Lesnes Abbey

E S N E S B B E Y

N I I K N THE PAR SH O F ER TH , E T

E C LA PHA M P A FR D W . L . S . A . ,

e n the om lete e ort of the Invest at ons rc h tec t ral B i g C p R p ig i , A i u a nd stor c al c arr ed ou t b the W o rk s omm ttee of the Hi i , i y C i Wo olwic h Antiquarian S oc iety du ring the years 1 9 0 9 - 1 9 1 3

LO N DON T HE CA S S I O PR E SS , FR C S W RE DER M GER AN I . A , ANA , LAMB ’ S C N D UIT STR E ET W O . C . 5 , l 9 l 5

C ON T EN T S

INTR OD UCTI O N LI ST OF ILLUS TR ATI ONS

THE ABBE Y THE SITE AF TE R THE DIS S OLUTION BUI LD INGS PR E CINCT GRE AT BAR N CHUR CH ‘ CLOISTE R THE SACR I S TY CHAPTE R -HOUS E PAR LO UR D ORTE R AN D WAR MI NG-HOUS E RE R E -D ORTE R FR ATE R KI TCHE N WES TE R N RAN GE INF I R MAR Y MI S E R I COR D

’ ABBOT S LOD GING WATE R SUP PLY III— OBJE CTS F O UN D IN THE EXCAVATI ON S

' (i) S E P ULCHR AL MoNUME NTs (ii) PAVING TILE S (iii) GLAS S (iv) AR CHITE CTURAL FR AGME NTS (v) MIS CE LLANE OUS OBJE CTS

A — OF O E PP E D S S TC . A N IX . LI T ABB T ,

— THE LE OF R R O S E B . RU A UAI

— R CH E C R L E I F C. A IT TU A R MA NS O THE AUGUSTINIAN O R D E R

— C O S OF R CH S HOP E KH D . INJUN TI N A BI P C AM

- E . O E ON T E S POS L OF THE E C S TC N T H DI A OBJ T , E . ‘ IN D E X

I N T R O D UCT I O N

THE intention of the present volume is to provide an adequate account of the history and extant remains of an Augustinian Abbey which in both its aspects has hitherto

a Lesnes ﬁlled but small space in Arch aeological literature . The Abbey of never _ ‘ ’ occupied a place amongst the great solemn abbies of England , but its history presents

certain points of more general interest than a dry catalogue of successive Abbots , or

a series of petty squabbles with its neighbours , which forms the staple material for the

Lesnes story of many a monastic house . furthermore occupies a very limited space in the standard works on monastic history , and this in spite of the fact that the documentary sources of information are unusually proliﬁc . These circumstances are ,

f . I think , su ﬁcient to excuse the somewhat extended account which is here presented

With regard to its architectural history, the extensive remains which have been brought to light by the recent excavation of the site are amply worthy, as the sequel will show , of a full and complete description .

The excavation of the site of the Abbey was primarily due to the energy and initiative of Mr . W . T . Vincent , President of the Woolwich Antiquarian Society, who 19 09 in collected the nucleus of the excavation fund and himself started the work . 19 13 Since that time the work has gone on , mostly under my own supervision , until , when it was decided that its continuance would be unlikely to provide any adequate return . The result has been the recovery of the complete plan of the church and

i nﬁrmar claustral block, of the y, and of some subsidiary buildings , and in View of the comparatively low expenditure must be looked upon as eminently satisfactory .

Of In the elucidation the various features of the plan , I have to acknowledge the

. . . . S ec s A valuable help of Mr C R Peers , Hon . . . , Sir W . H . St . John Hope , M . A . ,

and other gentlemen , who visited the site during the progress of the work and kindly gave me their views . To Mr . Peers also I am deeply indebted for having read the proofs of this volume and for many corrections and suggestions which have added considerably to its accuracy .

The executive work of the excavations was carried on by a Works Committee of the Woolwich Antiquarian Society, whose support and sustained interest in the under

. . w taking has added greatly to its success In this connexion Mr Frank Spiers , h o ii INTRODUCTION

a a s a o m a h a s a. a i su cted Cur t r of the te por ry museum , completed v luable serv ce by per intending the a rr a ngement of such of the ﬁnds as have been removed to the pari sh church of Erith .

w W : . . i The follo ing is a list of the Works Committee Mr T . Vincent , Pres dent ,

W w n a a Cha i rma n a nd T eas u o Wo o ool ich A tiqu ri n Society ( r rer f rks C mmi ttee) ; Mr .

V r/c S . D i r ctor o l o s . a . . . . a a F . A . e A W . Cl ph m . ( f ) ; Mr Fr nk E Spiers , Hon Sec , Upper

w r — W w H . ec . o k s Corn n e Cu r a to . . . ort S Nor ood Athe a um ( ) ; Mr F C Elliston Er ood ( , r -i W B . . ll . . . a n . a n A m ce . . . . . ) ; Mr J J Collins , Mr F M che ; Mr W H M dy , ;

V w i a \ nn Ho n . . a . Mr . F . . Nu , Sec , Green ich Antiqu r n Society ; Mr Francis W . Reader ; * R i . . a r esi d Mr n . ne . Er est H Wr ght , Hon Sec , Woolwich Antiqu ian Society ( g ) , * 19 11 Mr n decea s d a 19 11 e . October , ; . J . Borthwick Panti g , ( ) , J nuary ,

The excav a tions were rendered possible by the kind permission of the Governors

’ a of C hrist s Hospit l , the freeholders , whose attitude was uniformly sympathetic , and

- c o . . also by the operation of their tenant , Mr Baldock

The gre a ter part of the historical information contained in th e ﬁrst two chapters

a a i has lready ppeared in the Transactions of the Woolwich Antiquar an Society , but

a further investig tion has modiﬁed some of my earlier conclusions , and many additional

a facts h ve since come to light . Most of this additional information has been collected

B A . . by Mr . W . H . Mandy , . , who has very generously placed it at my disposal

o w With regard to the illustrations of this volume , the phot graphs are almost ithout

. . . u nr emi t exception provided by Mr F W Nunn , whose work in this respect has been

o f f ting . The photographs the e ﬁgy are reproduced by permission of the Victoria

- a nd Albert Museum . Mr . F . C . Elliston Erwood is responsibl e for the pages of f architectural details , the drawing of the e ﬁgy, for other drawings which bear his name ,

a nd . . . t w for the index to this volume Mr H J . Powell kindly provided wo dra ings of l . i . D or n the stained glass , and I am personally indebted to the Rev . E E g , for his excellent delineation of the Abbey arms , which appears upon the cover , and to Mr .

. . i n J W Bloe for rev sing the English rendering in Appendix B . The historical grou d plan has been plotted from my own measurements by Mr . E . G . Newnum .

. L P H . A W . C A AM L ondon , 19 15 .

h e t e nd 9 . E mm 1 18 e . . R er and . F r a me on h e ee i e At of M ssrs A og s R . C ost c t Co itt n pl ac of thm two m m e b ers . iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATES F aci ng P age L E ffi th e F r een en w n r na eme ucy gy of ou t th c tury , sho i g o igi l colour sch Genera l V iew of E xcava tions looking West 1 Lesnes e F a m a s E n a nd Lesnes a r n r 8 Abb y r xisti g M sh , looki g No th m11 Th e e S e in 1 2 nd Th F r a r i B M 75 a e e n 175 2 S e e aw n r . e Abb y it t ( tuk l y Dr i gs, it us u ) Th e Abbey S ea ls 14 ’ ’ Th e L n r m th e -ea a nd th e L n r m th e S Abbots odgi g , f o North st , Abbots odgi g f o outh east A B a n e r a n e B r TE . e n d a n e e r PL VI Abb y r , i t rio , Abb y , xt rio A ne ffi n i n e er R e n in Wa e ween TE . S e a e and n PL VII to Co Pr sbyt y , spo d North Aisl of N v , Divisio ll b t Cha pe ls i n North Transept we B e Of a e a nd r t -we rwa a e VIII . North st uttr ss N v No h st Doo y of N v Pier of E a stern Ar ca de of North Transept a nd E ast Wall a nd Altar ba se i n NorthTr a n septa l Cha pe l . Interna l Plinth in North Transept a nd Sunk Chamber in La dy Cha pe l South west Pier Of Centra l Tower e a l T wer e e a nd an e R e n D t i s of o Pi rs , Aisl Tr s pt spo ds er k n S -we a nd e r a nd r Wa F r a er Cloist , loo i g outh st , Cloist No th ll of t a er -H e a m th e r wa wa a nd ffin L Ch pt ous , J b of Doo y , Door y Co ids Th e er S a r a nd o rwa S -we er Dort t i s , D o y outh st of Cloist F r a er S a r in Wa rm n H e a nd F re a e i n Wa m n H e t Pulpit , t i s i g ous i pl c r i g ous r Wa a e E er r a nd rwa S -we Of er We F a e No th ll of N v , xt io , Doo y , outh st Cloist , st c ‘ ’ Th e n n a nd Old W e S r e n Co duit Po d ll , outh of P ci ct L E fi and R S e ucy f gy, Top ight id L E fi Le S e a nd two ew LiOn a t Fee ucy f gy, ft id , vi s of t Pa ving Tiles found on th e site

La e we en r a a a b a nd c r m th e a er H e d r a t T lfth c tu y C pit ls, ( ) , ( ) ( ) f o Ch pt ous , ( ) p ob bly fr om th e Cloisters a F ra m PLATE X X V . Architectur l g ents X e a ne O e PLATE X VI . Misc ll ous bj cts Histor ica l Ground Pl a n

BLOCKS IN THE TEXT

Arms of Abbey a n H r n r l a e Pl of oly T i ity P iory, A dg t B r a R er S encler 1425 ss of og , Pla n of site i n 165 5 P la n of Pr e cinct S n a m er i n La Cha e an a nd e n u k Ch b dy p l , pl s ctio Ser n H a i n F ra e e a vi g tch t r, d t ils Doorwa y S outh -west of Cloister F r agment of an E ffigy Indents of B ra sses Coffin Lids from Cha pter House Portion of a Coffin Lid foun d i n th e Presbytery Dia gr am of Pa ving Tiles

F ra gments of Sta ined Gla ss

Scollope d Ca pita l Capital a nd B a se Section of Stone Obj e ct

PART I— HI STO R Y

Che Z lbbev

R H i t Lesnes E IT , or , as was anciently called , , is a rapidly growing town on the south

-a t - bank of the Thames estuary , in the Lathe of Sutton Hone and the Hundred of

Little and Le snes . The parish is divided from east to west into two parts , the

Lesnes northern being the ﬂat alluvium of Erith and Marshes , and the southern the rising beds of sand and gravel of Abbey Wood a nd the adj oining hills . The dividing line formed the old coast -line of the Thames estuary and so remained until the building of the Thames wall and the embanking of the Marshes conﬁned the river to its present

Lesnes Li esnes limits . The ancient name is variously written , Lessness , , Lesney ,

Leosnes Lesons . , , and Lesing f The site of the Abbey of Lesnes is situated on the western border O the parish . The buildings stood upon an almost ﬂat ledge of land sloping down On the north to the coast -line and rising more steeply behind in the tree -covered slopes of Westwood and

“ B osta ll l ran the (see P ate I) . Two miles to the south great road from London

b - th e to Canterbury , and a y road , leading from Plumstead to Erith , skirted precincts upon the north . e The county of Kent , at the close of the Middle Ages , contain d six houses of the e Augustinian Order , but , with the exception of Ledes (or Leeds) Priory , all of them w re v comparati ely poorly endowed . The sites are known , but the existing architectural remains are unusually scanty ; Tonbridge and Cu mb well have entirely disappeared ; e t St . Gregory, Canterbury , is repres nted by a few unimportant fragmen s , while the e e great Priory of L d s , with its apsidal conventual Church and eastern crypt , has been but partially excavated and is now again buried from sight . Bilsington Priory alone retains any important portion of its monastic building , and even here , until excavations

Of are undertaken , it is impossible to say to what portion the structure the existing i build ng is to be assigned . The Abbey of Lesnes was second in value of these Kentish houses and was one of the two Augustinian Convents in the diocese of Rochester . The neighbourhood was , however , well supplied with houses of other religious orders , for , within a few miles ,

e wer the Dominican Nunnery of Dartford , the alien Priory of Lewisham , and the LE SNE S ABBEY

a a a a i n Fr ncisc n Observ nts of Greenwich , while , cross the r ver , th e great Benedicti e

a — a n a — a Abbey of B rking the most ncient Nun ery in Engl nd stood lmost opposite , upon

a th e low b a nks of th e Rodi ng River . The l nds of th e Abbey in E ri th and Plum stead

a w s a a m rched ith tho e of several other conventual establishments , th e C thedr l Priory d R . a n a nd r of ochester , the Abbeys of St Augustine Westminster , the P iory of Holy

ll a y a . Trinit , Aldgate , holding considerable tracts of land in the immedi te neighbourh ood The C hurch and Manor of Le sne s had in the time of King Stephen c ome into th e

a the h nds of Richard dc Lucy , the subsequent founder of Abbey , but at this time

hi s own he had no intention of founding a Convent of , for , toward the close of

’ a s r Stephen s reign , he bestowed the dvow on of the Church upon th e Prio y of the Holy

a w wa s Trinity , Aldg te , a gift hich subsequently conﬁrmed by his son

wa s 11 1178 n It not until June , , that Richard de Lucy fou ded the 1 178 L M . esnes Abbey of St . ary and St Thomas the Martyr at Westwood in for Canons regular of the Order of St . Augustine , and there is little doubt that the est a blishment w a s in some sort an act of voluntary penance on the par t of de Lucy for

a a w the action he had taken gainst Thomas Becket , and may ell have been inspired 1177 by the Royal foundation of Waltham , begun in , the outcome of the political penitence of Henry II . The founder ’ s important position and distinguished career secured a notice of his

: foundation by most of the contemporary annalists Matthew of Westminster , Roger

d over Hoved en of lV en , Roger , Ralph of Coggeshall , and others , all duly recording the

ﬁrst establishment of Lesnes Abbey .

1 179 Gervaise of Canterbury adds some few further details . Under the date

W a m 1 9 B i slIO illi 1 7 he records that Walter , p of Rochester , blessed the ﬁrst 1“ Ab t Lesne s Abbot of , and in the same year , in the month of July , notes the

‘ a death of Richard de Lucy , who , having ssumed the religious habit , ended his days ' in the C hurch of Lesnes and was buried in the Chapter The ﬁrst Abbot s name was William . Richard de Lucy resigned the ofﬁce of Chief Justiciar and became a Canon of

‘ ’ Lesnes l st after Easter , (Easter occurring that year on April ) and , as he died on July 14th he can only have spent about three months in his retirement .

One other authority on the foundation remains to be mentioned , and this is to be

- found in a small vellum bound volume in the library of Corpus Christi College , Oxford , amongst the miscellaneous notes of a Canon O f the Abbey temp . Henry (probably

- B a se . William y , Sub Prior) The note runs as follows

’ Lesnes wa s n a Ma n : Th a t the Abbey of fou ded in King H rry s days the Second , in of our a b i nc a r na ti one 1178 a n a nd a d the year Lord , , , by Sir Rich rd Lucy , k ight , he dece se

1 - B e a n L ra r e R a wli nsoni a m B 461 . ( ) odl i ib y , Cod x , 2 h e r a w r Ge va e a n er r R S e e . . 277 29 2 29 3 . ( ) T histo ic l o ks of r is of C t bu y , olls ri s , Vol I , pp , , 3 r n a H e r d e Hoved en R S e r e . . 190. ( ) Ch o ic og i , olls i s , Vol II , p ’ ’

W ee r n en F ne a n me n . 83 6 . ve s A ci t u r l Mo u ts , p 5 r r O r MS . . 265 . ( ) Co pus Ch isti , xfo d , No THE ABBEY 3

7 s ﬁ ffi n livl h od a year after and week , so that the place was not nished , nor su cie t y o given to ’ for wa s of l ivl h ood 9 . it, it at his death no more y but marks a year

The accuracy of the latter portion of this note is somewhat doubtful , as the founder

e unquestionably endowed his Abbey With considerabl lands in the parish of Erith ,

ra a f w

a mdo ne ?

1 — AN H TR IN T OR HR ST HUR CH R R A FIG . . OF O O G TE PL , LY I Y ( C I C ) P I Y, ALD F t dra wi a t Hat eld House b J S d ( rom a la te 16th cen ury ng ﬁ , y . ymon s) LE SNE S ABBEY together with the a dvowsons of the C hurches o f N e w ingt o n ~ b y ~ S i tti ngbo urn e and

, . a Lesnes Marden Kent The Abbey held , moreover , one of the M nors of at a very early ' a wa s a d te , but possibly this by gift of one of the founder s immedi te successors .

Lesne s r a a a nd a The second Manor of he ce t inly ret ined tr nsmitted to his successors ,

a O f w together with the p tronage the Abbey , hich its possession implied .

’ v The site of Richard de Lucy s tomb is a matter of some doubt . Ger aise expressly

a a - a a s pl ces it in . the Ch pter house , a position in ccord nce with the common cu tom of

. a a t w the time (cf Willi m de Warenne Le es and Roger de Mowbray at Byland) , but W MS . Of eever , quoting an ancient Cottonian , mentions the choir as the place sepulture and prints the following epita ph as occurring on his

R a pi tur in teneb ra s R i ch a rdu s lux Lu eiorum Justicie p a cis dile e tor e t urbis honoru m Christe sibi requ ies tecum sit sede pi oru m Juli a tu ne orbi lux bis septe na niteb a t ’ a a n a m v Mille nuos C novem e t septu gi t o eb a t .

Possibly both accounts are correct and that at some later period the body was trans

- lated from the Chapter house to the Church , which at the time of his death could

hardly have been even approaching completion . The Canons who were the ﬁrst inhabitants of Lesnes Abbey were drawn from the

Priory of the Holy Trinity (or Christ Church) , an important Augustinian

1108 in . house founded in , and one of the earliest of the Order England De Lucy in his early days was a benefactor to this house , and the connexion was evidently main t a i ned u nfor until his death . The original foundation charter of Richard de Lucy is t u nate l y lost , but the terms of the conﬁrmation charter of King Henry II are preserved m 15 in an Inspexi us of June , This charter is in the usual form of such

" infa n enth eof documents soc and sac , tho and theam , and g and the rest are granted ' to the Abbey for ever, and the following gifts of Churches (in addition to the founder s endowments already mentioned) are conﬁrmed

n of . Ray ham , Essex , by gift Henry II Elmdon Robert de Lucy a R e u frid R msden Bellhouse , Essex Roger , son of a a a Coldred Coldrei a ) . Jord in the Ch mberl in

All these Churches , with the exception of Coldred , were subsequently appropriated to

Me rdon the Convent , together with those of Newington and (Marden) , the Church of

Ramsden B ellhouse in the time of Richard , Bishop of (Richard de Ely but it had passed out of th e hands of the Abbey by the beginning of the 1l th l The charter was granted at Gloucester and is witnessed by William de Mandevi le ,

R a nul h B ra ose . William de Albini , p de Granville , William de the younger , and others

’ 9 1 We e e n n F n ra n m B e a n L ra r e R a wli nsoni a m , B . 46 . e e e n . 3 3 6 . b , C v r A ci t u l Mo u ts , p ( ) odl i i y od x 3 ’ — B e a n L ra r e n a e R s 4 . a en a a e r R 13 00 13 26 . 3 41 . , ( ) C l d r of Ch rt olls , , p odl i ib y , K t Ch rt r oll

Ne wcou rt R e pertorium R a msde n B e llhouse . THE ABBEY

A copy of the charter of Robert de Lucy is preserved amongst the State Papers of 1 Henry VIII . ( ) He calls himself Robert , son of Robert de Lucy , and continues

B e it known , that I have given , for the love of God and the good estate of my most dear lord Richard de Lucy , and for the souls of my father and mother and of all the faithful , to the Abbey which the said lord Richard de Lucy founded at Westwood , in

Le snes , in honour of God and the blessed Thomas the Martyr and the regular Canons

E lmendon there serving God , the Church of , in free and perpetual alms , to have and i to hold the sa d Church , wholely and fully and honourably , with all liberties and free ’ customs , etc . From the fact that Richard de Lucy was still alive this charter must 11 8 11 9 be dated 7 or early 7 . 2 e From another charter ( ) it appears that this Rob rt was brother to Walter de Lucy ,

Lesnes Abbot of Battle , who is known to have been brother to Richard , the founder of thus Robert de Lucy (the elder) was the father of all three brothers . The early genealogy Of the Lucy family and the connexion between its various branches is a subj ect which needs considerable elucidation . The charters already quoted give evidence of two sons of Richard de Lucy , Geoffrey and Godfrey (Bishop of Winchester) , and Richard , who succeeded to his lands , is generally asserted to have f been the son of Geof rey . There were , however , a number of collateral branches whose actual relationship to the main line it is at present impossible to determine . These

Lesnes 12 are Reynold de Lucy, who endowed the Abbey of late in the th century

Wa lk est ea d with half the Church of or Godstone , Surrey , the other half becoming the property of Tandridge Priory, the two Convents presenting in turn to the living

2 o Lesne s ( ) Anselm de Lucy , who granted to the Church of St . Th mas the Martyr of , e for the h alth of his soul and for the soul of Richard de Lucy , his father , and Richard M h t 40 f ontﬁc e 3 . , his son , of rent out of its land in Thorney by Stowmarket, Su folk

3 tem . ( ) Raymund de Lucy, who appears as witness to a charter ( p Henry II) to the

5 a nd 4 Priory of Holy Trinity , Aldgate ; ( ) lastly , ( ) Geoffrey de Lucy , Constable of B erk

1 223 . hampstead Castle , Leland has a note to the effect that Lucy of Kent founded - Lesnes Abbey in Kent and dwelt there , giving much of his lands to it and was there

and lik el h ood Of buried also Catherine Lucy , by y his wife , came out the house of

’ ' li ne of Cockermouth , but the statement lacks The later the Lucys of

e Newington , Kent, were undoubtedly related to the original stock , but in what degre m it is at present i possible to determine . s The ﬁrst Abbot, William , is the principal witnes of the grant by Hamo 1183 of the Church Of Ditton to the Augustinian Canons of Leeds . While

de th e deed is undated , the conﬁrmation grant by the Bishop of Rochester , Gilbert

1 ‘ ’ R e Off S a e a er Henr . N O . 3 5 3 7 . ( ) P . cords . t t P p s , y VIII , Vol IV , 2 ‘ E e r ae a S e N . S . . 19 8 . ( ) ss x A ch ologic l oci ty Vol . VII , , p 3 ‘ ’ a en a r a r er R E war . n e m ar er n . ( ) C l d of Ch t olls , d d II I sp xi us of Ch t of Joh 4 ’ B e a n L ra r en a er R 4 . ( ) odl i ib y, K tish Ch rt s , oll 5 ‘ ’ B e a n L r a r e R awli nsoni a ni B . 461 . 7 . ( ) odl i ib y, Cod x , , No 3 ’ ‘ ’ ’ Le a n s nerar L . . Sm E n . . 74 . ( ) l d Iti y, T ith s ditio , Vol IV , p LE SNE S ABBE Y

( Ila nville a w a s a a , recites th t th e gift m de during the episcop te of his predecessor ,

V l r w Gu a le r a u Wa a . V a e a n a s n s A D . 1 18 2 ( ler n) As Bishop only from . to 118 4 an

A D . a pproximate date of the grant is .

Another mention of this Abbot occurs in a pleading of the seventh of

R ha ic rd I and th e ninth of John , referring to the Church of The portion rel a ting to the Abbey runs as follows

Th e Prior of the Hospita l of J o h n O f Jerus a lem sues the Abbot of Lesnes fo r the a dvowso n o f u c of n a a s a n a a n n a w h a s the Ch r h Re h m ppe d nt to the M or of Re h m , hich he by gi ft of d e a nd a a a n w a na n n Gilbert Vere , he sserts th t this M or ith its ppurte ces , bei g the prope rt y a t w a s onfi m to nt a t i n 1 180 of the s id Gilber de Vere , c r ed him by the Royal Asse given Oxford . The Pri o r further ple a ds a deed of Gilbert de Vere in w hich Gilbert d e Vere gives the M a nor o f R n a m w a na n to a o f . o n a s a r a n nt n e h ith its ppurte ces the Hospit l St J h bove , ce t i re s bei g n a nd a a nfi a o n n a d a nd n . T therei reserved , he ple ds co rm ti thereof by Ki gs Rich r Joh o this ’ ’ A o a o n a a w n M a n of a wa s n n Il s a n the bb t s tt r ey ple ds th t he the or Renh m in Ki g He ry h ds , a nd f t h a d a n i n n a be ore Gilber de Vere y rights it , King He ry g ve the Church to the Abbey a o f Le sne s a t the request of Rich a rd d c Luci . He lso plea ds further deeds to the s ame pur o a nd f a w nfi a p rt , urther , deed of Gilbert , Bishop of London , hich co rms the s id Church to a nd w a n wh o wa s a him , hich witnesses th t Osbert , the Dea , Rector of the s me Church , n n a n of th e a i w n resig ed the Church i to the h ds Bishop , and th t he h mself he the Church ’ w a s a a n a a I a n a a s a nd f lVa lter s v c t g ve it to M ster V lter de I sul Rector, a ter decea se he a n n th e of Lesnes f n f g ve it to Ki g He ry for Abbot , and he himsel i ducted the Abbot o Lesne s

n o o o a n . a t a a o of n n w i i t c rp r l possessio He ple ds fur her deed of Rich rd , Bish p Lo do , h ch n a f conﬁrmed the gra nt o f th e Church of Re h a m . He ple ded urther a certa i n i nde nture i n f w o n a n a “ illi a m th e ti o a d a hich it is c t i ed th t the Abbot , at peti n of the s i Gilbert , g ve per missi on for mi nistra tions to be held i n the priva te ch a pel of the M a nor House which Gilbert ha d a i n na of of n a a nd o Lesnes m de , the me the Mother Church Re h m of the Abb t of , but n ﬁ a n ma wi n n the cove a nt speci e s th t this permissio y be thheld i certa i eve nts . He further a a d n a n th e sea l w d ple ded ocume t be ri g of Gilbert , hich Gilbert de Vere irected to Archbishop ’ a o f a n i n w i t n a a w a wa s i n n nr ow n Rich rd C terbury, hich is co t ined th t hile Renh m Ki g He y s L n s a n a nd h a d a es e . h ds no Rector , he gave th t Church to the Abbot of

1 1 The recited indenture must be dated ci rca 85 . t Morant , the historian of Essex , in his accoun of Rainham , becomes somewhat confused over the ownership of this Manor , and throws doubts on the existence of w Gilbert de Vere , hich this document and other notices in the Pipe rolls , etc . , entirely set at rest . It is indeed probable that he is identical with the Gilbert de Vere wh o 119 5 became Prior of the Hospitallers in .

In the ﬁrst year of his reign Richard I granted his charter of c onﬁr 1 19 0 3 rd mation , dated at Vezelay (the rendezvous of the Crusade) on

3 r d : July , the signatories including Walter (de Coutances) Archbishop of Rouen , the

Sa va ri c Bishop of Bath ( William de Forz , William Marshall and Hugh Bardolph . The Abbey had by this time secured further grants of land in Ac ll olt by Dartford ( ) ,

London , Sutton , and

1 ‘ ’ ’ r e R e a m R ofle nse . 3 18 sub n. ( ) Tho p , gistr , p , Ditto 2 ‘ ’ P la c it or nm Ab b revi a ti o R E n . 9 8 . ( ) , olls ditio , p 3 ‘ ’ — a en a r a r e r R 13 00 13 26 . 3 42 . ( ) C l d of Ch t olls , , p

LESNES ABBEY

. f fi a nd na away A special use for reading the divine o ce was instituted , , fi lly , the Abbots and head s of the affi li a ted houses h a d to attend the Gener a l Chapter at w ’ 2 l a D a st . Arrouaise once a year , on St . M tthe s y (September ) Such were some of

a h a n t e . u s the fe tures of Order of St A gustine ccording to th e i stitution of St . Nichola

w r n w of Arrou a ise . The connexion bet een the va ious Co vents of the Order as always a loose one , and later on the institution became little more than a name used occasionally to shield its members from certain duties and obligations incumbent upon the other houses of the Augustinian Order .

’ F u lc s w ﬁ n The precise date of death is unkno n , but his cof n slab has been fou d ,

‘ near the centre of the Chapter -house ; the inscription describes him as the good

’ u lc Abbot F .

An a greement was come to in between the Canons of Lesnes 1 19 9 ’ Li esn es and those of Holy Trinity Priory , London , matrix ecclesia de , regarding certain marsh lands in Lesnes described as being on the Thames

on the west side of the house of Seagrim the Younger , the which house is to the

’ east of B ru c hﬁeote and in the marsh of th e Lord of Lesmes . The land was con ceded to the ‘ Canons of Lesmes in consideration of an annual rent of shillings paid quarterly .

