Edith Weston Priory

Edith Weston Priory
Where the priory once stood is now this shallow bay in Rutland Water
Edith Weston Priory is located in Rutland
Edith Weston Priory
Location within Rutland
Monastery information
OrderBenedictine
Established1114
Disestablished1394
Mother houseAbbey of Saint-Georges, Boscherville, France
DioceseDiocese of Lincoln
Site
LocationEdith Weston, Rutland, England
Coordinates52°38′26″N 0°38′05″W / 52.6405°N 0.6347°W / 52.6405; -0.6347

Edith Weston Priory was a small alien house of Benedictine monks in Edith Weston, Rutland. The French parent house of Abbey of Saint-Georges, Boscherville was founded by Ralf de Tanquerville, chamberlain to William the Conqueror, about the year 1050. By 1114 his son William donated the church and manor at Edith Weston, and a small cell of monks was set up to collect the rents and intercede for the founder's soul.[1][2]

The cell was one of two in England: William founded Avebury Priory in Wiltshire around the same time.[3] Like all alien houses, control (and revenues) passed to the Crown in time of war with France, and it was during one of these periods that the priory closed. The last known Prior was in 1361, and by 1394 the church and manor had been sold to St. Anne's Priory, Coventry, bringing the priory to an end.[1][2]

Pevsner was dismissive of the priory, saying that Brooke Priory was the only monastery in Rutland as "Edith Weston hardly counts as one".[4]

The earthwork remains probably now lie below the waters of Rutland Water.[2]

Priors of Edith Weston

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Only a few names are known:[1][5]

  • John, 1295–1298
  • Hugh de Altifago, 1324–1326
  • Robert de Cunebaud, 1339–1355
  • William de Beauvey, 1355
  • Robert, 1361
  • John, 1375, 1379

Robert de Cunebaud is known as a delinquent whose abuses were used to justify widespread suspicion of alien cells[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Page, William, ed. (1908). "Alien Cell: Priory of Edith Weston". A History of the County of Rutland: Volume 1. Victoria County History. pp. 163–164. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Historic England. "Edith Weston Priory (325159)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  3. ^ Pugh, R.B.; Crittall, Elizabeth, eds. (1956). "Alien Houses: The Priory of Avebury". A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 3. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 392–393. Retrieved 6 August 2021 – via British History Online.
  4. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth; Brandwood, Geoffrey K. (1985). Leicestershire and Rutland. The buildings of England. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300096187. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  5. ^ Smith, David Michael (1972). The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales: 1377-1540. The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales. Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 158. ISBN 9780521865081.
  • Knowles, David; Hadcock, R Neville (1971). Medieval religious houses in England and Wales. Longman. p. 89. ISBN 978-0582112308.
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