Priors of Worcester

PRIORS OF WORCESTER

The cathedral monastery had been established by St. Oswald in the period c. 974-7.

Disputes in the early 1220s between the bishop and convent over the appointment of priors resulted in the composition of 1224 whereby the convent gained the right to present seven candidates from whom the bishop was to choose the prior. (fn. 1) This system was still in force at the end of the thirteenth century. (fn. 2)

For some details about the priors between 1066 and c. 1240, see Cart. Worc. pp. vi-lxiii.

Ælfstan

Prob. succeeded Wulfstan as prior 1062 (cf. above p. 99). Occ. soon after 1066 (Cart. Worc. no. 2). Last occ. 1077 (Diplomatarium Anglicum Aevi Saxonici, ed. B. Thorpe (1865) pp. 615-17). (fn. 3) Brother of Wulfstan, bp. of Worcester (1062-95) (Hemingi Chartularium Ecclesiae Wigorniensis, ed. T. Hearne (Oxford, 1723) p. 407).

Thomas (fn. 4)

Immediate successor of capælfstan (Hemingi Chartularium Ecclesiae Wigorniensis, ed. T. Hearne (Oxford, 1723) p. 407). First occ. 1080 (Cart. Worc. no. 304 and n. 2). D. 4 Oct. 1113 (Flor. Wig. 11 66). Commem. at Durham (Liber Vitae Dunelm., [ed. J. Stevenson] (Surtees Soc. xiii) p. 33).

Nicholas

Monk of Worcester (Will. Malmesbury, G.P. p. 287). Appd. before 15 Aug. 1116 (I. Atkins in Antiquaries Jnl. xx (1940) 225). D. 24 June 1124 (John Worc. p. 18).

Warin

First occ. before 1133 (Regesta 11 no. 1045). Last occ. 1140 (Cart. Worc. no. 73 n. 76) and 1140/1 (H. A. Cronne in University of Birmingham Hist. Jnl. ii (1949) 207, and cf. ibid. p. 202).

Ralph of Bath

Succeeded 1142 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 1). D. 1143 (ibid. n. 3).

David

Succeeded 1143 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 3), before 28 Dec. (Cart. Gloucestriae, ed. W. H. Hart (Rolls ser. xxxiii) 1 p. lxxvi). Deposed 1145 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 4; Ann. Tewkes. p. 46; cf. Saltman, Theobald p. 86).

Osbert

Succeeded 1145 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 4; Ann. Tewkes. p. 46). D. 1146 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 5).

Ralph de Bedeford

Succeeded 1146 (Ann. Winchcombe p. 129 n. 5), after 26 Jan. (cf. Cart. Worc. no. 73, where 26 Jan. 1149 is in his 3rd year). D. 1189 (Ann. Tewkes. p. 54; Ann. Worc. p. 386), prob. 23 July (Cart. Worc. no. 340).

M. Senatus

Precentor and chamberlain of Worcester (Cart. Worc. p. lviii). Succeeded 1189 (Ann. Tewkes. p. 54; Ann. Worc. p. 386). Res. 20 Nov. 1196 (Ann. Worc. p. 388). D. 1207 (Ann. Tewkes. p. 58; Ann. Worc. p. 395).

Peter

Monk of Worcester. Succeeded 1196, after 20 Nov. (Ann. Worc. p. 389). Deposed 24 Dec. 1203 (ibid. p. 392). D. 1204 (ibid.).

Randulph [of Evesham] (fn. 5)

Monk of Evesham (Ben., Worcs.) (Chron. Evesham, ed. W. D. Macray (Rolls ser. xxix) p. 255). Succeeded 24 Dec. 1203 (Ann. Worc. p. 392). El. bp. of Worcester 2 Dec. 1213, but qua. before 20 Jan. 1214 (above pp. 100-1). Abbot of Evesham, el. 20 Jan. 1214, went to Evesham 22 Jan. (Chron. Evesham pp. 255-6; cf. Ann. Worc. p. 403, which gives 22 Jan. for el. and 23 Jan. for blessing at Evesham); royal assent and temps. 24 Jan. 1214 (Rot. Litt. Claus. 1 162).

