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 RELIGIOUS HOUSES William Boyden,^ reappointed 1420 John Hatfield, LL.D.^ elected 1425 Peter Waleys,' elected 1437 Abbots Stephen London,^ elected 1446 William Dyxwell alias Bukenham,' elected 1465 John Kertelyngge,^ elected 1471 John Shilgate/ elected 1508 Thomas Chandler,* elected 15 1 1 Thomas Chamberlain,^ elected 1 5 14 John Bransforth, D.D.,'" elected I 5 I 7 John Holt, bishop of Lydda,'' elected 1520 William Castleton,'^ elected 1526 Eligius Ferrers, D.D.," elected 1532 A fragment of the first twelfth-century seal {about 3 in. by 2 in.) shows the seated Virgin with Holy Child on left knee. Only the letters WIM remain of the legend.'^ The fine circular (2^ in.) fourteenth-century seal bears the seated Virgin and Holy Child, with cruciform nimbus, under an elaborate canopy. On each side is an angel on one knee censing; below there is the head and hand of an angel on each side upholding the platform of the throne. In the base is the half-length kneel- ing figure of the prior. Legend — SIG CLESIE . ET I CONVENTUS SC WYMUNDEHAM '* 8. THE PRIORY OF BINHAM Before the end of the eleventh century Peter de Valoines and Albreda his wife began the foundation of a priory or cell of Benedictine monks at Binham which was to be subordinate to the great abbey of St. Albans. Matthew Paris mentions the existence of this cell as an accomplished fact in the year 1093 ; ^^ but the foundation charter, with which the extant chartulary opens, is of the reign of Henry I, and probably of the year 1 104.^' ' Norw. Epis. Reg. viii, 61. ' Abp. Chicheley's Reg. ii, 225. ^ Norw, Epis. Reg. ix, 92. ' Norw. Epis. Reg. xi, 149. « Ibid, xi, 183. ' Ibid, viii, 98. ' Ibid, xiv, 60. ° Blomefield, Hut. of Nor/, x, 519. '» Ibid. " Ibid. " Ibid. " Ibid. '* Topog. Chron. 5. '* B.M. Ixix, 60 ; Dugdale, Mon. iii, 329 ; Ack. Supr. (P.R.O.), 126. '* Matt. Paris, Vita Abb. S. Albani, 1002. " Cott. MS. Claud D. XIII, is a substantial folio written in the first half of the fourteenth century. The more important charters have been transcribed in Dugdale, Mon. iii, 345-51, where there is also a The manner in which the priory of Binham, dedicated to the Honour of the Blessed Virgin, was to be subject to the abbey of St. Albans, whilst retaining a certain degree of independence, was exactly stipulated at the time of its founding. It was to pay yearly, on St. Alban's Day, a silver mark to the parent house ; the abbot was allowed to stay at the priory once a year for eight days, but no longer save at the request of the prior ; the visitor on such occasions was not to have more than thirteen horses in his train. There were to be not fewer than eight monks from St. Albans maintained at Binham, and the heirs or successors of the founders were to be the patrons of the cell. The original endowments of the priory, which had a completely independent monetary existence save for the small pension, comprised the manor of Binham, two-thirds of the tithes of Dersingham and Ingoldisthorpe, and the tithes of the manors of Ryburgh, Snar- ing Tofts, Testerton, Little Ryburgh, Wood Bailing, Saxlingham, Walsingham, Barney, Babingley, Appleton, and Pattesley. These gifts were confirmed by the son, grandson, and great grandson, of the founder, as well as by papal, episcopal, and regal charters. Henry I granted the monks a Wednesday market at Binham, together with a fair of four days beginning on the Vigil of the Annunciation, and free warren on all their lands. In May, 125 1, the priory obtained papal con- firmation of the gift of the church of Westley, in the diocese of Ely, to their own uses, notwith- standing the collation thereof by previous papal mandate to Henrigeitus, clerk of Genoa.'* The taxation of 1291 shows that Binham Priory held property, mainly spiritualities, in twenty-one Norfolk parishes, which was declared of the annual value of ;^i03 7;. 5:^'^., which value was maintained with little increase down to the date of the dissolution of the priory. In 1527, when John Albon was prior, a full return was made to Cardinal Wolsey of the condition of the priory from midsummer 1526 to mid- summer, 1527. The arrears from the last account were ^^31 4J. id. ; the receipts in money ;^II9 I2j. d.; pensions and portions of tithes ;^ 1 3 6j. 8(^. ; sales of wool, &c., /8 9J. id. ; court fees and church offerings, £(i 8f. od. Among the outgoings were ,^4, as stipend for the prior, and 40J. each for four monks ; these payments were probably intended in the main for clothing, of which there is no entry." The clear annual value of Binham synopsis of its contents. The rents and services of the tenants on the manors and lands of the priory are of much interest. The facts given above as to the endowments of the priory are all taken from this chartulary. " Cat. Papal Reg. i, 272 ; see also Matt. Paris. "Set forth in full in Dugdale, Mow. iii, 351-2, from Aug. Off. Books, 18 Hen. VIII. 343
 * Rfg. Whethamstede, 148-52.