Winchester Cathedral Priory
Encyclopedia
Winchester Cathedral Priory was a cathedral
monastery
attached to Winchester Cathedral
, providing the clergy for the church. Cenwealh son of Cynegils is credited with constructing the Old Minster
of Winchester
in the 640s, and a new bishopric was created in the 660s with Wine
as the first bishop. Although attacked by the Vikings in 860 and 879, the monastery survived and recovered.
In 964, during the episcopate of Bishop Æthelwold
, the Minster's secular priests were replaced by Benedictine monks from Abingdon Abbey
, establishing the cathedral priory. Originally intended for 70 monks, it dropped to 62 monks in 1262, and to 29 in 1495, recovering slightly in the following century, with either 33 or 45 monks when the monastery was dissolved on 15 November 1539.
The priory controlled the Sister Hospital at Winchester, and maintained a school.
The house was originally dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and Saint Peter and Saint Paul. A dedication to Saint Swithun, a 9th-century bishop, was added later.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
attached to Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe...
, providing the clergy for the church. Cenwealh son of Cynegils is credited with constructing the Old Minster
Old Minster, Winchester
The Old Minster was the Anglo-Saxon cathedral for the diocese of Wessex and then Winchester from 660 to 1093. It stood on a site immediately north of and partially beneath its successor, Winchester Cathedral....
of Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in the 640s, and a new bishopric was created in the 660s with Wine
Wine (bishop)
Wine was a medieval Bishop of London and the first Bishop of Winchester.Wine was consecrated the first bishop of Winchester in 660 and possibly translated to Dorchester around 663...
as the first bishop. Although attacked by the Vikings in 860 and 879, the monastery survived and recovered.
In 964, during the episcopate of Bishop Æthelwold
Æthelwold of Winchester
Æthelwold of Winchester , was Bishop of Winchester from 963 to 984 and one of the leaders of the tenth century monastic reform movement in Anglo-Saxon England....
, the Minster's secular priests were replaced by Benedictine monks from Abingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery also known as St Mary's Abbey located in Abingdon, historically in the county of Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
, establishing the cathedral priory. Originally intended for 70 monks, it dropped to 62 monks in 1262, and to 29 in 1495, recovering slightly in the following century, with either 33 or 45 monks when the monastery was dissolved on 15 November 1539.
The priory controlled the Sister Hospital at Winchester, and maintained a school.
The house was originally dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and Saint Peter and Saint Paul. A dedication to Saint Swithun, a 9th-century bishop, was added later.