Charters of St. Bartholomew's Priory, SudburyRichard Mortimer Original documents relating to minor foundation illustrate lower levels of local society and government of the town.The Benedictine priory of St Bartholomew outside Sudbury was a cell of Westminster Abbey founded in the reign of Henry I by Wulfric the moneyer. Although a small and poorly-endowed establishment, it has nevertheless, and unusually, left over 130 original documents in the muniments at Westminster, enabling this volume in the Suffolk Charters series to be the first to be devoted to a group of original documents rather than medieval transcriptions. Dating mostly from the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, the collection illustrates the lower levels of local society and the government of the town, providing a wealth of evidence for trades and occupations, place names and personal names in the Sudbury area, including the earliest known reeves and mayors of Sudbury. Of particular interest are a late-fourteenth century inventory of the priory which brings alive the physical surroundings of the monks, and the quantities of seals attached to the charters, including an unusual number of women's seals. RICHARD MORTIMERhas been Keeper of the Muniments, Westminster Abbey, since 1986; he has edited four previous volumes in the Suffolk Charters series.monks, and the quantities of seals attached to the charters, including an unusual number of women's seals. RICHARD MORTIMERhas been Keeper of the Muniments, Westminster Abbey, since 1986; he has edited four previous volumes in the Suffolk Charters series.monks, and the quantities of seals attached to the charters, including an unusual number of women's seals. RICHARD MORTIMERhas been Keeper of the Muniments, Westminster Abbey, since 1986; he has edited four previous volumes in the Suffolk Charters series.monks, and the quantities of seals attached to the charters, including an unusual number of women's seals. RICHARD MORTIMERhas been Keeper of the Muniments, Westminster Abbey, since 1986; he has edited four previous volumes in the Suffolk Charters series. |
Common terms and phrases
abbey abbot and convent abutting acres arable land autem Bermondsey Boydin Bury St Edmunds carta mea confirmaui charters Chedburgh Cheluestun clerico convent of Westminster Date dedi Domino ecclesie Sancti Bartholomei Edwardstone Endorsed filii filius frumenti futuri quod ego Galfrido gersuma Gilbert Given at Sudbury Grant hac presenti carta heirs heredes mei heredibus meis Hiis testibus Holgate Hugone ibidem deo seruientibus iuxta Johanne John Kedington late 13th cent Late thirteenth century Long Melford meadow Melford Merild Michaelmas monachis ibidem deo monks multis aliis Nicholas Ording omnes omnibus Ording was dead Pascha perpetuum pertinenciis precentor presentes et futuri presenti carta mea priory's Quitclaim Richard Rogero Sciant presentes scutage Seal on tag seal tag Simon Simon of Sudbury Slits for seal St Bartholomew's priory St Gregory's Stoke by Clare Sturemere Suberia Suffolk terram Thebaud Thoma Thorpe Morieux tithes tricesimo Wafre Walter Warin warranty Westminster abbey Willelmo filio Rogeri yearly rent