Barnwell Priory was an

Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of ...

at Barnwell in

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the ...

, founded as a house of

Canons Regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by ...

. The only surviving parts are 13th-century claustral building, which is a Grade II* listed, and remnants found in the walls, cellar and gardens of Abbey House. The priory was home to the

Barnwell chronicler The ''Barnwell Chronicle'' is a thirteenth-century Latin chronicle named after Barnwell Priory, near Cambridge, where the manuscript was kept. Its anonymous author is well-regarded by historians. J. C. Holt described the Chronicler as "The most in ...

, an anonymous

chronicler A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

who wrote about the reign of King John.

History

The priory was founded in c.1092 by

Picot of Cambridge Picot of Cambridge (c. 1022–after 1090) was a Norman landowner and Sheriff of Cambridgeshire. Born in Saye, Normandy, Picot rose from obscurity to become Sheriff of Cambridgeshire as early as 1071 until at least 1090. He treated Cambridge (then ...

, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, as a house of

canons regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by ...

in St Giles' Church by

Cambridge Castle Cambridge Castle, locally also known as Castle Mound, is located in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. Originally built after the Norman conquest to control the strategically important route to the north of England, it played a role in the conf ...

. The ''Liber Memorandorum Ecclesie de Bernewelle'' (the Book of Things to do with Barnwell) says that Picot's wife, Hugolina, had been gravely ill and vowed that if she recovered, she would found a religious house. She recovered: although Picot endowed the priory, it could well have been on his wife's instructions. Two other East Anglian houses of canons regular were founded around this time: Colchester Priory and

Huntingdon Priory The Priory of St Mary, Huntingdon was an Augustinian Priory in Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire), England. Its foundation date is unknown. Dugdale suggests that it was a re-foundation of an Anglo-Saxon canonry; this is a credible idea, as sev ...

. It is likely that Picot's foundation was established using canons from one of these houses, probably Huntingdon (whose canons later went to found

Merton Priory Merton Priory was an English Augustinian priory founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey under King Henry I (1100–1135). It was situated within the manor of Merton in the county of Surrey, in what is today the Colliers Wood area ...

). Canons regular followed the

Rule of St Augustine The Rule of Saint Augustine, written about the year 400, is a brief document divided into eight chapters and serves as an outline for religious life lived in community. It is the oldest monastic rule in the Western Church. The rule, developed b ...

. Picot endowed the six brethren with an income from tithes and with a number of rectories. After Picot and Hugolina's death, the priory fell into the hands of

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the ...

, who then gave it to Pain Peverel. Not much is known about Pain Peverel, but he had ambitions for the priory, and persuaded Henry to grant him land on the eastern edge of Cambridge so that he could move and expand the priory, which now became Barnwell Priory. These lands increased by donations from local landowners, and over time the priory itself grew in size and strength until there were 30 canons in residence. Barnwell held an annual fair, the Barnwell or Midsummer Fair, which added to its income. Having an active scriptorium, well-stocked library and, because of its role as landlord, plenty of business for attorneys, Barnwell seems to have helped the early

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

become established. Much of what we know of the details of English Augustinian life come from the Barnwell Observances, written in the 13th century. The priory was wealthy, and its position as local landowner meant that it was a target during the

Peasants' Revolt The Peasants' Revolt, also named Wat Tyler's Rebellion or the Great Rising, was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Blac ...

(1381). The

English Parliament The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...

met here for the only time between 10 September and 17 October 1388. The priory was dissolved on 11 November 1538 as part of the general Dissolution of the Monasteries and granted to Anthony Brown c.1546 and Edward, Lord Clinton c.1552. The buildings became ruinous and were almost thoroughly destroyed in 1810.

Gallery

The Cellarer's Chequer - geograph.org.uk - 798404.jpg, View from the south cmglee_Cambridge_Barnwell_Priory_from_west.jpg , View from the west cmglee_Cambridge_Barnwell_Priory_from_north.jpg , View from the north cmglee_Cambridge_Barnwell_Priory_from_east.jpg , View from the east

References

''Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society'', ...
Volume 7, Cambridge Antiquarian Society (Cambridge, 1893). See pages 222-251. John Bowtell recorded the final description of the priory remains in 1812.

External links

*http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40001 {{Authority control Augustinian monasteries in England Monasteries in Cambridgeshire Grade II* listed churches in Cambridgeshire Grade II* listed monasteries