On the death of Richard de Lucy the family patronage was continued

h i s by Godfrey de Lucy , son , who had entered the Church , and became 1189 Bishop of Winchester ( He was a great builder at his Cathedral ,

- where he erected the retro choir and part of the Lady Chapel , and , as he is also

’ Lesnes recorded as a benefactor to his father s house at , he may possibly have completed the Church and buildings there . A charter of his to the Abbey is preserved

2 amongst the muniments of the chapter of VVorc este r . ( ) In it he grants to the C hurch

Le snes of St . Thomas the Martyr , of , and the Canons there , his house in the Strand , with its buildings , etc . , saving this , that John de Lucy , so long as h e shall live , shall have and hold the said house with all its appurtenances , paying half a mark of silver

’ L n annually to the said Canons of es e s . (From a deed of sale in the same archives it w ’ appears that this John d c Lucy a s an illegitimate son of the Bishop . ) Godfrey s

Ph . grant is witnessed by de Lucy , Robert de Lucy , and others , and it is dated ° A ntif 2sth u . o . Winchester , g , anno p XV

a No further mention is m de of this house , and it is not improbable , from the

W wa s w a occurrence of the deed at orcester , that it parted ith soon fter , to that See and

w - became the to n house of the Bishops , which stood in the Strand .

2 s Godfrey de Lucy died the same year (December , and , as in the ca e of his

lVe eve r father , there is a conflict of evidence as to the place of his burial . , quoting

‘ w i n . B e a n L ra r y e R a l nso i a nl B . 46 1 . 5 9 odl i ib , Cod x , , p

H MSS mm n R e rt X IV a r 8 . 19 4 . ist . . Co issio po , P t , p LES N E S AB B EY FA R M EXI S TING .

LES NES MA RS H LO O KING NO RT H.

THE ABBEY

wa s Lesnes th e same manuscript as before , asserts that he buried in the Church at , and 1 gives, the following epitaph ( )

. Lux mea lux Christi si terre ventre quiesco Atta men in e elo sanctorum luce lu cesc o Presul de Winton fu era m quondam Ca th edra tu s Multum resplendens et alto sanguine natus Nunc id sum quod eris pulu i s rota non retinenda V olvitu r invigila prudens nec differ agenda

u atu or u e a nnos M . C . bis q q his insuper addas Carnis vi ncla dies solnit secunda D ec emb ri s Vos qui tra nsiti s a nc illa m poscite Christi ’ o r i Sit Dominus mitis puls pu ga m ne tristi .

- Notwithstanding this , a tomb is still shown in the retro choir at Winchester as Bishop

’ G R u db ourne odfrey s , an d distinctly states that he was buried without the Chapel 2 Le e . of the Blessed Virgin there . ( ) Possibly the monument at sn s was only a cenotaph The immediate descendants of Richard de Lucy connected with the Abbey give the following genealogy (3 )

R obert de Lucy

e Lucy

1171 ( d . )

Ge offrey

1204 F -R er ( d . ) itz ob t

R i c ar L He er d e a Matilli s h d ucy , rb t M ud

o .s . p . de R iparIIs Sa ra h Matilda

R obert de D over

A further charter of conﬁrmation was granted to the Abbey by King 4th John and is dated at Dover April , in the seventh year of his reign

Of It contains a full list of the endowments the house to that date , and

e c e thes in lud the whole marsh of Ore , near Sittingbourne , by gift of Robert de

- r c Monk swell Dover (great grandson of Richa d de Lu y) ; certain houses and land in ,

d e R ok enla London , by gift of Hugo of London ; by gift of Robert , the whole of his

Lesnes R oesi a land in Clopton , Cambridgeshire ; Church land in , by gift of de Dover (granddaughter of the founder) ; and various other grants of lands and tenements in

1 ’ 2 ‘ ’ Wee er n n r n m n W a n n a Sa a a I . 286 . e F une a e . 3 3 7 . ( ) v , A ci t l Mo u ts, p ( ) h rto , A gli cr , P rt , p 3 ’ ’ S ee Th e He s R a r e L . . . R n . Th e Genea N . S . . X V . 129 . And ( ) ir of ich d d ucy J H ou d logist, , Vol , p ’ ’ Wr es e s e i rees m th . 4 4 fr e ea R 8 . ott l y P d g o Pl olls, p LE SNE S ABBEY

a - t - a w a a a nd . . D rtford , Sutton Hone , B nton London The ch rter is itnessed by J (John d e R W Gray) , Bish op of Norwich ; P . (Peter des oches) , Bishop elect of inch ester

a W a Lo n e s é e S u b se Joscelin . elect of B th ; illi m ( g p ) , Earl of Salisbury , and

a a a a a a i quent gr nts of about this d te include l nds in G mling y , C mbr dgeshire , from

2 R Ava ne l w AI h e e Wa lk eli n w ichard ( ) in Green ich , by St . p g Church , from of G reen ich a nd f 3 in Thorney , Suf olk , from Anselm de Lucy . ( ) The advowson of one other C hurch came into the hands of the Canons of Lesne s— Aveley in Essex — but this was by pur

a i n th e 1 4 4 i chase e rly th century , ( ) th e Rectory being subsequently appropr ated to

’ them . Th e Church of Coldred is mentioned for the last time in John s charter , nothing further being heard of it in connexion with Lesmes . Amongst the muniments of Canterbury Cathedral is preserved a docu

bo ment of very considerable interest . It is a petition from Mark , Ab t

Lesnes a nd of , to Prior J . the Convent of C h rist Church , Canterbury , that he (the Abbot) may be a llowed to have a Ch a pel in his house in the parish of Pater nost rc h r h e u c . a (St Michael , P ternoster Royal , London) , the parish being in the gift of

sea l O f th e Convent of Christ Church . To this document are appended the Abbot Mark

of th and the common seal e Abbey . It is evident that the house referred to served as m 13 th e London inn of the Abbots of Les es , the date being probably early in the th

’

J. s century , the only two Priors of Canterbury available being John de Chatham ( 1205 — 1217) and John de Sittingbourne (1222

The name of the same Abbot occurs also in an Essex ﬁne , concerning the i 4th advowson of the Church of Rainham . Th s ﬁne is dated Henry III 1220 l A neto . ( ) and is between Hugh de , Prior of St John of Jerusalem , and Mark ,

5 Abbot O f Lesnes . ( ) Of early 13 th century date is an agreement between th e Abbot and

m a nd i . Convent of Les es and the Prior Convent of Holy Tr nity , Aldgate 2 c . 1 3 0. It still has the Abbey seal attached , and may be dated By

a nd 1223 it William the Abbot the Convent of Lesmes grant to Richard , Prior ( and the Canons of the Holy Trinity , London , a portion of their land in the West m Marsh of Les es , for a ﬁne of and the sum of twelve pence to be paid

I Lesn s II 19th A . D . e Hugh a ﬁne of Henry III ( Hugh , Abbot of , is 5 th Abbot mentioned in connexion with land at Aveley . This ﬁne does not 123 5 appe a r in fu ll in the Essex Fines as printed by the Essex Arch aeological

e a f 2l t Soci ty . The s me Abbot was plaintif later in a Kent ﬁne of s Henry III relative

’ a r to two s ltpans in Sheppey . The Abbot s attorney was B other 123 7 w Lesnes a . Gregory of , one of his C nons The defendants ere Robert

a Th e l od . n y m . Bre and Christian , his wife rent reserved was and one pou d of 14 pepper , and the consideration money

’ 3 ’ R h a ru H und redoru m E wa r . C rt a m . 16 4. R otuli , Vol I , p . ( ) otuli , d d I 3 ‘ ’ 4 B e a n m . 82 t . L ra r e n R N O . 4 . e R e istru ( ) odl i ib y , K tish olls , ( ) Thorp , g p 5 ’ 5 ’ F e e F ne E e Arc h ze o l i a B r s e m a m e ar e s X IV . 23 . o c l S e . 5 5 . ( ) t of i s , ss x g oci ty , p ( ) iti h Mus u , C pb ll Ch t r , 7 ’ ’ n w MSS . V ol. 2 67 . e ﬁne ase 9 6 ﬁle 23 . 3 5 7 a La n ne ( ) K t s , c , , No ; lso sdo l ino:

T HE A B B EY S IT E IN 1 7 5 2

T HE F RAT E R IN l 75 2

k l D e B r . M S t u e e s . u s ( y gs it ) .

12 LE SNE S ABBE Y

. Le snes B ra dsole w i i Abbots of St Augustine , Faversham , , and , ith the Pr or of Chr st

Ch u rc h un , Canterbury , were the only monastic prelates summoned from the Co ty of

R Le snes 1267 There is mention of ichard , Abbot of , in a deed dated , R ich ard 7th ' i Abbot relating to the Manor of B eresh , before mentioned , and the r ghts of 12 67 the Bishop of Rochester

’

La mb a rde . , quoting from the annals of St Augustine s , Canterbury , records that in 1279 the Abbot of Lesnes enclosed part of his marsh in the parish of Plumstead and within twelve years after inned the rest The dykes constructed at this and earlier periods to conﬁne the waters of the Thames were a continual source of trouble to the marsh owners , and commissions were constantly being a ppointed by the Crown to survey the Thames wall and take steps for its repair .

Lesnes In the same year Robert, Abbot of , was the defendant in a Kent '

f . u in which the plainti f is Nicholas , Abbot of St Aug stine s ,

Canterbury . The ﬁne is an agreement re Newington Church , and also re lands in Plumstead Marsh , where he undertook to do certain repairs to the river

m The right of free warren in all his demesne lands of Les es , Tong and ”8" Aeolt Lesnes 5 , was granted to the Abbot of , December .

In the register of John Peckham , Archbishop of Canterbury , is a record 12 of a visitation of the Abbey in 83 . Why the Archbishop was the visitor is not clear , as the See of Rochester was not vacant at the time , for Peckham writes to the then Bishop (Thomas Ingleth orp) desiring him to see certain inj unctions to the Abbot and Canons duly observed . He found , he says , that three brethren

of the house had , with the consent of the Convent , obtained complete control of the goods and revenues of the community , and were in the habit of doling them out

to the Abbot and other ofﬁcers to be converted to their private use . This , he adds , must be at once discontinued under penalty of excommunication to be incurred ip so

’

acto. f Furthermore , he continues , we ﬁnd that the Canons do not eat meat in the v common F rater , but retire for that purpose to certain small chambers and other pri y

’ places , contrary to the observance of the rule , and he directs that they shall in future eat ﬂesh three days in the week in F rater according to the observance in other houses

‘ r of th e Orde . He further prohibits any Canon being abroad after nightfall except on the business of the

m n W ’ a a e a s . I . 28 . P rli t ry rit , Vol , p ‘ ’ 3 r i m m ff n e R e st R o e se . 3 2 1 . ( ) Tho p , g , p 3 ‘ ’ La mb a rde e a m a n en e n 15 96 . 440. ( ) , A P r bul tio of K t , ditio , p

en fi ne c a se 9 8 file 5 9 fi ne 87 a La n wne MSS . 268 . K t s , , , lso sdo , Vol ’ 5 m c ri tor Twi sden s e e S es . 19 3 0. ( ) D c p , fol ‘ ’ — a en a a r er R 125 7 1800 . 246 . C l d r of Ch t olls , , p 7 ‘ ‘ e n i . R e is tru m E i ste la ru m a nne ec a m R Ser es . 625 . See ( ) g p , Joh s P kh , olls i , Vol II , App d x C THE ABBEY

Lesnes 15 , b , E lya s Elyas ninth A bot of appears in a Suffolk ﬁne of the th of 9 th Abbot Edward I (1287 an action being brought by the Abbot to recover 1287 rent from John de Creek . The Abbot was represented by Matthew

’ - Ca tc hna th of Newington , his Canon , the rent being chieﬂy due on a water mill , , at

Combes , probably near Stowmarket . The tomb slab of this Abbot was found against the north -west pier of the central

tower with the numeral ix below , indicating his position in the list of Abbots . (See

post , p .

129 1 In the ecclesiastical taxation of Pope Nicholas IV in , temporali £3 1 4 d . ties of the Abbey of Lesnes to the annu al value of 7 73 . % are

. e Lesnes mentioned The chief it m is In , with the passage of the water and marsh n s £22 183 . la ds , with rent from Dartford , Luddenham and Greenwich , apparently referring to a ferry across the river .

In 129 1 a licence in mortmain was issued to Adam de Tr 0pina l to alienate four

Lesnes 2 acres of land in to the Abbot and Convent . ( )

129 8 n In Archbishop Wi chelsea , in a lengthy letter (dated February

3 r d , sixth year of his consecration) , recommends that certain matters in dispute between the Abbot and Convent of Le snes and the Prior and Canons of Holy

3 Trinity, Aldgate , be brought to an amicable settlement . ( ) These disputes were evidently of long standing and are referred to in an earlier deed already quoted .

Lesne s In the same year th e Abbot of laid claim to the wreck of the sea in Thames ,

Lesnes P e a c h e within the Manor of , but Joan (widow of Richard de Dover) , who held m the Manor of Les es (of the heritage of John , Earl of Athol) , in dower , successfully resisted his claim , alleging that all the predecessors of John , Earl of Athol , had held the like rights from time

16 13 00 w Lesne s On February , , King Ed ard I Visited Abbey on his

5 way from London to Canterbury . ( ) This is the only Royal visit of which there is any record .

9 In 13 0 a licence in mortmain was granted to the Abbot and Convent , £20 at the instance of Queen Isabella , to acquire lands to the value of 13 11 a and advantage was taken of it in , when one rood of meadow in Chislehurst and eighteen acres of pasture in Dartford were added to th e Abbey

1 ‘ ’ ’ F ee S k F ne . 89 . 28 . ( ) R ye s t of uffol i s , p , No 2 ‘ ’ — a en a a en R 128 1 129 2 . 43 5 . ( ) C l d r of P t t olls , , p 3 ’ a a e L rar R e er W n e ea . 181 : ( ) La mbeth P l c ib y , gist i ch ls , p 4 ’ m R offense . 3 28 r e R e i stru . ( ) Tho p , g , p 5 ‘ ’ a en ar a en a nd e R E wa r I . ( ) C l d of P t t Clos olls , d d 9 ‘ ’ - a en a r a en R s 13 07 13 13 . 15 8 . ( ) C l d of P t t oll , , p 7 3 22 ( ) Ibid , p . . 14 LE SNE S ABBEY

’ A 25 13 13 a i b On pril , , a cert in kidel , or net , belong ng to th e Ab ot 13 13 Lesne s a nd a w a s of , found in th e Th mes opposite the Abbey , brought

the a n before Mayor of London , John Gisors , and oth ers in th e Guildh ll and condem ed

a a a w a s a nd bec use it was found th t the s id net too close insufﬁcient for ﬁshing , to the i njury of the water a nd the common d a m a ge of the whole city ; the Court adj udging th a t the s a id kidel be burnt in the Cleven a cres of land in Aveley with the advowson of the Church w ere acquired by a lice nce in mortmain in

ma d e Lesne s Tho s Thomas de Sandwich , Abbot of , is mentioned in an agreement w preserved in the register book of the Hospitallers of Clerken ell . The

’ 13 4. a t Lesenes 1 greement is between Bro her Thomas de Sandwich , Abbot of ,

l a Toth a e . “ﬁlli a m . r and de , Prior of St John of Jerus lem in England Since the ag ee

‘ ’ ment concerns the tithe of corn in Rainham , the Abbot is styled Rector of Rainham .

8 . A . D . The date is given as Ed II ,

Lesnes two This Abbot was a benefactor to the Library at , out of the eight sur

vi vi n . . g volumes bearing his name as donor (See post , p

13 18 Cha u nc ens In Roger de , Rector of Ramsden Bellhouse , bound 13 18 himself to the Abbot and Convent for 6 marks arrears of a yearly pension of 2 marks due to

a m d e Ad A short chronicle of events relating to th e Diocese of Rochester , by 1 0 "

Lesnes . 23321 William de Dene , preserves a few facts relative to On passing 13 21 13 21 through Stone , by Dartford , in , Hamo de Hythe , Bishop of

Le snes Rochester , blessed Roger de Dartford , Abbot of , whose election he had conﬁrmed

5 ’ at Greenwich . ( ) From th e same Bishop s register it appears that Roger (a Canon of Lesmes) succeeded to the Abbacy on th e death of Adam de

During the tumults which happened in London after the return of Isabel , Queen 13 26 i of Edward II , from abroad , in , the citizens of London hav ng declared in favour of the Queen , and executed summarily the Bishop of Exeter , the clamours of the citizens were so loud that they were overheard by the Bishop as he was sitting in his house on Lambeth Marsh , called La Place . On sending to Lambeth Palace he was h w informed of the cause , and found t at Archbishop Reynolds had ﬂo n into Kent and had borrowed all his horses without asking leave or giving any intimation of what had

Lesne ss happened . Thus left to shift for himself , he was obliged to go on foot as far as

Abbey , where he slept that night .

R oge r d e Abbot Roger de Dartford died in 13 27 and was succeeded by John of 1 t 1235d Hoddesdon , Canon of the who held the Abbacy four een years ,

13 27 to the considerable detriment , as it appears , of the Convent .

l ’ S a r e a e n a r Le e r B L n n . L e H rn . 22Gb . ( ) h p , C l d of tt ooks of City of o do , A ( ib r o , p ) 2 ‘ 3 2 a e a e n ll n MSS . e r E . . . 20 . n a r R o s . ( ) C l d of P t t ( ) Cotto N o , VI fol ’ 5 ‘ n n W a r n n a S a ra ar . 3 62 . e ee . 49 5 8 . A ci t D ds , Vol III , A . ( ) h to , A gli c , P t I , p ’ 7 ’ R e e H a m H e R e e 11a l l th e i 49 . 79 . gist r o of yth , folio ( ) gist r of y , fol o T HE B B E E LS A Y S A .

THE ABB EY 15

n of 13 3 0 Joh In his name occurs in a licence granted by Stephen Gravesend , H on fggzi Bishop of London , to the Abbot and Convent to appropriate the Church

13 3 0 of Aveley, Essex , on their representation that their lands were subj ect to inundation by th e sea and they were put to great expense in repairing the dykes

- and sea walls , and furthermore that , their house lying not far from London and the 1 . Th e main road , they were in consequence burdened with many guests ( ) permission 6 ’ was granted subj ect to a yearly payment of marks to the Chapter of St . Paul s and

the Bishop reserved to himself and his successors the collation to the Vicarage . The ﬁrst indication of the ﬁnancial straits to which the administration of Abbot John eventually reduced the Convent is to be found in an

interesting agreement entered into with the Prior and Convent of Rochester , 8 13 3 6 m July , , by which the Abbot and Convent of Les es granted them an annual

4 6 o Lesnes Ac h lt 3 . 8d. o rent of marks and from the returns of the Manor f and , r eceiving in return a lump sum of 160 marks to be applied in the reparation of

the Abbey Church , which was by sudden chance become ruinous , for the defence of

their lands against the Thames , and for the relief of their heavy debts , occasioned by

the acquisition of the patronage of the Church of Aveley, since appropriated to

th e a Lesnes Ac h olt This mortgage on M nors of and was , however , 13 40 ﬁ quite insuf cient to do more than temporarily relieve the situation , and in 13 40 a long letter of correction and warning was issued to the Abbot by the 3 Bishop of Rochester . ( ) 13 41 The letter having apparently no effect , in the following year ( ) 13 41 the Abbacy of John of Hoddesdon came to an abrupt conclusion when

th e Lesnes Abbot of was j udged by his Bishop to be disobedient , rebellious and incorrigibl e , wasting the goods of the Convent to such an extent that his Canons ffi had not vestments to put on , and was deprived of his o ce , and he , being so deprived , appealed to Rome and set out thither , and now lingers there from day to day in

A signiﬁcant reference to the deposed Abbot occurs in the Patent Rolls . 20 13 44 It is dated December , , and relates to certain persons seeking

Lesnes to compel Robert , Abbot of , to pay to John of Hoddesdon a certain sum of money , the said John being an outlaw , and strictly inhibits the payment of 5 same . ( ) A last mention is to be found in an undated deed in which John of

r Hoddesdon g ants a messuage , etc . , to found under certain conditions a chantry of two Chaplains at As this is probably the latest reference in point of date , it appears likely that the recalcitrant Abbot at length saw the error of his ways , made

- s . peace with the power that were , and endeavoured to secure his future well being

1 ‘ ’ u m 1 nr . . 3 5 3 7 . Newc o rt R e er r . . 3 a nd S a e a er H e ( ) , p to iu , Vol II , p , t t P p s , y VIII , Vol IV , No 2 ’ ’ m n 2 13 44 . r e R e ra R offense . 3 24 a nd a en ar a en R e 0 ( ) Tho p , gist , p , C l d of P t t olls , Ju , 3 4 ’ m n n a a r . 3 64 . R e er Ha H e 186 . W a r a S a ( ) gist o of yth , folio ( ) h to , A gli cr , P t I , p ’ — a en ar a en R 13 43 13 45 . 425 . C l d of P t t olls , , p

a a e n en ee at . A 19 93 . C t logu of A ci t D ds Vol II , 16 LE SNES ABBE Y

The ruinous expenditure of this Abbot is amply evident in the ﬁnancial trouble s R w of his successors . The Close olls for the next twenty years are full of a ck no ledgment

13 5 4 £ 5 00 a a w n of th eir he a vy debts . In a debt of ppe rs o i g to Ad a m F ra nc eys (Mayor

13 5 3 a nd a a n 13 5 7 a nd w of London , ) Thom s L gton ; and in the follo ing year total li a bilities of £ 5 45 a re both sums it should be noted being considerably

a more th a n twice th e nnual revenue of the house .

13 44 w a s h s The immediate successor of John of Hoddesdon probably T oma , T Ab b o ” " w L n h o T. es e s 13 44 appears as , Abbot of , in a deed dated , July R obe rt d e Clyx e a i Abbot He pparently d ed that year , as Robert de Clyve appears as Abbot

3 - on December 2oth . ( ) Robert was ordained Sub deacon by Archbishop Peckham in 13 3 O 5 he appears as Canon and Proctor of the house in , ( ) and at the time of his 13 46 death , which occurred in , he must have reached an age considerably above the avera ge for that period . To this year belongs an agreement and a long suit in the Court of Arches between

’ Abbot Robert and the Dean and Chapter of St . Paul s re the Ch u rc h of 6 13 45 t On September , , a licence was issued for alienation in mor main

VVh a tton by John de , clerk , to the Abbot and Convent of the Manor of N eth ewode to ﬁnd a secular Chaplain to celebrate divine service at the altar of

St . Mary in their Church for the good estate of the said John and of Joan , late w F a u nt th e ife of William , and for the soul of said William This is

a t F u n s . . probably the land subsequently known as the Manor of (See post , p

' a ck nowled ed a £9 0 In the same year the Abbot g debt of to John de Hatﬁeld ,

8 3 citizen of London , ( ) possibly a relation of Thomas de Hatﬁeld , Bishop of Durham , prelate subsequently connected with the Abbey . 13 46 m 13 46 Richard de Gayton , Prior of Les es , was elected Abbot in , John 0 11 " 32323 de D rithford appearing as Sub He survived the Black Death

Abbot and held the Abbacy sixteen years .

The same John de Hatﬁeld , draper , of London , mentioned above , made an exchange of land in Lesnes with the Abbot and Convent in

13 49 B isli o In , the second year of the Plague , the p of Rochester visited m Les es and Malling Abbey , and found the fabrics in ruins ; the words used are : Ita destru eta per malam di u tina m custodiam quod durante i ’ isto sacculo usque ad diem j udicii c re d tu r ea non posse r e pa ra ri .

13 5 0 lVilli a m H a nk ere lV lm n t on b y In Robert , son of of y y g , his charter gave free and peaceful seizin to the Abbot and Convent in six acres and one rood in the vill of VVylmyngton in the place called

1 ’ 2 ' ’ a e n a r e R E wa r 111. r e R e i stru m R oﬁe nse . 829 . ( ) C l d of Clos olls , d d ( ) Tho p , g , p 3 ’ — 4 ’ 4 1 1 m V l. 111 . 103 1 . a en a r a en R 13 3 3 5 . 425 . e a Le e rs R S e r e o ( ) C l d of P t t olls , , p ( ) P ckh tt , olls i s , , p ’ 0 ’ 5 . M S . 2 0 . . 15 20 . S a e a e r H en . . 3 3 7 S t . a S 3 4 t t P p s , ry VIII , Vol IV , No ( ) P ul s , A , box No ’ ’ 7 — 3 — a e n a r a e n R s 13 13 13 45 . 5 47 . a e n a r e R s 13 43 13 46 . 48 2 . ( ) C l d of P t t oll , , p ( ) C l d of Clos oll , , p ’ ’ 9 — R e e r Ha m H t e 22Oh . a en a r a e n R 13 45 13 48 . 43 2 . ( ) gist o of y h , folio C l d of P t t olls . . p 11 ’ 12 ’ n a S a a a . 3 77 . B ei a n L ra r en a r e rs . 19 3 . ( ) A gli cr , P rt I , p ( ) odl ib y , K t Ch t , No

A B B E Y .

T HE B B O S LO DG I G F R M R - E S A T N O T HE NO T H A T .

e A T HE AB BO T S LO DG IN G F RO M T HE S O UT H E S T . THE ABBEY 17

In the same year Abbot Gayton obtained from the Crown a free grant in mortmain

20 . 14 . of a plot of ground ft by ft in the highway to Canterbury , in the parish of

le Newington (by Sittingbourne) , to wit , at the cross where Robert Bouser was killed ,

to build a chapel there in honour of St . Mary and Holy No record has been ’ ’ found of this murder , but the chapel later became known as Robert s Chapel , pro

' V 2 bably in memory of the Victim . ( ) The cross mentioned was a celebrated one for

pilgrims , for St . Thomas, on his last j ourney from London to Canterbury, rested awhile

S ub se there and administered the rite of conﬁrmation to a number of the Villagers . quently the cross became a regular stopping place for pilgrims on the Canterbury road

3 and several miraculous cures are reported to have occurred there . ( ) In 13 5 7 the Convent granted to Robert Wendout (to whom they were in £20 debt) a yearly pension of for his life , to be paid in the Church 4 of the New Temple at the Feast of the Annunciation . ( ) 13 62 13 62 In Richard de Gayton died , and William de Hethe was elected ‘ Wl l ’ ’ de in his place . The deputation sent by the Convent to obtain the lieﬁe ’ Stritha l Abbot Bishop s consent on this occasion , consisted of John de e

(Prior) , William de Hethe (Abbot elect) , John Hansard (Precentor , afterwards Abbot) ,

He ham ewenton e William de g (Sacrist) , Thomas de N (Cellarer) , and two oth r The accounts of this Abbot for the years 13 63 and 13 64 are preserved in the Public Records

The accounts of the Sacrist, Gilbert de Molesworth , dated four years later ( 13 68 and are interesting as g iving the various petty 7 expenses connected with his ofﬁc e . ( ) They include a number of disbursements ‘ ’ — estreb oar ds th e - 2 for minor repairs to the Church for bought for Bell tower , s . ;

12d . 12d . for long nails , ; for the carpenter and wages , ; for tyn (probably

- 6 . 8d . 3 . 3 7 . 6 . solder) for the Church and B ell tower , ; for two lb lead nails , s d ;

25 s . for the plumber of B arking and his two boys and their wages , ; for work to an ‘ estreb oa r ds - arch in the Lady Chapel ; further for the B ell tower , for planing k i n 10 sch aw n 6d. 6d s d. y g ; for tyn nails , for py y g nails , ; paid for labour and

- 8di . . stone for work to the B ell tower , for lime , , etc , etc It is interesting to note that there is no sign as yet of the rebuilding of the Lady Chapel , which must have begun about this time , unless the reference to work to an arch there is in that connexion . This account also gives particulars of the oblations laid upon the various altars in the

’ “ — Church and the offerings on Feast and Saints days during the year Christmas ,

. t h e . Easter , Good Friday, St Thomas the Martyr , St . Lawrence , Assumption , Holy

Cross , St . Blaise , and St . Katherine .

1 ’ - a en a a en R l 13 5 0 13 5 4 . 7 . ( ) C l d r of P t t o ls , , p 2 ’ R en a a nd S r e G . S . R 3 5 7 . ( ) t ls u v ys , , oll 3 r H r . a er a fo th t ma R er e . e S T S . 3 5 . ( ) M t i ls isto y of ho s , olls i s , Vol II , p 4 ’ - a en ar e R 13 5 4 13 60 . 3 3 5 . ( ) C l d of Clos olls , , p 5 ’ E R e er . R e er . 3 o9h . ( ) pis . gist s Dio och st , Vol I , folio ’ ’ 7 ni ers n G . S . B . 1108 No . 7 . I 8 . Mi st Accou ts, , , ( ) bid , No . 18 LE SNE S ABBEY

a Hiltoft w In the s me year John , citizen and goldsmith of London , by ill dated

19 th £ 100 t a nd es May , left to the Abbo and Convent in relief of the house in pious us for his In 13 71 occur two notable Papal Letters concerning Lesnes Abbey w a nd dealing ith the Lady Chapel there . The ﬁrst is a relaxation of penance to those who , at the four feasts of the Virgin and at the feast of the

a a dedic tion nnually , visit and give alms towards the decoration of her Chapel there , which had recently been begun by the Convent . The second adds the interesting

’ information that in this Chapel our Lord has deigned of old to work many miracles . From this it appears that an enlargement of the existing building was in progress rather than the erection of an entirely new Of about this date , and possibly con w cerning this very work , is a letter from the Abbot and Convent to Ed ard the Black

Prince , praying for the dispatch of certain letters and endorsed six beams from his forest of Lesnes (vi chevron de son boi s de

13 78 Ha u nsa rd 1878 In occurs the ﬁrst mention of Abbot John , who probably

n H a unsa rd Joh succeeded William de Hethe . It occurs in a lease of a certain brew bb ’ A o house to Adam

th e On death of Elizabeth , wife of William Bohun , Earl of Northampton , the

Le snes patronage of the Abbey passed , with the Manor of , into the hands of the

’ Mortimers of Wigmore , in the person of Edmund , Earl of March (Elizabeth s grandson by her ﬁrst and two long minorities in the family placed the patronage largely in the hands of the Crown .

