Christabel Cowper facts for kids

Christabel Cowper (born around 1495 – died 1562) was an English Benedictine nun. She was the last prioress, or leader, of Marrick Priory. This was before a big change in England called the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many religious houses were closed down.

Christabel's Life

Christabel Cowper was born around the year 1495. Her brother, Edward, was born in Kirkbymoorside in North Yorkshire. He later became a bishop. Christabel also had other siblings named John, Isabel, and Elizabeth.

We first learn about Christabel in 1529. By this time, she was already the prioress of Marrick Priory. This meant she was in charge of the group of nuns living there. The prioress before her was Christina Metcalf.

The King's Changes

In 1536, Marrick Priory came to the attention of King Henry VIII's officials. This was part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The King wanted to close down many monasteries and convents across England.

The officials were allowed to close smaller religious houses. They looked at how much money each house made. They also checked if the people living there were behaving well. Marrick Priory was not making much money, less than £200 a year. However, the officials noted that Christabel's nuns were well-behaved. They also saw that the priory spent a lot of its money helping people in need.

Even though many places were closed, some small ones were allowed to stay open at first. But this was only for a short time.

Preparing for Closure

Christabel Cowper understood that her priory would likely be closed. She even tried to rent out the property before the officials arrived. The priory was given three more years before it had to close. During this time, Christabel worked hard. She rented out parts of the priory's land to others.

On September 15, 1539, Christabel officially handed over the priory to the King's officials. Her sixteen nuns had to leave Marrick Priory. This was part of the widespread closure of monasteries. Christabel received a pension of 100 shillings each year. The other nuns also received smaller amounts of money, down to 20 shillings.

Later Years and Legacy

After the priory closed, the King leased the property to Sir John Uvedale. Sir John later bought it in 1545 for £364. Christabel Cowper died in 1562.

Sir John Uvedale sold the priory in 1592. It was then sold again in 1633. The church building at Marrick Priory continued to be used by local people for worship until 1948. After that, it was used as a farm building for a while. Today, it is a grade II* listed building, which means it is an important historical building.