Sandleford Priory (monastery)
Sandleford Priory was a small Augustinian Priory, the remains of which now stand at Sandleford in the civil parish of Greenham in the English county of Berkshire. History. Archbishop (and Cardinal) Stephen (Langton) (c.1150–1228) (Archbishop of Canterbury, 1207–1228), in its confirmation charter stated that the house was dedicated to the honour of St. John Baptist (and the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints). The original seals on the charter featured those of the Archbishop of Canterbury Hubert Walter, the Bishop of Sarum Herbert le Poer (Poore), William of Perche (died 1226) bishop of Châlons, and Stephen  of Perche (killed in 1205); The Priory of St John the Baptist at Sandleford was founded for the Augustinian Canons Regular by Geoffrey, Earl of Perch and his wife Maud some time between 1193 and 1202. In 1274, Maud de Clare, Countess of Gloucester and Hertford made arrangements to refound it as a double house for Fontevrault Benedictine nuns and brothers, but this did not come about. It was dissolved in 1478 and abandoned by the remaining monks after years of mismanagement by a prior. The ownership fell into the hands of the Bishop of Salisbury, and circa 1480 passed  to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. The old priory chapel is the present library. The remains were converted to a country house. On 31 August 1320, King Edward II was at Sandleford Priory, where he apparently tarried for the night. One of the last of the priors was a man named Simon Dam who was dismissed after he was cause with his mistresses, Thomasina, at the Priory in 1440. The number of canons at the priory eventually dwindled until at the death of the last prior in 1478 when there were none left. Patrons. Land holdings. Original endowment. The  priory had been richly endowed with properties over a number of years and those which came into the possession of the Dean and Canons included the following: Lands in Bramley, Chiddingfold, and Hambledon, Surrey; the manor of East Enborne, Berkshire; lands in Freefolk, Whitchurch, Hampshire; lands in Kingsclere, Hampshire; lands in Newbury, Berkshire; lands in Newtown, Hampshire; lands in Pamber, Hampshire; the manor of Roke, Odiham, Hampshire; and the rectory of West Ilsley, Berkshire. The original rhomboid shaped endowment for the Augustinian priory of Sandleford read something like: "with the church and all the lands at Sandelford [Sandleford, aka Sandaleford  : ford of the river Ale-burne], as it is bounded by hedges and ditches" [i.e. enclosed] "and all its appurtenances", "And the whole of the wood which is called Brademore [Broadmore], And the whole of the land on each side of the wood, as it is bounded on one side by the watercourse which is called the Aleburne [River Enborne] from the Bridge of Sandleford up to the Aleburne-gate, and on the other-side as far as it is bounded by the road which reaches from Aleburne-gate towards Newbury as far as the croft of William the Hunter , and on the third side so far as the road is carried, thence to the croft of Robert the son of Renbaldi, [Robert fitz Rembaldand], – that is the road that leads to Newbury, and on the fourth side as it is bounded by the same road [A339] as far as the bridge of Sandleford". An extract of the original Latin foundation description: Priory's main holdings in 1291. The taxation roll of Pope Nicholas IV in 1291 names temporalities (secular properties and possessions) that the prior of Sandleford held, which were worth (per annum): Further described in an Inspeximus, dated  1251–1256. Midgham. The priory of Sandleford held land in nearby Midgham. In the 13th century this was assessed as one carucate (normally 120 acres). There were still 37 acres of meadow there that had been leased to those who also leased Sandleford. This connection was mentioned down to the end of the eighteenth century, by when the meadow land was let to members of the Hillersdon, and Poyntz families of Midgham House, viz: William Poyntz (died 1809), John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer of Althorpe (son-in-law of Stephen Poyntz), Rt. Hon. Stephen Poyntz, and John Hillersdon (died 1730). One  of the younger sons of George II, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), was partially bought up at Midgham in the household of his governor and steward Stephen Poyntz. Kingsclere Woodlands. In 1312 Prior Thomas de Sandleford obtained a licence for alienation in mortmain to this convent of a messuage, 20 acres of land, and 2 acres of meadow in 'Clere Wodelond,' by Kingsclere, Hampshire. Trade and Provisions. In 1235 the Prior of Sandleford obtained from King Henry III the right to hold a charter fair of four days during the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle (21 September), and perhaps another  two days around 20–23 September. Suitably enough, 780 years later, the present day "Newbury Show", aka Royal County of Berkshire Show, is held over those days. Perhaps one is the successor of the other, afteral