13. THE PRIORY OF BARLYNCH
The priory of St. Nicholas was in the parish
of Brompton Regis, which in the 12th century
had come into the possession of William de Say.
From him it passed, through his daughter
Matilda, into the hands of the Ferrers family.
It claims William de Say as its founder, and
his daughter Matilda endowed it with the
advowson of the church of Brompton Regis.
The authority for its origin is to be found in
a confirmation by Henry III in 1256, which is
recited in a confirmation of the priory endowment by Edward III in 1339. (fn. 73) Our earliest
notice is to be found in the acts of Bishop
Reginald (1174–91) creating the prebends of
Holcombe, White Lackington, Timberscombe,
in the cathedral church of Wells. (fn. 74) These
gifts are witnessed among others by Walter,
Prior of 'Berliz' or Barlynch.
In 1236 the priory benefited to the extent
of 3 marks under the will of Hugh of Wells,
Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 75)
About 1260 (fn. 76) Isolda, Abbess of Godstow,
conveyed to the canons as of the benefaction of
Canon Lolinton some land at Morebath, and
John Comyn increased the grant. Robert Brunell
sold them the manor of Morebath, and Reginald
de Moion gave them the manor and church
of 'Marinaley' or 'Marrynaleigh' (Mariansleigh) in Devonshire, and Warin de Bassingborn
gave them the advowson of Morebath.
In 1268 (fn. 77) Robert the prior and his brother
canons engaged to pay to the dean and chapter
100s. yearly towards the stipend of a chaplain
to pray for the soul of Canon Hugh de Rumenal.
The executors of Canon Hugh had provided
200 marks for the canons, and with that they
had procured the advowson of Winsford and
100s. a year in rents.
In 1273 (fn. 78) Robert the prior bound himself
and the canons to pay 26 marks yearly
to the communar in return for 520 marks
advanced by the bishop, the dean and chapter
and the executor of John de Bruton to the
priory, with which they had purchased the manor
of Morebath. This was again confirmed in 1277.
In 1276 (fn. 79) the priory's right to exercise manorial
rights in the manor of 'Bromland' was contested by Matthew de Beril and his wife, Elizabeth; the prior claimed that his predecessor had
enjoyed these rights, but he yielded to Matthew,
only reserving the patronage of the parish church.
Soon after we find the dean and chapter of
Wells allocating the 25 marks yearly paid
by the Prior and canons of Barlynch towards
the payment of a priest and the equipment of
a chantry for John de Button, William, his
brother, and William, his nephew, the two
latter being the two bishops of that name. (fn. 80)
In the Taxatio of 1291 (fn. 81) the prior is said to
own the lands and rents at Morebath and
'Marmelegh' in Devonshire, a pension of 40s.
a year out of the vicarage of Brompton, and
10s. rent from Winsford and from the parish
of Stogumber.
In 1329 (fn. 82) Hugh, the prior, pleaded age and
illness as a reason for resigning his office, and
desired Bishop Drokensford speedily to grant a
licence to the convent to elect a successor lest
the goods of the impoverished house should be
wasted.
In 1381 (fn. 83) licence was given to John Waskham (fn. 84) to alienate the glebe of Bradford, and
give it and the advowson of Bradford Church
to the prior and convent of Barlynch. This
was again confirmed in the following year. (fn. 85)
In 1478 (fn. 86) William Hampney, the prior, and
the convent of Barlynch received a grant of
two yearly fairs at Bury, a hamlet of Brompton,
a mile south of Barlynch, where formerly the
Besils had a court-house on the eastern side of
the Exe, together with a court of pie powder
and all issues.
In 1532 (fn. 87) James Hadley of Withycombe
in his will left 20s. to the Prior and convent of
Barlynch, and also a bequest to his brother, Sir
William, at Barlynch.
In 1535 (fn. 88) the Valor gives the endowment of
the monastery as worth £98 14s. 8d.
The following letter (fn. 89) from Dr. Tregonwell
to Cromwell was written after he had visited
the priory, while on his way into Devonshire.
He had authority to accept the surrender of the
smaller monasteries, and it is possible that his
choice of the sub-prior to take the place of the
prior may have been designed for the purpose
of furthering surrender from a man more easy
to move than John Norman.
My moaste bounden dewtye to youre masterchype
premysed, Pleasithe the same to be aduertysede,
that at this my beying at Barlyche in Somersetschere
(a house of chanons of thordre of Seynt Augustyne)
I percue that the prior of that howse will be and ys
contentyde to resygne his rome and offyce of priorschipe of the same, soo that his supprior namede
Syr John Barwyke may suceyde hym yn that rome.