13 78 Th orne old n In , John g , Merchant , of Lo don , left by will to his son John , Canon

Lesnes of , two tenements near Broke Wharfe (by Queenhithe) , for life , with remainder to the Abbot of Amongst the muniments of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster is

e Le snes a l ngthy instrument , by which the Abbot and Convent of 111 found a Chantry within the Conventual Church , for the souls of King Edward , of Philippa , his Queen , for the good estate of Thomas de Hatﬁeld , Bishop of Durham ' (in gratitude for donations received from him) , and in soul alms for the B ishop s parents , John and Margery , William and Miles , his brother , and Joan and

Margery , his sisters . The deed has still an excellent impression of the Abbey Seal attached to The connexion of Thomas de Hatﬁeld with Lesnes Abbey is not

’ apparent , and the Bishop s will , dated the following year , throws no light on the subj ect .

Al h e e Two more tenements in London , this time in the parish of St . p g , 13 82 13 86 Cripplegate , were bequeathed to the Abbey in and by Robert at Launde , Knight , and Thomas Morden

l ’ 2 ‘ ’ — S a r e a e n a W . . a en a r a a Le e 13 62 1404 . . 163 165 . ( ) h p , C l d r of ills , Vol II ( ) C l d of P p l tt rs , pp , 3 ’ ’ n en rre n e n e . LIV . 5 0. n e n ee . A7S72 . ( ) A ci t Co spo d c , Vol , No A ci t D ds , Vol V , ‘ ’ 5 W r . H a e H e n . . 19 2 . S h e wa s e i n th e B a r a s L n n . S ee ee e ( ) st d , istory of K t , Vol I , p buri d l ckf i r , o do ( v ’ ’ W . 11. n e n F ne a n men . S a e a en a A ci t u r l Mo u ts , p h rp , C l d r of ills , Vol 7 ’ 9 ’ ’ W . I . Wes m nste e n men s . S a e a e n a r l ( ) t i r Abb y Mu i t ( ) h rp , C l d of i ls , Vol THE AB B E Y 19

In 13 83 occurs the ﬁrst instance relating to Lesnes Abbey of a practice

which became very prevalent in the last century of the Middle Ages . As the 15 th century advances it becomes more and more common to ﬁnd laymen

the residing within the precincts of Convents , and more especially of those in and

about London . These residences were often of considerable importance and extent ,

and there is even an instance of one (within the Whitefriars , London) , whose

— a — 14th owner lady had licence to crenellate or fortify it , late in the century .

c Kelleshu ll The present instance of this pra tice occurs in the will of William de , Fish

n . mo ger He desires to be buried within the Churchyard of the Conventual Church ,

leaves sums of money to the Abbot and Canons , and dates his will at my mansion

Lesnes 21 house within the Abbey of , September ,

’ ' 13 86 12 13 86 con é d é lzre On September , , a g was issued by the Prior and He r ’te Hau nsa r d C , , fr ilggfé onvent on the decease of John late Abbot the patronage ’ Abbot being in the King s hands , owing to the minority of the heir of Edmund

Mortimer , Earl of March . Henry Heliere , the Prior , was elected to the vacant Abbacy,

Holc ote 1403 and , as he is probably identical with Henry , who resigned in , he must f 2 have held the o ﬁce seventeen years . ( ) The accounts of this Abbot for th e l oth and 11th Richard 11 are preserved in Eton College

13 87 e s In , complaint was mad to the Justices at We tminster that th e Abbot of Lesnes was holding a market by the gate of the Abbey every

’ Th e Sunday , without the King s j ury acquitted the Abbot .

B ru mle Lesnes William , Canon of , received the dignity of Papal 13 92 13 9 2 1402 Chaplain in , and in obtained a dispensation to hold any i b eneﬁc e fﬁ a of o ce with or without cure of souls , and wont to be held by a 5 secular priest . ( )

Lesnes The Abbot of , as deputy of the B ishop of Rochester , was 13 9 9 th e c authorized to levy lerical tenth in the Archdeaconry of Rochester ,

The Rolls of Parliament for the 4th of King Henry IV contain a 1402 m complaint of the Canons against the Abbot of Les es and others , that they made a practice of selling annuities to divers persons and afterwards purchasing Protections in order to defraud the

Holc ote 1403 On the resignation of Henry , and owing to the minority of ’ W a m S am n th e con é d éli re illi pso Edmund Mortimer , patron , the Crown issued a g , and Ab b y“ William Sampson was elected He died two years later . A list of the possessions commodities of the Abbey drawn up in the time of this

1 ’ 2 ’ - S ar e a en ar W . . a en a r a en R 13 85 13 89 . 208 2 10. ( ) h p , C l d of ills , Vol II ( ) C l d of P t t olls , , pp 3 4 R 0 n ea en 41 10 H MSS Com n R e r . 3 5 2 . an er e a nea . . . ( ) ist . . . Ni th po t , p ( ) Ch c y Misc ll , , Cou ty Pl s , K t , , 5 ’ — 6 ’ - a en a r a a R e er 13 9 6 1404 . 499 . a en a r a en R 13 9 6 13 9 9 . 448 . ( ) C l d of P p l gist s, , p ( ) C l d of P t t olls , , p ’ 7 ’ 9 Henr R ar amen . III . 5 203 . a en a r a en R . ( ) olls of P li t, Vol , p ( ) C l d of P t t olls , y IV 20 LE SNE S ABBEY

1403 a a Abbot ( ) rem ins t the R ecord Ofﬁ ce . At this time Newington C hurch w a s w £ 44 a a a £ 28 £2 1 R a £ ; , ; , ; m , £ 16 A 14 orth ye r M rden Elmdon ynh a ; veley , ; and £ 3 1 6 1 s . 4d . Th e a a a n a £ t 2 17 10 0 . half of Godstone , tot l nnu l reve ue is given 3 . d ( ) Th e Church of Aveley a ppe a rs to h a ve gi ven rise to furt her litigation

’ a a a w with th e De n and Ch pter of St . P ul s at this time , and t o agree ments of 1 402— 3 a nd 1 404— 5 remain in the C hapter

' B ro k ho le a W ”05 John succeeded to the Abb cy on the death of illiam

n B ro k h ole a nd w a s rm Joh Sampson , his election conﬁ ed by th e Archbishop of Abbo ’ ‘ ’ a n 1 4 C terbury (Arundel ) , in the Palace of Canterbury , July , 2 14 3 . He ruled th e Abbey for eighteen years , dying in

1411 a a In a P pal indult was issued to Roger P lmer , Canon of the

Arrou a i sia n Lesnes n monastery of , to retur to C hristchurch Priory

w a s (or Holy Trinity) , London , hence he had removed , he was unable to remain at Le sne s in

o There was considerable trouble over the election of the next Abb t ,

John Stebbing , Canon of the house , being ﬁrst chosen , but he eventually

- retired in favour of John Elmdon , the Sub Prior . Some of the pro c e edings in connexion wi th the settlement of this election were held in the Hall of the

’ 5 Abbot s house at Lesmes . ( ) 1426 m 1426 Tho a s Joh n Elmdon died in , and Thomas Plympton , Canon of the house ,

succeeded him , George Hoo appearing as Sub O l oth The accounts of this Abbot , dated Michaelmas , Henry VI are preserved at the Record Ofﬁ ce together with the accounts of

L n nt a 3 es es F a u s . the Abbey collector for the Manors of , , D rtfo rd and Ocholt ( ) In 1444 occurs a r a ther me m a rk a b le connexion with the founder of 8 the Abbey . Sir Walter Lucy , Knight , in his will , dated July th that

Lesnes year , desires his body to be buried at the Abbey of , Kent , or at Worcester ,

a nd in the chancel of th e Friars Minor , at the election of his executors , that , if

Le snes 40 he should be buried at , he directs that marks be delivered to the Abbot and Convent for his own and his wife ’ s obit and his father ’ s and f a This “ alter Lucy was a descendant of Geoffrey de Lucy , who held the M nor of

Ga dd sdon . e Lucies , Herts , in the time of King That this branch was

1 ’ R e n a a nd S e G . S . a r IX . 3 7 . ( ) t ls urv ys , , P t , No 2 ’ M . B ox 24 0 3 a nd 63 1 . S t . a S S 3 . 63 ( ) P ul s A , , , No 3 ’ La m e a a e L a R e e r n e l 3 4a a nd 467b . ( ) b th P l c ibr ry , gist Aru d l , folios 4 ’ — a e n a r a a R e e 1404 1415 . 2 82 . ( ) C l d of P p l gist rs , , p 5 R e r 4 E R e . . e . 5 b . ( ) pis . g Dio och st , Vol III , folio 5 75 . ( ) Ibid , folio 7 ‘ ’ ’ B 1 108 O . 1 1 n e n G . S . N . ( ) Mi ist rs Accou ts , , , ’ ’ 9 r h e an r B a w n ) n e r n 0 5 B . 1108 . a r a t ( ) Mi ist s Accou ts , D tford is p ob bly M o of ld i s O ’ ’ S me r e H e rer a e r a n e r r Lu flenh a m 29 . o s t ous , P og tiv Cou t of C t bu y , , 10 r a H r 2 11 ( Victo i isto y of Vol . II , p . . THE ABBEY 21 collaterally related to the house of Richard de Lucy is rendered probable by the

b i : similarity of their Coat of Arms , Richard ear ng Gules , three luces argent , and

: c ru sill Geoffrey and his descendant Walter Gules , y argent and three luces argent . The desire of Walter Lucy to lie with his remote ancestor IS evidently a piece of sentiment , which is rather unexpectedly found in an unsentimental age .

' The death of Abbot Plympton and the election of his successor

a nd are nowhere recorded , the Registers of Bishops Wells Lowe

n Lesnes bei g very fragmentary . The only reference to in these Registers is the i nc lu s1on of a lengthy ﬁnal accord between the Abbot and Convent on one part and the Prior and Convent of Leeds on the other , relating to lands at Newington and dated

a m S a 1472 Ad y On the back of a status of the Abbey in , preserved in the Abbot— 1460 f IS S i followm Record O ﬁce , a ngular memorandum to the g effect John Colman Lesnes Abbot Mem . that Dom . Adam Say , Abbot of the Monastery of , died

14 A D 1460 the th day of the month of June , . . , leaving the said Monastery in debts owing

19 9 3 4d . . to his successor on the day of his death the sum of £ 3 . And then Dom John - m Colman , Sub Prior of the Monastery of Les es , was elected to the Abbacy and installed

e e A D . 1460 5 9 on the v of the day of St . Catherine , Virgin and Martyr , . ( crossed Dating from the rule of this Abbot are two documents of considerable

interest relative to the internal economy of the house . The earlier is 9 th that containing the accounts of Godfrey Fisher , Sacrist , dated Michaelmas l oth 3 and of Edward IV . ( ) It appears , as was commonly the case , that the

Lesnes sacristy of had certain deﬁnite lands assigned to its upkeep , and from the rents fﬁ arising from them the Sacrist paid , not only the immediate expenses of his o ce , but all expenditure on new buildings , repairs to the fabric of the Church , and the upkeep

s of all other buildings belonging to the Abbey . The account begins with a li t of these

Le snes B ostall . rents , the lands being situate in , , Bexley , Dartford and Rainham

Following this are the amounts received in oblations , which include

a Oblations to St . K therine .

to St . Sythe (Osyth) . ’

a le a a . pud Wyee , in the ch pel of the Blessed M ry

on the day of the Puriﬁcation of the Blessed M a rv . f o St . Blaise .

of St . Lawrence . a a t requiem m sses .

nn of . a . to St . A e , mother St M ry on Good Frida y In die para ssa ph en n a d collections to St . Nicholas .

to Holy Cross .

to St . Anthony .

1 ’ E a R e er e e R e er . 2 18 . ( ) piscop l gist Dioc s of och st , Vol III , folio 2 ’ R en a s a nd S r e G . S . R 3 5 7 . ( ) t l u v ys , , oll 3 ’ ’ G 0 . 12 . P R . O n er n s . S . B . 11 8 ( ) . Mi ist s Accou t , , , No 2 2 LE SNE S ABBEY

It appears evident from this lis t that there were in the Abbey Ch u rc h either alta rs or

a . . . . nn . im ges of St Katherine , St Osyth , St Mary , St A e , St Nicholas , Holy Cross and

a nd a a St . Anthony . possibly also of St . Bl ise and St . L wrence . It will be noted that a ll th e ﬁve Saints mentioned in the list of oblations of 13 68- 9 already quoted ( a nle

1 ma . a p 7) occur in the second list , and the four additional names y be t ken to w represent th e altars and images set up in the interval of a century between the t o .

a r e The expenses on repairs which follow quite insigniﬁcant , sh owing that no buildi ng operations were in progress at the time

s . (I. Item p a id for 3 ga rne tts for the bellows o f the Orga n in the La dy Ch a pel ‘ ’ 1 o f B b a fo ft . Sheepskin bought y g , of Cr y rd

Two n 2d . na a nd ﬁve n s r n hu dred ils hu dred p yg ails . Red Wi ne bought for the Celebra tion of M a ss Brea d bought for the like purpose a w n a a t to L re ce Cr bbe , Sub s cris Isabell a S tevyn for wa shi ng divers necess a ry a rticles i n the Church 2 8 for Wa x bough t 2 8 T a llow ca ndles bought 3 11 2 7 needles a nd thread bought 1 3 a u a i 2 0 p irs of Cr ets , per p r a n 5 n n c loth d 3 d i . 8 2 4 ells of Line for Rochets , per ell ‘ ’ 3 R eve sshi n ells of Linen cloth for the g Bord , per

8d i ell . 1 ell for the Payntyng Cloth i n the Ch a pel o f the Blessed Mary Franki ncense 4 Torches Hemming the Alta r Cloths divers thi ngs a nd expenses 2 Books bought P a rchment Skins bought for writi ng bills and i nden tures

The existence of an organ in the Lady Chapel is of interest , as in this case there 15 02 were probably two instruments , the great organ being mentioned about . The

‘ ’ Pa yntyng Cloth in the same Chapel was probably a painting on canvas fomi i ng an altar piece . A status or statement of the possessions of the Abbey in the time 1472 of John Colman is also preserved at the Records It is dated

A . D . 1472 the Feast of the Nativity of St . John the Baptist , , and is drawn up and written with more than the usual care . The roll is headed by the Royal Arms , the Crown th en holding the patronage of the house , and in the margin is tricked

a the arms of the Abbey itself . As this is the only authority for the Conventu l bearing it is of particular consequence . The roll has in numerous places been altered , corrected

’ R e n s and S ve s O . S R 85 7 . tal ur y , oll

2 4 LE SNE S ABBEY

th e Lord Gra nnso n a n the Abb o t o f St . Alb s the Ea rl o f M a rc h Al h e n n u S t . e d the Ch rch of p g , Lo o

P r o o f . a r o u wa the i ry St M ry Ove y , S th rk h o a w t e c f . n Chur h St C theri e , by the To er f n n the Abbey o St . Augusti e C a terbury our Lord the Pope n a n the Ki g for the Fa ir held a t Le snes o n St . L ure ce

Tota l £ 18 0 6

w I h h , t ill be seen from t is schedule that t e Abbey held possessions in Kent Surrey , f Middlesex , Essex , Su folk , and Cambridgeshire . The general value seems to be much

a s a about the same it was at the ﬁn l dissolution of the house , or , if anything , rather less .

1474 Th e name of Abbot John Colman appears for the last time on a Willi a m detailed rental of the Manors of Lesnes and F a u nts dated 14th year of Abbo ‘ Edward This is rather curious , as the name of his successor ,

a 3 1474 . William , ppears in the Patent Rolls under date August , There can be no doubt as to the correctness of the latter name , as it appears a second time on Decem ber 6th of the same Both entries are appointments of the Abbot of Lesnes on Commissions to view and report on the sea walls and dykes of the Thames , the ﬁrst

Commission covering the coast from West Greenwich (Deptford) to Gravesend , the

m u nfor second fro Woolwich to N orthﬂeet . The episcopal registers of Rochester are 1466 149 2 tunately missing between th e years and , and consequently the precise dates of the elections to the Abbacy for that period are not available .

’ r 1483 William s successo , Thomas B enet , appears on a similar Commission

ma B ene lVilli a m Tho s t to those referred to above , in Abbot Thomas , and Abbo’ Bright , who followed him , both received minor orders in the same year ( 1462 ) from the hands of Bishop John i 149 6 William Bright in all probability ruled the Abbey dur ng the last ten

W a m B r a 15 th illi ight ye rs of the century , but the ﬁrst actual reference to him is in a Abbo‘ citation for visitation issued to the Convent by Roger Church , for the

1 49 6 . Archbishop of Canterbury , in , the See of Rochester being vacant The reply to

- the Convent is signed by William B right , Abbot ; John Cope , Sub Prior ; Richard

F eri nk Ma k n Abell , C ellarer ; William Lasse , Thomas , and John y , Four years later a licence in mortmain was granted to Abbot Bright 15 00

to acquire certain rents in Erith , under a previous licence granted to 13 09 the Convent in , at the instance of Queen

1 ’ R en a a nd S r e O . S . a r IX . 3 8 . ( ) t ls u v ys , , P t , No 2 ’ a e n a r a te n R E wa r . ( ) C l d of P t olls , d d IV 3 ’ n a a e n R E w a r . R e e r L we . ( ) Ca le d r of P t t olls , d d IV gist o 5 ’ a a e L a r R e er n F 1618 . ( ) La mbeth P l c ibr y , gist Morto , olio ’ l He nr . M . a e n a r a e n t R S C l d of P t o ls , y VII BBE B R E R O R . A Y A N , INT I

B BE B R EX ER O R. A Y A N , T I

THE ABBEY 2 5

’ 15 02 15 02 Bright s Abbacy came to an end in , probably by resignation , as R ober t M artyn a Canon of the house of the same name occurs in 15 13 as holding a Ab b ot distinguished position in the community . Robert Martyn was elected

still in his place , John Cope being Sub The new Abbot did not survive his

elevation more than two or three months , and in the autumn of the H enr y B a em e w s l k or same year Henry Blakemore a elected to succeed him . There is a Ab b °t long account of this election in the Rochester registers . Henry after

- his election passed from the Chapter house to the Church , where he prostrated him

Te D eu m La u da mu s self before the altar , and , then rising , began to chant the , to the 2 l pealing of the organ and the ringing of the bells . ( ) The new Abbot ru ed for eleven

la ti n 15 13 . su r vi ved re years , resigning his post in Although practically nothing has g

~ to th e history of the house under his rule , yet two documents remain of con i s dera b le . importance , having a bearing , though indirectly, upon the subj ect Both

of these , curiously enough , are apparently the work of the same hand , though the

dispersal of the Monastic papers at the Dissolution carried one to Oxford , while the

- other remained in London . The ﬁrst of these is contained in a small bound volume

3 before mentioned in the Library of Corpus Christi College . ( ) It is headed on the

B a s ﬁrst written page by the name yy , who may reasonably be identiﬁed with

B a se - Lesnes William y , Canon and Sub Prior of , whose name appears at the head of

‘ ’ some lengthy accounts preserved amongst the State Papers of Henry VIII , at the ff 12 22nd Record O ice , and dated D ecember , Henry VII The successor

“ B a se - 15 13 B a se of y as Sub Prior , Robert Hale , is mentioned in , so that y probably died

the between these dates , and fact that a short entry in another hand occurs at about

the latter date is corroborative evidence of its suggested authorship . This book , or

rather a few leaves of it which remain , contain what are apparently the occasional notes of the author , which range over a remarkably large ﬁeld . Th e bulk of the matter , 15 06 however , consists of the Abbey accounts , rents for the year , a list of the Abbey

Lesnes tenants in Cripplegate , a measure of the marsh ground in the Lordship of , taken 1 9 5 0 . in , etc The more personal portion of the book follows these and contains mis c ella neou s notes on many subj ects of interest to the writer . He was apparently some

of sh a r b u rr s thing a herbalist , and duly notes down the healing qualities of p , lilly , da ff ll fu r l r nk od m to . Ce nd n d y , dragen (snapdragon and y y y y is good to y for the

a wnd t a th erd La mm esda fa st n . j y ; y must be g on y, y g is one of his prescriptions Under the heading A m edycyn for an h ete of an agawe (ague) occurs the following

da nd el n - Take herbs , Ive and y and herte tunge and brusse them and sethe them in f ’ a yr wat(er) and with ye same wat(er) make you almond mylk e . Another for the ’ D r nk e off E l same is : y the wat(er) ndyvs and drynk yt b od e warme . Other notes

’ 1 i mes F l R e er F tz a 3 2b . ( ) gist j , o io 2 m ’ ’ r F i z H nr . R e t a es F a n P . M e 3 3 b d R . O S . a en a r a en R e ( ) gist j , olio , C l d of P t t olls , y VII 3 r M . 2 r e e O r SS . 65 . ( ) Co pus Ch isti Coll g , xfo d , No ‘ ’ S a e a er Henr . 3 5 3 7 . t t P p s , y VIII , Vol IV , No . 2 6 LE SNE S AB BEY

t he — t . a rela e more directly to Abbey business Thus : Mem . TO remember th t pri est th a t sha ll have a ny of our b e ne fys th a t they be bou nd in an oblig a tion th a t they s h a ll ’ — o a u m c . a w n ne enta on . : not sue g y Also Mem Th t I have lent to h e e John Grandon , ’ K n m a n t ll x s d s . a ll r n e c a m : . y , a boke of p y y vite p Further ore Mem That

’ r n our farmers be bound to b y g home our money a t any tyme upon the pa yng for cost .

d a h c These private notes extend to perhaps half a ozen pages , but cont in no istori al i nformation whatever except the short account of the foundation of the house alrea dy quoted . (See p .

15 14 a a nd The particulars of the resign tion of Abbot Henry Blakemore , the “Willia m elec tlon h ls s a re i i n consequent of uccessor , deta led very fully the Tyseh u rs t L a st Abbot Register of John Fisher , Bishop of and as the election

a on this occasion took a rather unusual form , and as also the particul rs present an n intimate picture of Monastic procedure in such cases , a somewhat extended accou t ’ of the circumstances will not perhaps be out of place . The account entered in Fisher s

B i sli o 4 15 13 before the p in his palace within the precinct at Rochester on April , , when

T seh u r st m hi s n William y , Abbot elect , applied for the Episcopal conﬁr ation of appoi t ment . An inquiry was held into the circumstances of the election and the evidence of four witnesses was taken . The ﬁrst two of these , Nicholas Metcalfe , Archdeacon of Rochester , and William Brown , were present at the election , at that time being

w t h e . unkno n to Abbot elect , and were called to give evidence as to its validity Th e

t wo - a other Rich rd Chatham , Prior of Ledes , and Robert Raynham , Canon of Ledes , were called as having personal knowledge of the character and antecedents of the new w Abbot . Both of them had , they said , kno n him from his youth up he was a Priest , born of lawful wedlock , discreet and circumspect , and furthermore had been a Canon of Ledes Priory and Prior of Bilsington . Then follows a lengthy instrument embodying the conclusions arrived at and giving a minute account of the whole transaction . From

a 15 13 this it ppears that on the last day of February , , John Fisher , Bishop of Rochester , intimated to the Convent in Chapter assembled , that Henry Blakemore , for certain good and legitimate reasons , and moved thereto by his conscience . had resigned the

fﬁ hi s Abbatial dignity and o ce into hands , and that by reason of this resignation , he now declared the Abbacy vacant and directed the Convent to proceed in the election

- of a successor . Then , on the same day , the brethren assembled in the Chapter house unanimously decided to send Henry Blakemore , late Abbot , to the King , bearing their l petition to him for his permission to elect a new Abbot . This petition is given in ful , and is to the following effect

n a nd n a of God To the most illustrious in Christ our Pri ce Lord , Lord He ry , by the gr ce Ki ng o f Engl a nd a nd Fra nce a nd Lord o f Irel a nd ; your h u mb le a nd de voted bedesma n - ma a P of a a n a nd . Brother Robert H le , Sub rior the Mon stery of the Blessed M ry the Virgi St Tho s n a t o f Lesne s a nd th e a a of o f . i , the M r yr , , Convent of the s me pl ce , the Order St August e

’

r e R e i stru m R oﬂe nse . 3 3 1 . Tho p , g , p R E P D IN O R H S LE F V E S ON N T AI O NA . S O E C O F F N PR E B E R T N IN I S YT Y .

D S O WALL BE WEE PE LS N EP IVI I N T N C HA I NO RT H T RANS T .

2 8 LE SNE S ABBEY

n a a - a n n a Th e , le ving th e Ch pter house , the C o s p ssed to th e choir of th e Conventu a l

a nd n n To D e u m La uda m s C hurch , to th e ringing of the bells , si gi g the n , while Th omas

R d a W T ed publicly procl imed , in the vulgar tongue , the election of illiam yse h u rst to

a d a th e clergy n people assembled there . Th e ccepta nce of the Abbot elect of his ne w

w a s n a nd th e n a t a s i dignity not lo g delayed , Conve t once disp tch ed John John , the r

th e a Proctor , to th e King with a notiﬁcation of election . The ssent of th e B ishop was

a a nd a T se h u rst ro fes obt ined shortly after , , kneeling before him , Willi m y made his p sion of C a nonic a l obedience in th e form following

‘ ’ In na d W T o f Go . a se h u rs t a n c a n n c a the me , Amen I , Brother illi m y , C no . o i lly elected a nd o nﬁ m d o f th e o na o f Ma th e n a nd o ma c r e Abbot M stery the Blessed ry Virgi S t . Th s the o f L n i n d o a e s e s c o f o f . u u n o su b M rtyr , , the i ese Rochester , the Order of St A g sti e , pr mise e c tio n n a nd o nc n a t a nd d o n j , revere ce bedie e to you Revere d F her Lord , Lor J h , Bishop of c a nd o o o c a no n a nd c t d a nd to u Ro hester , y ur success rs , Bish ps of Ro hester , c ic lly i u e . yo r o ﬂi c e rs a nd mi nisters i n a ll things l a wful a nd h o nest a nd to this h a ve set my cross a nd ’ i m a n n u . subscr bed y n me , humbly beseechi g yo r blessi g

B isli o After this profession the p bestowed his blessing upon th e new Abbot , and

d Lesnes h an ed to him th e pastoral staff , and the Abbot returned to , there to be dul y installed in his seat in the choir and his place in the Chapter -house by his predecessor h . 24t Jom e r and John Johns Afterwards , on March , Richard p , Curate of Erith , ce ti ﬁ ed that he had received letters mandatory from the Bishop to induct the new Abbot

w a into the temporalities of the Abbacy . The election s ﬁnally completed by the

a 27th 4th Roy l assent , which is dated March , Henry VIII It is a rath er remarkable fa ct that this is the onl y recorded instance in th e history of th e Abbey of a member of another house being elected to the Abbacy . The years immediately succeeding thi s event were marked by considerable

’ Lesn building activity at e s . A portion of a Sacrist s account of this date records

d ne w £5 6 considerable expen iture upon repairs and also on works . was spent upon

- : new building to the kitchen , larder , slaughter house , th e entry and the Frater

— w a o £ 16 5 f . 4d . th e wa e 3 . for a new barn possibly same one that s destroyed a years g

’ ’ k ln B a wdw ne A tile y at y (Baldwin s , by Dartford) , a new chimney in the Abbot s

a new k y ln c mera , new building to the Cloister , a aisle in the Church , a lime . a fence

’ a th e round the Monastery , a stair in Abbot s camera , and several oth er items are also ' 2 ‘ ’ ‘ ’ . a w mentioned ( ) Amongst the State P pers , kno n as the Cardinal s bundle , are

1 ‘ ’ S a e a e H n 4 me i n th e na m e n n e . . 3 83 . Th e e n the a ( ) t t P p rs , ry VIII , Vol I , No p titio for s is of Joh Joh s

r a e a r 23 rd . ( Procto ) , d t d M ch ‘ ’ w a a r He nr . . 5 3 Th ri na n a s a S e e 3 7 . e t t P p s , y VIII , Vol IV , No o gi l ru s follo s Nov

E d i fic a ti o ne a c re a r a tionib u s . In n a c d i fic a tione ne m Ia rd a ri e le s la u te rh ouse . Ie e nt y . p ov Coqui , do us , r m t rii r i l il vi n r a nlam e t a ru m e t Ie F ra to onas e ed ic t v . s . x d . In n a e di fic a tione a e re e n e . y , p , j ov lt try i t cl ust " I n d i fic a ti n I n w n i i ne n o rri i i n m na e r n r L n ". In n a fie a t o X . a e o e e a e a ed ov docki g h f pud o do , x ov u ius o st io

i l i i i r rri E lm ii l B a wd ne lx v s . vi i d . n s d . i v i d . e n a re d c to x . . e o a e d on c i i s . y K . p , j vs j Alt i pud , j j T l y pud y j j U u

m s . i i d i m l nu s i n a m a d ie t x v i n c imi i n m ta le d a e . n e e i a a x s . i i d . n nu s ovus c r bb tis , j j U us ovus do o jux y hous j In n va d i e i m a nd ox a to ri s x ii l. . ii d In n a c fi a tione a r . vi d . In n a ed i fic a tio ne ov cl ust i , v j ov do us p , j ijs j o I n a a ta Ie me k lne 1 li o n n n n a i m i i v i l iii s ii i d . n c d fic a e a e e n E e a ona s te rii red c t i . x . u ius ov I sul ccl si p , j j ov f c Iy y , n n s i vii . In n a edific a ti o e i m r u m x ii s . d In n a e d fic a ti one a liae r m nas e m edic t . xxs . ov p ci cu o t riu p , vil j j ov u iu THE ABBEY 29

la nd s ~ nea r l preserved some thirteen leases of the Abbey , y all dating from the Abbacy

