Colleges: Sapcote

32. THE COLLEGE OF SAPCOTE

The small college of chantry priests at Sapcote was founded in or shortly after 1361, when licence was granted to Ralph Basset to alienate in mortmain 11 messuages, 10 virgates of land, and 20 acres of meadow at Sapcote and Stoney Stanton to two chaplains, who were to celebrate the divine offices in Sapcote church in accordance with Basset's ordinance. (fn. 1) In 1372 Basset was planning to increase the endowment and, to raise the number of chaplains to three. (fn. 2) By 1376 the third chaplain had been established, (fn. 3) and in the same year Basset obtained a licence for the alienation to the chantry college of property at Sapcote. (fn. 4) The chantry priests performed their office in the chapel of St. Mary, on the north side of Sapcote church. (fn. 5) The chapel was described in 1377 as newly erected, (fn. 6) and it was probably built by Basset for this chantry. The chantry college was known as the chapel of St. Mary, (fn. 7) and was under the control of a warden, (fn. 8) who was presumably one of the three chaplains.

In the certificate returned under Henry VIII's

Act for the Dissolution of Chantries the net yearly income of the college was given as £16. 10s. 5d. (fn. 9) The chantry college was suppressed under Edward VI. Its possessions at the time of dissolution included property in Sapcote, Stoney Stanton, Leire, Frolesworth, and Sharnford. (fn. 10)

Wardens Of Sapcote College

William Gerbot, presented 1381. (fn. 11)
John Wignall, occurs 1526. (fn. 12)
Richard Frampton, occurs 1535. (fn. 13)
John Borough, occurs about 1547. (fn. 14)

No seal is known.