Ralph de Chevercourt and the Priory of Wallingwells
In the reign of King Stephen, Ralph de Chevercourt founded a Benedictine Nunnery which he dedicated to St. Mary and was afterwards called 'St. Mary's of Wallandwells', from its situation amongst wells, fountains and streams.
Prioresses of Wallingwells
- Emma de Stockwell, appointed In November 1295 by Archbishop Romayne
- Dionysia, resigned 1325
- Alice de Sheffield, resigned 1353
- Elena de Bolsover, resigned 1402. On 11 Jun 1395, Elena de Bolsover, prioress of Wallingwells, granted to John de Synderhill a messuage called (Cinderhill) Synderhill, which he and his predecessors held of the Priory in fee simple, for eight silver shillings annual rent, for all dues and demands save suit and service of court. Given at Wallandwells in the Chapter House there, 11th June (Thursday in Pentecost), 1395.Reference: Sheffield Archives.Bag C/2564
- Isabel de Durham, 1402
- Joan Hewet, died 1465
- Elizabeth Wilcocks, 1465
- Elizabeth Kirkby, 1504
- Dame Isabel Crofte, 1507 -1511. In 1507 covenanted with George Hastings to farm to him all manner of tithes of the town and manor of Fenwick pertaining to the priory for the term of both their lives, at £3 a year.
- Anne Goldsmith, 1516
- Margaret Goldsmith, 1521
In March, 1488 Prioress Elizabeth and Wallingwells Priory and William de Berkeley, Earl Marshal of Nottingham signed an indenture of covenant agreeing that the priory shall take William as one of their founders, shall perform the usual offices in his honour, shall pray for the souls of his father and mother and of Jane his late wife, and for the good estate of Anne his wife and of Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby; and William shall discharge the priory of a rent of 36s. due to him and his heirs. Reference:SC652. Berkeley Castle Muniments (Was this Elizabeth Wilcocks?)
At its dissolution, The Priory of Waldingwells was valued at £59 and was granted by Queen Elizabeth to Richard Pype and Francis Bowyer; it was later the property of Sir Thomas W. White, a county magistrate.
After the priory was surrendered on 14 December 1539, a pension was assigned to Margaret Goldsmith the prioress,of of £6 and of 53s. 4d. each to Anne Roden the then, sub-prioress and to Elizabeth Kirkby, and of 40s. each to six other nuns.
In excavating near the mansion of Sir Thomas W. White in 1829, several stone coffins were found, one of which contained the remains of Dame Margery Dourant, the second Prioress, who died in the reign of Richard I. The body appeared to be perfect but soon crumbled to dust on exposure to the air; the shoes were in good condition; there was a silver challice in the coffin.
Extract
Ralph de Chevrolcourt (or Caprecuria) in the time of Stephen granted, with the consent of his heirs, to Almighty God and the Blessed Virgin a place in his park of Carlton in Lindrick by the Wells, whose name was to be St. Mary of the Park, to make and build there a dwelling for religious, independent of any other house, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, for the remission of his sins and for the good estate and the soul's health of himself and his heirs and progenitors and of all who should help and maintain the house. By way of endowment the founder granted the house, the water for mill use, pasture in the park for all their beasts, pannage in the same for ninety swine, a right of way through the midst of the park for carting their crops, all the lands held of his fee by Gunwat, Thori, William son of Lefwin, Rushtoch and Ernwi, with various other small plots, common rights in the field of Carlton, common of pasture on all his demesnes, and the whole underwood of Sicam to enclose.
Source:Author: Thoroton, Robert, 1623-1678. Title: The antiquities of Nottinghamshire, 1677
The church of Cantley, Doncaster, Yorkshire, was appropriated to the nuns of Wallingwells in 1273. The appropriation was to come into operation on the death or resignation of John Clarell, the then rector, and meanwhile the rector was to assign to the priory the yearly pension of a mark.
On 2 June 1537 Margaret Goldsmith, the prioress entered into a covenant with Richard Oglethorpe demising to him the entire monastery and all its possessions for the term of twenty-one years, lying in Wallingwells, Carlton in Lindrick, Gildingwells, Handsworth, Brinsworth, Todwick, Wales, Throapham, Dalton, Rawmarsh, Gringley, Woodsetts, Harthill, 'Rownbromen', Welham, and Mattersey, in the counties of York and Nottingham, together with the parsonage of Campsall.
The actual church of Wallingwells, and the prioress's chambers, the dormitory, the infirmary, and all other houses and dwellings pertaining to the monastery, were excepted, these were reserved for the prioress and convent.
Oglethorp, was also to be entitled to cut down and carry away all timber and underwood. He was to supply to the convent every week one mett of whete and one mete and one pek of rye for ther brede corn, to be grounde molter free and three bushels of blended malt, half barley and half oats, for the dryncke corn.He was also to deliver yearly six fat kine, four fat pigs, six calves, twenty sheep, six stone of cheese, a quarter and a half of salt, and a quarter of oatmeal for the kitchen, and 40s. in money for them to buy fish with at their pleasure. The final clause of the indenture bound Oglethorp to supply the prioress yearly with one load of coals, ten loads of wood, and twelve pounds of candles; and twelve loads of coal, twenty loads of wood, and twelve pounds of candles for the convent; and also to find them, summer and winter, two milk kine and two suez.
Source: A History of the County of Nottingham: Volume 2
©2004