Marwell College facts for kids

Marwell College was a special kind of religious community in Marwell Park, Owslebury, Hampshire, England. It was a home for a group of priests who lived and prayed together.

Sometimes, Marwell was spelled Merwell or Merewell.

What Was Marwell College?

Marwell College was not like a modern university. Instead, it was a place where a group of priests, called "secular priests," lived together. They followed certain rules and spent their days in prayer and religious service.

How Marwell College Started

Founding by Bishop Henry of Blois

Marwell College was first started by a powerful church leader named Bishop Henry of Blois. He was a bishop from 1129 to 1171. Bishop Henry built a church or chapel in Marwell Park. This church was dedicated to several important saints, including St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent, and St. Quintin.

Right next to the church, houses and other buildings were built for four priests. Their main job was to pray constantly for the King of England, the Bishops of Winchester, and other people who supported the church. Bishop Henry gave the college money from land he owned in Twyford. This money helped pay the priests and buy things needed for the church, like decorations and lights.

New Rules from Bishop Peter des Roches

In 1226, another bishop, Peter des Roches, added more to the college. He brought in a "deacon," who is a church helper, to join the group. He also arranged for the college to receive food, like grain and hay, every year from the church leader in Bishopstoke.

Bishop Peter also created clear rules for how the priests should live and work together. These rules helped them act as a team:

• Every year, the four priests would choose one of them to be their leader, called a "prior." Everyone had to obey the prior.
• Priests could not miss their daily prayers or common meals without the prior's permission.
• They could not be away from the college for more than eight days without the prior's special permission. If they wanted to be away longer, they needed the bishop's approval.
• If a priest did something seriously wrong, they would be removed from the college.
• They had to wear special white robes (surplices) and black cloaks (copes) during church services.
• They followed specific church practices from morning prayers (mattins) to evening prayers (compline).
• Part of their money was for clothes, and the rest was used for things the whole group needed, decided by the prior and the other priests.

Changes Over Time

Growth and Decline

Bishop Henry Woodlock, who was born at Marwell and served from 1305 to 1316, also gave more property to the college. However, over time, the money the college received was not enough. Prices for goods and services went up, but the college's income did not keep pace.

By 1535, the college was much smaller. It was then called a "chantry," which is a place where priests pray for specific people. At this point, it could only support two priests instead of the original four.

The End of Marwell College

Eventually, Marwell College was closed down. This happened during a time when many religious institutions in England were being shut. The college, along with the bishop's estate and manor house at Marwell, became the property of Sir Henry Seymour.