1235 and 1249 no charge was
laid against this house; (fn. 24) and no other visitation is recorded until that of Bishop Burghersh
some time before 1322. The prior at that
time, John of Astwick, was very unpopular,
and anxious in consequence to resign; but
the bishop thought it sufficient to urge the
brethren to be more exact in their obedience. (fn. 25)
Bishop Buckingham sent an order in 1387
that 'peace should be established between
the priories of Newnham and Caldwell;' (fn. 26)
it would be interesting to know what was
the matter in dispute, as there was usually so
much goodwill between the various houses of
Austin canons in this county. A year later (fn. 27)
a brother was received back, who had become
an apostate through discontent and was now
repentant. At the visitation of Bishop Grey (fn. 28)
(1431-6) the discipline of the house was still
good; all that the bishop enjoined was that
the sub-prior should do the work of the
prior, now grown old and feeble. (fn. 28) Later,
when Cardinal Wolsey undertook to reform
the whole Augustinian order, it seems that
Newnham was still amongst the more satisfactory houses. At the great general chapter
summoned at Reading in June 1518 (the
first after the lapse of more than a century)
the prior of Newnham was chosen as one of
the definitors, and made visitor for two counties. (fn. 29)
The prior, John Ashwell, with fourteen
canons and two lay brothers, signed an
acknowledgment of the royal supremacy in
1535. (fn. 30) It is probable that these seventeen
were but a small proportion of the original
number. (fn. 31) Nothing is known of the circumstances of the surrender of the house, except
that it was made by a prior who had not been
long in office, (fn. 32) and took place on 2 January
1540-1. (fn. 33) A pension of £60 was granted
to the prior, John Burne, and pensions of
other sums to fifteen canons besides.
The original endowment of the priory by
Simon de Beauchamp comprised the tithes of
fourteen churches—St. Paul's Bedford, Renhold, Ravensden, Great Barford, Willington,
Cardington, Southill, (fn. 34) Hatley, Wootton, Stagsden, Lower Gravenhurst, Aspley, Salford,
Goldington; portions of land in many places
which had belonged to the old canons; the
tithes of all his markets, assarts and woods;
the castle mill and another with some lands
and water attached; the free use of all waters
belonging to the castle, as far as Fenlake, for
fishing, navigation and breeding swans; and
the right to pasture a certain number of cattle
with his own free of cost. These gifts are
rehearsed with much detail and some additions
in the Great Charter of William de Beauchamp. At the time of the Taxatio the income of the priory appears as £164 10s. 8d., (fn. 35)
of which £92 6s. 8d. is made up of spiritualities. The largest items amongst the temporalities are lands, etc., at Goldington, Salpho,
Stotfold and Sharnbrook; (fn. 36) and these are
found in the Feudal Aids as portions of
knights' fees.
In 1302 the prior of Newnham held half
a knight's fee in Sharnbrook, several fractions
in Goldington, and half a knight's fee in
Salpho. (fn. 37) In 1316 half a fee in Goldington,
a quarter in Salpho, one seventh in Biddenham, one quarter in Southill. (fn. 38) In 1346 half
a fee in Cotes and half a fee in Sharnbrook. (fn. 39)
In 1428 the same as in 1346 with the addition of half a knight's fee in Salpho, and a
quarter in Blunham and Moggerhanger. (fn. 40)
A comparison of the Valor and the Taxatio
shows however that the property of the priory
was almost the same in extent at both dates,
varying very little in the course of history.
It was all within the county of Bedford. Not
one of the churches of the original endowment was quite lost, though three were only
paying small pensions in 1535. Besides
divers parcels of land the prior held the manors
of Stotfold and Cardington. (fn. 41) The total valuation in 1535 was £284 12s. 11¾d.; in 1541
the ministers' accounts give only a total of
£200 17s. 8¾d. (fn. 42)
Priors of Newnham
William, (fn. 43) first prior, appointed 1166
Ralph, (fn. 44) occurs 1198 and 1205
Eustace, (fn. 45) occurs 1214, died 1225
Harvey, (fn. 46) elected 1225, died or resigned
1238
Walter, (fn. 47) elected 1238, died 1247
Walter of Chawston, (fn. 48) elected 1247
Stephen, (fn. 49) elected 1254, died 1264
William le Fraunceys, (fn. 50) elected 1264, died
1271
William le Ros, (fn. 51) elected 1271, died 1272
Michael of Goldington, (fn. 52) elected 1272,
died 1283
John of Bedford, (fn. 53) elected 1283, resigned
1300
Adam of Sherborne, (fn. 54) elected 1300, resigned 1300
William of Biddenham, (fn. 55) elected 1300,
died 1307
William of Thorp, (fn. 56) elected 1307, resigned 1315
John of Astwick, (fn. 57) elected 1315, resigned
1347
John of Amersham, (fn. 58) elected 1347,
resigned 1348
Henry of Woodford, (fn. 59) elected 1348, died
1349
William of Woodford, (fn. 60) elected 1349
Nicholas Baldock, (fn. 61) elected 1362, died
1369
John of Biddenham, (fn. 62) elected 1369, died
1395
William of Woughton, (fn. 63) elected 1395
John Bromham, (fn. 64) occurs 1437 and 1441
John, (fn. 65) occurs 1477 and 1490
Henry of Newnham, (fn. 66) occurs 1493
John Ashwell, (fn. 67) occurs 1535
John Burne, (fn. 68) occurs 1540
The conventual seal was large and elaborate. It represents St. Paul seated on a
throne, under a trefoiled canopy, with sword
in his right hand; an angel above on either
side, and groups of votaries under arches to
the right and left, with the moon above one
group and the sun above the other. Legend:
SIGILL' PRIORIS ET CONVENTUS SBĪ PAULI DE
NEWEHAM.
Counter-seal: three niches. In the middle
St. Paul kneeling with an executioner behind
him; above his head PAULV and possibly a
hand of blessing. St. Luke and St. Titus on
the left and right, with their names above
them. Legend: MUCRO . FUROR . SAULI .
FUIT . ENS[IS . PAS]SIO . PAULI. (fn. 69)
There is a seal of William of Woughton,
prior 1395, pointed oval, representing St.
Paul seated in a canopied niche, pinnacled
and crocketted, holding a sword in the
right hand and a book in the left, between
two shields, one with a lion and the other
a cross paty; and a prior below, half
length, with hands folded in prayer. Legend:
S. FRATRIS WILTĪ DE WOKETONE PRIORIS
DE NEWED. (fn. 70)
The seal of Henry de Newnham (1493)
is the same. Legend: s. F'RIS HENRIC'
NEWNAM PRIORIS DE NEWEHAM. (fn. 71)