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Dissertation by Richard Buck Chapter One the Demise of Spalding Priory

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Dissertation by Richard Buck Chapter One the Demise of Spalding Priory Part of a BA (Hons) Dissertation by Richard Buck Chapter One The Demise of Spalding Priory 1.1 Introduction The Priory once held an important place within the Lincolnshire town of Spalding for nearly five hundred years, its influence being felt upon many levels of society. However there are now virtually no tangible remains of what was once a substantial and important complex of buildings. The purpose of this paper is to make an attempt to separate archaeological facts from established local traditions. No concentrated archaeological excavation has been carried out upon the Priory site with the intention of locating remains, although work undertaken within the town centre has unearthed artefacts that can be associated with the Priory, details of which can be found in the subsequent HER report (Appendix 1). Although records from the Priory still exist, such as the Myntling Report (1476) held within the museum of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, visual records and exact plans for the location of the Priory precinct are difficult to locate, and as a consequence much of what is ‘known’ about Spalding Priory has passed into local tradition. There are a number of places associated with the Priory in Spalding, but very little hard archaeological evidence to support a valid connection. The only known contemporary illustration is from a fifteenth century map (Plate 1.). In order to make an attempt to separate historical fact from popular tradition various sources have been utilised from local histories and associated texts, maps of the town, illustrations where applicable, archaeological reports and references from local 1 historians. Fieldwork in the form of a guided tour and personal investigation have also been conducted. Source material has been provided by the local library, the Internet and from the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society’s considerable archive. Much has been written about the history of Spalding and the role the Priory played within that time frame. However some elements of the written evidence presented cannot be substantiated as early historians have perhaps elaborated certain facts and thus entered into the realms of local tradition. Some historical situations can be attributed to fact, and can be tied into an investigation when attempting to separate the archaeological truth. This enables a serious hypothesis to be formulated when searching for evidence of the Priory within the Spalding area. Plate 1. Earliest contemporary visual reproduction of Spalding Priory from the Pinchbeck Fen Map c. fifteenth century 2 1.2 Foundation A Priory is a house of men or women under religious vows headed by a prior or prioress. They are generally considered to be satellites of the mother abbey (in Spalding's case Crowland) whose abbot holds an overall responsibility. The day to day running of the priory is left under the control of the prior and his subordinate monks (Owen 1971 p,48). Such an establishment was founded in AD 1052 by six Benedictine monks from Crowland Abbey (founded in AD699 as an offshoot from Peterborough Abbey) (Brassington et al 2004 p.5). Benedictines followed the teachings of St Benedict, with the emphasis firmly being on a tradition of self sufficiency and obedience. The monks lived and died in the monastery, which often had a town around them, as indeed Spalding Priory had (Owen 1971 p.48). The first written record of Spalding is in a charter given to the monks of Crowland by King Ethelbald in AD 716 referring to the boundaries of the land of Crowland as extending 'as far as the buildings of Spalding' (Brassington et al 2004 p.5). It can be assumed that that the site of Spalding had been settled by the beginning of the eighth century, with wooden buildings being erected upon the highest available land (Mee 1949 p.345). From this statement the area of Spalding appears to be under the jurisdiction of the already powerful Crowland Abbey, which by c. AD1052 has acquired sufficient wealth to create a satellite establishment in Spalding itself, perhaps with the intention of extending its influences even further (Page 1934 p.6). The origins of the Priory's true founding lay with Thorold of Buckenhale, a sheriff of Lincoln and benefactor to Crowland Abbey who, 3 “Granted the manor of Spalding to that house for the relief of its necessities.” (Riley ed. 1894 p.140) One can assume from this remark that Crowland was beginning to outgrow itself and needed room to expand, the departure of six monks 'lessened for a while the expenses of the refectory' (Smith 1989 p.1) The monks were taken from Crowland by Thoraldus, brother of Godiva, Countess of Leicester, who assigned them