T seh u r st 1 of William y ( ) , and amongst the property leased was a building adj oining the c ’ gatehouse and various barns and yards within the precin t ; Fulham s Place , Plum

’ ’ Lesnes stead , Willow s gore in , and other land in Raynham and Elmdon . Three

1 13 amendb S a rr . 5 L owe bequests also belong to this period In , Thomas y, alias p , of

Lesnes B exley, bequeathed to the Abbey of , a tenement newly built called th e New

Tileh ou se 1 5 19 in the parish of B exley in , John Clarke desires to be buried in the C hurch of Leson Abbey before the Salutation Ch apel ’ and in the following year ( 15 20) Thomas Draper leaves to the Abbey of Lesnes ten marks to th ent ent they shall by a j eyell to the hye a u lter In 15 19 also an annual pension or corrody was n t n granted to certain persons , includi g John Bishop , of Roches er , duri g the lifetime £6 3 4 15 24 1 s . d . of Henry Blakemore , late Abbot , of , and a second one was granted , in ,

£10 th e l to Richard Clement of annually , and a residence within c ose called the upper £80 5 Gatehouse , for the sum of down . ( ) The external history of the Abbey for the period immediately preceding 15 17 T eh u r a . 15 17 s st its dissolution is lmost a blank In , Abbot y served 15 22 on a commission of sewers for Kent , and in , when a loan was raised for the war in France , the Abbey was assessed at

The position of the lesser Augustinian houses had , towards the close of th e Middle

Ages , become more and more precarious . One or two of them had actually become

Cr ek e extinct through the death of the last Canon , and one , th e Abbey of , in Norfolk , had been suppressed , and its revenues granted to Margaret , Countess of Richmond ,

’ for the endowment of Christ s College , Cambridge . This was , however , by no means the earliest instance of the diversion of Monastic property to academic uses . As early as a century before William of Wykeham and Henry VI had endowed their collegiate 149 7 foundations with the lands of the alien Priories , and in John Alcock , Bishop of

Ely , obtained leave from Pope Alexander VI to suppress the Benedictine Nunnery of

St . Radegund , Cambridge , and transform it into a College . These were the lines upon which Cardinal Wolsey acted when in 15 24 he obtained from Clement VII permission

F rideswide . to convert the Augustinian Priory of St . into a College It was evidently his intention to emulate the twin educational establishments of Wykeham at Win

’ chester and New College , and Henry VI at Eton and King s , by his own foundations at Ipswich and Cardinal College , Oxford ; but as the scheme progressed , the endow

' St rideswide ments of . F were found to b e insufﬁcient for the ambitious designs which 15 24 h e entertained , and consequently, late in , he sought and obtained a further Papal

m n m n n In n a ediﬁcati one n ra i n n a i n u no tene e to a B rok nwh arfe L n x x i s . ovi c i i pud y , o do , j . vid ov u us g dus m r a e a di eti a x v s . c Abb tis , j mm l i i d ’ S a c x l x ii s . i . u . j j

1 2 E ’ ’ 3 st . a E e a S e . . 267 . . ( ) Ibid . ( ) P ul s ccl siologic l oci ty , Vol III , p ( ) Ibid 4 ‘ ’ 5 ‘ ’ m i n n . . 9 9 . e a en a Ca nt a a . S a e a e r H e r ( ) T st t ( ) t t P p s , y VIII , Vol IV , No ‘ ’ Henr V ol. 2 nd 4 4 a nd . 2483 . S a e a e . 870 a 65 t t P p rs , y VIII , II , Nos , Vol III , 8 0 LE SNE S ABBEY

a m a n a a licence to suppress Mon steries containing not ore th n seve inm tes , to total a a a a d a d r nnu l v lue of th ree thous nd uc ts , th e proceeds to be evoted to the fu ther endowment of his twin A large number of Mona stic establishments w ere

u h is w sa a t thus bro ght within po er , but it is impossible to y what were the f c ors which

a determined upon wh ich of these the lot should fall . It may , however , be s fely assumed that no question of mor a l obliquity entered i nto the fate of th e twenty -four houses

w . hich were eventually doomed Wolsey , it is true , ordered a visitation of the houses

b u t n w wh ich he intended to suppress , apparently o ly those were visited hich were

t so a lready marked for de struction . From the erms of the Papal bull it is rea nable to conclude that the number of the inmates at Le snes h a d decre a sed duri ng th e ru le

a of the last Abbot from twelve to under seven , which , considering the annu l revenue of the house , is an unusually small number . Of th e nineteen houses ﬁrst suppressed by Wolsey , ten were Augustinian . Subsequently , ﬁve more were added to the list ,

a of which three were of that Order , making more than half the tot l number . Th e following is a list of houses dissolved at this time

B E NE D I CTIN E P R E MO N S TR ATE N S I A N

C a nwell Priory (Sta ffs ) B a yh a m Abbey (Sussex) Felixstowe Priory (Suffolk)

’ ‘ Romburg P I IOI y (Suffolk) AUG US TI NIAN Sa ndwell Priory (S ta fsJ P ri or l) f lf Bla ckmore v (Essex ) Broomhill Priory (Norfolk) D odna sh Priory (Suffolk ) w P P f Ips ich St . eter riory (Suf olk) E E D C E u n B N I TIN N s Le snes Abbey (Kent) M n P TIQI’ ( ) Li ttlemore Priory (Oxon . ) ou tjoy Y Norfolk

x f F r d swrde P n . d . 1 e i ) a c Pré . ( S t . M ry Priory (Herts ) O ord St r ory Oxo

Pou h le P i . Wik e s Priory (Essex) g y r ory (Berks ) Pynh a m Priory (Sussex) R a venston Priory (Bucks ) L N AC C U I Thoby Priory (Essex) a n P D a ventry Priory (North ts . ) Tiptree riory (Essex) S ta nesga te Priory (Essex) Tonbridge Priory (Kent)

11 15 24 The ﬁrst bull for the suppression of these houses is dated September , ,

y and 0 11 October l st of the same year Wolsey obtained the Royal assent . Th e maj orit

Lesnes of the houses involved were suppressed early in the following year , th e Abbey of

T seh u r t 13 15 25 . being surrendered by William y s on February , , into the hands of Dr

’

Wolse s . William Burbank , y and Archdeacon of Carlisle The register of

Bishop John Fisher gives a slightly different date for the ﬁnal act , which he describes in the following terms :

— a n a l s d a o f A . D . 15 25 n M . T , t A , , M 15 25 emor dum h t on the y pril the ost Revere d a a nd i n a n me rc P i F ther Lord Christ, Lord Thom s , by the Divi e y, r est of the a n h o f a a n o f P a o f n a t t e . Mos Holy Rom Church by title St Cecili , C rdi al York , rim te E gl nd

’ ’ 2 ‘ ’ 1 R me F oe d l X I 2 e a e r He n . . 1 3 7 e ra V o . V . 3 . S a y r s , , p ( ) t t P p s , ry VIII , Vol IV , No

- B NO RT H W E S T UTT R ES S NAVE .

- O F NO RT H W ES T DO O RWAY NAVE . THE SEALS 3 1

a a s a nd f w W a m a nd Cha ncellor, Leg te latere , with the expres consent ree ill of Dom illi T seh u r st f n n n y , ormerly Abbot, the Revere d Father Joh , Bishop of Rochester, co senting a nd Lesnes d of thereto , suppressed dissolved the monastery of , in the iocese Rochester, of the Order of St .

The Canons of the Abbey of Lesnes were undoubtedly distributed amongst other

“ u t houses of the Augustinian Order , b the Abbot apparently took some other appoint ment , as he subsequently appears at the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury as being still of the Diocese of Rochester . The annual value of Lesnes Abbey at the Dissolution is given in a return amongst the ‘ State Papers ’ ( 2) as

Spiritualities Temporalities

Total £186 5 8

From this it will be seen that , had it escaped the hand of Wolsey , it must have fallen amongst the lesser Monasteries ten years later , the revenues being j ust under the limit 00 of £2 a year .

Lesnes The fall of Abbey and its fellows , says Fuller , made all the forest of religious foundations in England to shake , j ustly fearing that the King would fell the ’ oaks when the Cardinal had begun to cut the underwood . Before turning to the subsequent history of the site a few matters remain to be

se dealt with , which , though connected with the Monastic hou , lie outside its historical aspect .

THE ARMS

1472 . The Arms of the Abbey are preserved on the Status of , previously quoted

: l the They may be blazoned Gules , between two u ees a crozier in pale or ; on

: e . original , above the coat , is a small medallion Gules , a luce (arg nt) These arms are reproduced on the cover of this volume .

THE SEALS

s Five impressions of seals belonging to the Abbey of Le sne are known to exist , o and of these , three are duplicates . The ﬁrst c mmon seal of the Abbey was a vesica

2 1 n . ( 2inches by § i ches) . On the obverse is a full length ﬁgure of St Thomas of

Canterbury with mitre and pall , the left hand holding a crosier , the right raised in

1 ’ 2 ‘ ’ e R i m Hen . . 3 5 3 8 e stru R offense . 3 42 . S a e a e ( ) Thorp , g , p ( ) t t P p rs , ry VIII , Vol IV , No 3 n er ea a ne Lesnes h a s n e e in a r a n r a e n e ( ) A oth s l , ssig d to , bee r produc d v ious public tio s , but it p ob bly b lo g d Wen h a m e e en to g Coll g , K t . 3 2 LE SNE S AB B EY

On l benediction . eith er side the ﬁgure is a u c v or pike a nd on the sini ster side a lso a

’ ’ ’ t : S G LL E L I E s HO E MA R T I R I D E LI E S E mulle I I C s T M S N S . Th e reverse is a sm a ll

a 1 n a a n a a - w round counter se l ( 8i ches di meter) h vi g h lf length ﬁgu re of St . Thom a s ith

’ ’ : — — — a " w 0 the legend s Io ILL s AN CTI TO M E MAR TIR Is . This se a s still in use in 13 8 a nd a n a n impression is attach ed to a deed mo gst th e Westminster Abbey munimen ts .

th e t Le snes v An impression of seal of Mark , Abbo of , is preser ed at Canterbury

a w Cathedr l . It is a vesica ( l é inches by 1 i nch ) a nd sho s a n Abbot sta ndi ng o n a

c a th e a a f a nd platform , on the head a ﬂat p , in right hand a pastor l st f , in th e left a

’ — . : R E R E V a book Legend MA CI S C T : MAR CV D E VS E F F I GE L E T UM . Wh t is pro bably th e reverse of another Abbatial seal is also at Canterbury . It is a pointed oval , a n a n a ppare tly of the same size a s the preceding . From the b se rises a hand holdi g n

a w X P - Th S E R E B D E IE C . N open book bove hich is VINCIT e legend is C TU M A ATI S L S E S .

S e e ( Plate IV . )

THE LI BRARY

m Th e existence of a Library at Les es , practically from th e foundation of the house , is rendered probable from th e early date of the specimens of its contents which have — 2 survived most of th em dating from the late 1 th or early 13 th centuries . Of the eight

’ volumes which remain , three are now in the library of St . John s College , Oxford , four

a nd i in that of Gonville Caius College , Cambridge , and one in that of Corpus C hr sti

Tile sb e College , Cambridge . The former were the gift to that institution of Richard y , 1619 Archdeacon of Rochester , in , who presented with them a Gesta Roman

’ orum , which may have come from the same source . All of the books treat of theo logical subj ects , and are of little general interest , but at the head of an early page of each is a short note in Latin to the following effect

of of th e a a Le snes w This is the book the Church Blessed Thom s the M rtyr , of , the hich , w a a a n w fa f a a fa on a m hosoever sh ll ste l or y ise lsi y , unless he m ke full s tis cti to the s e Church , ’ a na a a a na let him be them m r th a .

In 19 the case of MS . No . the donor , Brother Thomas de Sandwich , is mentioned .

. 19 u a n No also contains homilies of St . A gustine of Hippo upon the Ps lms , beginni g 80 n w 1 at Psalm and e ding ith 1 8 . Bound in with the front cover is a page of the

. 1 . . 3 w w works of St Benedict No is a large quarto , very finely ritten , ith large initial letters and scroll work executed in red , blue , green and brown . It contains the Pan

i y theologi of B rother Peter , Canon of the Holy Tr nit , London . and has a prologue dedicating the work to the Most Reverend and Delectable Lord and Father in C hrist , 7 i nc r “ h este . 13 4 Godfrey de Lucy , Bishop of . No is a small quarto and contains

a n — y thirty onymous sermons on various subj ects the Mart rs . the Passion . Humility . the Nativity , Annunciation , Assumption , and Puriﬁcation of the Virgin , the Seven

THE LIBRARY

. Pr eﬁx ed Deadly Sins , The Nativity of Our Lord , etc to these is a sermon of

St . Augustine on the Annunciation .

The Gonville and C aius MSS . are of rather more varied character . All of them

13 5 . have the same notes as before , No . being also a gift of Thomas de Sandwich 121 10 6 104 12 th No . is inches by % inches and consists of folios , being of late century li t ’ F o e o : . date . It contains a work of Hugo de Concerning the Cloister of the Soul

13 5 8 6 u No . is rather smaller ( % inches by inches) and contains a variety of s bj ects

Comestor the Allegorical History of Master Peter ( ) , Sermon of Pope Leo , Proverbs n n from Latin Authors , and various Sermo s , among them the Order of Peter Ma du 15 1 9 6 cator for the whole year . No . ( inches by 5 inches) is still more varied in its m contents , including , besides Sermons , excerpts fro various Authors , a description of

“ Jerusalem , an Exposition of the Mass , a tract on the Creation , notes on Arithmetic ,

' h e f h e t Calendar , the O ﬁces , t Council of Calcedon , and a list of Roman Emperors , a

Isc a nu s a work of Bartholomew ( ) , Bishop of Exeter , a tract on Canon Law and l gloss

426 -ﬁve 13 on the Decretals . No . (72 inches by 4% inches) consists of forty folios of th

r d century date with e initial letters . It contains a number of Sermons on various

subj ects . These last four books were given to Gonville and Caius College by William

Moore , who died in r The Corpus Christi volume is a commenta y by Richard Hampole on the Psalms ,

the Psalms being in Latin , the commentary in English . It is a folio parchment book ,

1 5 th . ver . century (fos y well written , with beautiful English ornament A note in

: I- ' D om no si c Mona sterii it says ste Liber Constat p Johanni Colman , Abbatis ( ) de 2 Lesnes . ( ) a A manuscript of far gre ter interest in connex ion with the Abbey is a Missal ,

wa s of . which once the property of the house , and till lately in the possession Mr . H 3 ﬁ - Yates Thompson . ( ) On a y leaf is a list of some of the relics belonging to the Abbey . They include Part of the chasuble of the Blessed Thomas the Mart 'yr and of his

dalmatic and of his handkerchief , and part of the sere cloth in which his body was

wrapped before his translation . A part of the handkerchief of the Blessed Virgin In the margin of the Canon of the Mass are inserted the names of

C ite sse benefactors of the house to be commemorated . They include Philippa om

Ga lfridu s . Merch , de Luce , Katerina uxor eius

The ﬁrst of these was the daughter and heiress of Lionel , Duke of Clarence , and

wife of Edmund Mortimer , Earl of March . The second , Geoffrey de Lucy, was pro

bably the eldest son of the founder, Richard de Lucy .

1 e a n e e w b e n i n th e a a e MSS i n G n e a n L ra r ( ) A full r ccou t of th s books ill fou d C t logu of . o vill d Ca ius ib y

R . ame M . J s 2 m D r M S . a t . . R . a e a a e S r m r r e e a e a . 23 7 . ( ) M J s , C t logu of Co pus Ch isti Coll g , C bridg , P t V , p 3 m th S ee a a e F MSS . r e e n H m n m 1 . Y . . . R . a e 878 . ( ) C t logu of ifty f o coll ctio of Tho pso , by Dr M J s , 4 D e a a ea me Ma r ti ri s et d e a ma a e et d e a r e ( ) c sul b ti Tho , d l tic ius su(d io ius) et d e ser ico i n qu o ’ r e i n olueb atur a n e t ranslac i onem . D e ar e e r n co pus ius v t s(ud io b at ) Ma ie virgi is . 3 L LESN ES AB BE Y

T HE O FFICERS OF THE A BBEY

a th e a u Contr ry to common custom mongst houses of the Aug stinian Order , the

w a f Convent of Lesnes s from its foundation an Abbey and not a Priory . The dif erence

one w is , of course , of name only , and may possibly be traced to its early connexion ith

— F ro . 2 . B R AS S or R nu n E a rr n a c a R OGE S c na , n C u

h t e f . th e Order of Arrouaise , most of houses af iliated thereto being thus designated

L s es - s In addition to the Abbot , the Ofﬁcers at e n included a Prior , Sub Prior , Sacri t ,

Hos ita llc r 1 Cellarer , p , ( ) and Precentor , a fairly lengthy list considering that the Convent numbered six inmates at most at its dissolution .

‘ ’ s os uulc os itu m e a ne B 180. T . R . Cu t p , Misc ll ous ooks , THE MANORS OF THE ABBEY 3 5

The ofﬁce of Seneschal appears to have been held for some time in the late 15 th and early l 6th century by the family of Draper .

In the Parish Church of Erith in the ﬂoor of the south choir aisle , and in perfect

S enc ler preservation , there is still to be seen a brass to Roger , described as a Sergeant of the Abbey . The ﬁgure is of moderate size and no great distinction . The costume is the ordinary civilian dress of the period (1425 ) and the inscription runs Hi e j a eet R ogeru s Sencler quondam serviens Abbatis et Conventu s de Lesens qui obiit primo die ° ° ° mensis Janu a rii anno domini m c c c c x x v cujus a nima e propi ci etu r deus (Here

me lies Roger Se ler , formerly Sergeant to the Abbot and Convent of Lesens , who died the A D 1425 ﬁrst day of the month of January , . . [ on whose soul may God have mercy . S l 1 enc er . Amen . ) The Will of Roger was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury ( ) ‘ : se u l It contains the following bequests To the fabric of the Church of Erith , for my p

0 h e 3 3 4d esnes 6 8d 2 s . t L 3 . ture , ; to High Altar there , . . to my Lord Abbot of , to the

3 s . 4d Lesnes other Canons there , to pray for my soul , to the fabric of the Abbey of , 40 ’ 3 . sterling .

THE MANORS O F THE AB BEY

1 LE SNE S ( ) . The Parish of Erith during the later Middle Ages contained at least three Manors , all of which went by this name . Two of them were in lay hands , t but the third was held by the Abbey . It apparently consis ed of the land surround ing the Abbey , together with the adjoining marshes and , in all likelihood , formed part of the original endowment of the founder . A number of the Court Rolls belonging to this Manor have been preserved , and for the purposes of reference a list is here given

9 th l oth 49 th ﬁ and Edward IV and Henry VI , Public Record Of ce , Court s 181 43 Roll , , No . . l st ﬁ S . P . n V ol. 3 5 3 7 . Edward V , Public Record Of ce , , He ry VIII , IV , No 6th 7th 9 th l oth 12 14th 16 17 2 , , , , th , , th , th and oth Henry VII , Public

ﬁ S . P . V ol 3 5 3 7 Record Of ce , , Henry VIII , IV,

2 AUNTS T F . h e F a u nts Lesnes ( ) Manor or Lordship of adj oined that of , j ust

u mentioned , pon the east . The Manor House stood a few hundred yards up the ﬁrst lane turning southwards from the Abbey Wood and Erith Road east of the Abbey

’ Farm . The hamlet now goes by the name of Picardy . At what time this Manor was acquired by the Abbey is uncertain , but an entry in the Patent Rolls on Septem 6 13 45 ber , , may have some connexion with it . It is a licence for alienation in mort

Le snes h e main by John de Whatton , Clerk, to the Abbot and Convent of , of t Manor

eth ewode of N , on certain conditions , amongst them the founding of a Chantry for the

a u nt good estate of the said John and for the soul of William F . The occurrence of

Neth ewode this latter name , in direct connexion with the Manor of , points to the

1 L en a m 5 . ( ) uff h , 3 6 LE SNE S ABBEY

F a u nts N e th e wod e a a s i conclusion that and were identic l , especially there s no subsequent mention of the second name in th e Abbey records . Court Rolls of the M a nor of F a u nts still survi ving are the following

9 th a nd l oth wa a nd 49 th n P o ﬁ Ed rd IV He ry VI , ublic Rec rd Of ce , Court

3 . 18 1 N o . 4 Rolls , , w V P . n III o l. N 3 3 l s d a P ﬁ S . V t o . 5 7 . E rd V , ublic Record Of ce , , He ry , IV , 7th d wa a nd 7th 9 th to 12 n P fi c E rd IV , th He ry VIII , ublic Record Of e ,

P . n . . 3 3 7 S . 5 . , He ry VIII , Vol IV , No

S everal of these are entered on the same membranes as the Courts and Estreats of th e

s Manor of Le nes .

’ ’ ’ ( 3 ) FULHAM S . Fulham s or Fulham s Place is on several occasions referred

a to a s a M a nor . It was situated in Plumste d parish and was acquired by the Abbey

1 43 2 th e e a in . In Pat nt Rolls for that date is a licence in mortmain to Thom s , Abbot

Le snes 100 t of , and the Convent , to acquire a messuage with acres of land in Plums ead

’ l a On u 2 . 6 ca led Fulh m s Place in exchange for certain lands in Chislehurst A gust , 8 th Henry VIII it was leased by the Convent to William Abell , grazier , together

‘ ’ with certain oth er ﬁelds and marsh lands speciﬁed ( State Papers , Henry VIII , Vol .

IV , No .

4 t a ( ) OCHOLT . The precise position of the Manor of Ochol is uncert in . It

’ one th e is mentioned in place with addition by B exley , but the mention of it in the charter to Strood Hospital (already quoted) , with th e Royal charter conﬁrming the gifts to that Institution , point to its being situated in the parishes of Dartford and

Wilmington . It has in any case no connexion with the Manor of Ocholt in Knock holt parish , which always remained in lay hands . It is mentioned in the Conﬁrmation

Charter of King Richard I as the gift to the Abbey of th e Earl of St . Paul .

5 ( ) BALDWINS . Baldwins is occasionally referred to as a Manor , and its position is ﬁxed by the fortunate survival of the name to the present day . It lies in th e a lVil parish of Dartford , and its position midway between B exley , D rtford and w w u t o . mingto , exactly that ascribed to Ocholt , points to some connexion bet een the

m a k ln They y even be the same , as the two names never occur together . The Tile y 6 w of the Abbey in the early 1 th century a s situate here .

6 E S E of m ( ) THORNEY L N S . The Manor Thorney Les es formed part of the

a a y parish of Stowm rket , Suffolk . A consider ble hamlet still exists called Thorne , and

h w L Ab b e v t e esons . Manor was later kno n as Thorney There is record of a grant to the .

13 th . by Anselm de Lucy , of rent from Thorney , probably early in the century

m a a s 1472 w t £5 . Subsequent grants must , however , have been de , in it was or h a year A number of Court Rolls of this Manor are preserved

‘ ’ 5 a a nd l st a a n a nt a 19 4. oth Edw rd III Rich rd II , Bodlei Libr ry , Ke Ch rters . ’ ' 2 u d 3 rd 4th 5 n o a n a Ke nt Cha r te rs 19 5 . , , , th He ry IV , B dlei Libr ry , . ‘ ’ 3 rd n a n K n a 19 6 d a c t . He ry VI , Bo lei Libr ry , Ch rters , THE SITE AFTER THE DISSOLUTION 3 7

5 a nd 6th P fﬁ P S . . th Henry VI , ublic Record O ce , , Henry VIII , Vol . IV

3 5 3 7 . No . ‘ ’ 16 a a 19 7 . th Edw rd IV, Bodlei n Library, Kent Charters , ’ l st 7th n a n ‘ n a 3 . to He ry VII , Bodlei Library, Ke t Ch rters , Roll 19 th P fﬁ S . P . . 3 5 3 Henry VII , ublic Record O ce , , Henry VIII , Vol IV , No . 7 ‘ ’ a a 4 Customs of the M nor, Bodleian Library, Kent Ch rters , Roll . Th e ﬁrst of these is a beautifully written membrane with grotesques worked into the initial letters .

7 SCHALDR E YMAR SH B enﬂeet ( ) , in the parish of South , Essex , is mentioned 14 2 as a Manor in the Status of 7 .

THE SITE AFTER THE DI SSOLUTION

LeSnes a nd a u nts The site of the Abbey , together with the Manors of F , passed 15 3 4 in after the fall of Wolsey to William Brereton , a Groom of the Privy Chamber .

He enj oyed it only for some two years when , becoming involved in the treason of A nne Boleyn , his estates were forfeited and he himself suffered execution . The 15 3 6 15 41 property was granted to Sir Ralph Sadler in , but he , after holding it till , sold ' the two Manors to Henry Cooke . By this time the Church and most of the Monastic

’ buildings had probably been demolished , but the Abbot s Lodging was retained as the

‘ ’ m . 3 Mansion of the Manor of Les es In a letter in the State Papers dated October ,

15 3 7 si ck Assh er , Ralph Sadler mentions that one of his servants was very at Esher) , where his horses stood , and that the King advised him not to repair to his wife , who

Lesne s was at and expected the birth of a child .

The property passed from Henry Cooke to his son Edmund and his grandson , 1620 Lambert Cooke , who sold it about to Sir John Leman , who conveyed it shortly

Hi er le the after to Sir John pp s y . During his tenure Sir John had site dug over for

O . building materials , and during the perations some interesting discoveries were made ‘ They are described by Weever in his Funeral Monuments as follows : In the place where the Church thereof sometime stood (which had laine a long time buried in

owne rowne work emen her ruines and g over with Oke , Elme and Ashe trees) certaine

E sle di e appointed by the owner of the Mannour Sir John p y, Knight, to gg amongst

F u nera ll the rubbish of the decayed fabrieke for stones , happened upon a goodly monu ment the full proportion of a man in his coate armour cut all in freestone ; his sword hanging at his side by a broad belt upon which the Flower de luce was engraven in many places (being as I take it the Rebus or name devise of the Lucies) ; this his representation or picture lay upon a ﬂat marble stone ; that stone upon a trough or

f a sh eler . f co fin of white smooth hewen , in that co fin and in a sheet of lead (both being made fit for the dimension of a dead body) the remains of an ashie drie c a rk a sse lay ' enwrapped , whole and undisj ointed , and upon the h ead some haire appeared ; they 3 8 LE SN ES ABBEY found likewise other sta tues of men in like m a nner proport ioned as a lso of a woman in h er a ttire and a b ilime nts with m a ny gravestones and bones of the deceased ; to

a ll w ﬂ a n w as see hich great con uence of people resorted , mo gst which number I not

’ th e Th a w hindmost . e buri l here described ans ers in every way to the coffin and

th e th e ﬁ i lV e e ve r body found on the north side of Presbytery , but ef gy descr bed by has disappeared .

F l a . 8

— T H PAR T Il. E BUI LD I N G S

OF the Conventua l a rra ngements of the Augustinian Order comparatively little is known owi ng to the fa c t th a t but few of their houses have been systematically

a a . exc v ted Their existing remains , furthermore , consist very largely of the Conventual

th e C hurch , domestic buildings h aving suffered almost complete demolition throughout

w a the country . It may be stated ith conﬁdence , however , th at their architectur l rules ,

a n a Ca r if y such existed , were far more elastic than those governing the Cisterci n or t h u si a n th e Orders , and that general plan conformed very closely to the Benedictine

a us ge . It is noteworthy that a larger pre portion of the Churches of this Order th a n of w any other ere preserved at the Dissolution for parochial purposes , and this is accounted

t e for by h fact that in many of them a parish altar existed before the Reformation . ' W n To this cause may be assigned the continued existence of parts of altham , Bour e

La nerc ost r and Dorchester Abbeys , the Priories of Hexham , , Bolton , B idlington , Thur f a “ ork so S mithﬁeld garton , Bl ckmore , Royston , p, Dunstable , St . Bartholomew ,

O ri e . . ve . St Mary , Christchurch , St Botolph , Colchester , and other Churches

Lesnes a s y At the P rish Church exi ted long before the foundation of the Abbe , and

h a s n . survived lo g after its fall The Abbey C hurch here was wholly Conventual ,

wa s and as such completely destroyed at the Reformation . w The most noticeable feature of the buildings is their ambitious scale , which , o ing

th e to the sudden death of founder , was really out of proportion to the revenues of the house which had to maintain them .

r a - w The materials used for the walls were g stone and chalk , and the dressings ere w almost ithout exception of Reigate stone , Purbeck marble being sparingly used for

th w a s shafting . At e close of the Mediaeval Period a small amount of brickwork employed .

THE PRECINCT

Lesnes f a s w The precise limits of the Precinct at are di ﬁcult to determine , the hole w y a . of th e boundar all has entirely dis ppeared There is , however , little doubt that

w y the high ay formed the boundar on the north , and portions of the wall on this side

were standing within living memory . Portions of the rubble and chalk foundations

THE PRECINCT 41

were also brought to light opposite the western ponds and further east , when the

- road was recently widened for the tram lines .

