Wombridge Priory facts for kids
Wombridge Priory was a small Augustinian monastery located in Shropshire, England. It was started in the early 12th century. The priory was supported by local wealthy families and was never a very large community. Even though it managed its money well, it was closed down in 1536. This happened because of a law called the Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535, which led to the dissolving of many religious houses in England.
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Who Started Wombridge Priory?
For a long time, people thought that William FitzAlan founded Wombridge Priory. He was a powerful landowner in Shropshire. However, we now know that the priory was actually founded by or for William of Hadley. He was a less powerful landowner who worked for William FitzAlan.
William of Hadley and his wife, Seburga, gave the first lands to the priory around 1136. Their son, Alan of Hadley, was also involved. These lands included the spot where the priory was built in Hadley Wood. William FitzAlan approved this gift, but he was not the actual founder. The priory was meant for Augustinian Canons, who are a type of religious community.
Where Was Wombridge Priory Located?
The old documents describe the priory's location like this:
| locum illum in silva de Hedlega qui ex uno latere rivulo uno terminatur qui silvam de Hedlega et silvam Regis discriminat secundo vero latere, alio rivulo finitur qui dicitur Sprungewallabroc, tercioque latere sui terminum facit Watlingestret. | “That place in Hadley Wood, defined on one side by a stream that divides Hadley Wood and the king's wood, on the second side by a stream called Springwell Brook, and with the third side reaching its limit at Watling Street.” |
The priory was built in a clear area within Hadley Wood. It was less than one kilometer north of Watling Street, an ancient Roman road. A stream separated it from the king's forest, which was known as Wrekin.
Over time, the village of Wombridge grew up next to the priory. Later, during the Industrial Revolution, the nearby town of Oakengates grew much larger and took over Wombridge. Today, the priory site is where the Church of St Mary and St Leonard stands in Telford.
What Was the Priory Dedicated To?
Wombridge Priory was dedicated to Saint Leonard. The priory's seal from the early 13th century showed St Leonard holding a pastoral staff (a symbol for a bishop) and a book. St Leonard became very popular in the 12th century. This was after Bohemond I of Antioch, a crusader who had been captured, believed the saint helped him get released.
How Did the Priory Get Money and Land?
Wombridge Priory slowly built up a collection of properties, mostly in its first 100 years. The people who gave gifts were usually middle-ranking landowners. They included vassals (people who held land from a lord) of the FitzAlan family and newly wealthy landowners.
The Hadley family, who founded the priory, continued to give gifts. Alan, William of Hadley's son, gave land and a part of his tithes (a tenth of his income). His brother, William of Ercall, also gave land that became a monastic grange (a farm run by the monastery) called Shirlowe.
Even after the Hadley family's direct link to the priory weakened, gifts kept coming. King Henry II had given some lands to new tenants who helped him in his wars in Wales. These new landowners often showed their thanks by giving to the priory. For example, Roger Mussun, a horse trader for the king, gave the priory the right to appoint the priest and collect tithes from the chapel at Uppington. He also gave a large area of woodland.
The Dunstanville family from Shifnal also gave many gifts. Alan Dunstanville gave land at Lee, which later became known as Priorslee. His nephew, Walter, inherited the family lands and gave even more. He wanted to be buried at Wombridge Priory if he died in England. He also gave two mills to the priory, with the money from them supporting a special prayer service (a chantry) for his soul and his wife's.
Another important gift came from Alexander of Loppington, who gave the priory the right to appoint the priest for the church at Loppington. Many middle-ranking landowners, who were friends of the Hadleys, helped make sure the priory had enough money. These gifts often allowed families to have their own special prayer services at the priory, which they might not have been able to afford at larger abbeys.
Official Documents and Support
The priory's existence and its land holdings were confirmed by many official documents called charters. These were collected in a book called a cartulary in the 15th century.
The most important royal charter was given by King Henry II around 1181. It confirmed that the priory was dedicated to St Leonard and recognized many of its early land grants. Later, King Edward II issued a very detailed charter in 1319, confirming all the priory's properties and benefactors.
The first official recognition from the Pope came in 1187 from Pope Urban III. This document placed the priory under papal protection and confirmed it would follow the Augustinian Rule. It also gave the canons the right to bury people at the priory and continue worship even during times of interdict (when church services were forbidden).
Life at the Priory
Wombridge was always a small monastery. In its last two centuries, it usually had no more than four canons (monks) and a prior (the head of the monastery). The priory buildings were damaged by fire in 1232, and King Henry III ordered that the canons be given wood to repair their church.
The canons were very protective of their right to choose their own prior freely. In 1248, Roger Corbet, a patron of the priory, tried to claim some rights over the election of the prior. However, they agreed that the patron would only have a ceremonial role, not interfere with the election or take the priory's money during a vacancy.
The canons usually lived at the priory itself. This was good because their main farms were close by. They only served as priests elsewhere during difficult times, like the Black Death in the mid-14th century.
Sometimes, bishops praised the quality of life at Wombridge. Bishop Alexander de Stavenby mentioned the canons' "praiseworthy conversation" and "poverty." However, bishops' visits also sometimes led to complaints. Around 1315, Bishop Walter Langton told Prior Philip not to sell "corrodies" (payments in goods or services for life) without permission. He also ordered that a canon who was acting as a lawyer be called back to the priory.
Despite these small issues, the priory was generally well-managed and financially stable. It never faced the serious money problems that some other monasteries in the area did. In 1519, Prior Thomas Forster was even able to lend money to another abbey.
The End of the Priory
In 1535, a survey called the Valor Ecclesiasticus valued Wombridge Priory at £72 15s. 8d. This amount was below the £200 threshold set by King Henry VIII for monasteries to continue. So, the priory was closed down in 1536 as part of the Dissolution.
The prior, William Prowde, received a pension. The priory's belongings were sold off. The lead from the roof and the bells were also sold. The priory's lands were first leased out and then sold to James Leveson. He later sold some of the lands to William Charlton, who had been the priory's steward.
After the priory closed, its buildings were used for other purposes. In the 17th century, the priory church was used as a coach house and later as a place to keep cattle. Some of the stone from the priory was used to repair Apley Castle. Parts of the buildings were included in Wombridge Farm, which was torn down in 1965 to make way for new houses.
Today, the remains of the priory buildings are hidden beneath the churchyard. They were excavated by archaeologists in the 1930s and again in 2011 and 2012.
