St. Catherine's Priory, Lincoln facts for kids
 Location in Lincolnshire
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Gilbertine |
| Established | Mid 12th Cent |
| Disestablished | 14 July 1538 |
| Mother house | Sempringham Priory |
| Diocese | Lincoln |
| Controlled churches | • Saint Wilfred's, Alford with Rigsby Chapel
• All Saints, Bracebridge • All Saints, Canwick (A Prebend) • Saint Michael and All Angels, Hackthorn • All Saints, Harmston • All Saints, Friskney • Saint Margaret's, Marton • Mere • St Mary Magdalene, Newark-on-Trent • The chapel in Newark Castle • Saint Peter's Newton on Trent • Saint Peter's, Norton Disney • Saxby • All Saints, Stapleford |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Saint Gilbert of Sempringham, Bishop Robert de Chesney |
| Architecture | |
| Functional Status | defunct |
| Site | |
| Location | St Catherine's Lincoln, U.K. |
| Coordinates | 53°12′46″N 0°32′49″W / 53.2129°N 0.5470°W |
| Visible remains | No remains |
| Public access | Public access to all roads in Saint Catherine's that have been built over the site and to The Parish Church of Saint Katherine built over the site of the Priory Church |
St. Katherine's Priory, also known as The Priory of Saint Katherine without Lincoln, was an important religious house. It was run by a group of monks called Gilbertine Canons. The priory was located just outside the city walls of Lincoln, in England. It was special because it also included a hospital called St. Sepulchre's. This hospital was likely the first one in the city.
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History of St. Katherine's Priory
The priory was founded not long after 1148. This was when St Gilbert's religious order was approved. Robert de Chesney, who was a bishop, invited the Gilbertine Canons to Lincoln. They followed the Rule of Saint Augustine, which was a set of rules for their daily lives.
The priory and its church came with the Hospital of Saint Sepulchre. This hospital had been started by Bishop Robert Bloet between 1093 and 1123. The community was mostly made up of about 16 male Canons. However, there were also some female lay sisters. They helped with medical care in the hospital.
Daily Life at the Priory
The priory was dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She was an important figure from the 4th century. She is known as the patron saint of learning and those who are dying. The main leaders at the priory included the prior, the sub-prior, and the sacrist.
The Canons had many duties. They sang eight daily services and a main Mass in the priory church. They also looked after many other churches in nearby towns and villages. For example, they cared for churches in Newark-on-Trent, Alford, and Bracebridge. Often, they hired other clergy to help with these churches.
A big part of their time was spent helping the sick. They would listen to confessions and give Last Rites to people who were dying. They also prayed for everyone in the community. In 1291, Pope Nicholas IV offered a special spiritual Indulgence. This meant people could receive forgiveness for sins if they visited the priory on certain feast days.
How the Priory Was Supported
Besides their religious and medical work, the priory also owned a lot of farmland. In 1285, they built a windmill. In 1306, they built an aqueduct to bring water. By 1535, they had farms and lands in many places. These included Belchford, Harmston, and Stapleford.
They also earned money from the churches they looked after. Their main product from their lands was wool. They produced about 35 sacks of wool each year in the 1300s. Even though they had a good income, the hospital's costs were very high. To help with this, the priory could send people out to collect donations. Bishop John Dalderby also offered an Indulgence for donations to the hospital.
What Happened to the Priory?
The priory was closed down on July 14, 1538. This happened during a time called the English Reformation. The thirteen Canons who lived there were given pensions, which were like retirement payments. However, the lay sisters who helped in the hospital did not receive anything.
Today, the site where the priory church once stood is now home to the local parish church for the St Catherine's area of Lincoln.
Queen Eleanor's Visit
On December 2, 1290, something very important happened at the priory. The body of Queen Eleanor of Castile rested there overnight. She was the wife of King Edward the First. This was the first stop on her twelve-day journey to Westminster Abbey.
The next year, King Edward built special crosses to remember his wife. He placed them at each location where her body had rested. One of these crosses was built outside the gate of St. Katherine's Priory. Queen Eleanor's internal organs were buried at Lincoln Cathedral. It is thought that the embalming process, which preserves a body, happened at the priory. This was because the St. Sepulchre's hospital had skilled medical staff.
