Houses of Austin canons: Hood

55. HOOD

(CELL OF NEWBURGH)

Hood is first heard of as the place where Robert de Alneto, the uncle or nephew of Gundreda the wife of Nigel de Albini and an exmonk of Whitby, was leading the life of a hermit. It was to Robert de Alneto that Gundreda directed Abbot Gerald and his convent after they had left Calder, and at Hood they first settled, Robert de Alneto himself becoming a member of the community. (fn. 1)

It was in 1138 that Roger de Mowbray granted Hood to Abbot Gerald and his convent, and after four or five years' sojourn there they moved to Old Byland, and while at Byland (fn. 2) Abbot Roger, at the request of Roger de Mowbray, their founder, and Sampson de Albini, gave Hood to certain canons of Bridlington, who were coming to colonize Roger de Mowbray's new foundation of Austin canons at Newburgh. Hood remained in the possession of the canons of Newburgh, and became a cell of that house, and so continued till the Dissolution.

In a visitation of that house on 11 October 1286 (fn. 3) Archbishop Romanus ordered that a refractory conversus, named Roger de Soureby, was to go to Hood, and apply himself to agriculture, and hold the tail, of the plough, in place of a paid servant. He was to fast each Wednesday and Friday on bread, ale, and vegetables, and receive three disciplines a week from the Canon President of Hood, to whom he was to confess at least once a week.

In 1332 Archbishop Melton visited the church, or chapel, of Hood, by commission. (fn. 4) Brother John de Overton, the canon celebrating at Hood, and certain lay parishioners appeared, and the commissioners made certain corrections which have not been entered in the Register. The visitation reveals the fact that the church, or chapel, had in some manner parochial rights, and parishioners belonging to it.