sufficient lands from his manor for their support (Mee 1949 p.345). By AD1059 the Priory was growing in importance and Wulfketyl, Abbot of Crowland, at the instigation of Earl Algar, granted to his brothers at Spalding a wooden chapel (dedicated to St Mary) that would enable them to show proper hospitality and an enrichment from certain rents (Riley ed. 1894 p.144). Around AD1060 Spalding Priory was beginning to establish itself as monastic house in its own right, becoming an important satellite of the parent institution. It's founding had enabled Crowland Abbey to take stock of itself, the Abbot perhaps realising that it was becoming too large to support its occupants. This was a time of great hardship for ordinary people, famine and disorder abounded and many men were anxious to enter into a monastic existence (Brassington et al 2004 p.5). Crowland had reached capacity and Spalding was the over-flow, but in time it would become almost as powerful as its benefactor. It was not without a certain irony that the Priory starts to develop and gain power and prestige after the Norman Conquest of AD1066, when Ivo Tailebois (reputed standard bearer at Hastings and Nephew of William the Conqueror) married an heiress of Spalding which became his seat of power. Ivo had no regard for the Saxons, and drove the monks of Spalding back to their own abbey and introduced monks from the Benedictine Priory of St. Nicholas, at Angiers (Angers), France (Page 1934 p.6). 4 Subsequently Spalding Priory was only under the jurisdiction of Crowland for around fifteen years. “Crowland tried to keep Spalding under its jurisdiction, but was defeated by the greater influence of Tailbois” (Brassington et al 2004 p.6). 1.3 Role within Spalding Records indicate that apart from the Prior there were between six and four monks residing within Spalding Priory between AD1052 and AD1074 when the Priory became connected to Angiers. It would be safe to assume that land owned by the Priory and land within its boundaries were worked by lay-brothers or those in the Priory's employ. The land that had been allocated to the Priory was bordered by the River Welland and the modern Market Place, Winsover Road and St Thomas' Road, covering in all some 33 acres (see street map Fig. 2). Sir William Dugdale in his work Monasticon Anglicanum (1655) includes a map that is reputedly the earliest of Spalding and shows the confines of the Priory (Fig. 1). 5 Fig 1. Map of Spalding c.1655 from the Monasticon Anglicanum (No given scale) It could be that the map is based predominantly upon the memories of local people in regard to the site, and that some artistic licence was used by the cartographer relating to the Priory and its layout. However, as no scale is given an accurate interpretation cannot be ruled out. It does however demonstrate the environs of the Priory, not only in associated buildings but also in the land open to use. The map from the Monasticon uses trees, perhaps to represent orchards within the inner and outer Priory walls, suggesting that the Priory was in-keeping with the Benedictine mandate of self sufficiency, but was perhaps selling any extra produce within the town market to increase Priory revenues (Brooke 1978 p.12). Simon of Hautberg who held the position of prior from AD1229 until his death in AD1253 enriched the Priory greatly by building houses, enriching the church, and 6 building a cloister, dormitory, infirmary, Prior's lodging and guest house. This period marked the Priory's rise as being one of the wealthiest monastic establishments in the area (Smith 1989 p.2 ). At this time the church within the Priory complex would have been for the sole use of the monks and lay-brothers. It may have been opened to the masses on the occasion of a religious festival or holiday. Indeed the new Parish Church of St Nicholas and St Mary (a combination of the Priory church and the connection with Angiers) was founded in 1284 under the direction of the Priory to provide an adequate place of worship for the people of Spalding (Brassington et al p.6). The Priory may have also felt a certain responsibility to the poor (indeed Simon's successor was known as John the Almoner), giving alms, or treating the sick in the infirmary, although this may have been only in the extremist of charitable cases, but by providing work for the townsfolk working it's lands, generating excess produce and being the centre for spiritual well-being, it remain the focal point of Spalding until the Dissolution of 1535 (Owen 1971 p.71 & p.96). 1.4 Ownership of Land and Subsidiary Buildings The Priory extended its influence beyond the confines of Spalding and secured land in nearby manors. These were principally Pinchbeck, Moulton, Sutton and Weston. It was to be in such manors that the Priory established farms, known as granges that were run by one or two monks and worked by conventional labourers.
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