Holywell Priory facts for kids
Holywell Priory was an important religious building for women in Shoreditch, London. It was also known as Haliwell, Halliwell, or Halywell. Its full name was the Priory of St John the Baptist.
The Priory was located on Holywell Lane. It stood in an area now surrounded by Batemans Row, Shoreditch High Street, Haliwell Lane, and Curtain Road.
Contents
Starting the Priory
Holywell Priory was a home for Augustinian nuns. These were women who dedicated their lives to God and followed the rules of St. Augustine. It was built in the 1100s by Robert FitzGeneran. He was an important church official at St. Paul's Cathedral. Robert gave the nuns three acres of land where the Holywell spring began.
Over the years, the priory received gifts. In 1239, King Henry III gave the nuns 300 candles. In 1244, he also gave money to rebuild mills that had burned down. Later, in 1318, King Edward II gave them six oak trees from the forest of Essex.
However, the kings didn't always give much support. The priory didn't get many big gifts until the time of King Henry VII. Then, a very important person named Sir Thomas Lovell helped a lot. He was the King's money manager. Sir Thomas Lovell basically rebuilt the priory. He added many new buildings, including a chapel where he was buried in 1524.
Life at the Priory
The number of nuns living at Holywell Priory changed over time. In 1379, there were eleven nuns. In 1472, when a new leader (Prioress) was chosen, there were seven nuns and ten novices. Novices were women who were still learning about life as a nun. In 1534, when the last Prioress was chosen, there were 13 nuns and 4 novices.
Besides the nuns, there were also paid workers and lay brothers. Lay brothers were men who lived a religious life but were not priests. In 1314, there was a complaint about two brothers taking things from the priory. We know one brother's name was Peter. His father gave money to the priory for his son in 1275.
Leaders of the Priory (Prioresses)
The Prioress was the head nun who led the priory. Here is a list of some of the known Prioresses of Holywell Priory:
- Magdalena (around 1185 or 1210)
- Clementia (1193-1204)
- Maud (1224)
- Agnes (1239-1240)
- Juliana or Gillian (1248-1261)
- Benigna (during the reign of Henry III)
- Isabel (1261)
- Christina or Christine of Kent (1269-1284)
- Alice (1293)
- Christine (1314)
- Albreda or Aubrey (around 1320)
- Lucy of Colney (1328-1330)
- Mary of Stortford (1330-1334)
- Theophania (1335-1336)
- Elizabeth Montacute (1337-1357)
- Ellen or Elena Gosham (1362-1363)
- Isabella Norton (1387-1392)
- Edith Griffith (1400-1409)
- Elizabeth Arundel (1428-1432)
- Clementia or Clemence Freeman (1432-1444)
- Joan Sevenok or Sevenoak (1462-1472)
- Elizabeth Prudde (1472-1474)
- Joan Lynde (1515-1534)
- Sybil Newdigate (1534-1539), the very last Prioress.
Prioress Elizabeth Montacute
Elizabeth Montacute was a Prioress at Holywell from about 1340 to 1357. She came from a very important family. Her brother, William, was a close friend of King Edward III. Another brother, Simon, became a Bishop.
When Elizabeth first became a nun, she didn't have her own money. So, a church in Westminster agreed to pay Holywell Priory money each year for her food and clothes. This was because her family, especially her brother Simon, had been very generous to that church. Elizabeth was allowed to use this money herself.
Later, as Prioress, Elizabeth was involved in a strange event. In 1357, she complained to King Edward III that some men had broken into the Priory. They took a young woman named Joan, who had been left in the Prioress's care. Elizabeth had promised to keep Joan safe and unmarried. It seems the men forced Joan into a marriage, possibly to gain money or power. This was the last time Elizabeth Montacute is mentioned in historical records.
Prioress Elizabeth Prudde and Alice Hampton
We know some interesting details about the priory from an agreement made in 1492. This was between Prioress Elizabeth Prudde and a rich woman named Alice Hampton. Alice was a "vowess," meaning she had taken a religious vow but lived outside the priory. She was very wealthy and had a lot of influence in London.
Alice paid the prioress a yearly fee. In return, she could use the priory's well and washing areas. She also made changes to her living space. She arranged for her rooms to have a view of the church altar. She even had a locked entrance to her own garden and a special seat in the Lady Chapel. Her rooms were quite small, just over 18 feet by 10 feet.
The Last Prioress, Sybil Newdigate
The last Prioress of Holywell was Dame Sybil Newdigate. She was born in 1509 and was the youngest of 14 children. Her family was well-known.
Sybil had an older brother named Sebastian. He was close to King Henry VIII when he was young. However, Sebastian later became a monk. He disagreed with King Henry VIII's decision to become the head of the English church. Because of this, Sebastian was arrested in 1535. He was visited by the King but refused to change his mind. He was later put to death for not accepting the King's new role. Sebastian is remembered as a martyr for his faith.
Five years after the priory closed, Sybil was mentioned in her brother George's will in 1544. He left her money each year. If his wife died, Sybil would manage his children's inheritance. Sybil was still alive in 1549.
The Priory Closes Down
Holywell Priory officially closed on October 10, 1539. This was part of a big event called the Dissolution. During this time, King Henry VIII closed down many religious houses across England.
When Holywell Priory closed, there were 14 nuns, including the Prioress and Subprioress. Prioress Sybil Newdigate received a yearly payment of £50. The Subprioress and the other twelve nuns also received smaller yearly payments, called pensions. Sixteen years later, in 1556, six of these nuns were still receiving their pensions.
What Happened to the Buildings?
When the priory closed, it had a big impact on the local area. The priory grounds covered about eight acres. Soon after it closed, people started trying to buy the buildings.
In 1544, the part of the priory where the nuns lived was sold to Henry Webb. He was an important helper to Queen Catherine Parr. The property included the main hall, kitchens, many other rooms, barns, stables, workshops, and gardens. The priory chapel was quickly torn down.
After Henry Webb died, the property was sold several times. For a while, people called the remains of the priory "King John's Palace." But by the late 1700s, there was very little left to see of the original buildings.
A Link to Shakespeare
In 1576, a man named James Burbage leased land that used to belong to Holywell Priory. James Burbage was an actor and a businessman. He built a famous theater there called The Theatre. This was one of the first buildings in London made just for plays since Roman times!
Many famous acting groups performed at The Theatre. From 1594 to 1597, The Lord Chamberlain's Men performed there. This was the acting company that Shakespeare wrote for and acted with for most of his career. Some of Shakespeare's early plays were first performed at The Theatre.
Later, there was a disagreement about the land lease. So, James Burbage's son, Cuthbert, decided to move the theater. In December 1598, he hired people to take The Theatre apart. They moved the wood and other materials across the River Thames to Bankside in Southwark. There, they used the salvaged parts to build a new theater, which became the famous The Globe. It was ready for plays by September of the next year.