The wall apparently turned southward at the west end , along the line of the narrow lane shown upon the precinct plan , and at the east end probably included in

’ its limits the two ponds j ust beyond the labourers cottages , giving a total frontage on 440 the north of about yards . The line of the eastern wall is quite indeterminate , but

Buc k lef

B a r n

N u r s e ry F o r m

A b b ey W0 0 d

0 ( 00 2 0 0 3 00 5 00

F IG 4 — A or R E C CT . . PL N P IN it is unlikely that it was carried up the steep wooded hill to the north of the Abbey barn . On the west side the course of the boundary is preserved in the sketch plan 175 2 ’ of Stukeley dated , and also in the site plan in the possession of Christ s Hospital 165 5 dated . It followed the course of the lane before mentioned southward to its j unction with another narrow lane running east and west, from whence it took a south

- easterly direction , terminating somewhere near the south west angle of the Abbey 42 LE SNE S ABBEY

’

. a S tu k ele s C hurch The w ll on this side is shown as standing in y plan , being there ’ a i m rked prec nc tus mo na ste rii .

two a th e There is evidence of the former existence of G te Houses , but precise position of neither of these has been located . There is some evidence that th e Great

a a w a G te stood near the centre of the northern w ll , on the high y , possibly on the site

n a of the existi g f rm gate . It is mentioned in an e a rly 16th century

‘ ’ between lVilli a m (Tyseh u rst) by the suffrance of God Abbot of Lesnes and Thomas

a n He b a rns Annesley , Citizen of London , being a lease of All those b r s called the y of the s a id Abbey and the yards thereunto appertaining set lying and being in the Parish

E r th e s l of y , that is to say between the ﬁeld called the VVood ﬁe d on the eas t par t and

’ ’ the Cornb a rn s ya rde of the said Abbey on the west part and the King s h ighway on the north part , lately in the occupation of Thomas Draper , of Erith , gent . Also

’ a ll that chamber set on the east side of the Porter s Lodge of the Gate House of the

’ th e said Abbey entering into said Abbey and the two chambers over the said chamber . Th e j uxtaposition of th e Abbey barns and the Gate House in this lease is suffi cient t indica ion of the approximate position of the latter , as one of the great barns was standing to within recent years .

a The second Gate , known as the Upper Gate , was gr nted as a residence , together w c u r r od £10 9 m ith a y of , to Richard Clement on February , It may be sur ised w that it stood on the lane running east and west , a short distance to the est of the w Abbey nave . This lane is evidently a very ancient thoroughfare , and is sho n on

’ the C hrist s Hospital plan . It terminates at the point indicated and may be assum ed to have led to the Upper Gate House , though trial holes sunk here were unsuccessful in locating its position . w Somewhere ithin the Precinct stood the Guest House , which from the terms of 1 th e document quoted on page 5 must have been a bui lding of some extent . Though

wa s a now search made , its position was not discovered , and it is possible th t its site is covered by some of the outbuildings of the farm . The Abbey Fishponds or stews are probably represented by the two ponds in the

- two t extreme north eastern angle of the Precinct , though the ponds in the nor h l western angle may also have served this purpose . The lower of these latter is rough y

rectangular in form , and cuttings made in the eastern and southern banks revealed the

fact that they were originally upheld by a series of stakes or piles .

TH E GREAT BARN

One 19 00 . of the Abbey barns remained standing until , when it was pulled down

It stood on an artiﬁcially levelled site some dista nce to the east of the Abbey Farm , a nd the foundations of r a g-stone rubble patched with later brickwork are yet visible

’ ’ S a e a er Hen . . 85 3 7 . S a e a e r Henr . t t P p s , ry VIII , Vol IV , No t t P p s , y VIII

44 LE SNE S ABB EY

t Le n s 46 2 9 Th e presby ery at s e measured internally ft . by 4 ft but had su ffered very complete demolition . The east end had been entirely dug through for stone , and

th e O a a only trench formerly ccupied by the found tions rem ined to mark its site . Th e w w side w a lls ere hardly in a better state . A certain length of rubble wa lling a s found

a a d on the north side st nding bout a foot above the ﬂoor level , and on the south si e

w a w s th e found a tions extended almost to the east end . The west end of this ll a

a n pierced by arch opening into the Lady Chapel , and one chamfered angle of the

a W e stern respond was found standing about two feet above th e floor level . ithin the area of the presbytery and some ﬁve feet in advance of the e a st wall the two w rough piers supporting the front of the High Altar were discovered . They ere of rough construction , loosely mortared together , and standing on squared pieces of Norman

- s plinth course r e used . On the north ide of the presbytery against the rem aining frag

a fi a ment of w ll was found a stone cof n with a shaped head , containing the bones of man enclosed in an inner lead envelope , which was shouldered to fit the inside of the fi see . outer coffin . This leaden cof n had been torn open ( Plate VII) Between the t coffin and the wall a small portion of tile pavement was found i n s i u . In this immediate neighbourhood numerous voussoirs of 13 th century vaulting ribs were

t . recovered , pointing to an extensive alteration in the presby ery at that date The

- mouldings are good and on each side is a row of bold dog toothing . i The central tower rested on four large piers forming the crossing , and measur ng

- 3 0 . 29 . internally % ft by % ft The north eastern pier had entirely gone , and of the

- i n s itu south eastern only one fragment of plinth course was found , but of th e

-w western piers th e remains were in excellent preservation . Of the two , the south estern was perhaps the more complete , and was standing some six feet above the pavement level . 12 The work is late th century , the responds of the transept arches consisting of

- a half round central shaft with two smaller circular side shafts , each having moulded

- bases of the hold water type , with carved spur ornaments at the angles . The abut ments of the western arch opening into the Nave are similar except that the half - round shaft is here omitted owing to the presence of the choir stalls on this side . The responds to the nave aisle are of plain ashlar , and those of th e nave arcade were unfortunately destroyed when the existing stone wall was built across the site early

17 . u w in the th century A double plinth course is carried ro nd each pier , as sho n on the detail here reproduced , and forming low benches at the eastern angles . It consists of an ogee upper member and a plain chamfer below (see Plates XI and XII) . The spur ornaments on these bases are a somewhat unusual feature in this part of th e i n . country , but occur also the contemporary work in the nave of Dunstable Priory i Traces of the screen wall , against which the choir stalls were set , were found aga nst

- u the north west pier . It was about a foot thick and composed of small r bble , plastered on each face . The tower had also a rubble core faced with ashlar . A

i i tu - considerable extent of tile paving was found n s round the south west pier , the

‘ s B AB E Y .

swa m

EElNor th Eta /Alton

. South Elevati on

’ T H E W A T F O R D E N G R AV I N G C C L ° P LATE X II .

f 4 B e sr c e h ﬁ ﬁ . 4 8 45 .

P U B L l $ H E O B Y T E E. C A S O P R S I E S S . A B E S B E Y .

' w e WA H O R O E N G R AV I N C C : H ‘ P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E C A S S O P R E I S S .

46 LE SNE S ABBEY

a . a w 5 . 2 . a nd 3 shelf (see Pl te IX) Between them th e b se of the altar wall , ft in ide ft . w 2 . a s w in in proj ection , uncovered , and about the middle of th e chapel traces of t o w steps ere found . Beneath the dividing wall between this a nd the next ch a pel w a s a

a w a th e a n w ch lk vault ith a segment l roof of same materi l , spru g from east to west ith

u n . I a a ro gh masses of ﬂint i serted at the crown as a key t was pp rently unused , and

n a u adj oini g it on the north were remains of a second vault of simil r constr ction . The

n a r - a seco d ch pel retained its vaulting shaft and an eastern recess at the no th e st angle , but south of this the walls were destroyed to below th e floor level . A portion of the

a original p ving was , however , preserved , round the vaulting shaft , and consisted of

a d e f p ttern ﬂeur lis tiles alternating with dark green glaze with excellent ef ect . In the third ch a pel the va ulting shaft base remained in the south -east angle with the plinth

- a of that in the north e st angle , and between them were portions of an altar base

s . n s . imilar to that in the ﬁrst chapel No trace , however , remained of an easter rece s

a 12 1 i . . 11 4 . E ch of the chapels measured ft in from east to west by ft . in w de .

r The south transept walls were not completely uncovered , but the inte nal angle

a - with the nave isle was located and also the south west angle of the transept . At this point a massive clasping buttress was discovered . A similar buttress support ed th e

- south eastern angle , but here only a portion of the east face remained . There is little doubt that originally the three transeptal chapels were repeated in this arm , but in 14th the century they were pulled down to make room for the Lady Chapel , which

13 71 . a was in course of construction in (see p This ch pel , however , only occupied th e site of part of the inner two of th e earlier period , and the subsequent arrangement to th e south of it is very obscure . No deﬁnite walls were discovered , but a rough rubble foundation was found 3 ft . to the east of the line of the former transept arcade .

wa s It apparently the base of a screen , but nothing could be discovered to the east of it , and th e more reasonable position for a screen would be at the entrance and not within the chapel . w The Lady Chapel was a rectangular building , conterminous ith and ﬂanking the presbytery on the south . The position is the same as that occupied by similar

u structures at Little D nmow and Leez Priories , Essex , erected about the same period . Repton Priory (Derby) and Bristol Abbey (the Cathedral) also present some what similar features . 19 Th e building at Lesnes was 48 ft . long by ft . wide . It must have been entered from th e transept by a wide arch , of which only the rough foundation of the north respond remained . The rubble base of a screen ran across the entrance . and imme i t di a tely outside it a certain amount of tile paving remained n s i u . Portions of the n east and south walls were found in a very fragmentary state , with the rough fou dation

a - of a di gonal buttress at the south east angle , and of another buttress to the south 1 w 7 . . wall , ft to the est

The construction of the east wall was somewhat singular , the inner face having a pronounced batter apparently above the floor line as it was rendered on the face . C LO S E R LO O K G - S O H WE S . I T , IN UT T

LO S E R AND R H L R C I T NO T WA L O F F AT E R .

THE CHURCH 47

This was probably done to counteract the pressure , as the ground level to the east was evidently considerably higher than the ﬂoor level within . The internal arrangements of th e chapel are of very considerable interest and present some exceedingly difﬁcult problems . Nine feet in advance of the east wall stood a wooden screen , the sill of which was morticed into the south wall , the hole being still apparent , and this probably served as the altar screen or reredos . Behind it a sunk chamber was excavated in the

ﬂoor , of the irregular form shown upon the accompanying plan , and approached by a

FI G . 5

ﬂight of steps , the three lowest of which remained , cut through the south presbytery

h 4 . 4 . w wall . The c amber , only ft in ide , was paved with pattern tiles , the retaining walls being of the roughest construction and plastered on the face . There was no apparent wall at the south end , the tiles here coming to an abrupt termination . The chamber was never roofed in , as traces of paving were found round it , and was only

2 8 . . sunk ft . in below the surrounding level The purpose of this curious feature is exceedingly difﬁcult to determine as no precisely analogous example is known to exist .

Chambers of somewhat similar character exist in the north transept at Wonersh Church ,

Surrey, and behind the altar at Tunstead Church , Norfolk , but in each case they either 48 LE S NE S ABBEY a re or h a ve been vaulted in a nd were obviously used to preserve the sacred vessels and

a other valuables from the risk of ﬁre . Th e l ck of a stone roof a t Lesnes precludes this

a a nd o ne w ex pl nation . is driven to the conclusion that the sunk ch a mber a s a Holy ' a a a IVine h Hole simil r to th t still existing behind th e High Alt r of ester Cathedral . A wooden superstructure possibly supported the feretory containing the v a rious relics

a nd possessed by th e Abbey (see p . provision was perhaps also made for the

th e a s miraculous image of the Virgin mentioned in P pal indult already quoted (p .

’ th e lVi nc h ester Access to Sanctum Sanctorum , or Holy Hole , at was gained by a

th e - Lesnes a door from retro choir beyond , but this was impracticable at , and an entr nce w a 1 4 0 n w s cut from the presbytery . The mention in 7 of offeri gs made apud le ice

a a in c pella beate Mari e may perhaps refer to this chamber , though the meaning of the term is obscure (see Note , p .

n t wo Some ine feet in advance of the altar screen , traces of altar steps were found , and immediately to the west of them were two chalk vaults adj oining one another on 8 w th e south side of the chapel . They were some % feet long , the southern being ide enough for two bodies and the other for one . Above the latter was a large slab with

su b se the indent of a brass , and within it a mutilated recumbent efﬁgy , both described

i n si tu quently . To the west of these graves a portion of the original paving remained , consisting of large square tiles laid diagonally , with a single square of stone occurring in th e middle . Numerous moulded stones from j ambs and arches were found in the 14 l chapel , all of good th century character , together with a number of vau ting rib voussoirs of curious section .

3 0 . . Th e Nave was an aisled building 13 2 ft . long by ft wide It is now planted as an orchard , and two and a half bays of the north aisle wall , including the western angle , remain standing some ten feet above the floor level . The excavations revealed the w whole of the est front and the south aisle wall , which had been demolished flush with the pavement . The present ground level over this part of the Church is some feet lower than that to the east of the orchard wall with cuts across the site j ust to the west of the crossing . It is on an average hardly more than a foot or eighteen inches above the old floor level , and consequently little detail work was found . The nave wa s th e eight bays long , the aisles opening into transept with a square respond on each

w 6 . side ith a plinth . No trace was found of the nave piers , but sleeper walls some ft thick were carried beneath them from end to end of the building . Fragments of square ﬂuted late 12 th century capitals found under the crossing probably belonged to the nave arcade as there is no other position to which they can be assigned , and in this case the nave piers must have been square on plan . The position of the pulpitum may also be arrived at by a process of elimination , as no trace of it could be discovered . It must consequently have stood between the ﬁrst pair of nave piers west

ro w of the crossing , as here no examination was possible owing to the presence of a of - 17 pig sties on the site . A garden wall , of early th century date , follows the line of the eastern por tion of the north aisle wall and portions of the earlier rubble are visible

‘ J) LE . E B E . S ’ AB Y

' ' f l 'ﬂ ‘ 4

P E R HO S E MB O F T HE D R H O O . C A T U , JA WAY

E D R H P E R HO S O O . C A T U , WAY

5 0 LE SNE S ABBEY

10 a nd a a a a w a . s ft wide , portion of th e rc de w ll uncovered opposite the C hapter

a a a w house door on the e st . From its thickness it ppe rs prob a ble that it a s ori gi n a lly w i ntended to v a ult this alley in stone . A short lengt h of arcade all about a foot

w a s a nd w w a thick found on the north of the Cloister , its position on the est side s a a n s m pp rent from a tre ch on the west side , though the wall it elf had been re oved .

u t th e The east side of the Cloister was bo nded by th e nor h transept of the C hurch ,

a a - a nd - S cristy , the C h pter house th e Dorter with th e Warming house and other

a a p rtments beneath it .

THE SACRISTY

The Sacristy was a small apartment adj oining the transept on the north and

2 1 2 . 3 . w measuring 3 ft . by ft in Th e plastered inner face of the west wall a s uncovered and stood about three feet above the ﬂoor level . Th e eastern angles were also located .

wa s th e w a It must have been entered from the Church , as usual , but door y was not found , nor any trace of the altar .

THE CHAPTER HOUSE

- 5 1 6 2 . 6 . 6 . The Chapter house was a rectangular apartment ft . in long by ft in 12t h . wide , and was one of the original century buildings Th e west , north and east walls remained standing for some two feet above the ﬂoor level , but on the south it was 4 almost entirely destroyed . The outer walls , some % ft . thick , were supported at the east end by clasping buttresses at the angles and an intermediate one in the centre of the east wall . The dimensions O f the Chapter -house closely approximate to those of the mother 6 3 0 f 5 . t . house at Aldgate , where this apartment measured some ft by ; indeed , the whole planning of the domestic portion of the claustral block is very similar in the two cases . m The Les es building was entered by an archway from the Cloister . in the centre

w 5 wa s O f . . the est wall , % ft wide It recessed in three orders on the inner face and

- probably also on the outer ; th e inner order was formed with a half round shaft , and

- the two outer had circular shafts , all with hold water bases and spur ornaments (see

s Plate XIV) . The bases were intact on the south j amb , but only the off ets below remained on the north . Inside the walls a double bench ran round the Chapter

th e w house , stopping on either side the west door , and having lo er bench brought

’ - out in a semi octagonal proj ection in front O f the Abbot s seat at the east end .

O f Most of the lower and some of the upper bench remained , both being rough

THE DORTER AND WARMIN G -HOUSE 5 1

construction with a thin rubble wall in front ﬁlled in with loose material behind .

Th e stone bench slabs had all been removed , but they appear to have been pinned up at the west end with large square tiles , roughly glazed . Similar tiles formed the pavement , which appears to have been raised some six or eight inches in later mediaeval times to bring it flush with the upper surface of the coffin slabs in the floor .

f i si tu - Three stone co ﬁns (see Plate XIV) were found n in the Chapter house , one still having its original slab in position . The ﬁrst was immediately in front of the

’ Abbot s seat , and contained the bones of a man ; the second , further west and near the south wall , also contained a male skeleton wrapped in a garment of rough sack fﬁ cloth . The slab still resting on the co n had been broken in half and clamped

Of together with iron clamps . It was marble , quite plain , with two hollows mitred fﬁ round the upper edge . The third co n lay near the centre , further west , and contained the bones of a man of quite unusual height . In addition to these , four

f o f i n co ﬁn slabs were dug up in various parts the building, but none of them were si tu , and they will be described subsequently .

THE PARLOUR

- 2 9 . Adj oining the Chapter house on the north was a rectangular apartment 5 ft . in

13 6 4 . 10 . by ft . in . It was entered by a door ft in wide from the Cloister , and

r th e . probably served as the Pa lour and passage to Cemetery If so , it must have had a second door in the east wall , but on this side the remains were obscured by post

' Thi b u ildin Reformation work superimposed upon them . s g may have been included in the Dorter range .

THE DORTER AND WARMING- HOUSE

The Dorter range formed a long building of the same width as the Parlour and i 11 extend ng north from it for a distance of 7 ft . It was two stories high and divided into eight bays . The Dorter itself was upon the first floor , the ground floor being used

- for various purposes , the northern portion forming the Warming house .

2 . Immediately north of the Parlour and divided from it by a wall 4 ft . in thick was the Dorter stair (see Plate XV) . There appears to have been no separate night stair here as at Hexham and elsewhere , and the arrangement was exactly similar 5 6 at Aldgate . The stair , ft . in . wide , was entered from the Cloister by a door of which the lower part of the j ambs was intact . It was of a single order with - 12 a quarter round shaft of late th century date cut on each j amb . Portions of i t the ﬁrst six steps of the stair remained n si u , the three lowest being entire and ' 12 having a in . tread . Level with the third step there appears to have been a 5 2 LE SN ES ABBEY

a u n rrow door communicating with the Dorter substr cture , and of this traces of the w w O f w a s a o est j amb ere found . Beneath the landing the stair second do r cut in w w w a a O f a s . the e st ll , hich the splayed inner j amb on the north side discovered Immediately to the nort h of it was a single -light late 12th century window bl ocked

a a a . u r in l ter medi eval times , of which the spl yed j ambs remained The substr ctu e of the Dorter was eight bays in length and th e east wall was uncovered for the w hole of its length . It was sta nding some ﬁve feet above the ﬂoor at the south end and

n s somewhat less at the north end . The west wall of the ﬁve souther bays remain

tw o standing for nearly its full height . The part belonging to th e southern bays t formed the gable end of the Frater range , but the three bays to the nor h of it a a pp rently stood free . The two northernmost bays on this side are covered by the - 12t h modern farm house . The whole building appears to date from the end of the century and was probably cut up into apartments by wooden part itions . The ﬂoor of the Dorter was also of wood , and was no doubt supported on a row of timber l posts down the centre . The three or four northern bays of the substructure a most

VVa rmi n - certainly formed the g house .

3 3 . The east wall was divided into bays by ﬂat pilaster buttresses ft . in wide with

- a massive clasping buttress at the north east angle 8 ft . wide on each return . The w buttresses had each a chamfered plinth course stopping against the main wall , hich

4 . 4 . 5 . was ft in thick on the east and west and ft . thick at the north end In the second bay from the south was a single light deeply splayed window and in the next

- bay to the north was a two light window , both with late mediaeval blocking . The

Of i . fourth bay was blank , but in the ﬁfth , traces were found another s ngle light The

- 5 . 4 . sixth bay was occupied by the great ﬁreplace of the Warming house , ft in wide ,

- with chamfered j ambs and an ashlar faced back segmental on plan (see Plate XVI) . i 3 . 3 n . In the middle of the seventh bay was a small doorway ft wide , with chamfered external j ambs and having four stone steps in the thickness of the wall

IVa rmi n - n descending to the g house (see Plate XVI) . In the last bay the souther internal splay of another window was found . No windows are visible in the remaining

O f i portions the west wall of the substructure , but a door may perhaps have ex sted in the ﬁfth bay from the south . The bases of the pilaster buttresses on either side of it were located with evidence of a later building adj oining at this point . This

n co sisted of the start of two walls , one only one foot thick , adj oining the northern

one two . 4 . buttress and rather over feet thick , 7 ft . in to the south of it Of the Dorter itself only the portion of the west wall before mentioned remains

- sta nding . Th e set off for the ﬂoor remains for the whole length and in the ﬁfth bay - n is a single light round headed window Of late 12th century date . This ope ing is

a w exceedingly puzzling as the intern l splays are on the est side , and it looks into the

a Dorter . It is immedi tely above the traces of the adjoining building before

’ mentioned , and may imply the existence O f a gallery from the Abbot s Lodging . THE FRATER 5 3

THE RERE - DORTER

The Rere -dorter occupied a position common in B enedictine and Cluniac houses

. I across the end of the Dorter building and connected with it by a short, corridor t

12 t 44 14 . was a long late th cen ury building , ft . by ft internally , the angles being sup

ﬂa t 4 Of ported by two buttresses with an intermediate buttress } ft . wide in the centre the north wall . The walls were not completely excavated , and most of the east end

f u n had apparently been destroyed , but su ﬁcient of the north and south walls were

- - covered to determine its plan . The water course flushing the Rere dorter was usually confined by an internal wall carried longitudinally through the building, but no trace of this could be found . The walls of the corridor connecting it with the Dorter were located , the passage being , of course , on the first floor , and below it was apparently a

- 18 . 3 . cellar ft long and ft wide , approached from the Warming house by a rough cutting in the end wall with two rough steps down . A third wall connecting the two buildings

11 . t . was found ft further west , with traces of a four h beyond it These probably

’ - represented the passage connecting the Rere dorter with the Abbot s Lodging . A

Ha similar passage connected the two buildings at ughmond (Salop) . Adj oining the former building on the west was a rectangular annexe with a second annexe beyond it , 1 6 each about 3 ft . from north to south by ft . wide . They probably contained two ’ f garde robes connected with the Abbot s Lodging , and were of di ferent builds , perhaps 14 15 th and th centuries , with a straight j oint between them .

THE FRATER

he The Frater ﬂanked t Cloister on the north side and , as at Aldgate , Walsingham ,

Hau hmond and . g elsewhere , was on the ground ﬂoor The western half of the north

10 . wall (see Plate XIII) still remains standing, about ft high , with the return wall at i the east end . At th s end thmere was undoubtedly a passage leading to the court yard beyond , and the east ja b of the doorway entering it from the Cloister was

Of O f uncovered . No trace the outer door remained owing to a modern rebuilding

2 5 ft . the eastern half of the north Frater wall . The Frater itself was 4 wide by

0 . . about 8 ft long , and was divided into seven bays An original drawing (see 175 2 Plate III) dated by Stukeley , in the British Museum , shows the north wall standing to its full height and pierced by eight tall pointed windows , but this must be received with caution , and the author probably drew somewhat upon his imagination , as he shows a lower range of windows which the existing remains prove to have never existed . Below the large windows runs a string course , and this still remains to the western half of th e wall , but the moulding has entirely weathered away . 5 4 LE SNES ABBEY

Th e second a nd third bays from the e a st were O ccupied by the Fra ter pulpit ( se c Plate

w e diﬁc a tion n i XVI) . from hich one of the brethren read for the of the conve t dur ng

n b a me a ls . The proj ection in th e seco d y is slight a nd conta ined a straight ﬂight of

a n . a steps le di g up into the pulpit Th e core beneath these steps still rem ins in part , a nd a n in the wall above are two small l ncet windows , with rebated exter al j ambs ,

w n . a follo i g the rake of the stairs Both were blocked but h ve now been opened out ,

w a the lo er one being quite perfect , with plastered intern l splays . The pulpit its elf

F ro . 6

forms a deeper proj ection in the third bay , and the wall here has been broken through

O f and otherwise patched and altered . On the top of the wall the stone sill of one the 14th large windows shown by Stukeley still remains , and may be assigned to the century . This dates the pulpit itself , which is an addition to the main building and 13 to the staircase recess . The latter is of early th century date , while the main Frater walls are undoubtedly of the late 12th century . The western bay of the Frater was shut off by the screens covering the entries

s to the kitchen and Oﬂi c e s and also the doorway from the Cloister . The arrangement

To fa c e pa ce

F R E R P LP IT AT U . THE WESTERN RAN GE 5 5

16 th e O here had been extensively altered in the early th century , when position f the kitchen was apparently altered . The west wall was destroyed above ground but was 12 excavated for its entire length . At the northern end was the base of a late th

4 - a century door ft . wide , with a quarter round shaft cut on e ch j amb and a chamfered

. th e plinth . This had been blocked in late mediaeval times The return of south

3 . Frater wall , 4 ft thick , was located , but had been de stroyed to the foundations and ll with it a trace of the Cloister doorway . At the north end of th e screens was a wide doorway leading to the kitchen . It was almost entirely destroyed , but the western outer j amb chamfered on the edge remains for some height embedded in the wall Of the 16 adj oining shed . The internal j ambs were of early th century brickwork chamfered on the edge , and of these a few courses , at the base , were uncovered .

Immediately to the west of the door is the serving hatch , through which the food was passed from the kitchen to the Frater . Though damaged on both sides , it remains largely intact and consists of an aperture , making a double elbow bend in the thickness

O of the wall . The pening on the Frater side had an arched front , now destroyed , a

- - semi domed vault of chalk and a quadrant ashlar faced bend at the back . The hatch

20 . i . itself was unusually low and measured in by 74 n. high The head and sides were Old - chamfered and the sill consisted of an tomb slab , with hollow chamfered edge

O reversed . The inner pening to the kitchen was by a broad pointed arch of which the

i si tu 1 eastern half remained n , but the western had been cut away for a 7th century

O . window pening The hatch was blocked and the kitchen arch invisible , but it has now been Opened out and will be permanently preserved .

THE KITCHEN

The kitchen appears to have been largely altered or rebuilt in the early

l 6th . century, to which date the doorway and hatch already described may be assigned The building itself lay to the north of the Frater and overlapped all the building a dj oining it on the west . This position is precisely that occupied by the kitchen of

Lesne s Holy Trinity , Aldgate . No excavations were possible at as the site is occupied

r h by fa m buildings . The north wall of the Frater is , owever , continued in a straight line westward for about 5 7 ft and though cut by several 17th century and later Openings is without any architectural features and is of rag -stone rubble similar to that

ed employ in the Frater itself .

