COLLEGIATE CHURCHES
31. THE COLLEGE OF SHOTTES-BROOK
Sir William Trussell, of Kibblestone, Staffordshire, founded a college consisting of a warden
and five other chaplains and two clerks at Shottesbrook in the year 1337, and endowed it with the
church of Shottesbrook, and a rental of 40s. on
the manor of the same parish, held in chief, as of
the castle of Windsor, by rendering 20s. yearly
at the castle. The letters patent granting licence
for this foundation also authorized the founder
to alienate to the college a further yearly payment
of 100s. of land or rent not held in chief. (fn. 1) In
the following year licence was granted to the
warden of the college to acquire in mortmain
further lands or rents up to £10 yearly. (fn. 2)
There had been a parish church at Shottesbrook—a parish formed out of the older one of
White Waltham—for some time before Sir
William Trussell's days. Both the church and the
college, subsequently attached to it, were dedicated
in honour of St. John Baptist. The foundation
ordinance laid down that the warden and the five
chaplains were to keep the canonical hours, beginning at daybreak (in aurora diei); they were
to follow in all things the use of Sarum and to
sing from the heart with distinct and suitable
voice (corde et voce distincte et apte psallere);
they were to wear surplices and black copes, after
the manner of the vicars of the church of Salisbury; and the mass of Our Lady was to be
celebrated daily with the utmost devotion. Full
provision was also made for high mass and for
particular collects for the king and founder, with
many other details both of a liturgical and household character. (fn. 3)
On 24 May, 1337, the founder presented John
de Lodyngton to the bishop, as the first warden
of the perpetual chantry of Shottesbrook. (fn. 4)
From that date onwards there are frequent
entries of presentations to the wardenship or to
the different chaplaincies in the episcopal registers.
Thus, on 12 June, 1346, Thomas de Wokynge
was instituted to the fifth place or grade among
the chaplains, on the nomination of the founder;
and John Fakenham to the second grade, on
16 November, 1351. (fn. 5)
Edward III in 1338 granted to Sir William
Trussell, 'out of our special grace and on account
of the affection we have for so beloved and faithful a servant,' the advowson of the Berkshire
church of Basildon, with licence to transfer and
appropriate it to his chantry or college of Shottesbrook. (fn. 6) In the same year Sir William, described
as the king's yeoman, obtained a grant for him
self and his heirs and all their tenants of the
manor of Shottesbrook to be quit of expeditation
of their dogs within the forest; (fn. 7) a grant of real
value, as the officers of the forest exacted a fee for
each case of mutilation. The whole manor was
within the bounds of the forest of Windsor. On
8 June, 1341, Sir William Trussell added to the
endowments to the extent of £7 yearly value
(out of the £10 for which licence was obtained
in 1338), by the gift of a messuage in Cookham,
with lands, meadow, weir, and rent. (fn. 8)
Some difficulty (probably with the ecclesiastical
authorities) must have arisen with regard to the
appropriation of the church of Basildon; for the
licence was repeated in 1340, (fn. 9) and again in 1344. (fn. 10)
But it was not accomplished until many years
later. Towards the end of the reign of Edward III
the church and college were almost destroyed by
fire, and all the priests and clerks left, save John
Bradford, the warden. Thereupon the king once
more, in 1371, repeated his licence for the appropriation of the church of Basildon, (fn. 11) but even now
there was some further delay before papal and
episcopal sanction was obtained. By letters
patent of 1384, John Bradwell, the warden, and
the chaplains obtained ratification from Richard II
of the appropriation of Basildon, as sanctioned
by the pope, the archbishop of Canterbury, and
the bishop of Salisbury, when William Sharp was
warden. (fn. 12) The episcopal registers show that the
rectory was formally appropriated and the vicarage
endowed in the year 1382. (fn. 13)
In 1386 a chantry was ordained in this collegiate church for the soul of William Frithe, a
London merchant. (fn. 14) In 1392 the college endowments were slightly increased by some further
messuages in Shottesbrook and White Waltham. (fn. 15)
The last warden but one of this college was
Dr. William Throcmorton, who died in 1535.
His alabaster effigy is still in the chancel. An
account of this monument and inscription with
many other particulars as to the manor and
college of Shottesbrook was written by
Mr. Hearne in 1711, and inserted in the
second edition of Leland's Itinerary. (fn. 16)
The College and Chantry Commissioners of
Henry VIII of 1546 reported that the college
of St. John Baptist, Shottesbrook, was founded
by the ancestors of the earl of Oxford to have
a warden and two (sic) priests to say the divine
office. They found that the warden at that time
was a layman, Robert Vere, brother to the earl
of Oxford; 'he recyveth the prophetts and
comyth nott there.' They also reported that
the college was a parish church situated between
two other parish churches, each of which was
but half a mile distant. The annual value was
£62 14s. Out of this the two priests received
£12 1s. 4d. and the clerk or sexton 33s. 4d.;
£4 went to the vicar of Basildon, and 6s. for
bread, wine, wax, and oil. The considerable
balance was received by Robert Vere 'to his
owne use and profytte.' (fn. 17)
The commissioners of 1 Edward VI, in which
year the college was suppressed, gave the annual
value as £59 5s. 8d., of which 'Robert Verre
Esquire Mr. or Warden' received £31 3s. 11d.
The two chaplains or 'co-brethren,' William
Hall, aged 51, and Thomas Bersly, aged 50,
each received £6 8s., whilst William Standysh
the clerk had 33s. 4d. (fn. 18)
Wardens of Shottesbrook
John de Lodyngton, appointed 1337 (fn. 19)
William Sharp
John Bradford, occurs 1371 (fn. 20)
John Bradwell, occurs 1384 (fn. 21)
Richard Sprotburgh (fn. 22)
Thomas Rawlyns (fn. 22)
William Throcmorton, died 1535 (fn. 23)
Robert Vere, last master (fn. 24)