the first annual Newbury and District Agricultural Show was held in 1909 on land included in the Priory's original 1190s endowment at Enborne Gate Farm, aka Alburnegate. In 1293, King Edward I granted the priory free warren on all its demesne lands at Sandleford and Enborne; "so long as nevertheless those lands are not within the bounds of our forest." (Note that forest does  not mean woods). Post-monastic lessees. Late medieval and Tudor. After its abandonment by the canons, the old monastery and its estate was granted to the Dean and Canons of Windsor who leased it out for use as a farm. Few of its tenants lived there, but included: Burgess who died in 1550, had an AM Oxon (1530–1), MB (1533–4), MD, and was admitted a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) in 1536, was elected Censor and Elect, 1543; Consiliarius, 1544, 1545, 1546; and President, 1547. William Munk says that " 'Dr. Burgess was dead on 30 March 1550 , when his place of Elect was filled by the appointment of Dr. Caius' ". Commonwealth and Protectorate. In October 1642, Colonel John Venn and twelve companies of foot soldiers took possession of Windsor Castle on behalf of Parliament, and soon after 23 May 1643 the Dean (Dr. Christopher Wren) and Canons left. On 17 October 1650 Sandleford and the estates that had come to the Dean and Canons of Windsor via Sandleford would have been included in an "Act for sale of the Manors of Rectories and Glebelands late belonging to the late Archbishops, bishops, Deans, Deans and Chapters" was passed , and in an "Additional Act for more speedy effecting the sale of the Manors of Rectories and Glebe-lands late belonging to Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Deans and Chapters, and other Officers and Titles which late were of or belonging to any Cathedral or Collegiate Church or Chapel in England or Wales; and for the encouragement of lenders upon the security thereof; and of other Lands and Hereditaments of the said Deans, Deans and Chapters," etc. which was added on 22 October 1650. The Staples family. A quitclaim dated 20 May 1662 states: "Alexander Staples of the Middle Temple and Thomas  Staples of the same for £200 paid by the Dean and Canons renounce and give a quittance of all their rights in Sandleford Priory." "The scite of Sandelford Priory was by the trustees appointed by act of Parliament, 20 June 1651, sold to Thomas Bales of the Middle Temple, and he 25 February sold the same to Alexander Staples, and he settled it on Thomas Staples and his heirs." Alexander Staples, son of Alexander Staples of Yate Court, Gloucestershire, (died 1590) by his second wife Elizabeth, was Mayor of Nottingham in 1629, and heir of the bulk of his  estate of his 'kinsman' Alderman Robert Staples (died 1632), of Nottingham and Mapperley, cordwainer, Freeman of Nottingham, MP for Nottingham in 1615, and Lord Mayor of Nottingham in 1601, 1608, 1615 and 1622. Alexander Staples' youngest brother is presumed to have been Sir Thomas Staples, 1st Baronet (died 1653), of Lissan House, admitted to Middle Temple on 27 May 1606 and who left Bristol for Ulster c.1610. Thomas Staples of Maidenhead, was named as the Steward of Windsor Court in the case of Vasper & wife v [James] East, 1685. One of the judges was George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys and  at the time Henry, Earl of Arundel & Lord Mowbray was Constable of Windsor Castle. By January 1689/90 however, Thomas Staples was proving to make the Oath to the new King. The House of Lords Journal, Volume 14, for 22 January 1689 reports that: "Staples, Steward of Windsor, sent for, for refusing to give the Oaths. Upon Information given to this House, 'That Mr. Thomas Staples, Steward of Windsor Forrest, hath refused to give the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the Test to Mr. Charles Cleve Master of the Hospital of Oakingham, and Mr. William Walker Vicar of Sunning: It  is thereupon ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westminster, That the said Thomas Staples be, and is hereby, required to attend this House on Friday next, being the 25th Day of this Instant January, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, as he will answer the contrary to this House at his Peril.' " And on 'DIE Veneris, 25 die Januarii.' "Staple's Examination about refusing to tender the Oaths deferred. The House being moved, 'That Mr. Thomas Staples, Steward of Windsor Court, who, by Order of the 22th Instant, was to appear this Day, attended at  the Door; but not being able to get his Witnesses ready against this Day, might have longer Time given him for that Purpose:' It is ORDERED, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westm. That the said Thomas Staples be, and is hereby, required to attend this House on Friday the 8th Day of February next, at Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon. The house was eventually leased to the Kingsmill family who converted the remains of the priory into a country house. It is now the home of St Gabriel's School.