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WILBERFOSS PRIORY

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Benedictine nunnery, founded before 1153 and dissolved in 1539. A dissolution survey suggests that the parish church may have been the nave of the priory church.

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[SE. 73315103] Benedictine Nunnery [GT.] (Site of)
[Siting probably in error. See Authy (4)] (1)

[As above] - sited two chains NE of St John The Baptists' Church. (2)

According to Leland the PRIORY of ST MARY, WILBERFOSS was founded by ALAN of CATTON (4). A confirmation of 1464 by GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE (patron and founder), states that ALAN gave his HALL (AULA) and all other lands. ALAN'S charter is, however, preceded by one of JORDAN, son of GILBERT, who granted the NUNS the church of WILBERFOSS, with it's chapel of NEWTON and 7 bovates of land. In neither case is any definite date given, but the confirmation of JORDAN'S gift is addressed by his over-lord, William de Percy, to HENRY Archbishop of YORK (who died 1153) (5). The ratification was granted by ARCHBISHOP ROGER who succeeded, 1154. (6) CHRISTIANA heads the list of PRIORESSES (occurs 1231-1235 (7)). In 1526 the clear Annual value was only #12 (8).

At the Dissolution there were eleven Nuns (including the PRIORESS, ELIZABETH LORD) (9) In 1553 the site of the PRIORY was granted to GEORGE GALE (brother-in-Law, of ELIZABETH LORD), who was a LORD MAYOR OF YORK in 1534 and 1549 (10). In POCKLINGTON Church there is the gravestone of the PRIORESS MARGARET EASINGWALD (13) - 1479-1512 (12). (3-13)

I know of no evidence for siting this in Field 185 (25") (1). There is a dissolution survey which suggests that the Parish Church was the Nave of the Nunnery church, and that the Claustral buildings were to the North: The whole lay-out probably falling within Fields 186 and 187 [Area centred: SE.73275100]. (14)

The siting evidence in (2) is not strong, and the direction "2 chains NE St John's Ch." might, quite reasonably, be plotted to fall in Field 186: moreover, there is no suggestion in the ONB that the site was pointed out on the ground. The location as indicated in (14) is probably more accurate. (15)

Additional references. (16-19)

Priory of St Mary for Benedictine Nuns founded before 1153 held a prioress and ten nuns at the suppression - 1539. (20)

The site of the nunnery was evaluated by the Monument Protection Programme. The nunnery is thought to be located around the church and on the site of the former Wiberfoss Hall. The hall has been demolished and its site and whole area around the church has now been covered by a modern housing estate. It is considered that no remains will survive outside the churchyard. As the church and graveyard are in active use and the nature and extent of any remains of the nunnery is unknow, scheduling was not recommended. (21)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1911

( 2a) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 2) Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book reference

1909 Page(s)8

( 3) edited by William Page 1913 The Victoria history of the county of York: volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)125-6

( 4) General reference

Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum iv 354

( 5) General reference

Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum 356 No 5

( 6) General reference

Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum 355 No 2

( 7) General reference

Baildon Mon Notes i 226

( 8) General reference

S P Dom 1526

( 9) General reference

Suppression (PRO) ii 64

(10) General reference

(11) General reference

(12) General reference

York Archiepis Register, Bainbridge Fol A2 b

(13) Royal Archaeological Institute The Archaeological Journal

No page quoted 337

(14) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(15) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(16) The Yorkshire archaeological and topographical journal

9, 1885-6 Page(s)197-215

(17) General reference

Gilyard-Beer R 1958 Abbeys, An Introduction to Religious Houses in England and Wales (fig 28)

(18) General reference

Tanner 1787 Notitia Monastica (125)

(19) General reference

Clay M R 1914 Early Yorkshire Charters Vol 1 (344)

(20) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)255,267

(21) English Heritage Alternative Action Report

MPPA, D. Pritchard, 04-DEC-2002

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A Medieval moat is visible as cropmarks on air photographs.

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