THE WESTERN RANGE

The western range , though contemplated , appears not to have been actually con s tructed when the other buildings round the Cloister were erected . The present eastern

a r emalns Of 13 w ll , which is all that standing , is th century date and impinges on the 5 6 LE SN E S ABBEY

a na e a rli er a true squ re origi lly designed for the Cloister , so that the Fr ter overl a ps it

fe w a t n t e nd . w a r s a feet th e or h It follo ed originally th e usu l fo m of these building , w w a w a s a w hich ere used by the Cell rer for storing supplies , and a long and n rro apa rt

w w - t o y . a s a w a ment store s high The upper ﬂoor perh ps th e Guest house , as s often the

a s w h a d a c se el e here , and wooden ﬂoor , the corbel holes for which are still visible in the w a n n a . a a a n rem i i g ll At its south end was the outer p rlour , a short pass ge ag i st the

w a O f a nd north ll the C hurch , entered from the Cloister by a pointed doorway (see

a a nd Pl te XVII) still intact the most perfect surviving feature above ground . It d a tes from th e 14th century a nd has moulded j ambs and head on the east face and spl a yed and beaded j ambs with probably a segmental pointed arch on the west w side . Th e Parlour must have been used as the estern processional entrance to th e C hurch . A second doorway of different character , but much decayed and

8 1 . damaged , stands ft to th e north . The whole of this range except the Cloister

a wall ppears to have been pulled down in later mediaeval times , the parlour being

a w w repl ced by a pentise ith a ﬂat leaded roof (see Plate XVII) . The line here the lead w a s tucked in is visible on the Church wall j ust above the row Of ragged

th e holes from which roof corbels have been torn away . The foundations of the w outer or estern wall were apparently grubbed up , as no trace of them could be

rt Of found , and on the no hern end of the site a group of buildings was erected somewhat doubtful purpose . It appears probable that these structures are referred to in the ' l 6th early century Sacrist s account already quoted , where reference is made to the

- £5 6 78 . l od . expenditure in one year of on new building to the kitchen , larder house ,

- 1 slaughter house , the entry and the Frater . ( ) The conj unction of these names in the account argues proximity and the buildings in question certainly adjoin the kitchen and Frater . One of the apartments , however , appears from its internal arrangements

- £13 2 4d a ndox a tori s 3 . . to have been the Brew house (domus p ) , on which was spent

h r i t e . in same year Turning now to the remains discovered , the no thernmost build ng

3 1 . adj oined th e Frater on the east and was ft from north to south , the width being indeterminate owing to th e presence of a 17th century barn on the west side . The north wall is still standing and forms the south side of the kitchen in it are two post suppression openings , of which the western may mark the site of an earlier doorway . The apartment extended beyond the Frater on the south and was bounded on this

9 . 1 . . o side by a rubble wall ft in thick , with a doorway at each end The eastern do r

- adj oined th e Cloister wall and was approached round the south west angle of the Frater , w th e western door was blocked . The south all of the Frater originally continued on to the west , and traces of its foundations were discovered . It is not improbable that this building was the ﬁrst kitchen and that when the new kitchen wa s built out to the

Old t o wa s north , the door the Frater blocked and the apartment turned into the larder ' house mentioned in the Sacrist s account . Adj oining it on the south were two

I In n a ed i ﬁc a ti o nc ne m a r e r e Ie S Ia u te rli ouse le en r e t Ie a t r monas te ri i re ( ) ov Coqui , do us I d i , , t y Pr y o . p ’ ’

o lv l vi d r He n . . 3 5 3 7 . . s . x . S a e a e di ti , j j t t P p s , ry VIII , Vol IV , No

5 8 LE SNE S ABBEY

a d w a . a s 19 buildings , obviously of l te construction , pl ced side by si e Th e inner 4 ft . k w h i . a 1 . 2 . t c r a s t by 13 ft . 8 in . with w lls 4 ft to ft On th e no th h e doo r already

n a a nd w a i me tioned to the l rder , on the west the old door y descr bed above to the

a Cloister , which was pparently blocked when this structure was built .

w - n 19 . 7 . 8 . 2 . Th e outer buildi g ( ft in by ft in ) was almost certainly the Bre house .

a It was divided by a cross w ll running east and west into two unequal divisions , and adj oining the east end of this wall was a he a rth or kiln open on the east and w est and n havi g a brick pier on the north side . This was probably th e kiln for drying the hops , and a much better preserved example of similar character is to be seen at Mount Grace

O w Priory (Yorks ) . Adjoining the pposite end of the cross wall a rectangu lar vat a s 2 w 7 . 19 found ( in by rendered inside and out , and from it a narro channel ran

w O f - no rth ard along the inside face of the west wall . On the south wall the Brew house w a s a rectangular proj ection resembling a large ﬁreplace , but of doubtful use . To the - - w south west of the Brew house a number of thin courtyard walls were found , as sho n upon th e plan , but they were of very poor construction , with practically no foundation . The whole of the walls of the three buildings last described were standing some tw o feet above the original ﬂoor level , which was considerably higher than that of the Cloister .

THE INFIRMARY

The Infirmary formed a self -contained block lying to the north - east of the Chapter house . It consisted of a great hall with a kitchen attached , a chapel and a smaller L a . esne s h ll or misericord At the common Benedictine or Church plan was followed , the nave and aisles forming the Infirmary Hall and the chancel the Infirmary Chapel .

b e It should remembered that the Inﬁrmary was tenanted not only by the sick , but also by the aged Canons , and the Church plan was subsequently adopted by most

- of the early hospitals or alms houses . In the Augustinian Order the Inﬁrmary at

Maxstoke presents an analogous case , but the Inﬁrmary arrangements in this Order are very little known .

a i 3 6 n . The Great H ll lay approximately east and west and was 5 ft . long by w w 3 7 . 7 . . a . a ft in wide It was isled , probably in three bays The e st and est alls are

12 2 b u t l apparently of late th century date and are some 4 ft . thick , the side wa ls are 15 th evidently later , probably century , and the whole building appears to have been

a t . a nd reduced in width this time The side walls are only about a foot thick , evidently formed only a base for a timber superstructure . t Proj ecting from the cast wall are two rough respond bases , probably suppo r ing

O oak posts , and on the outer face of the west wall are two ﬂat pilaster buttresses pposite

. h s th e ends of the arcade There is little doubt that this was of timber , wit oak post dividing the bays , but no trace of them was found . The only indication of their

T HE C O N D U IT PO N D

LD E LL S O H O F PR E I . O W . UT C NCT THE MISERICORD 5 9

position is the occurrence of a square stone template on the south wall , evidently the

base of a timber upright in the side wall . The distance between it and the west wall

Of . is roughly a third the whole length , giving a division of three bays to the Hall n Only the eastern portio of the north wall was found , the western part having been e destroyed . Both east and w st walls were roughly cut away on this side , indicating

that they formerly extended further . In later mediaeval times it was the common

custom to divide up the aisles of the Inﬁrmary Hall into separate apartments , but no

Lesnes trace of cross walls could be found at , and the divisions here were probably of

wainscot . 1 1 Of 7 . 0 . To the south the ﬁrst bay of the Hall was a small apartment , 4 ft by 4 ft

In the south wall was a large ﬁreplace 5 4 ft . wide with proj ecting chamfered j ambs

of Reigate stone, a tiled hearth and portions of a stone curb . Outside the wall at l east the south end was a quadrant -shaped proj ection with an external chamfered stone

plinth , of which one stone only remained in position . It apparently enclosed a small

oven with a brick bed and sides of polygonal form . The south wall of this apartment

formerly continued on in a straight line eastward , but the wall was destroyed about 10 ft . from the oven .

The Inﬁrmary Chapel proj ected two bays to the east of the centre aisle of the hall .

Wa s 2 19 . . 13 th 8 . It apparently a mid or late century building , ft long by 4ft wide The 4 walls were standing some ft . above the ﬂoor level and were in an excellent state of 2 10 preservation . They were ft . in . thick , plastered internally, and supported by

rectangular buttresses of deep proj ection , two at each angle and one between the bays .

The buttresses were faced with knapped Hints and had ashlar quoins . Against the east

the d th e i n si tu . wall the base of altar was foun , but none of pavement was The base of the east wall of the Inﬁrmary Hall was continued across the entrance to the Chapel with a curious rectangular proj ection in the centre on the Chapel side .

THE MISERICORD

a 40 The Misericord dj oined the west wall of the Inﬁrmary Hall , and measured ft . 16 from north to south by 4ft . wide . It was a small hall used by those Canons to whom

Lesne an improved diet was permitted . At s it appears to have been a late 13 th century building curtailed at the north end in the 15 th century when the Inﬁrmary Hall was reduced in size . Towards the south end of the west wall one j amb of the doorway was found and this entrance appears to have been covered by a screen across the end 11 ft . in advance of the south wall . The wall carrying it was discovered , but all the south wall except the east end had been destroyed . The entrance to the Inﬁrmary

a Hall appears to have been north of this screen , where a g p in the wall seems to indicate a former doorway . 60 LE SN E S ABBEY

w ﬁ a w a s a the a a a The hole In rm ry block appro ched from p rlour by covered pass ge ,

a a w a a n a h aving app rently solid ll on the north side d perh ps O pen on th e south . Some

0 w e nd w a a a a w 1 ft . of the estern of the north ll rem in dj oining the p a rlour and all

n th e a r r e 6 . y r e proj ecti g ft from misericord , immediatel to the no th of the doorw y , p

w . i ts a . a a a sents e stern termination The l tter is ﬁnished ith squ re end , probably indicating a n opening .

a w a nd a r The g llery must have been of considerable idth , tr ces of the southe n side w - - ere found a dj oining the north east buttress of the C h a pter house . A small fragment of rubble j ust to the south of the Misericord perhaps marks i ts termination at that end .

THE A B BOT ’ S LODGING

’ a i Though no deﬁnite proof is available , it is highly prob ble that the Abbot s Lodg ng occupied the site of the present farmhouse built in 1845 (see Pl a te II) . Its predecessor

- Of was a highly picturesque stone and timber framed structure , which numerous prints a nd drawings are still extant . At the Dissolution some portion of the monastic build

a - ea rl la w ings was tr nsformed into a dwelling house , for the y y o ners certainly resided w one th e a a s . h ere , and here of children of Sir Ralph S dler born There is no doubt

wa s w 1845 now that this dwelling identical with the structure pulled do n in , but it is impossible to say how much of it was monastic . In style it belonged to the ﬁrst half of the l 6th century and consisted of a rectangular block running east and

a a west , with two small g bled wings proj ecting to the north and a large wing cont in ' t h e ing Great Hall proj ecting to the south . That part of this formed the Abbot s Lodging is indeed likely (it occupies the same relative position as the Abbot ’ s house

Ha u hmond Of at g ) , but its extent is either indicative considerable enlargement at the suppression or of the inclusion in the same block of some other department ,

- possibly the Guest house . The arrangement of the Great Hall is preserved on

’

Stu k ele s . 111 y MS plan (see Plate ) already mentioned , which indicates a spacious apartment with a large ﬁreplace on the east side and a ﬁne staircase proj ecting at

- w the south east end . Sketch lines connecting it ith the Frater seem to imply (if

’ this was the Abbot s Ha ll ) that it was served from the great kitchen or from a

Of l 6th smaller kitchen adj oining it . The rest of the house was the ordinary w o century type , both the northern ings having stone walls to the ground ﬂ or and half timbering above . The main block adjoined the Dorter building on the east and

- - had a three light window at this end , which must in any case have been a post sup k pression insertion . The modern farmhouse occupies the site of this bloc , the eastern

w b a i s of the two north bays being also reproduced . The site of the western ing or y f - ft . O 13 . 1 1 marked by a square cellar below the ground level ft by , and built rag stone rubble , evidently mediaeval , as there is no moulded or squared stone used in it , as

PART I I I — O BJECT S FO UN D IN T HE EX C AV AT I O N S

— TE m N o r B R AS S E S . PP R OX MA F 9 . E NT S . I D A I LY {3 g To fa c e ﬂ an e 62 .

LE F D P G S O O N T HE S E . AVIN TI , UN IT

— Fl . o 10. O Li b s R O M HAPT E R HO E PP R X MATE FU S Z E C FFIN F C US . A O I LY {3 LL I OBJECTS FOUND IN THE EXCAVATIONS 65

the last ; single arched feathered canopy with side pinnacles , marginal inscription

and two coats of arms , found in the outer Chapel of the south transept, date 1420 about .

10. f Fig . (f ) Co ﬁn slab of Purbeck marble , found at the east end of the - h Chapter house . The edges ave a bold double hollow chamfer , and the top is

- panelled with a much damaged cross standing on a two stepped Calvary . On the upper hollow on the south side was an incised inscription in Lombardic characters

’

UIV AT . reading, AVELINA DEUS ILLI SIT MEDICINA The lady h referred to was probably Avelina , daughter of Ric ard de Lucy, and wife of Gilbert

c . 1200. de Montﬁc h et . The slab dates from

(g) Cofﬁn slab of Purbeck marble found near (f ) . The edges are hollow chamfered and t h e top is coped with panelled sides having a running ornament of

water leaves ; similar ornament occurs at each end . In a

narrow sunk panel forming the ridge is a cross in relief , i much damaged , with foliated stem . No nscription ; date 22 about 1 0. h f ( ) Co ﬁn slab of Purbeck marble , found near the

- C . midmdle of the hapter house The edges are double hollow cha fered and on the top is a cross in relief , the head being of formy type and standing on a low sloped

Calvary . On either side the cross is a line of inscription

in Lombardic characters reading : ABBS F V LCO B ONV S CELI SIT IN ARCE COLONV S PRO 1 PITIE TV R E GRATIA LARGA DEI . F u lc was the second Abbot of Lesnes and probably 1200 died 0. .

i f h . ( ) Co ﬁn slab of Purbeck marble , found near ( ) The edges are hollow chamfered and on the top is a cross

- u in relief , of foliated form , standing on a semi circ lar

Calvary . The stem has conventional leaves of irregular

NO 1210. . d and curious form inscription , ate about

Of (j ) Upper half slab , found in the presbytery , with 1 0 11 1 F ﬂ ri a t d 13 th incised o e cross ; century (Fig . 2115 522 2221; S 12 The threshold of the doorway in the west Cloister wall THE PR E S B YTE R Y

and the sill of the serving hatch in the Frater , which are

13 re - u th century cofﬁn slabs used , and a cofﬁn slab of P rbeck marble found i n si tu

' - in the Chapter house and already described (p . are not ﬁgured . All the 1 1 illustrations of the slabs are approximately 7 3 the full size . (ii) PAVING TILES — In the course of the excavations considerable quantities

i i tu . of paving tiles were discovered , but very few of them were n s A small portion of the presbytery pavement was found between the stone cofﬁn already mentioned an d the 66 LE SNES AB BEY

wall . Pa tches of paving were a lso found in the Lady Ch a pel (including the floor of

a a - w the sunk ch mber) , round the b se of the south west pier , in the doorway bet een the

t a N . W . a s nor h tr nsept and the Cloister , in the ngle of the Cloister it elf , and in one

— m or AV G E S 12 . u na F m . D P IN TIL

of the north transeptal chapels . All these patches were laid with little or no reference

to pattern , except that in the transeptal chapel , which had fleurs de lis alternating l ath two with plain glazed tiles . All the examples found were probably of the or

OBJECTS FOUND IN THE EXCAVATIONS 67

succeeding centuries, except perhaps a number of large and plain square tiles found in

- the Chapter house which may have formed part of the original paving .

s Two fragments of tiles of the Chertsey type were found , bearing the ﬁgure of

an archbishop and a mounted knight . The vast maj ority, however , bore geometrical

patterns of no great distinction .

c h Very few were of heraldi c aracter , but of this class the following examples

: r occurred chequy , perhaps for War enne ; vairy ; ﬂeur de lis ; a lion passant ; a fesse

FIG I ~ - IAGR AM A T 3 . or V G E S . D P IN IL between two chevrons for Fitzwalter ; a pike for Lucy and forming a border tile ; a castle of the ordinary Castile type ; a leopard . — 12 1 Th e illustrations (see Plates XXI XXIII and Figs . and 3 ) are sufﬁ ciently d escriptive of the best of the geometrical designs found . (iii) GLASS — In uncovering the east end of th e Lady Chapel a large quantity of broken glass was found , probably from the destroyed east window of that building . The 14 majority of it was of th century date , and though much decayed many fragments were still transparent . The largest bore a ﬁne bearded face , another a small head , and

the rest were fragments of foliage , tabernacle work , inscriptions or plain blue , ruby

. 14 5 or yellow (Figs , 1 , U S — (iv . ) ARCHITECT RAL FRAGMENT But few of these can be assigned

th e e deﬁnitely to any particular part of the structure . In pr sbytery were found 68 LE SNE S ABBEY

O f 13 a w tw o w numerous voussoirs th century v ulting ribs , deeply moulded and ith ro s o f O f a a w bold dog toothing . The moulded ribs the Lady Ch pel v ult ere a lso found a nd w a m 14 a s a rc h ith th em numerous fr g ents of th century door j mb , moulds and

w w - . a a a windo jambs , all ell moulded In the Chapter house three c pit ls of v ultin g

I sc a m g

I N C H E S

— f ‘ H

”M ” N “ W m ?

— F 14 . F R E T S T N E ro . AGM N o r S AI D GLAS S

w 12 O f i shafts ere uncovered of late th century date . They were bell form w th simple f foliations , di fering slightly in each , and square abaci (see Plate XXIV ) . They are w now at South Kensington . Portions of shafting ﬁtting them ere also discovered . 1 Other fragments found were the square scalloped capitals (Fig . 7) assigned to the w nave arcade ( p . numerous lengths of small Purbeck marble shafting ith a

70 LE SNE S ABBEY

~ - S O OP AP TA l . C E F IG . 7 LL D C I L

t scolloped capital and moulded base to match (Fig . a coupled base and capi al

r a il 14th of the same ma teri a l connected by a moulded , early century (found in the

Inﬁrmary , but possibly belonging to the Cloister

arcade) , and numerous moulded stones of all dates 14 from the 12th to the th centuries . Built into the wall between the north transept chapels were several fragments of delicate 1 4th

century panelled work from a reredos or tomb , and remains of later work of similar character l were a lso uncovered (s ee P a te XXV ) .

(v) MISCELLANEOUS OB JE CTS The more important of the miscellaneous

O bj ects found are illustrated in Plate XXVI . With the exception of ( 16) they are all of bro nze

a nd or latton , may b e enumerated as follows

( 1) and (2) Two small circular candlesticks . 3 ( ) The letter M , either from a memorial

brass or the cover of a book .

( 4) Pin .

( 5 ) Fragment of ornament formerly gilt .

( G) and ( 12 ) Fra gments . (7) Embossed metal ornament probably from

18 — AP T A A B AS E . F IG . . C I L ND door of a cabinet

LE S N E S ABB E Y . P LAT "

FULLSIZ E FULLSIZ E

HALFSZ E

M S C E LL I AN EO US O BJEC T S .

APPENDIX A

LIST OF THE ABBOTS OF LE SNE S

‘ ’ ‘ 8 1185 Pla citoru m m R offense . 3 1 1 . W LL 1183 e i stru I IAM , occurs in c . Thorpe R g , p , and , ’

a 9 8 . Abbrevi to, Rolls Edition , p . ‘ ’ 1 F ULC 1197 P F i nu m th NO . 13 8 o . ci t. . 64 . , occurs in edes , 9 Richard I , , and Thorpe p , p

‘ ’ R K 1220 . . . 5 5 . MA , occurs in Feet of Fines , Essex Arch Soc , p ‘ ’

W LL s n 2 0 a 23 . i . 1 3 . . a I IAM , occur c Brit Mus C mpbell Ch rters , XIV ,

‘ ’ ‘ ’ nd 123 7 a 9 6 GH i n 123 5 Arch . . a HU , occurs Feet of Fines , Essex Soc , Kent Fines , c se ,

. ﬁl 2 e 3 . 3 5 7 . , No

‘ ’

L 1248 . . . 174 . A AN , occurs in Feet of Fines , Essex Arch Soc , p

CH R D 1267 o . ci t . 3 21 . RI A , occurs in , Thorpe , p , p

‘ ’ O E R 1279 n a 9 8 ﬁle 5 9 NO . 87 . R B T, occurs in , Kent Fi es , c se , , ‘ ’

S s 1287 . 89 NO . 28 . ELYA , occur in , Rye , Feet of Suffolk Fines , p ,

HO S D E D CH s 13 14 . . V I fo . 202 . T MA SAN WI , occur in , Cotton MS Nero E ,

‘ AD A f . M D E HALIF E LD 13 21 . o 79 . , died , Reg Hamo de Hythe , ‘ ’

O GE R D E R F O R D 13 21 a nd W a n a . . 3 62 13 27 . , , , , A , , ; , R DA T Ibid h rton glia S cra Pt I p _ Reg

a fo 49 . H mo , .

OHN D E OD D E S D O 13 27 13 41 W a o . ci t. . . 3 64 . J H N , , Ibid ; , h rton, p , Pt I, p

13 44 o . ci t. . 3 29 . T occurs in , Thorpe , p , p

Ca l. . s 6 2 O E R D E E 13 44 13 4 . fo . 26b . R B T CLYV , , Pat Roll ; , Reg Hamo,

CH R D D E O 13 46 13 62 . . . fo . 3 09 b . RI A GAYT N , , Ibid ; , Epis Reg Dio . Rochester, Vol I,

‘ ’ ’ W LL Int E HE 13 62 13 64 . . . G. S . 1108 I IAM H T , , Ibid , and in , P R O Ministers Accounts, B ,

7 . No . H ‘ ’ OH AUN S AR D 13 78 P . R . O . s V ol. . 73 72 . 13 86 . J N , occurs in , Ancient Deed , V, A ; d , Cal P a t . Rolls .

E R E E H L O E 140 LI E R O C T 13 86 3 . H N Y H or , , Ibid ; , Ibid

‘ ’

LL O . n G . a PS O 1403 P . . d R a . S t . 3 7 1405 WI IAM SAM N , , Rentals Surveys , , P r IX, No ; , ‘ ’

Pa l. . . 13 4a 467b . Lambeth Reg Arundel , fos and B O HN R OKHOLE 1405 1423 s . . . V ol. fo . 5 4b . J , , Ibid ; , Epi Reg Dio Rochester, III ,

OH L D ON 1423 1426 fo 75 . J N E M , , Ibid ; , Ibid , .

‘ ’ HO S PL P O 1426 143 1 P R . O. . G. S 1108 11 . T MA YM T N , , Ibid , and in , . Min Accounts , B . , No .

‘ ’

D S AY 1460 . . . n s R oll 3 5 7 A AM , died , P R O Re tals and Survey ,

OH OL 1460 1474 . 3 8 . J N C MAN , , Ibid ; , Ibid , Part IX, No LLI i n 14 4 l 7 a . . . WI AM, occurs , C Pat Rolls 7 L LE SNE S ABBEY

HO AS BE E T u i n 148 3 a nd S P . n . . 3 5 3 7 . T M N , occ rs , Ibid , He ry VIII , Vol IV W 9 R G H o c c u i n 14 6 a Pa l. R e . n fo . 161a a nd 1 00 O 5 P . R . ILLIAM B I T . rs , L mbeth g Morto , , , .

l. o f a . o n . . Ca P t MS R lls , He ry VII 0 m F z s f . 2 1 02 b . O E R T AR T 15 2 R e . i 5 f t a e o 3 h o 3 3 h . R B M YN , , g j , ; , I id ,

IIE N R 02 14 R Y L KE O E 15 15 o . c it . 3 3 1 t . s . B A M , , Ibid ; , Thorpe , p , p e eq W TY S E IIU R S T 15 14 15 25 . 3 42 . ILLIAM , , Ibid ; , Ibid , p

PRIORS OF LE SNE S

* E D D P i of J O HN D S T . E MUN beca me r or Bick na cre 1269 RI CHAR D D E GAYTON beca me Abbot 13 46 J O HN D E S TR ITHALE occurs in 13 62 H E N R Y HO LC OTE beca me Abbot 13 86 THO MAS BIB LE occurs i n 15 13

S UB — PRIORS OF LE SNE S

J O HN D E D R ITHF O R D o ccurs i n WILLIAM D E beca me Abbot J OHN ELM D O N G E O R GE HO O occurs i n J O HN CO LMAN beca me Abbot J OHN C O P E occurs in 149 6 a nd

' WI LLIAM B AY S E I’ o ccurs i n RO B E R T HALE

B r e m H a r e a n MS . N O . 69 5 8 . 28 . itish Mus u , l i , p h e a e th ema n e O f th e na m a r the a me as He n . NO . 85 3 7 . T e e e S . P . I , ry VIII , Vol IV , uthoriti s for r i d r s s those re fe rre d to i n th e lists of Abbots .

76 LE SNE S ABBE Y

a nd o n f a w n we wo a t two a nd a t ma a t n the e sts he do no rk , vespers high ss ; processio s

a t of o a o n a nd O f a n a s w a s a t O d a w (except those r g ti s high lit ies ell the bsequies of the e d , here no ou a a w a o n o i n n s one sh ld ppe r ithout cope) the c mmu ity sh uld be vested the surplice , u les o r o m n d a n one w a from poverty s e other sou d ca use the Abbot or Prior or er y to e r the cope .

a t O f a n a a a n no one S o to i n n n After the fe s All S i ts till E ster , g i , hould g the church or the co ve t w ’ a o n n n . ithout c pe , u less compelled by urge t ecessity ’ a 15 7 n n n n a a t a ll a n By ch pter e titled Co cer i g the Regul r Hours , it is ordered th the C ons , t a nd n a i n nﬁ wh o w a n both let ered u lettered , should ssist quire , except the i rm , ere to rem i i n h - t e . a nd a t a o a n m n a retro quire The Provost the Cell rer migh ls bse t the selves if ecess ry . a n one a wo a sk n If y else employed in some necess ry rk is obliged to for freque t exemption ,

o n n a o wh o he sh uld represe t this ecessity priv tely to his Abb t , , if he should deem it desirable , ’ a a m - i n a a nd . n sh ll decl re him exe pt , ch pter , from such such hour The commu ity ought to n a nd a u n go i to dep rt from q ire , in processio . 15 8th a a w w l a re n a w n The ch pter de ls ith those pl a ces here a l the Religious ot llo ed to e ter . 15 9 th nd a na wh o i c ells i i The i ic tes the pe lties of those , l ving in the or prior es , vis t the w of Abbey ithout the permission their Priors . l 6oth a nd 1615 a n n n who w not The t ch pters conta i the ru brics . Those Ca o s ere i a nd la n i n a n b pr ests , the y brethren , ought to commu icate six times the ye r (u less the Ab ot n a t a on judges it expedient to order some to do so more or less freque tly) , Christm s , the ﬁ n a n a on a a a nd on All rst Su d y in Le t , on E ster Day and Pentecost, the N tivity of our L dy , ’ n D S a i ts a y .

n w n a on la a nd w a The follo the rules touchi g the dmissi of y brethren sisters , ith n a ll l n n w prohibitio to the Re igious of the Order to give security for a y perso homso ever . 167 a f P o th e ﬁ a The th ch pter describes the duties o the rior . He should ccupy rst st ll on i n a a t a a nd the a ﬁ a on the left in quire ; ch pter , in the cloister , me ls , in fr ter the rst se t ’ a n of a a i n a for the righ t . In the bse ce the Abbot he t kes the Abbot s pl ce ch pter the

n n n ll n a a n correctio Of fa ults . He represe ts the Abbot i a thi gs s ve th t he ever takes hi s la c e a a n a n n de cla re a O f a u nor p in quire , c nnot ord i C o s , them culp ble the more serious f lts , n a P -P a b u t give them absolutio , etc . In the bsence of the rior the Sub rior takes his pl ce , n a n Of -P a Of he ever ch ges his stall in the quire . The duties the Sub rior form the m tter the 168 th ch a pter . f n a a a n - a a The eight ollowi g ch pters cont in the duties of the C tor , Sub C ntor , the M ster o f a a i n a Of a the Novices , the ex min tion of Clerks the Noviti te , the duties the Cell rer , the P n wa a ll w h ow n a rovost of the Vestry , the Ca on Hospitaller, the Ste rd ; these sho co sider ble wa s O f a n a - a nd a h o w n m the number the Religious , at y r te , in the Mother house , lso u erous were the guests received there . n n a The ma nu a l l a bour furnished all things necessa ry for clothi g a d food . The Cell rer i ta s n a n n w a n a nd . had u der him the b kers , Vi t ers , bre ers , g rde ers cooks The furr ers , ilor ,

- a a a nd n n P O f r . boot m kers , t nners fullers were u der the co trol of the rovost the Vest y The Ca non Hospita ller h a d under his government va rious h ospices with a certa i n number of Of wa a wa s brethren . The duties the Ste rd occupied him so fully th t he exempt from every o fﬁ h a d wa on n na — o n P a nd ce . He to keep tch everythi g outside the Mo stery the riories

a n on a o n i n w on a ll a n n d the Gr ges , the live stock re red there , the crops , a ord , th t co cer e w - ha d a su ﬁi c ie nt a n na e tempora l ell being of the house . He to leave in e ch cell for the m i te nc All od w a of those who were sent there a nd to bri ng the surplus to the Abbey . the go s h t soever given by the founders or a cquired i n a ny other ma nner belo nged wi thout dis ti nction w w n n a i n a a to the Abbey a s a hole . It is this point hich is me tio ed by G utier his Ch rtul ry ’ ‘ one ﬁn i n a n w a a nd h n ha s Although ds cert i deeds , rites this Abbot, th t such such a t i g APPENDIX B 77

a n been given to this or that cell , it should be made cle r that the Abbey of Arrouaise has no e s of all c ells the less full rights of property . It admit no doubt that in the , granges , priories , churches or tythes which belong to us , be they communities of men or women who enjoy a nd for s them , everything is and ought to be both now ever in submis ion according to the a n Institution of our house . For we have not, neither do we desire to have , y free and i s for a s s all independent Priory . It the Abbot of Arrou i e to order all thing in our cells , with the individua ls who occupy them and with the possessions which are annexed to them ; the s of s which should be consecrated to the need tho e who live in the Cloister . I have said so much expressly to the end that no one in time to come shall think to undermine this consti ’ tuti on. Amongst the duties of the Sacrist one should note that of making all the cloth s nec es for a s of a sary both the Church , the Dorter and other pl ce cooking the bre d , of preparing the scissors a nd holy-wa ter for the ceremony of the first tonsure and of burning se for s the h a ir in th a t pla ce in the Church t apart the purpo e . fi a 177 The rubrics touching the of ce of the dead are cont ined in Chapter , which is a a Offi s O a a lengthy one . The gre t and little ce are there mentioned and the blig tions contr cted r s with various ecclesia stical bodies fo reciprocal prayer . Although these bodies have been i s Of a ll. established at different times , I think that this the place to make mention The f i a a of greater number no longer exist, but the ollow ng are those detailed in a c rtul ry two

s of . Géri centuries ago . These Churches , or ecclesiastical bodie , were the Chapter St of Cam f n . a u o near a brai , the Abbeys of St Nicholas Bois in the Diocese Lao , of St . Eloi , Arr s , Of W a f f a t of s . o . Of Samer in the diocese Boulogne, ate , two le gue rom St Omer, St Martin

