Castle Hedingham Priory facts for kids
Hedingham Priory was a special kind of nunnery for Benedictine nuns in Castle Hedingham, Essex, England. It was started around 1190 by a powerful noble named Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, possibly with his wife, Agnes of Essex. This priory was dedicated to important religious figures: the Virgin Mary, St. James, and the Holy Cross.
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The History of Hedingham Priory
Who Started Hedingham Priory?
The first leader of the nuns at Hedingham Priory was a woman named Lucy (or Lucia). In an old record from the 1200s, she was even called the "foundress" of the priory. This made people wonder if she was related to the Vere family or the founder's wife.
What Happened to the Priory in the 1190s?
Sadly, in late 1190 or early 1191, the priory was attacked and burned by men working for the founder's son. As a punishment, the king made Aubrey IV pay a large fine of 100 "marcs" (an old type of money). To make up for the damage, Aubrey IV gave more land and property to the priory in February 1191.
How Big Was Hedingham Priory?
Hedingham Priory was a small place. It was one of only 16 nunneries built just for women in southern England between 1165 and 1215.
When Did Hedingham Priory Close?
By 1535, when many monasteries were being closed down in England (a time called the "dissolution"), Hedingham Priory was not very wealthy. It was valued at only about £29. It owned a little over 250 acres (about 1 square kilometer) of land spread out in small pieces across 23 different areas. It also owned two churches and had the right to choose priests for three other churches (this right was called an advowson).
In 1536, the king gave the priory and all its belongings to John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford. Sadly, most of the priory's important records, like a "cartulary" (a book of all its land deeds and agreements), have been lost. Only a few individual "charters" (official documents) still exist today.
