St Frideswide's Priory facts for kids
St Frideswide's Priory was a special kind of monastery in Oxford. It was started in 1122 by a group of religious men called Augustinian canons regular. These canons were like priests who lived together under strict rules. Gwymund, who was a chaplain (a kind of religious advisor) to King Henry I of England, helped set up this priory. Two famous leaders of the priory were writers named Robert of Cricklade and Philip of Oxford.
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The Priory's Beginnings
The story of St Frideswide's Priory goes back even further. It started with a woman named Frideswide. She was the daughter of a local ruler in the 600s. His name was Dida of Eynsham. When Frideswide's mother died, her father helped her build a monastery. This first monastery was for nuns, and Frideswide became its first leader.
Sadly, this original nunnery was destroyed in 1002. This happened during a terrible event known as the St. Brice's Day massacre. The king later rebuilt the church. He then put secular canons (priests who didn't live under strict monastic rules) there.
How the Augustinians Took Over
King Henry I later gave this church and its lands to Gwymund. In 1122, Gwymund brought in the Augustinian canons. They were a religious order that followed the rules of St. Augustine.
One of the priory's early leaders was Robert of Cricklade. He wrote a book about miracles. These miracles were believed to have happened because of Thomas à Becket.
Over time, the priory had special rights. For example, it held a big fair for six days each year. But in 1336, the people of Oxford made the priory give up some of these special rights. A kind noblewoman named Baroness Montagu also gave a lot of money to St Frideswide's.
A New College is Born
In 1524, a powerful church leader named Cardinal Wolsey closed down St Frideswide's Priory. He also closed other smaller monasteries. Wolsey used the money from these closures to build a brand new college. This college was called Cardinal College. It was built right where the priory used to stand.
However, Cardinal Wolsey lost his power in 1530. King Henry VIII then took over the new college. He changed its name to Christ Church.
The Church Becomes a Cathedral
To make space for the main part of the new college, some of the old church was taken down. Five sections of the church's main hall were removed. The king had planned to tear down the rest of the church too. He wanted to build a new chapel for the college.
But this never happened. The part of the church that was left became two things at once. It served as the chapel for the new Christ Church college. It also became the cathedral for the new Diocese of Oxford. This new diocese was created by King Henry VIII.
Important People Buried Here
Many people were buried at St Frideswide's Priory over the years. Some of them include:
- Frithuswith
- Lady Elizabeth Montacute
- William Orchard (architect)
- Edward Pococke