Silvester of Evesham

El. 21 Jan. 1215 (Ann. Worc. p. 403; and see Cart. Worc. p. lix). Bp. of Worcester, el. Apr. 1216, cons. July (above p. 101).

Simon [Pimme] (fn. 6)

Chamberlain of Worcester. El. Oct. 1216 (Ann. Worc. p. 407). Bp. unsuccessfully attempted to remove him 1220 (ibid. p. 411). Summoned to Rome 1221 (ibid. p. 414). Suspended by pope before 22 March 1222 (Reg. Hon. III no. 3882), and on his return deposed by bp. (Ann. Worc. pp. 414-15; cf. Pat. R. 1216-25 p. 320; Ann. Tewkes. p. 66; Reg. Hon. III no. 4413). Absolved by abp., appealed against bp., re-excomm. and returned to Rome 1222 (Ann. Worc. p. 415). Gravely ill 3 July 1223 (Reg. Hon. III no. 4413). D. 1223 (Ann. Tewkes. p. 67; Ann. Worc. p. 415).

William Norman

Prior of Malvern (Ben., Worcs.) (Ann. Worc. p. 417). Appd. by bp. against will of monks, 1222 (ibid. p. 415), and controversy between bp. and convent and between William and convent, 1223 (ibid.). Agreement and res. 3 Oct. 1224 (ibid. pp. 416-17; cf. Liber Pensionum Prioratus Wigorn., ed. C. Price (Worcs. Hist. Soc., 1925) no. 142).

M. William de Bedeforde

Prior of Tynemouth (Ben., Northumb.) (Ann. Worc. p. 417). Presum. one of monks' nominees 3 Oct. 1224 (ibid.). Appd. by bp. 21 Nov. 1224 (ibid.; cf. Ann. Tewkes. p. 67). D. 29 Oct. 1242 (Ann. Tewkes. p. 127; cf. Ann. Worc. p. 434).

Richard de Gundicote (fn. 7)

Sacrist of Worcester (Ann. Worc. p. 434). Appd. by bp., instal. 19 Nov. 1242 (ibid., Ann. Tewkes. p. 127). D. 29 Sept. 1252 (Ann. Worc. p. 441).

Thomas

Subprior of Worcester (Ann. Tewkes. p. 150; Ann. Worc. p. 441; cf. Cart. Worc. no. 324). Instal. 1 Nov. 1252 (Ann. Worc. p. 441). D. 1260 (ibid. p. 446), by Dec. (cf. below).

Richard de Dumbleton (fn. 8)

Cellarer of Worcester. Instal. 24 Dec. 1260 (Ann. Worc. p. 446). D. 1272 (ibid. p. 462), by Dec. (see below).

William de Cirencester (fn. 9)

Sacrist of Worcester. Succeeded 21 Dec. 1272 (Reg. G. Giffard 11 50-1; cf. Ann. Worc. p. 462). D. 1274, by 20 Sept. (Reg. G. Giffard 11 61-2; cf. Ann. Worc. p. 466).

Richard de Feckenham (fn. 10)

Chamberlain of Worcester. One of monks' seven nominees for priorate 21 Sept. 1274 (Ann. Worc. p. 467). Appd. by bp. 25 Sept. 1274, with mandate to install (Reg. G. Giffard 11 61-2). D. 29 Dec. 1286 (Ann. Worc. pp. 492-3).

Philip de Aubyn alias of Worcester

Subprior of Worcester. One of monks' seven nominees for priorate 2 Jan. 1287 (Reg. G. Giffard 11 304). Appd. by bp. 6 Jan. 1287 (ibid.), (fn. 11) instal. 19 Jan. (Ann. Worc. p. 493). D. 7 July 1296 (Reg. G. Giffard 11 480; Ann. Worc. p. 527).

Simon de Wyre alias de Wirecester

Subprior of Worcester. El. by monks 11 July 1296 (Reg. G. Giffard 11 480). Appd. by bp. 13 July 1296 (Ann. Worc. p. 527; Reg. G. Giffard 11 481), instal. 23 Sept. (Ann. Worc. p. 528). Res. 13 July 1301 (ibid. p. 550).