The same Barwyke ys (of trowthe) moaste apt and
meate for that rome of any wt yn that monasterye,
bothe of dyscreacyon and also of undrestondyng.
And althoghe hit hathe pleasede you to geve me
authorytye by youre commysson to receue resygnacyons
and to dyrecte and ordre electyons of all Abbottes
and priors beying wt yn the lymettes of youre sayde
commyssyon, yet wtowte youre speciall pleasure to
me knowen I wyll attempte nothing concernyng
the same. Besechyng youre mastreschipe that hit
maye stande wt youre pleasure to sygnyfye unto me
(by youre wretyng) yo commawndemente co cernyng
the same howse off Barlyche. The landys therof
ys cll yerly, the howse ys yn dette lxll, and yn some
rewen and dekey. This daye I ryde to Barnastaple
and soo yn to thother partyes of Devonschere. As
knowithe oure lorde godde whoo preserue your
mastreschipe. from Barlyche the IX daye of Novembre.
The ordynarye wolde have electyde the sayde
Barwyke to be prior yff my comyng hether hadd not
byn, for the howse ys not of the kynges fowndacyon.
Mr. phetyplace of beselles lyghe ys ther founder I
have showyde the partyes that all this matter lyeth
yn yor mastreschipes hond and therfor y have advised
them to make sewet to you for thopteynyng of ther
purpose.
Yor moast bownden
John Tregonwell.
No signature to the Act of Supremacy or
Deed of Surrender is any longer extant, and it
is uncertain when the priory was dissolved.
In July 1537 (fn. 90) John Berwick, the prior,
seems to have been assigned a pension of 20
marks, but in Cardinal Pole's pension list (1553) (fn. 91)
an annuity of 60s. is entered as due to Edmund
Gregory, and nothing is said about Berwick,
who probably in the meantime died.
A priory in so remote and thinly populated
a district and so slenderly endowed could never
have supported any considerable number of
canons. The largest number recorded was nine,
who in 1524 united to request Dr. Thomas
Bennet, commissary of Cardinal Wolsey, to
nominate a prior for them, at the time when
John Norman was chosen.
In 1456 there were seven canons, but in 1492,
when Robert Wynde ceased to be prior, there
were only three canons. Nothing is known of
the ordinary life of the house, and no visitation
returns are extant. Thomas Thornbury in
1461 was suspended for neglect in keeping the
house in proper repair, and in 1492 Robert
Wynde is spoken of in the election of his successor
as deprived and at the same time as having made
a free resignation, both statements probably
being correct, the deprivation preceding the
formal resignation. In place of Robert Wynde
the three canons who were present united to
elect Thomas Birde, a canon of Taunton, as
their prior. (fn. 92) Robert Williamson, a notary
apostolic, was called in to preach the sermon,
and John Brodrybbe, rector of Skilgate, and
John Edyngton, vicar of Dulverton, were the
formal witnesses. The selection of Thomas
Birde required the consent of the Prior of
Taunton, and on this being given he succeeded
Wynde in the management of the affairs of the
house. Thirty-two years afterwards, as an old
man, he resigned the office of prior, and received
a pension of £6 13s. 4d. and food allowance, and
the best chamber in the priory after that of
the priors.
In the pension list (fn. 93) of the canons of Taunton
a Thomas Matthewe appears, and it is possible
that this may have been the Thomas Matthewe
of Barlynch who took part in the election of
Birde.
Priors of Barlynch
Walter, temp. Bishop Reginald (1174–91) (fn. 94)
John, occurs 1243 (fn. 95)
Robert, occurs 1263, 1277 (fn. 96)
Umfray, occurs 1288 (fn. 97)
Hugh Price, resigned 1321 (fn. 98)
Humphrey de Umbiri, resigned 1347 (fn. 99)
Symon Pile, elected 1347 (fn. 100)
William Wroxhale, occurs 1387 (fn. 101)
John de Taunton, occurs 1390 (fn. 102)
Robert, 1390
John Porter, died 1430 (fn. 103)
Thomas Bury, elected 1430 (fn. 104)
Thomas Thornbury, elected 1457 (fn. 105)
William Hampne, 1478 (fn. 106)
John Chester, died 1488 (fn. 107)
Robert Wynde, elected 1488 (fn. 108)
Thomas Birde, elected 1492 (fn. 109)
John Norman, appointed 1524 (fn. 110)
John Berwick or Barwyke, last prior, appointed 1535 (fn. 111)