3. CANTERBURY COLLEGE, OXFORD
As early as 1331 a hall near the church of
St. Peter-in-the-East was bought by the priory
of Christ Church, Canterbury, and four monks
were sent to study at Oxford. (fn. 1) But in 1362
Simon Islip, archbishop of Canterbury, founded
in the parish of St. Edward a college for twelve
students, of whom four were to be monks and
the rest secular clerks, and endowed it with the
church of Pagham, Sussex; it also had at first
rents from eight houses in Oxford, and something
from the manors of Woodford, Northants, (fn. 2) and
Worminghall, Bucks. (fn. 3) The first warden, a
monk, was appointed in 1362, (fn. 4) but the charter
of endowment is dated 1363, (fn. 5) and the licence to
acquire land for building was not given until
1364. (fn. 6) In 1365 the founder, at a time when
it was said he was in weak health, ousted the
monks and appointed a secular, John Wiclif, to
be warden; (fn. 7) but the next primate reinstated the
monks, and after a struggle all the seculars were
expelled by decision of the pope in 1370. (fn. 8) More
land was bought in 1373, 1380, and 1392, (fn. 9) and
in 1383 the number of monks was increased by
five, who were to receive their maintenance from
Canterbury, at the rate of 10d. a week. (fn. 10) Monks
from other Benedictine houses were allowed to
rent rooms, and we hear of inmates from
Rochester, Coventry, Battle Abbey, Peterborough,
and Evesham (or Eynsham). (fn. 11) To some extent
they were all subject to the 'prior studentium,'
the head of Gloucester College, and in 1426 he
made complaint that the monks of Canterbury
College did not observe in eating meat the same
rules as the other Benedictine monks. (fn. 12) The
endowments, which originally were about £86 a
year, gradually disappeared. (fn. 13)
The heads of the college, generally called
wardens, but occasionally priors, (fn. 14) were chosen
from the monks of Canterbury by the prior of
Christ Church, and admitted by the archbishop. (fn. 15)
Shortly after the dissolution of the monasteries,
the buildings, including a hall and chapel, were
acquired by Christ Church. (fn. 16)
Priors of Canterbury College (fn. 17)
Henry Wodhull, appointed 1362
John Wyclyve, appointed 1365
Richard de Hatfield, occurs 1367 (fn. 18)
John Radington, appointed 1367
Henry Wodhull, reappointed 1367
John Bydington, appointed 1370
William Richmond, appointed 1371
William Dovorre, appointed 1380
John Aleyn, c. 1382
William Chert, occurs 1396
William Hadley, occurs 1400
Thomas Tokynham, occurs 1401
Thomas Wyking, appointed 1401
Richard Godmersham, appointed 1403, occurs
1410
John Langdon, occurs 1411 (fn. 19)
John Waltham, occurs 1440
Robert Lynton, occurs 1444
John Wodnesburgh, occurs 1447
William Thorden, occurs 1449
Richard Gravene, recalled from Oxford in
1454
William Hadlegh, occurs 1459
Reginald Goldston, occurs 1466
Thomas Goldston, occurs 1473 (fn. 20)
William Chichele, appointed 1473 (fn. 21)
Thomas Umfrey, occurs 1475
Robert Estrie, occurs 1494
Thomas Chandler, occurs 1495
Robert Holyngborne, occurs 1501-6
William Gyllyngham, occurs 1508-9
Edward Bocking, occurs 1512 and 1518 (fn. 22)
Richard Thorney or Thornden, occurs 1529-34
William Sandwych, occurs 1536