Worm ezel of . of Of s n Ypres , of , St Pierre Los , the ladie of Bourbourg, of the Holy Tri ity

a . Soetenda el n n . in Lo do , of St Andrew of Cate u , of St Mary of , another of the same name ,

f a . a n of o St . B rtholomew of Noyon , of St Barbara in Brab t, All Saints in the isle , of the n n f of . a o . . Diocese of Chalons, St Acheul near Amie s , of M rchie nes, Mont St Quentin , of St

of . . Of Sa a ne . s Aubert of Cambrai , St Bertin at St Omer , g in Silesia, of St Mary at Bre lau , of eb r Ha ll . P Ma d ou . a of a St . eter in the Diocese of g g, of St M ry , of St Quentin of Be uvais , of

Ha m . E erna i of a of Eaucourt, of near Aire , of St Martin of p , the Order Cite ux , the Order Ar rou ai si a ns fi . Prémontré , and nally all the of Ireland in general fi a a Then follow eleven chapters concerning the In rm ry , the administr tion of the last find Sacraments and the burial of the dead . Here we included amongst the most reasonable s and wise rules certain custom which appear to us either reprehensible or bizarre . Every s nfi a a thing relating to the need of the i rm bre thes hum nity . After the sick person had con f a w fessed , extreme unction was administered be ore the holy viaticum , a most pr ise orthy custom but I think that it wa s imprudent to sing in the ears of the dying (as wa s done during a a s this ceremony) the seven penitenti l Ps lm . fi s wa . When the sickness neared its nal end , the sick man placed on a sack on the ground a a for i n The bell was tolled with a particul r note to call the Convent, and the pr yers those a a wa s a a nd n ex tremi s were recited . Immedi tely after the last bre th , the body w shed the

- raised and carried with ceremony into the retro quire . This haste is the less surprising when one considers that it was then the custom to leave uncovered the face of the dea d . The hour of burial wa s a ﬁxed one If a brother dies before the hour of tierce and if it be sa a summer , he shall be interred the me day between m ss and sext ; if he dies after tierce , a a nd he shall be kept till the morrow and then put in the e rth after chapter . If it is winter s f a he S a a he die be ore m ss , h ll be buried the same day after sext on ordin ry days and before f s n da sext on Sunday . If he dies a ter ma s he shall not be interred until the ext y at the same ’ hour . 78 LE SNE S ABBEY

nfi m wa s a a a n h w The I r a ry sep r te buildi g of considera ble size . It a d a n Ora to ry here th e d n o ffi wa s c a n a f a nn i i n a 1 ivi e ce h ted ter the m er prescr bed Ch pter 83 . The ch a rge of the nfi m w n n a n w I r a rc r a s . t o e a c a a n o exte sive I will stop o ly curious rti le , hich is th t rel ti g to th se ’ w o r n m r 4 h o h a d n o . f I fir a re a a 18 a a a nd bee blo ded It is the , s ys Ch pter , to m ke re dy keep ’ t n n a for wh o a re a s w a n a a every hi g ecess ry those to be blooded , ell the b d ges s th e ba si ns . The c ustom O f blood -letti ng four or five times i n the yea r wa s comm o n to a ll the reli gi ou s ’ W a m a o f d n fi . e a s Orders r rely ke use me ici es , s ys the rst editor of the Rule of Chartreu e ,

- th e a a nd . IV e a re ﬁve a a a sa except c utery blood letting blooded times ye r , th t is to y ’ P a n w w a c a o f a a . d i n fter the o t ve E ster , fter St eter s y , the seco d eek September , the eek

f n a nd a o n a a a t a ll a n w e a two be ore Adve t , th t bef re Qui qu gesim ; f er these occ sio s m ke meals ’ o n f w n a nd o n ﬁ d a we a n the three ollo i g days , the rst y ssemble to co fer together . In a lmost a ll communities o f m en or women certa in me a ls a nd recrea tio ns h a ve been ‘ ’ a nd a re a a né not n a n a o n preserved still c lled s ig es , but most people do u derst d the re s , w h a s n n a n n o d On w hich proves th a t this curious custom lo g si ce f lle i t isuse . e i ll like d oubtless to rea d here the four ch a pters which trea t of it i n the Arrou a i si a n C onstitutions 18 w n i n one o a a . Ch a pter 5 . H m y times the ye r should be blooded Genera lly the brethre n sh ould be blooded ﬁve times i n the yea r— i n the new moo n of a o a a n a t a a i f n o f s Febru ry , bef re Septu gesim or eve Septu gesim the short ess time make it n a a a a nd n a f a i n a nd ecess ry , fter the oct ves of Easter of Pe tecost, ter the h rvest September ,

i n o n . a n n a n N vember before the Adve t of our Lord At these se so s , everything ecess ry bei g a a nd n n ﬁ who w a l prep red the Co ve t noti ed by the Abbot or Prior , he ishes to be blooded sh l m f a no one m w ma ke hi sel rea dy . But it should be understood th t should seek per ission ( ithout a n n n good ca use) when the next da y or the d a y after is a chief fa st or i e lesso fea st .

a 186 At w a u . Ch pter . h t hour the brethren sho ld be blooded In a sa a a a n O f a summer (th t is to y from E ster to the Ex lt tio the Holy Cross) , fter the d w n a on a a n . i o n a O f Gospel of High M ss , both d ys of study ork The same in w ter , the d ys

m a P r o b u t o n w a a . a study, ork d ys they should be blooded im ediately fter ch pter Th t the i r In w n o o w n n a . y provides everythi g ecess ry summer he they should be blo ded , the g to ork w a no t i n n . before m ss , but i ter

a 18 W a nd h ow t e a t . Ch pter 7 . hen they ough to In o n a a a n a i n summer , the d ys of study , fter they h ve bee blooded , they t ke someth g

nn w wh a If a w d a to a n a nd a o t a . a sust i them t ke di er ith those serve t ble it is ork y , th t the P a a fo r d n f rior ta ke ca re to h ve them blooded e rly enough them to i e be ore the community .

t 188 How sa . Ch a p er . they ought to y the hours ‘ In wi nter a nd summer th a t they sa y the nigh t a nd d a y hours i n the Ch a pter -house a nd th a t th ev rema in sea ted except a t the moment when the brethren go to co nfess or to receive pena nce i n these c a ses it is permitted to them to sit in the Cloister while the brethren w w n w n o n n o a re a a a t . t a oe s t a n i n y ork Af er coll tio , he the C ve t g Church , they rem i the a - u a nd sa o n a a ﬁ a nd a n -w a Ch pter ho se y c mpli e . fter the pr yer is nished h vi g received holy ter . a o ne o a n for a n they retire to th e dorter . Th t some be pr vided to re d the lesso s them t ma ti s Duri ng high ma ss th a t they a re to be i n church i n the retro -quire ; th a t they rema i n i n church w w n a s a t the lo ma ss hich is s a id fo r the dea d . As lo g they are outside the quire they ought n o a nor n n a t Glo i a nor a n a t Ma ni either to pr str te i cli e themselves the r , to st d up except the g ca f Te D eu m B ene di ctus N unc D i mil ti s a nd a nd if S n ﬁ , , , the Gospel ; they ought to i g or read i n o r o u t O f f a n a a a S n church , or per orm y other duty , th t they m ke ig to the others to do it fo r In a a t P r ti osa w n nf a a n be . e them Ch pter , he they come to co ess their f ults th t permissio

no n d o S n wn I o n a w n o ne t O a o . t a give to them to , but th t they k eel d sh uld be oted th t he p rt o f a o no a sk d f ﬁ a the Religious h ve been blo ded , one ought to to be bloo ed be ore the rst h ve

LE SNE S ABBEY

o f o a nd a ft a a t a a nd w a l . his Abb t , er he sh ll h ve besought mercy the g te , long ith humi ity

If h a s the m n re - n i on a t a l n a a n be he presu ptio to e ter , despite this proh biti , th he sh l ever g i received . ‘ a n o n o Of a n n n If Abb t , bei g summ ned by the Abbot Arrou ise , for reaso s concer i g the

f c o m a n a n o f w n i n o a a Order , re use to e , he sh ll be pu ished by depriv tio i e dur g f rty d ys , he sh ll

a o n a a nd w a a nd a f st bre d ter be deprived of his st ll fo r the s ame peri od .

a m na h a s n a a n who do no t a The s e pe lty bee decreed g i st the Abbots of our Order , rrive ’ a t n a a t w a a sa a on . a D a the ge er l Ch pter the proper hour , th t is to y before Ch pter St M tthe s y,

e tc .

It h a s bee n decreed th a t every Abb ot wh o will not pa y on the a ppoi nted d a y th a t pa rt o f a for o t Of a fa o f w w i h a s a the ch rges the supp r the f irs the Order , ith h ch he been t xed by the o f o a a nd fo a t a n o n O ﬁ n Abbot Arr u ise ur other rbi ers , sh ll be suspe ded fr m the divi e f ce u til a a n he sh ll h ve submitted to their ruli g .

And a c o nd o f m a n n h a s n u a i n a a bo bec use the uct y electio s bee irreg l r, th t the F ther Ab t h a s not n a a f d m o a n one bee c lled or dvised thereo , it is ecreed that the election or pro oti n of y wh o h a s n a n a nd n a - shall a n thus bee elected sh ll be ull void , u less the F ther Abbot h ve bee

n i f a t a ll a t a two a n prese t ( it be possible) , or le st the ne rest Abbots of our Order , this co duct n n a bei g co tr ry to the privileges granted by the court of Rome . Any prel a te or religious wh o sh a ll be convicted o f h a vi ng a ppea led to a ny tribu na l w a w a i t ma a a a h tever outside the Order , for hatever c use y be , or sh ll h ve obt ined letters , be a P a a n na a a a n a wh o it relate g i st his Subordi te , or Subordin te ag i st his Prel te , or , in contempt the a a n a n a n i n a a in a n a of Order , sh ll h ve i voked y s tr ger to judge the ff irs of the Order y m tter w a sh a ll a t n a ll Offi con hich the Order itself might h ve judged , be o ce deprived of ce and d e mned a wa f o ne a a w i f w a to live y rom his house for ye r ; fter hich time , he be orthy he sh ll t n S o w a a nd no one a c n o n be permi ted to retur there , but he hall h ld the lo est pl ce , sh ll o fer up n w a ffi sma ll n n of a a . him y o ce , ho ever , except by co se t the gener l Ch pter In a wa i f a n ffi a nn n a n a a n Offi a be the s me y , y O cer c ot re der ex ct ccou t of his ce , he sh ll n i n a n a t a a a a nd S h a ll i d se t by his Abbot , to live other house for le st ye r he not be perm tte to return except by consent of the genera l Ch a pter ; if he Obta i n a new offi ce a li ke di spe n ’ a a s tion sh ll be necessa ry to co nfirm it to him . It will be seen by this sketch of the Arrou a i si a n Constitutions th a t they closely resembled Use a nd f r a a a the Customs of Citea ux . It is o this reason th t they h ve lso some resem

n n h a s La a . o bla ce to the rules th a t M . de R a ce edited of the Abbey of Tr ppe Als

a of a w no t a Arrou a isia ns w Car muel , Abbot the Cisterci n Order , ould gree that the ere true f a n n w n of . n o C o s regul a r . A process on the subject o f precedence bet ee the Abbot St Joh a n nn o f Arr a n n V le cie es the ou a i si a n Congrega tion a nd he of St . S viour of the Be edicti e Order a nd i n a o f o f n i n decided f v ur o the former by decree the sovereig Council of Mechl , September

10 163 2 a a a h a n a f n a n i n . , ; Esp gnol the s v nt d been e g ged to de e d the c use of the Be ed cti es n a n f of a n a t n He prete ded th t si ce the re orm Gerv ise , the reli g ious of the Order or Co greg io i n o f a w a l Gerva si e ns w n t a n n , Arrou ise , hich he c l ed , ere ei her Monks nor C o s but someth g ’ w n two t a n a n n to hi s own a n a a t a a nd a d . bet ee the Cis erci C o s , use term ide once f lse bsur whi ch wa s cleverly controverted by a religious o f the Abbey o f Eek hout a t Bru ges . It is certa in (a nd ea ch precedi ng p a ge h a s shown it) th a t before a nd a fter the reform of Ge rva ise of n P f a nd a ll a n i n th e the Bulls the sovereig onti fs , the decrees of Bishops , cts co cern g religious o f th e Abbey a nd Order of Arroua ise h a ve invari a bly given them the title of Ca nons . - w Gerva ise h a d a lrea dy governed the Order of Arrou a ise for twenty ﬁve yea rs hen he surrendered the ch a rge of so hea vy a burden a nd thought to p a ss the rest of hi s da ys in was i n hi s . u o t n u h a d a t i n S ec a . seclusion Al ise , Abb of A chi , repl ced Rober the of Arr s It APPENDIX B 81

s a a of n s a n hand th t Gerv ise , in spite the remo strance of the whole Order, pl ced his resignatio a n a 4 n of the Abb cy and Ge er lship at the close of the yea r 11 7 . He continued lo g in the

a ll . n wa s a a exercise of the virtues He retai ed the title of Abbot, and lways obliged to t ke a a n n hi s an important p rt in the dmi istratio up to the time of death , which occurred on 18 1171 a a h a d a f September , . It is rem rk ble that he been able to est blish so strict a re orm ,

s a a n wh o a a . e peci lly among the C no s regular, were obliged to undert ke the c re of souls It i s true that he pla ced severa l Religious i n each Cure or Priory and in the larger cells with the O a s - n bligation to live there in the Mother House ; but could these Religious , livi g outside s for w a the Cloi ter, preserve in them long the spirit of the rule And when they ere rec lled , wa s it easy for them to ta ke it up a gain One thing at least must have been pleasing to the ﬁ Ar rou ai si a ns— f a a rst general of the to see his re orm pproved and embr ced by St . Malachy

a n a n . wa s for f of Armagh d St . L ure ce of Dublin It no less glorious this re orm to have

a n a nd Té rou a nne . produced men like B udi , Bishop of Noyon, Milo II , Bishop of I might of add the name a third Bishop , named Benedict, included in the necrology of Arrouaise on 11th Of f n December , and a large number Abbots coming also rom the commu ity of Arrouaise, who were the ﬁrst to introduce the Institution into their respective houses either in France a or broad . The friendship which united Gervaise and St . Bernard and the gifts with which a a of hi s Matilda Queen of Engl nd and many of the gre t people century honoured him, prove no ss s hi m f le that he truly merited the eulogie given by Gautier in the pre ace to his Chartulary . APPENDIX C

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL REMAINS OF THE AUGUSTINIAN ORDER

IN ENGLAND , WITH B IBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES TO THE BEST PUBLISHED PLANS

S H O S R O R a . a n A BY CAN N P I Y (Nor th nts) Rem i s of Church . E E P R f n S O f n . O R . a O o B T N I Y (Nor olk) Rem i s Cruciform Church , Cloister south CK P R R CR E O . On a n BI NA I Y (Essex) e rch of Church sta ndi g . LS G O P n R O R . f u BI IN T N I Y (Ke t) Building o do btful a ttribution . ’ ‘ ’ CK O R E R O R . a n of P P la n i n . BLA M P I Y (Essex) Rem i s riory Church . Buckler s Essex Churches OL O P R O R a a s Pa a nd a n n B T N I Y N ve used rish Church , Quire Tr septs rui ed , domestic ’ n - 3 3 2 a V o l. . . a ona . P la n buildi gs levelled , Ch pter house oct g l in Builder , LXVIII , p * O R n W . . E Li es . a a nd S B U N ABB Y ( ) N ve of Abbey Church , Tower B R AD E N STO KE P R R W s . n n o f . I O Y ( ilt ) Fra ter ra ge o N . Cloister R D G O P R O R a a nd W w f P a B I LIN T N I Y N ve est To ers orm rish Church , rest destroyed ’ - i “l. a n a wa s a n P la na n . Ch pter house dec go al . n in Mo stic Rui s of Yorksh re Rich rdso , V ol . II . P la n i n R R P R O R . K a . f B IN BU N I Y (Northumberl nd) Cruci orm Church restored , rest destroyed

a nd . Durh m a Northumberla nd Arch S oc . Vol . I . R T E w a a - a S OL t . a nd a n no a B I ABB Y (Glouces er) Quire Tr septs the C thedr l , Ch pter house , p rts - ’ 23 1 . l r h ae l i a V ol. . o . a P a n i n A e o o of Cl ister, etc , G te house . g , LXIII , p

R S CO GH PR O R La n f n a w Ch u rc h a nd a of a e s . One o BU U I Y ( ) pier Ce tr l To er , p rt Cloister h ve

Ne w . . . n P l n . a a . a a n a n t bee exc v ted in L c shire a d Cheshire His Ser , Vol V P R o - T E n a . BU L Y I O R Y (Suff lk) . Fi e G te house * R S E A HE D R L P R O R n a of CA LI L C T A I Y (Cumberl a d) . Church complete except p rt Nave ’ - - P la n i n o d a a t a w a s a na . (destr ye ) , Fr ter , G e house , etc . Ch pter house oct go l Builder ,

3 46 . Vol . LXIV , p .

- w n . CAR TME I. P R O R a n s . fo a nd n a a a s I Y (L e ) Church cruci rm i t ct , G te house ; Cloister on orth ’ l n n ‘ P a i . 3 24 . Builder , LXXVII , p

P la n in . . w . HE T O D E P R O R s . P o f no Pa C W I Y (Buck ) resbytery Church , rish Church R Com

on o . s V o l. . Historical M ns Buck , II H R S CH R C H P R O R a n Ch u rc h f m w W w nta C I T U I Y (H ts) Cruci or , ith est To er , all i ct ; rest ’

l in . . t . P a n 66 . des royed Builder , Vol LXI , p

R o f a n f c n o f a nd a a CO KE S F O R D P R I O Y (N r olk ) . Rem i s o rossi g Church other fr gments , p rtly

exca v a ted .

f a i n n ﬁne w fr . O O LPH P R R . n a o C O L CHE S TE R ST . B T I O Y (Essex) Seve b ys N ve rui s ; est ont

d a t o . E fo lk . n m a n a n CR E Y K ABB Y (Nor ) Co sidera ble re a i ns O f Tr septs Quire . N ve des r yed * O R CHE S E R E Chu rc h n a t a a n a n o f D T ABB Y i t ct , excep p rt of North Tr sept ; rem i s ’ - 1 . w . . 1 a o . o a s on . P l n G te h use Cl ister north a in Builder , Vol LXXVIII , p

i i n Co nvents m a r ked were Ar rou a s a .

8 4 LE SNE S ABBEY

F O R D S T . F R ID E S W I D E P R O R . No w a a a a o d OX , I Y the C thedr l , p rt of N ve destr ye , Cloister , ’ a - o a c P l n n 0 e t . a i . 44 . Ch pter h use , Fr ter , Builder, Vol . LXII , p PE E R - T P O R fo . a N N Y I Y (Nor lk) Fine G te house . PO R C H E S TE R P R O R P V H . V a . P la n . C. I Y Church is rish Church in ol. III . PY N HA M R R n O . a f n o a i n o P I Y (Sussex) Rem i s o Church i c rpor ted H use . ‘ P R l n n . E O P R . a a P a i . . R T N I O Y (Derby) Exc v ted . Areh Vol XLI O T R R w l n n V H . S O O no P a Chu rc h P a i .C . R Y N P I Y Quire rish . Vol . III . w w ‘ A P R R n . n S T . E R S l O a a o Pa r . P a n n G M IN I Y (Cor ll) N ve ish Church i Exeter Dios .

r h . A c i c s . te l t . . Ser , Vol III

S T . L E P R O R . a n O AV I Y (Suffolk) Excav ted ; no p la published . - d a n f n w S T . S TH E n a a n o as O Y ABB Y (Essex) . Fi e G te house rem i s other buildi gs , Cloister

on north . ‘ E D E n W . P l n HU LB R R R . . a S P I O Y (Sussex) Remai s of S and ranges ; in Sussex Arch . ’

n 3 9 . Collectio s , Vol . XLIX , p .

' R Now d a w O T H A R K ST . A R E R P O R . a s S U W , M Y OV Y I Y (Surrey) Cathe ral ; N ve rebuilt , Cloister ’ ’ h n l n n a . a Chu rc . on orth . P a i Dolm n s St S viour s A L r h n w a a n Chu c o . STAV O R D E PR I OR Y (Somerset) . b r n n i n w s n P R R . a a HO O . T BY I Y (Essex) Rem i s i corporated house , Cloister on orth n f Chu rc h t na - HO R O E a e tc . T NT N ABB Y Rem i s of Cruci orm , oc ago l Chapter house , , - . . 8 ﬁn a l a Arc hi tec 1 5 2 . e . P a n G te house in Associ ted Soc Report ,

R GAR TO P R O R a of a now W. P la n THU N I Y P rt N ve Parish Church and range . in ‘ Thoroton Vol . V . n P l R T GT R a a . a n d . TO IN ON PR I O Y (Sussex) . Remai s of N ve Arc de ; excavated not yet publishe a a Churc h : T R E NTHAM P R I O R Y (St ffs ) . P rt of

W e tc . la n U E R S CR OF P R O R . of P LV T I Y (Leicester) Remains Church , est Tower , in British

h . Arc Ass . Vol . XIX . h r h F - WA G H R O R f . a end C u c of a c S e t . L IN AM P I Y (Nor olk) E st of , remains rater , G te house , ; ’ f ’ P la n i n a a a nd n o l . p a rtly exca v a ted . H rrod s C stles Co vents Norfo k n w a n o f a - P a e t . WA LTIIAM E . a o c ABB Y (Essex) N ve , rish Church ; rem i s G te house , Slype , ; ’ 3 2 6 o w l n . a s of . P a n i . . Cl ister north Quire Builder , Vol LXXIV , p * l WA R TE R R O R a n a a . n l P I Y NO rem i s ; p rtly exc vated NO p a pub ished .

- WE T ACR E R n c . f n S P O R f . a e t a I Y (Nor olk) Rem i s of Gate house , Church , , very ragme t ry ; u n outb ildi gs . n a P WE Y B OUR N P R O R a u i t e a e tc . I Y (Norfolk) . Remains of Conve tu l Q , e st of rish Church ,

VVI GM R E E a n of Chu r c h a a la n . O ABB Y (Hereford) . Rem i s (Cruciform) exc v ted ; no p published ‘ W R KS P R n w a - n O O P O R a o a etc . P la I Y N ve P rish Church , G te house , in British

Arch . Ass . Vol . XXX . ‘

WO R S P R IN G P R O R of P la n . S oc . I Y (Somerset) . Tower Church , etc . in Somerset Arch

Vol . XXXI .

n n mar e were r ou isi a n Co ve ts k d A r a . APPENDIX D

VISITATION OF ARCHBISHOP PECKHAM

' ‘ ’ f R e i ru m i s ola rum nn a s st E t . 625 Extract rom g p Joha es Peckh m, Roll Series , Vol ii , p . .

1283 . Oc . 24i h . n t Sends i junction, which he desires him to see observed by the Abbey sm s of Le e .

To the B i shop of R ochester

s m Cantu ari ensi s toti u s Frater J(ohanne ) , per issione divina ecclesiae minister humilis , fra tri R offensi salu tem et Angliae primas , venerabili domino Thomae, Dei gratia episcopo, m a n nu e na L sinc era m c ari ta te . s r esnes ve stra e in Domino Tr seunte p per mo sterium de , di oec esi s et a u ctorita te l a vi sita ti oni s offici u m ex erc entes i nvenimu s a b b a tem , metropo itic inibi , loci no a u m m t t . ejusdem super multiplici bonoru ecclesiae Iaesione Super quo praesens , per a d n ositu s n n a nos ratio em p , nobis respo dendo minime satisfecit, u de in remedium dil pida i n n s n m l r u m s r U t o i s seu la esi o i h u u s odi ta ite d x i u o dina ndu m . t , ho orum j ibidem videlicet c onventum ele antur a d n n tres fratres de ipso collegio per g , quorum ma us om ia bona mona sterii et ex teri ora du nta x a t ex ce ti s interiora , illis p , quae ab antiquo sunt certis a a am c e eri offici ales nec essari a s officii s a ssi n ta . t t g , deveni nt A quibus abbas , quam domus

a reei i a nt et ex ensi s ei sdem s c anoni ci s fidelem r eddere tene antur . expens s p , de p tribu rationem Inhib emu s a a ex c ommuni c a tioni s i neu r rer e volumu s utem sub poen , quam ipso facto , c ontrarium fa ei entes me seu uivi s s offici ali s eui omnes ex certa scientia abbas , q aliu , nihil c ertum ra emi si mu s a ssi na tum u ocu n u e au dea t u lla tenu s est sieut p g , alio modo q q bona ecclesiae eontrecta re u t fa b et ali or um offici ali um di c tos s , sic omnia cta a batis domus per cu todes

de du c a ntur lu c em ni hi l u e c eda t i n riva tos . n utili ta tem commu nem in , q usus p , sed om ia in Pr et r a n n m a a n m e u n r efec tori o ecclesia e c onvertantur . a e e i ve i u s quod c nonici c r es non c o d t in c arni u m c ameru la s u a sda m et a a di sc i li na e communi , sed pro esu ad q lia loea privata contr p v n i a m diver u n a ex edi ens c redimu s u t ra edi eti a regu la ri s Ob ser a t se t t . Circ quod p esse p c nonici s di eb u s a a a c om edant r efec tori o si cu t leri s u e tribu in ebdom d c rnes in , in p q locis ordinis In erdi centes omnino ne c eter o totu s c onventu s ejusdem eomperimu s ob serva tum . t de u r os c nsu etudinem s pro esu c a rni u m a refe ctori o emittat . Sed si contingat e juxta o domu refec tori o c omeder e et o orteat ea rni s eduli o a li u oti ens r eereari in carnes minime p eos q , ra eci imu s u t c a c onventu s ma neant r efectori o et a tantu mmodo p p semper dua p rtes in , tertia p rs a u r N ee c etero li c ea t i si s c a noni ci s s pro r ecrea ti one hu j u smodi emi tt t . alio modo de p carne ne n sumere sive in camera a bbatis sive ub i cu nqu e alibi infra domum . Ad haec mo iales amodo i n n u r ﬁr i nhi m s A b a t m a n na s e ii ernoc ta re s a t m ter i b e u . b e i fra mo t r claustrum p , utem ipsum ermittimu s ne oti a et a ex erc endi ofﬁci o i ncu m in sua potestate p ordinandi domus g , lia quae suo n sed sci tu et a dmi ni stra ti one dic torum triu m s nullatenu s bu t, sine canonicorum bona domu s s s hu u smodi a dmini stra ti one su a tenea ntu r c ontrectandi . Ip i insuper cu tode bonorum j de fraterni a i ves ra c ommi imu s et di stri cte r a eci i endo c onventui respondere . Igitur t t t e tt p p a s raescri ta fa ci ati s raedi cti s a et c onventu i nvi olab iliter mand mus, quatenu p p omnia a p abb te

b serva ri c ertiﬁca turi s fu eri ti s . O , nos super hoc cum a nobi requisiti In cujus rei testimonium Mor lak n s fecimu s a ensione mu ni ri a . te . pra ese tem paginam igilli nostri pp . V lete Datum apud

Kal ovemb ri s CC I ordina i onis nostra e . ix N , anno Domini M LXXX II , t quinto APPENDI X E

N OTE ON THE DISPOSAL OF OBJECTS FOUND , ETC .

TH E disposa l of the va rious relics found on the site wa s left e ntirely i n the hands of ’ Wo mm n a m n w the rks Co ittee , the Gover ors of Christ s Hospit l erely requiri g to kno of their ul tima te desti na tion ; a nd with the exception of the coloured a nd gi l t effi gy

P a a nd a a a P a a b c w w a r d ( l tes XIX , XX ) , the three c rved c pit ls ( l te XXIV , , , ) , hich ere cqui e by the B oa rd of Educa tion a nd a re now exhibited a t the Victoria a nd Albert Muse um a t n n n a nd two n a n - P a w w n South Ke si gto , the bro ze c dle holders ( l te XXVI ) , hich ere prese ted m a t of wa s w to the British Museu , the gre bulk the objects removed to Erith Church , here i t n f a w n a nd n IV lwi c h a n a o . OO rem i s u der the c re the Vic r , Church arde s , Church Cou cil The n a a n oo a n a i n a n a nd to A tiqu ri n Society u dert k to exercise ge er l superv sio over the rem i s , n b a d n a w s a a n report to the Church a uth o rities a y usa ge or eglect th t a pp re t . c a re m a a 10 h w i a n o a . 9 i The most import t bje ts the rble sepulchr l sl bs (Figs , , g , , ) , h ch a a n n n n i o w a O f w a f h ve been ﬁxed i n uprigh t positio rou d the i ter r lls the to er . Th t O

w ne of n fﬁn a - na . 10 o i n Aveli (Fig , f ) , together ith the sto e co s from the Ch pter house , is VVhea tle - a a w a re a a a m n a the y, or South E st , Ch pel , here lso displ yed tiles , pottery fr g e ts , gl ss , n n wn on P a nd a n O a . various miscell eous bjects , i cludi g most of those sho l te XXVI In a re a n a n of n wo — c a a a a nd the clergy vestry m y fr gme ts moulded sto e rk pit ls , b ses , n w — a n wa a re a n of n a a a i n oa k ta a d . ber cle ork on the ll p els i l id tiles , suit bly fr med The ﬁrepl a ce h a s been reconstructed from voussoirs of va ulti ng ribs from the north -ea stern n a a tra sept l ch pels . ’ Th e site of the Abbey B a ldoc k s F a rm— is a fe w ya rds from the termi ni of the n n n n a nd t n a wa a t lV ood a nd Lo do Cou ty Cou cil the Bexley Distric Cou cil Tr m ys Abbey , w n — a a a w . na n . a n a t bout mile est of Erith Church The te t, Mr B ldock , is ge er lly illi g n w — a w n such times as the grou d is not occupied ith crops to llo visitors _ to i spect the a n th e f of w n wa of f w rem i s , chie hich are the orth ll the re ectory , ith the pulpit recess f P a P a a nd n a . ta ( l te XVI ) , the servi g h tch rom the kitchen (Fig the dorter s irs ( l te XV) , P a n wa l o f P a a nd the cloister ( l te XIII ) , the orth l the church ( l te VIII ) , the cloister d w a nd Of f n a o n h a d i n oor a y (Pla te XV Fig . The rest the ou d ti s to be covered ' a ccordi ng to the terms of a n a greeme nt ma de with the Christ s Hospi ta l a uthoriti es .

