Bevall, Beauvale.
Nicolas de Cantelupe (fn. 1) Lord of Ilkeston in Darbishire (mentioned in Greseley)
having obtained licence of King Edward the third, dated 22 Septemb. in the
sixteenth year of his reign, founded a Monastery in his Park of Greyseley, for a Prior and
twelve Monks, of the Order of the Carthusians, to which he gave ten pounds, per annum, of Land and Rent, in the Towns of Gryseley and Selleston, together with the Park of
Gryseley, and the Advowson of the Churches of both the said Towns, which he got appropriated: and this he devoutly did for the glory of Almighty God, and the increase
of Religion, and the Divine Worship, and for the good or healthful state of the said King
Edward III, (fn. 2) and of William la Zouch the Lord Archbishop of York, his most dear
Lord and cousin. and of the Lord Henry de Lancastre Earl of Darby, and of himself,
and Joane his wife, and William his son and heir, while they should live, and for the
souls of the said King, and of all the rest, when they should die, and for the soul of Tiphania
his former wife, and of his father and mother and all his progenitors and heirs; wherefore
he by his special Deed, gave to God and the blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, and the Prior and Monks of the Carthusian Order in the Monastery called (the
fair Vale) Bellavallis, which he had builded for them in his said Park of Gryseley, and their
Successors, there serving God according to the Customs, Order, and Rule of the Mother Church of the Carthusians, the said Monastery and Park of Gryseley adjoining, and
three hundred acres of Land, ten mess. twelve bovats, with the appurtenances in Gryseley,
which Richard le Carter, John Pygot, Robert Neubell, John le Carter, Thomas Dey,
Roger Pygot, Hugh son of Agnes, John le Maisterman, Henry le Cartre, Richard
Sareson, Roger Dey, Thomas de Fulwode, and Hugh de Pynkeston, his Natives, or
Villains, held of him in the said Town in Villanage, together with the said Villains,
their Chattels, Sequel, and Sects, and also 3s. Rent of John Whitteberwe in the Town of
Selleston, and 4s. 4d. of like yearly Rent of John Arnold in the same Town. As also
13 mess. and 17 bov. and an half, with their appurtenances in the said Town of Selleston,
which Robert le Coke, John above the Kirke, Nicholas le Schipherd, Will. le Tayllour,
William, son of Ric. le Wright, Tho. le Mough, Nicola, who had been wife of Richard
le Wright, John, son of Richard le Wright, Robert, son of William Coke, and Thomas
Cabald his natives, held in that Town in Villanage, (fn. 3) together with those natives, and
all that were born of them, and their Suits and Services (here also called sects and sequells)
and likewise the said Advowsons of the Churches of the said Towns of Gryseley and Selleston, with all theirs rights and appurtenances. He also granted that the said Prior and
Monks, and their successours, should have common of pasture for all manner of Castle
whatsoever, wheresoever they couched, or from whencesoever they came, through his
whole Dominion or Lordship, and Demesnes of Gresly and Selleston, in all places and
times where his other Freeholders had, and that they should have stone for all the work
of the Church and their Houses, and marle to marle their Lands in all the said places,
except his Park of Kirkstall: To this Deed were witnesses his said cousin the Archbishop of York, Kichard Bishop of Durham, Thomas of Linc. Roger of Coventre and
Lichfeild, Henry de Lancastre Earl of Darby, William Earl of Northampton, and William
Earl of Hundyngton, John de Grey, William Dencourt, William de Grey of Sandiacre,
Knights, William his own son and heir, and Nicholas, son of that William Robert
Barnak, William Facumbrige, and others: this was dated at Gryseley, the 9 Decemb.
1343, 17 E. 3, as was also another of his, partly to this purpose, but something shorter,
which had other witnesses, viz. Sir Richard de Wyleby, Robert de Streuley, William de
Grey, John de Annesley, Knights, Hugh Martell, John Attecarre, William Dauvers,
and others, by which it appears very probable at least, that in those days they were not
more precise in the date of their deeds, in reference to either time or place of sealing,
than they are now. In the year 1347, 21 E. 3, by another Deed dated at Gryseley, the
twentieth of Octob. before the same witnesses, saving that Thomas was then instead of
of Richard Bishop of Durham, (fn. 4) and John instead of Thomas of Lincolne, and William
Grey of Sandiacre was wanting, the said Nicholas de Cantelupe his son and heir, William,
having, by his instant supplication, obtained lincence of the King for 20l. per annum, of
Land and Rents in the Towns of Gresty, Seleston, Watnowe, Kynmarly, and Neuthorpe, to
be given to the said Prior and Covent, and their Successors, did for the same reasons,
and as before is expressed, give five mess. one mill, and forty acres of land, with the appurtenances in Gresley and Watnowe, and all his demesne of the said Town of Selleston, and
a great company of his Villains, with the messuages and bovats of Land which they held
in Watnowe, with all their cattles, suits, and sequels, and 16s. 6d. yearly Rent, out of
the Lands which Thomas de Gratton held of him in Selleston, and as much out of the
Lands and Tenements, which Joane, who had been the wife of William le Cressy held
in the same Town, and divers small Rents in Greseley, and the Reversions of twenty-one
acres which Thomas le Purchaceour held of him for like in Watnow, and of a mess. and
six acres of land on the north side of the Castle in Greseley, which William de Beaurepayr
held for life, and of another, and five acres, and one rood of Land, which William de
Worthington, and Agnes his wife, held for life, on the north side also of the Castle, &c.
