COLLEGES
37. THE COLLEGE OF NORTH CADBURY
In 1423 royal licence was granted for Elizabeth,
Lady de Botreaux and Sir William de Botreaux
to convert the parish church of North Cadbury
into a college of seven chaplains and four clerks,
one of the chaplains being in charge as rector
of the college of St. Michael. The chaplains
were allowed to acquire property to the value
of 100 marks, including the advowson of the
church, and land whereon to build a manse. (fn. 1)
In 1454 Bishop Beckington instituted an
inquiry into the constitution of this collegiate
church and admitted a new rector. (fn. 2)
How far Lady Elizabeth's intentions were
carried out is not clear, but in 1548 the benefice
of North Cadbury was 'commonly callyd a
college and hathe ben tyme out of mynde,' while
one witness said that 'yt is written in the
churche bookes the Obitus Willmi. Botrax
fundatoris hujus collegii.' (fn. 3)
Footnotes
| 1 |
Cal. Pat. 1422–9, p. 190. |
| 2 |
Wells Epis. Reg. Beckington, fol. 203. |
| 3 |
Somers. Chantries (Somers. Rec. Soc.), 130. |