St James Priory, Exeter facts for kids
St James Priory, Exeter was a special religious building, like a small monastery, located in Devon, England. It was in an area now known as Heavitree, a part of the city of Exeter. This land was once a "Feudal Manor," which means it was a large estate owned by a lord in the past.
The land of St James Priory was measured using an old system called a "carucate." A carucate was a way to estimate land for taxes, based on how much land a team of eight oxen could farm in one season. This was usually thought to be about 120 acres. However, the actual size of the land was often different from this estimate.
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History of St James Priory
Founding the Priory
St James Priory was started in 1146 by Baldwin de Redvers. He was the 1st Earl of Devon and was related to the powerful Dukes of Normandy. The priory was a "cell," which means it was a smaller branch of a larger Cluniac monastery. This main monastery was called St Martin-des-Champs and was located near Paris, France.
Baldwin's son, Richard, later inherited the title of Earl. Richard married Dionysia, who was the daughter of Reginald de Dunstanville. Reginald was an illegitimate son of King Henry I. Richard and Dionysia had two sons who also became Earls later on.
Changing Ownership
For many years, between 1284 and 1431, the head of St James Priory was in charge of the land. This was a special arrangement called "Lordship in alms." It meant the land was held as a gift, often for religious reasons, instead of being rented. This land was part of the Barony of Plympton. The Barony was controlled by the Earls of Devon, who were the sons of Richard I, King of England and Duke of Normandy.
After 1431, the control of the land stayed with the Earldom of Devon. This continued until the time of Henry VI, who was King of England.
Royal Grant to King's College
In 1444, King Henry VI made an important decision. He gave the control of the St James Priory land to King's College, Cambridge. King Henry VI had founded King's College just a few years earlier, in 1441.
King's College kept possession of the land connected to St James Priory for a very long time. They owned it until 1992.
