Wallingford Priory facts for kids
Wallingford Priory was an old religious building in Wallingford, England. It was a special type of monastery called a Benedictine priory. Monks lived and prayed there, dedicating it to the Holy Trinity.
Today, nothing remains of the priory. Experts believe it once stood where the Bullcroft recreation ground is now, near the High Street.
Contents
The Priory's Beginnings
This Benedictine priory was started in 1097. King Henry I gave the land to St Albans Abbey. Later, a person named Geoffrey the Chamberlain also gave the priory to St Albans.
Paul, who was the 14th Abbot of St Albans, sent some of his monks to Wallingford. Their job was to set up a small religious community, sometimes called a "cell." This is how Wallingford Priory began.
Important People from the Priory
Many important monks started their religious journeys at Wallingford Priory. Some of them later became abbots (leaders) at the much larger St Albans Abbey. These included:
- John of Wallingford
- Richard of Wallingford
- William de Kirkeby
- William of Wallingford
Another notable person was William Binham. He was the prior (leader) of Wallingford Priory in the late 1300s. William Binham was a theologist, meaning he studied religious beliefs. He disagreed with the ideas of John Wycliff, who was once his friend and colleague at Oxford. Their disagreements were mainly about the role of the papacy (the Pope's authority).
Why the Priory Closed
Wallingford Priory was closed down in 1525. This was done by a very powerful church leader named Cardinal Wolsey. He was a key advisor to King Henry VIII.
Cardinal Wolsey closed many smaller monasteries. He used their money and resources to help fund new projects. In the case of Wallingford Priory, its closure helped pay for the building of Cardinal College in Oxford. This college later became known as Christ Church.
What We Know Today
Even though the priory is gone, we have found some clues about it. In 1983, during construction work at 56 High Street, workers found some burials. These were bodies placed in special graves made of chalk.
Experts believe these graves were part of the priory's cemetery. This discovery helps us understand more about where the priory was located and the people who lived and were buried there.