8 8 LE SNE S ABBEY

B n La Ch a e l r r e e O r L ra r uildi g of dy p Co pus Ch isti Coll g , xfo d , ib y B r a n ( o st O f re a m n ma r u b k . cl i i g sh B r a G re d c L a e n e r a n O f re a r u i l of odf y ucy , pl c u c t i Cost p i s B u r ia l of R ich a rd d e Lucy a t Le s nes Coupled B ase a nd C a pit a l B u ri a l va ults i n La dy Ch a pe l Cou rt of A rch e s B ybg of C ra yford Court R olls of l a un ts Ma nor Le sne s M a no r Th o rn ey Le so ns Ma nor C a n e de Cout c s , ra e La w re n e a n n Le sne s ra w n r m H n C bb , c C o s of d f o oly Tri ity , ra r K e n Aldga te 4 C yfo d , t re e n d e a n e r 1 13 17 C k , Joh C t bury , , w r e a e L n n C a pita ls no a t i e tor i a a nd Albe rt Museum 68 C ippl g t , o do r wn a r n Th e Ca t c h na th S 13 C o , P t o , , uffolk a e r ne ema n S a n 2 8 C th i Col , i t Ce ll a rs be low prese nt fa r mhouse 60 ) e me e r a a e th e 5 1 I C t y . P ss g to a a t 46 Ch lk built v ul s a r r R e r d e Le snes 14 D tfo d , og , Abbot of a nt r n e F a nni 3 5 Ch y fou d d , s a rt r e n 4 28 86 D fo d , K t , , Ch a nt ry founde d by Joh n of Hoddesdo n 15 D a te of p re se nt w a lls 3 9 Ch a pe l of nfi rma ry 5 9 I D e a th of Godfrey d e Lucy 8 Ch a pe l i n Lo ndon Inn of Abbot 10 D e a th of R ich a rd d e Lucy 2 Ch a pter-ho nse 5 0 D edica tion of Alta rs 17 n er me n in th e 5 1 I t ts e a n Le sne s e 2 D dic tio of Abb y . a e r Of A1 rou a ise Ge nera 8 Ch pt , l e m n n a n me b uildih s 40 D olitio of Au bgusti i do stic g a t e r Le sne s e 4 5 6 8 9 3 6 Ch r s , Abb y , , , , , e ne “ illia m d e 14 D , Cha r e r S r H p a 3 6 t of t ood os it l D e p riva tion of Abbot John of Hoddesdon 15 Ch a r r n e a r n e n 2 7 y g ( Ch i g) , K t e r e n 24 D ptfo d , K t a a m n de 10 Ch h , h t Jo D escent of th e Abbe y esta tes 3 7 a a m R a r Le e 2 6 Ch h , h , i t ic d Pr or of d s D e struction of Chu rch a nd buildings 3 7 Ch a u nc ens R e r d e 14 , og e e R e e r 1 ’ Dioc s of och st ea e ne rne i n 14 Ch psid , Abbot s ts bu d e e ween Le snes e a nd H r n Disput b t Abb y oly T i ity , Ch e r e pe e 67 ts y ty til s Aldgate e La n a t 13 3 8 Chisl hurst , ds , n a e A e a t ’ Dissolutio , v lu of bb y r H a O a n e a e 3 9 Ch ist s ospit l bt i s st t s r n O f an n a t ’ Dist ibutio C o s r H a a n 3 9 41 42 61 Ch ist s ospit l Pl , , , Distr ibution of libra ry a t r Th e e 43 Chu ch , Abb y Distribution of wa ter R e a r 17 p i s to n en Ditto , K t R n 15 ui ous Doorwa y to Pa r lou r e e 3 7 D stroy d e r T he Dort , Ch u rc h Le snes a r 40 , h P is Dorte r sub va ult e a r a e th e 4 15 Ch h pp p e bb , urc s ro i t d to A y Double plinth cou rse r R e . 24 Ch h , u c og r Double be nch i n Cha pter House Ciste rt i a n n e n e on a n 43 i flu c pl e e Th e Dov Cot , a r e n 29 Cl k , Joh e R e d e Dov r, ob rt a ren e L ne e 3 3 C , , D k l c io l u of R ich a r d d e e m e n e 29 Cl t VII , Pop R oesi a d e e men R a r 29 42 C , h , l t ic d F ulbe rt d e e r r na a n 49 Cloist , o igi l pl a e F a m Dr p r, ily of n a m . 9 2 3 Clopto , C bs , ra e r ma D p , Tho s e R e r d e Of Le sne s 16 Clyv , ob t , Abbot D ri th ford n d e , Joh CO b h a m n d e 11 , h Jo Dugd a l e lli n a F u lc 8 Co sl b of Abbot e mm n on S e a a a nd Dyk s , Co issio lls r e e n . 4 10 C , K , old d t Dykes re pa i re d a t gre a t e x pe nse ma n n Le snes 2 1 22 24 83 Col , Joh , Abbot of , , , m e S 13 Co b s , uffolk Comestor e e 3 3 , P t r Commission on S ea \Va lls a ndDyke s 2 4 E r O f a r a n n n Th e 61 a M h , Co duit Po d , l c P tro nﬁr m a n a rte r 4 3 6 E a r d isc ox e r e Co tio Ch s , ly i s Conve ntu a l A r ra nge me nts of Augusti nia n O rde r 40 E a rly l a wsui ts n en e n t h e K n 2 6 27 E e a a a a n e h as Co v t p titio s i g , ccl si stic l T x tio of Pop Nic ol

e E m n 3 7 E m n , E a r Ma rc h Cook , d u d d u d l of e He nr 3 7 E wa r Cook , y d d I e La m er 87 E wa r Cook , b t d d III - wa r Th e B a n e e n S u b 2 4 2 5 E , k Cop , Joh , Prior , d d l c Pri c e 27 E ﬁ n i n a in La Cha pe Cop , f gy fou d v ult dy l E e n r ee i n s a t Co rnb arns 42 l ctio of Abbot , P oc d g INDEX 89

P AGE E m n en l do , K t G

E m n n Le me . l do , Joh , Abbot of s s ’ E l R a r d e Ga llery fr om Abbot s Lodging to Dorter y, ich d E a n n Lesnes Ga llows cla ime d by Abbot ly s , i th Abbot of

Ga m n a am . E ndowments of Augustinia n House s li g y , C bs ’ Ga e R e Lo n E ndowments of th e Abbey rd ob of Abbot s dgi g Ga e e Th e E nglish Arrou a i si a n houses t hous s , Le snes Ga n R . de E nlar gement of La dy Cha pe l yto , ich , Abbot of - Gene a d e L a m E ntra nce to Cha pter house logy of ucy f ily Gener a er rr a e E ntrance to I nﬁrma r y Ha ll a l Ch pt of A ou is E n r Th e Ge offre y d e Lucy conﬁrms g a nt of Lesnes Chu rch t y, r H r n Al a e E pitaph of Godfrey de Lucy to oly T i ity , dg t G m r a e n on e R ichar d de Lucy eo et ic l d sig s til s E a r Ger a e Ca n erb ry rith , P ish of v is of t u G er B L n n E e r S r re . ilb t, ishop of o do sh , u y ’ ’ G er d e ere Mor ant s conq IOn re E sta tes bequea the d to Chr ist s Hospital ilb t V , G r n a r L n n E a e e en th e e , h , M st t s , D sc t of Abb y iso s Jo yo of o do G a n e G er d e E stua r y of th e Tha mes l vill , ilb t

G a S a ne . E n B er re l ss , t i d to , kshi re d e L B h Wn e er E en e G , p h ug ius III , Pop odf y ucy is o of i c st E e a m B a e A Patr on of Lesne s v sh , ttl of E a a n O e n In Hi s h e i n th e S ra n xc v tio s , bj cts fou d ous t d m B Hi s w r a t W n e e r E e n W . re e n x cutio of r to . o k i ch st Hi s ea E xisting r ema ins of Augustinia n Or der d th Un er a n a s ae b r a E xpenses of repa irs c t i ty to his pl c of u i l m a nd e a E xpense of re pa iring dykes To b pit ph G ne E xt ant rema ins odsto

G n e a nd a MS S . E nesford en o vill C ius , y , K t G e n e r oss , Mo si u

Gra ndon John . Gra nnson L r , o d Gra n e R anul h d e vill , p Gra e en S e en B Of L n n , ph , h p d F a br ic In r uins v s d t is o o o ’ Gra e en en F rmh e on e A L n v s d , K t a ous sit of bbot s On g . Gra n de B rwi F a na a n y , Joh , ishop of No ch t , Jo G ea B a n Th e F an W a m r t r , ut , illi G ea Ga e Th e F a unt s a n r n e r t t , Ch t y fou d d . ’ Gre a Ha Of bb L n F au nt s Ma nor t ll A ot s odgi g Grea Ha nfirmar F a er a m en t ll of I y v sh , K t Greenw en F a w am en ich , K t kh , K t G e r Lesne s a n n F e ri nk m a a n n r go y of , C o , Tho s , C o Grenest ret e Green en ( ) , K F err y a cross R iver Tha mes t G e H e F ina ncia l di fficulties u st ous G e e e eat bbe F irepla ce i n I nfir ma ry u sts xc ssiv A y G a L n n h , F i re pla ce in Wa rming House uild ll o do F e r n B R e er ish , Joh , ishop of och st F e r G re ish , odf y F ishponds or Stews F - a n a H a e R e itz Al , Nichol s l , ob rt Fi - e r Ge fre H alifeld am de Lesnes tz Pi s , of y , Ad , Abbot of - F R er Wa e r Ha l nfirmar . itz ob t , lt l of I y F -Wa e r F a mi Ham itz lt , ly of o F in th e a me Ham e R a loods Th s pol , ich rd F olieti o H d e K a n et e R er , ugo k , ob t

F re Lesnes H ank ere W am . o st , , illi F W a m d e Han a n r e en r see Ha u nsard orz , illi s rd , Joh , P c to ( ) m F n a n Le e e Ha ﬁe a n . ou d tio of s s Abb y t ld , Jo F ounda tion Cha rter of Lesmes Abbe y John d e F ra nc e s a m a r L n n a r er y , Ad , M yo of o do M g y F a er Th e e r t , Mil s S creens Thomas d e (B ishop of Durham) Pulpit F a mily R ule broken Hau gh mond and Lesnes comp a re d F ra en ra e Ha u nsa rd n Le me udul t p ctic s , Joh , Abbot of s s F u lc e n Le snes H awe ma W , s co d Abbot of s , Tho s , ill of Cofﬁn sla b of . H ayb ar ns ’ F a m a e an r Hedd ma ulh s Pl c M o , Tho s F er He h am W a m de S a r ull g , illi , c ist 9 0 LE S NE S AB B E Y

P AGE He e re He nr O f Le sne s li , y . Abbot Henry II He nr y VI La a e 18 22 46 47 dy Ch p l , , , H e ra ldic tiles La mb a rde 12 H r re e ba l cu s La mb e h mas 27 , T o H e r S m n le t , i o La mbet h 14 He e a m d e Le sne s th , Willi , Abbot of La me nd b oma 29 y , Th s H a r R e ma n igh Alt , i s of La n n mas 16 gto , Tho Hi ltoft n , Joh La n Le snes e 14 17 29 3 6 ds of Abb y , , , Hi e rsle S i r n pp y , Joh La Pl a ce 14 H i e rs le e a m na n e pp y s x i tio of sit La r der H ouse 5 6 H e n n O f Le snes see n odd sdo , Joh of, Abbot ; Joh La rge N ave 40 H n odd esdo . La e a m a n n 24 ss Willi , C o H olc o te He nr Le sne s , y , Abbot of La the of S utton a t Hone 1 H H o l oly e La n e R e r a t 18 u d , ob t H r n a e not nfl e n e Le snes oly T i ity , Aldg t , did i u c La w s E a 6 10 suit , rly , , O a in w n f Le sn r bt s a dvo so O es Chu ch La yme n r eside In th e Abbe y 19 H o o Ge o . S u b r , , P io . Le e R a r 27 r , ich d Ho ve de n R er , og Le la nd 5 H fi Le snes . ugh , fth Abbot of Le ma n S ir n 3 7 , Joh Hugo of Lo ndo n Le o e 3 3 , Pop H n L e nd Le snes u dred of ittl a Le snes Abbey a cce pts R ule of A rr oua ise 7 H e Ha m de B R e te r yth , o , ishop of och s Accoun ts 25 rm 22 3 1 A s , B w I uilds rive r a ll . 11 Chur ch dedica tion 2 r e : a men Income of Le snes Abbey insuffi cient Chu ch s P y ts to I ndents of Tomb sl abs D e bts 2 1 n rm E n wm e n s 3 4 6 9 10 I fi a ry do t , , , , F n In leth or ma B O f R e e r ou dation of 2 g p , Tho s , ishop och st nma e L O f Guests 15 I t s , ist L r r 2 I nning of Tha mes Ma rshes ib a y a t 5 a n r e n n 3 5 86 I nspe ximus of 13 17 M o s b lo gi g to , wi S ot a p rio y 3 4 Ips ch , uffolk N r O a n 2 1 I rre gul a r fina nci al control bl tio s O fi n a IVa lte r d e f cers 3 4 I sul , se n 2 16 29 I nte rme nts i n t h e Cha pter H ou se Pos ssio s , , R e e nea 1 2 I nte rme nts in Presbyte ry ligious hous s r , R e en e 23 40 a e a ee n , Is b ll , Qu v u S ea 18 3 1 Isc a nu s B a mew B IS h O E e e ls , , rtholo , p of x t r S e 1 Is ania R e de it p , ob rt S uppresse d 3 0 Tenants 25 ' J Tenements In Londo n 18 Le sne s an r 3 5 87 , M o of , n B R e e Joh , ishop of och st r Le snes a me 1 , N of n H e n Le sne s Joh of odd sdo , Abbot of Le sne s a r r o 2 40 , P ish Chu ch of , B R e er by ishop of och st L ra r r r l e e O n 2 ib y of Co pus Ch isti Co l g , xo e r e D p iv d L ra a t Le snes 14 25 3 2 83 ib ry , , , Outla we d . List of inm ate s 27 Appe a ls to R ome List of relics ke pt i n th e Abbe y 3 3 R e concil e d Little a nd Lesnes Hundre d 1 F n a Ch a n r a t Les ne s ou ds t y Lo ndon tum ults 14 Joh ns JOh n , London i nn of th e Abbot 10 h n n ’ Jo , Ki g Lon és ée W am E a r S a 10 g p , illi , l of lisbu y n r Joh of L we n B 21 24 o , Joh , ishop , n a n r a n n ‘ ’ Joh of W lli gfo d , C o L or e Th e 3 1 3 2 ucy Pik , . Jo m e R a r p , ich d L F a m 3 3 67 ucy , ily of . r a n t h e a m e r a n Jo d i Ch b l i Ge ne a 5 9 20 2 1 logy , . , e n B B a Josc li , ishop of th Alice d e 9 n e m d e 5 10 3 6 A s l , , K Avelina d e 9 Ca the rine d e 5 n n a n H he te r 5 8 9 e e G re d e B n . K tish Augusti i ous s odf y ( ishop of Wi c s ) , Ke n re a e mm ne a r a me n Ge re d e 9 2 1 as as tish p l t s su o d to P li t off y , , , Ke llesh ull \Villia m d e He r e r d e 9 , b t t en a nd O ffi e Th e n d e 8 Ki ch c s , Joh Knock holt is not Ocholt Ka therine de

9 2 LE SNE S AB BEY

P AGE M ONAS TI C Ho u s rzs O rd e r of Arr oua ise f F r a n e O r e r O i s S e e H se s S t . Alb s Abb y d s r t upp ss d ou t r r O re e n S . Osyth P io y K t O r a n in La a e S e lby Abbe y g dy Ch p l O ri i na l a nn n r S mi th fie ld 3 6 6 L n n . g pl i g of Chu ch , o do 0 8 h” t h e D 6 9 " S w a r S t . a r O e r r outh k , M y v y P iory ? O e n m nfirma r S trood Hospita l v I y O r S w eethe a rt Abbe y xfo d Thoby P rio ry Thu rga rton P r iory P Tonb ridge P rio ry Pa inti ngs i n La dy Ch a pe l 22 a e Cm c is e V ll Abb y a me r R e r ( a n n 7 20 P l , og o , VV a lsin h a m e g Abb y a r a men Le snes mm ne to 1 1 P li t , Abbot of su o d VV a lth a m bbe A y a r a me n e n e a e mm ne 12 P li t , K tish Pr l t s su o d to W a rt e r P rio ry Pa rish of D a rtford 3 6 e Abb y E r 1 3 5 42 ith , , “h i te fria rs see L n n . , o do Plum ste a d 86 Wi ncheste r Abbe y (Ca the d ra l) S h B c nflee t 3 7 ’ out 11 orc e ste r Ca thedr a l S tow m a rke t 86 F ri a rs Mmor Wilmi ngton 36 \Vork 5 0 r p Prio y a r r Th e 5 1 P lou , s Mo N A r rc O R D E R S a r r Th e O e r 5 6 P lou , ut AJi e n r r e P io i s Pa ssa ge to t h e Ce mete ry 5 1 Ar rou a i si a n O r e 7 8 d , , a r n Th e r wn 18 r P t o , C o n a n 1 2 4 5 7 8 27 Augusti i s , , , , , , , a r n E a r a r 18 P t o , l of M ch 3 1 3 4 49 5 8 , , , a E a r S t . 86 P ul , l of B e ne ne 2 3 0 40 5 3 5 8 dicti s , , , , a e men i n 3 1711 6 5 66 P v ts , n 40 C a rthusi a s a n 1 e 65 P vi g T l s , Ciste rti a ns 40 43 45 , , Pa yme nts to Abbe y Chur ches n a 3 0 5 3 Clu i cs , Pea c h e a n 13 , Jo m n un 1 Do i ic a n s e a m n r b a n e r r 12 16 N P ckh , Joh , A ch ishop of C t bu y , F ra n a n O e r a n 2 cisc bs v ts Peronne 7 14 Hospita lle rs e e r a n n ofH in 3 2 P t , C o oly Tr ity re m n r a en a n 3 0 P o st t si s P e tfie ld . . 16

nas e r e e a e m Use . 29 3 0 Mo tic Prop ty div rt d to Ac d ic , Petitio n fo r Ch a pe l i n Lo ndon in n 10 Montﬁc h e t G1lb e rt d e 9 65 , , a n e a . 3 3 Philipp , Cou t ss of M rch Mont ﬁc h et R a r 5 , ich d a een 18 Philipp , Qu re W a m 3 3 Moo , illi P h ysma l fea ture s of E rith 1 ‘ ’ n 8 E e . 6 Mor a t ss x Pica rdy 3 5 e n mas 18 Mo d , Tho e r “ e r rem a n 0} 44 r Pi s of To , i s n r 15 ‘ ’ Mo tga ge ra ise d 011 Ma o s e or L Th e 3 1 82 r Pik ucy , , t me r E d m n E a r a r 19 3 3 Mor i , u d , l of M ch , r ma e a n e r r 17 ' Pilg i g s to C t bu y r me r W 1 more 18 Mo ti s of g a n i n e n r 5 H ta . 3 9 4 1 42 61 Pl poss ssio of Ch ist ospi l , , , fo r th n a n n s 2 Motives e fou d tio of Les e a n rema n S e e 4 1 42 60 Pl of i s by tuk l y , , S n MS . G n e a d a 3 3 o vill C ius n D e 44 Pli th , oubl e m B r 5 3 Mus u , itish Plumstea d Pa rish 3 6 r a a nd er 03 icto i Alb t P 1 m ton T hos . Le snes V y p , , Abbot of ’ Porte r s Lodge 42 N Position of lesser Augustini a n Houses a t end of Middle Ages 29 a m F r S e e H e N e s of i st uppr ss d ous s Position of va rious buildings 43 a e Th e , n e 19 22 2 3 24 N v Posse ssio s of Abb y . . , m N eth e wod e Ma n . re n Th e 40 42 P ci ct , , n i n ea Nets bu r ed Ch pside Presbyte ry T he 4 4 N ewe nto n ma d e e a re , Tho s , C ll r P resbyte ry p a ve me nt 65 e w n t n e n N i g o , K t P rocedure a t e lectio n of Abbot 28

a S t . ine ichol s , Abbot of August r e na E n a n e u r Th e 1 e t e n 5 6 N P oc ssio l tr c to Ch ch , Y s r as e ichol , Pop R e r O ﬁ e 22 3 5 . 86 . 3 7 N IV Public co d f c , S a e a a e Night t irs , No s p r t Pulpit i n F ra te r 5 4 o rt h Aisle va ulte d m T he 48 N Pulpitu , North ileet en , K r ase a n 13 14 t Pu ch of l ds , w e ra les 28 r e r R . t he Pu s , obt , ork r of Mi c 0

Obj e cts found i n E xcava ting

O a n th e e R a n a m E e 4 0 14 . 20. 2 1 23 bl tio s to Abb y i h , ss x . , . O a n r R a n a m r c L a n ne 6 cholt M o i h Chu h , itig tio ' O ﬁ e th e e R a n a m an r Mora nt s n n 6 f c rs of Abb y i h M o , co fusio INDEX 93

P AGE R a e a 2 S reen i n F r a er Th e lph of Cogg sh ll c s t , R am en B e e S reen wall ra e n sd llhous c , T c s fou d of R a n a m R 26 S ea r m t h e Y n er y h , obt . g i ou g R ea n f r r n Lesnes e r 40 S ea th e e so s o dest uctio of Abb y Chu ch . ls of Abb y R ea n for e e a n u n a n r e 40 S ea Wa a nd e Comml ssion on so s pr s rv tio of Aug sti i Chu ch s lls Dyk s , R e a ma n a r e 1 1 enc ler R er cl tio of M sh s , Cost of , og R e n a n n H odd esd en 15 Sene a Th e co cili tio of Joh of sch l , R e cumbent E ﬂi gy 62 Sepulchra l Monuments

R e e ln th e e 3 3 S er ean Th e . lics k pt Abb y g t , R e e nea r Lesnes 1 2 S er n Ha r m hen F a er ligious hous s , vi g tch f o Kitc to r t R ema in n an e 1n en 1 S e e en s of Augusti i hous s K t h pp y , K t L sn s R ema ins exta nt 5 6 S ite of e e Abbe y . R em a ins of Na ve 48 Dug over m ne Si r Hi r l R en e 20 2 1 23 24 40 E a n e s e . ts of Abb y , , , , x i d by Joh pp y R e a r a nd enewa s 17 22 28 O a ne W am B rere n p i s r l , , bt i d by illi to R ere r er 5 3 S n rne n de Do t itti gbou , Joh R ere m La a e 47 S a er H e Th e dos dy Ch p l l ught ous , R esponds of North Aisle va ult 49 S outh door a nd porch absent from nave R e -use d Tomb sla bs 65 South Tra nsept R e n r 14 S arr owe ma y olds , A chbishop p , Tho s R a I 6 3 6 S r rnamen a e ich rd , pu o t of b s s R a r r a n er r 6 S a ne a ich d , A chbishop of C t bu y t i d gl ss R a r e en Lesnes 12 S e n n ich d , s v th Abbot of t bbi g , Joh R a r B L n n 4 6 Stee lemord en a m ich d , ishop of o do , p , C bs R icha rd d e Lucy be comes a Ca non 2 Stevens B r e a t Lesnes i b St ev n a e a u i d . y , Is b ll e a t Lesnes b S ew F n Di d i . t s of ishpo ds

F n Lesnes e i b . S ne en ou ds Abb y to , K t ’ Lsnes m r l O a n a n r a nd e 1b . S w a e S f bt i s M o Church of . to k t , uf o k ' f R e n e u stlc esh i i b . S r an G re d e L 5 ei n th e sig s Chi f J p t d , odf y ucy hous m a nd E a 4 St rith a le n d e To b pit ph , Joh R ar r r l a e 10 S r H a ar er ich d , P io of A dg t t ood ospit l Ch t ’ R icha r d Wendover inducte d into See of R ochester St uk eley s dra wing of th e F rater ’ by Abbot of Le snes St uk eley s Pla n R iver emba nke d a t cost of Abb ey S unda y Ma rket at Lesnes R iver Wa ll of Tha mes S unk chamber i n La dy Cha pe l R ar R a r de S re n Lesnes ip iis , ich d upp ssio of R a e W S n at H ne en o d , Abb y ood utto o , K t R er e Lesnes ob t , ighth Abbot of R obert le B ouser ki lle d ‘ ’ ’ R obert s Cha pe l erected ’ R obert d e Lucy s Charter R e e er d es och s , P t Tena nts of Abbey R ochester Diocese Tenements i n London left to Abbey R R er oding iv Tha mes estu ary R er son R eufr id og , of F loods R er Wen e r og of dov Mar shes R ok enla R er d e , ob t R iver wa ll R m o e ma Lesnes Tho s , Abbot of R e , a m m r ous Ad a th e a r S a n see B e e . Tho s M ty , i t, ck t R a i Le me oy l v sit to s s m n H . Y a e Tho pso , t s R n n ui ous co dition of fa br ic Th or ne old n g , Joh R e r r ul of A ou a ise rne Lesons a n Tho y , M or of R e F r ul of ater broken Tile Kil n le a n Ti s , P vi g

Tilesb R i c h a i d . ye , Tomb of Godfr ey d e Lucy R de L ich . ucy ’ S a cr ist s a ccounts Tomb S la bs S a r Th e n en c isty , To g , K t S a e Si r R a Toth ale W am d e dl r, lph , illi

am son Wm . Lesne s we r en ra p , , Abbot of To , C t l

S an w . d e Lesnes r an e S d ich , Thos , Abbot of T s pt , outh S ava ri c B B a Tro inal am d e 13 , ishop of th p , Ad . a a m Lesnes m i n L n n 14 y , Ad , Abbot of Tu ults o do ch aldre marsh a n r n ea r 47 y M o Tu st d , No folk S eme for n a n w h S a nd T seh urst W am a Lesnes ch fou d tio of Ips ic chool y , illi , l st Abbot of ar na e e O r 28 29 3 o 3 1 42 C di l Coll g , xfo d , , , , 9 4 LE SNE S ABBEY

P AG E P AGE W a ter cou rse through R ere -dorte r 5 3 1 a e r S Th e 6 1 V t upply , Umfr a vi lle O d i ne l d e 1 w , 1 ee e r 3 a ccou nt of e a rly investiga tions e Ga e Th e Upp t , 1 e B 2 1 r V lls , ishop m r Use of nﬁ r a y e e ae a 6 1 I W ll , M di v l

1V end ou t R e r . 17 , ob t

1Ve nd ove r R . d e 1 1 , ich ’ V 11 e st e rn r e s na E n ra n r 5 6 P oc sio l t ce to Chu ch . 11 c ste rn R a n e Th e 5 5 5 6 g , , a e e a t. d n V lu of Abb y issolutio ' 11 es tw ood a li as Le snes 5 1 r i n ts th e na me Le sne s , a a of ' 1111a 0 n n d e 16 85 1 a u lts c l1a lk tt , Joh , , built R e r S e nc le r . 3 5 a R e p n i n rth e Will of og V ult s o ds No Aisl ’ 11 m a Ha w e 89 e re G e r d e ill of Tho s s V , ilb t ’ 11 i lli a m ﬁ r Le snes 2 5 6 , st Abbot of , , Ve ze l a y W a m t b Le snes 10 t r a a nd e e m illi , four h Ab ot of Vic o i Alb rt Mus u ' 1Vi lli a m W e a m 29 1 isi ta tion e of yk h bb ’ of A y ’ 11 i llow s G e Le snes 29 or , ’ 11 m n t n e n 16 28 3 6 il i g o , K t , , " 1V ilton R oe si a d e 1 1 11 , 7 ’ “ n 11 illi a m d e 11 ilto , ' 11 a le ra n B R c e e 1V i neh else a r 13 , ishop of o h st r , A chbishop 1 a e B R e e 1 n w i n D r e r we w a 5 2 V lt r, ishop of och st r Vi do o t st ll ’

1V a lk elin Gre enw 10 11 olk es ted e see G ne . of ich , odsto

11 a a e re e n . 3 9 1Vo lse a r na 29 3 0 3 1 3 7 ils , D t of p s t y , C di l , , , ’

11 a ltc r L . “ i sli e s to b e r1e a t Lesne s 20 1Vone rsh S rre 47 ucy , Kt bu d , u y 1 a re nne F a m G7 1Voolwi c h e n 7 A V , ily of , K t ’ W h m o 13 W a re nne 11 m . d e e t e sea a e b , r ck of cl i d by Ab t ’ m 5 1 2 r 7m 7 11 a r n H e Th e 5 1V oth a m 11 . d e i g ous , , ,