King Richard the second, granted licence to Elizabeth, who had been the wife of Sir
Brian Stapleton, the younger, Knight, and to William de Rither, Chr. and Sibyll his
wife, to give to the Prior and Covent of Beauvale, each of them forty shillings a year out
of their respective moyeties of the Mannors of Kirkbye Orblawers, and Kereby, for two
Monks, more especially to celebrate in the Church of Beauvale, for the souls of William
de Aldburgh the elder Chr. (fn. 5) (fn. 6) and Elizabeth his wife, and William de Aldburgh his
son and heir (brother of the said Elizabeth, and Sibyll) and Margery his wife, and of
Edward Balid, Chr. which they did accordingly, and William Rather, and Sibyll his
his wife, Mich. 18 R. 2, levied a Fine; which Rents, after some time of intermission of
payment, William de Rither, Knight, their son, and Robert de Rither, Knight, his son
and heir, restored to Thomas Metheley the Prior and his successours, he forgiving them
all the arrears, except 40s. of silver, which they were to satisfie to the Noble and Rev.
Guy Fairfax, which he had paid to the said Prior and Covent, for which the said Will.
and Sibyll, and William and Robert their wives and children in their lives, and after their
deaths, were to have full participation of all the Masses, Prayers, Psalms, Watchings,
Disciplines, Fastings, Alms, and other spiritual exercises of the said House of Beauvale.
William de Aldburgh, Chr. for the soul of his Lord Edward de Balliol King of Scotland, and of Elizabeth his own wife, and that himself might be as one of the Founders,
and the King of Scotland as a principal Benefactor, in the participation of the spiritual
benefits of that House, with some others also of his near kindred, did by his Deed, bear
ing date at Willey Haye, 10 Febr. 1362, 37 E. 3, give and confirm the said Hay of Willey,
to the said Prior and Covent of Beauvale, which he had of Sir Thomas Metham, Knight,
heir to his great grandfather Adam, son of Adam de Hamelton, to whom King Edward
the first granted it in the ninth year of his reign, reserving 10l. per annum Rent to be
paid yearly into the Exchequer, which said Fee Farm Rent of 10l. King Edward the
third, 1 January, in the thirty-second year of his reign, granted to his beloved Servant
John Attewode (fn. 7) for term of his life, and the Reversion of it, 26 May, in the 37th
year of his reign, to his beloved cousin Edward de Balliol King of Scotland, and William
de Aldburgh, Chr. with licence likewise for them to give it to this Priory. which they
did that same year, having obtained of John Attewode the possession also, so that the
said Edward Balliol King of Scotland might from thence-forward likewise enjoy all the
benefits of the House, (fn. 8) as one of the Founders.
These had the Rectory of Ferneham at the first foundation, which Sir William
Plumpton, and Sir Robert de Roos of Ingmanthorp, passed to Robert de Barnak, Hugh
de Cressy, and Hugh Martell, and they to the Founder Nicholas de Cantelupe.
John of Gaunt, granted licence to Sir William de Fincheden, Knight, Richard de
Ravenser Arch-deacon of Lincoln, Mr. Nicholas de Chaddesden, Richard de Chesterfeild,
and Richard de Tyssington, Clarks, to give the Mannor of Etwelle in Darbyshire, to this
Priory, to pray for him while he lived, and for his soul, and the soul of his wife Blanch
when dead, which John de Ryhoef also released to the Prior and Covent.
All they got was valued to 1961. 6s. per annum, and after the dissolution most of it,
8 July, 33 H. 8, (fn. 9) was granted to Sir William Hussy, and the heirs males of his body
at 21l. 11s. 9d. 0b. Rent, viz. the site of the Priory of Bevall, and diverse Lands in Gresley, Hucknall, Bagthorpe, Westwood, Watnow Cauntcliff, Watnow Chaworth, Brokebresting, Bulwell, Moregreen, Kymberley, and Etwell, and the Rectory of Ferneham, and
Lands in Underwood and Newthorp, (fn. 10) 37 H. 8.
(fn. 11) But all these, and the Mannor of Selston, were 22 Nov. 4 E. 6, granted to Richard
Morison, and Brigitt his wife, and the heirs of Richard, at the value of 1681. 10s. 7d.
yearly. The Lord Capell married the heir of Morison, and with his posterity, the
Earl of Essex, they still continue.
[Throsby] Beavall.
Thoroton has given an ample history of the founding of this Monastery and its revenues, &c. I have therefore but little to add, except giving a minor view of its remains,
facing this page, from the pencil of Hayman Rook, Esq. (fn. 12)
Madox in his Formul Angl. gives an account of the priors of this house, doing homage
to John Lord Grey; and that John Duke of Lancaster, granted the religious of this
place, a tun of Gaiscoign wine yearly, as long as he lived.
Although the original foundation was only for a prior and twelve monks, their numbers were increased before the dissolution to nineteen.
I cannot but agree with Mr. Rastall, that it was more likely, that the monks, or the
founder knew more of the pedigree of the family of the founder, than what Dr. Thoroton
might gather about it, some centuries after.—(See the Dr.'s account, page 240,)
which the reader may compare with that below.