Prebends of Southwell facts for kids
The Prebends of Southwell were special jobs held by important church leaders called Prebendaries or Canons at Southwell Minster, a large church in England. These jobs came with land and money to support the church leaders.
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History of the Prebends
The Prebends of Southwell started way back in the 11th century, which is over 900 years ago! By the year 1291, there were sixteen of these special jobs.
In 1540, the prebends and the Minster church were closed down. But don't worry, they didn't stay closed for long! In 1543, a special law was passed by Parliament to bring them back.
Later, under King Edward VI, the church leaders who held these jobs were given pensions (like a retirement payment), and their lands were sold. The Minster church itself continued to be used by local people for their services.
In 1557, under Queen Mary I, the Minster and its prebends were brought back again. A new set of rules was made by Queen Elizabeth I in 1585, and these rules guided the church until 1841.
Eventually, a group called the Ecclesiastical Commissioners decided to close down the system of prebends. As each church leader passed away, their prebend job ended. The very last prebend ended on February 12, 1873, when Reverend Thomas Henry Shepherd, who was the prebendary of Beckingham, died.
Today, the Prebends of Southwell are mostly remembered by the old houses where the prebendaries used to live. Ten of these houses are still standing in the town, and most of them are now private homes.
There were sixteen Prebends of Southwell in total. Here are some of the most well-known ones:
Sacrista Prebend
This prebend was also known as the Sacrists Prebend. The money for this job came from lands in Southwell and Bleasby, and a small part of the offerings given at Pentecost (a Christian festival).
The old house for this prebend was once used as the headmaster's house for Southwell Minster School. The front part of the house was built between 1774 and 1798. It included parts of an even older house at the back. Today, it's a special place for quiet reflection, run by the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. It's also a "Grade II listed" building, which means it's an important historical building.
The Prebend of Normanton
The money for this prebend came from lands in Normanton and Southwell.
The old house for the Normanton prebend was built around 1766 for a person named Margaretta Tibson. It probably used parts of a house from the early 1700s. This house is also a Grade II listed building.
The Prebend of North Muskham
The money for this prebend came from lands in North Muskham, Holme, and Bathley. It also received money from the tithes (a portion of crops or income given to the church) of the parish of Caunton.
The Prebendal House here is now called Kirkland House. It's a Grade II listed building. It was built around 1810 for the Falkner family. It likely included parts of a house from the 1700s in its back section.
The Prebend of Oxton
This prebend was also known as Oxton I. The money for this job came from lands in Oxton, Calverton, and Cropwell Bishop. It also received half of the tithes from the parishes of Oxton and Blidworth.
The Prebend of South Muskham
The money for this prebend came from lands and tithes in South Muskham.
The old house for the South Muskham prebend dates back to the mid-1400s! It was updated in the early 1700s and again around 1800. A new part was added to the back in 1954. It used to be a home for older people, but now it has been turned into private apartments. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Prebend of Rampton
The money for this prebend came from land and tithes in Rampton.
The old house for this prebend dates from the early 1600s. It was changed in the late 1700s and had more parts added in the late 1800s. It is also a Grade II listed building.
Other Prebends
Besides those mentioned above, there were several other important prebends that supported the work of Southwell Minster. These included:
- The Prebend of Norwell Overhall (also called Norwell I)
- The Prebend of Norwell Palishall (Norwell II)
- The Prebend of Norwell Third Part (Norwell III)
- The Prebend of Woodborough
- The Prebend of Oxton and Crophyll (Oxton II)
- The Prebend of Dunham
- The Prebend of Beckingham, which was founded between 1120 and 1135 by Thurstan, the Archbishop of York. A part of this prebend, called North Leverton, became its own separate prebend in 1291.
- The Prebend of Halloughton, founded around 1160.
- The Prebend of Eton (also known as Eaton or Idleton)
- The Prebend of North Leverton
All these prebends helped to support the religious life and activities at Southwell Minster for many centuries.
