Ivychurch Priory
Encyclopedia
Ivychurch Priory was a priory in Alderbury
, near Salisbury
, Wiltshire
, England
. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
it became a private house and estate in the Herbert family.
's, based upon a small minster chapel dependent upon Alderbury church, either by Stephen's confirmation of the gift of the chapel to Salisbury in 1139 or by a subsequent endowment. The minster had a 12th century cloister, and became the priory church, which also served as the parish church for the inhabitants of Clarendon Forest
, in the environs of Clarendon Palace
, throughout the mediæval period. After successive royal endowments (which are recorded down to the time of King Edward III) in 1473 the priory held 'at least 740 acres of pasture and wood' in the park and forest. The priory owned the manor of Whaddon in Alderbury and the advowson
of the church, which were given by Robert de Bluntesdon, Canon of Salisbury: however in 1397, during the extravagant rule of Prior Virgo, when the number of canons at one point sank to only two, Richard II
deprived Ivychurch of these holdings and placed them in the care of the Exchequer. However it was restored, and with right of warren, and pasture for 700 sheep, this was in 1535 the richest part of the Ivychurch priory holdings.
During the Black Death
Ivychurch lost its Prior and twelve canons, leaving only one, who (since there could be no election) was therefore raised to Prior by Edward III. Impoverished under Prior Virgo, the priory recovered its fortunes during the fifteenth century; with prior, five canon priests and one novice, it was relatively prosperous and had some new buildings by 1536, when it was dissolved. The last prior was Richard Page, elected 1493, a friend of Lord and Lady Lisle. A full list of the priors and many details of their elections survive.
, in 1544, and the buildings came finally to Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
, who converted them into a private dwelling. Most of the priory buildings, including the early cloisters, stood until 1888 when they were pulled down. A carved chimney piece from the site was formerly in The Green Dragon pub in Alderbury, and a fountain exists made from some of the carved stonework from the priory.
The Ivychurch house came through the Earl of Pembroke to Mary Sidney Herbert
, the distinguished literary figure and patroness, sister of Sir Philip Sidney, and it is said that a large part of Sidney's Arcadia, called more fully The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, was written at Ivychurch. It also gives its name to The Countess of Pembroke's Yvychurch of Abraham Fraunce
. During the Civil War Ivychurch was held by the royalists.
Alderbury
Alderbury & Whaddon are two small adjacent villages three miles south-east of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England with a population of about 2,000. They are bypassed by the A36 road, which links them to Southampton and Salisbury.-External links:****...
, near Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
it became a private house and estate in the Herbert family.
Priory foundation
The Priory of Ivychurch, also called Monasterium Ederosum or 'Ederose' was claimed in 1274 to have been a royal foundation of King StephenStephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
's, based upon a small minster chapel dependent upon Alderbury church, either by Stephen's confirmation of the gift of the chapel to Salisbury in 1139 or by a subsequent endowment. The minster had a 12th century cloister, and became the priory church, which also served as the parish church for the inhabitants of Clarendon Forest
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
, in the environs of Clarendon Palace
Clarendon Palace
Clarendon Palace is a medieval ruin near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England.The palace was a royal residence during the Middle Ages, and was the location of the Assize of Clarendon which developed the Constitutions of Clarendon.-Roman Times:...
, throughout the mediæval period. After successive royal endowments (which are recorded down to the time of King Edward III) in 1473 the priory held 'at least 740 acres of pasture and wood' in the park and forest. The priory owned the manor of Whaddon in Alderbury and the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of the church, which were given by Robert de Bluntesdon, Canon of Salisbury: however in 1397, during the extravagant rule of Prior Virgo, when the number of canons at one point sank to only two, Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
deprived Ivychurch of these holdings and placed them in the care of the Exchequer. However it was restored, and with right of warren, and pasture for 700 sheep, this was in 1535 the richest part of the Ivychurch priory holdings.
During the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
Ivychurch lost its Prior and twelve canons, leaving only one, who (since there could be no election) was therefore raised to Prior by Edward III. Impoverished under Prior Virgo, the priory recovered its fortunes during the fifteenth century; with prior, five canon priests and one novice, it was relatively prosperous and had some new buildings by 1536, when it was dissolved. The last prior was Richard Page, elected 1493, a friend of Lord and Lady Lisle. A full list of the priors and many details of their elections survive.
Dissolution and after
In March 1537 Robert Seymour was granted a lease of 21 years on the priory, manors and lands, and this became a life grant in 1539. The reversion of these was purchased by John Barwicke, Wiltshire steward of the Earl of HertfordEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
, in 1544, and the buildings came finally to Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke KG was an English peer of the Elizabethan era.-Life:He was the son of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Anne Parr. His aunt was queen consort Catherine Parr, last wife of King Henry VIII. Herbert was responsible for the costly restoration of Cardiff Castle...
, who converted them into a private dwelling. Most of the priory buildings, including the early cloisters, stood until 1888 when they were pulled down. A carved chimney piece from the site was formerly in The Green Dragon pub in Alderbury, and a fountain exists made from some of the carved stonework from the priory.
The Ivychurch house came through the Earl of Pembroke to Mary Sidney Herbert
Mary Sidney
Mary Herbert , Countess of Pembroke , was one of the first English women to achieve a major reputation for her literary works, poetry, poetic translations and literary patronage.-Family:...
, the distinguished literary figure and patroness, sister of Sir Philip Sidney, and it is said that a large part of Sidney's Arcadia, called more fully The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, was written at Ivychurch. It also gives its name to The Countess of Pembroke's Yvychurch of Abraham Fraunce
Abraham Fraunce
Abraham Fraunce , was an English poet.-Life:A native of Shropshire, he was born between 1558 and 1560. His name appears in a list of pupils of Shrewsbury School in January 1571, and he joined St John's College, Cambridge, in 1576, becoming a fellow in 1580/1...
. During the Civil War Ivychurch was held by the royalists.