THE PRIORY OF WOTHORPE (fn. 1)
It is impossible to ascertain with certainty when and by whom this small Benedictine nunnery, dedicated to the honour of the Blessed Mary, was founded. According to the pseudoIngulf, a foundation existed here as early as the reign of Henry I. (fn. 2) The earls of Kent were the patrons of the convent, and its superiors, chosen by the community and approved by the patron, received confirmation from the bishop on their appointment. The names of different prioresses are entered in the Lincoln episcopal registers.
The priory itself was situated at Great Wothorpe on the hill, and the only endowment that it appears to have possessed was the rectory of the adjacent parish church of Wothorpe which has long since disappeared. (fn. 3) A vicarage was formally ordained and the rest of the proceeds assigned to the nuns in accordance with the decrees of the third Lateran Council of 1215. The bishop in 1292 granted an indulgence to all penitents who should contribute alms towards the repair of the buildings of the prioress and nuns, then in a ruinous condition. (fn. 4) In 1323 Bishop Burghersh ordered an inquiry to be made into certain irregularities within the priory caused by discords raised among the nuns by sister Joan de Bonnwyche. (fn. 5)
All the inmates of this house, save one, died or were dispersed after the Black Death of 1349, and so disastrous was the effect of this terrible visitation on the finances of the priory that on 11th March, 1353-4, Sir Thomas Holland and Joan his wife, daughter of Edward of Woodstock earl of Kent, the patrons, obtained from the king a licence for the bishop to unite this slenderly endowed foundation with the adjacent nunnery of St. Michael, Stamford, making over to the latter the appropriation of the church of Wothorpe, together with all other possessions of the deserted house. (fn. 6) The bishop of Lincoln, who seems to have made the surviving nun of Wothorpe, Agnes Bowes, prioress, in order to maintain that convent's rights, sanctioned the union on 11 June, 1354, to take place so soon as the prioress should die, resign, or be removed, (fn. 7) the prioress and convent of St. Michael in their petition for the annexation setting forth the losses they had sustained and the difficulty of maintaining accustomed hospitality. The diocesan stipulated that the proceeds of the priory, with the rectory of Wothorpe, should be applied to the support of the infirmary and kitchen of St. Michael's, and that the prioress and convent should maintain a chaplain in the parish church of Wothorpe to celebrate daily and to minister to the spiritual needs of the parishioners there day and night. (fn.
At the dissolution the manor, rectory, and advowson of the vicarage of Wothorpe were granted by the crown to Richard Cecil. (fn. 9)

Prioresses of Wothorpe
Denise of Caldwell, (fn. 10) 1224

From: 'Houses of Benedictine nuns: The priory of Wothorpe', A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 2 (1906), p. 101. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40224&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

THE PRIORY OF BEAULIEU
The priory of Beaulieu was founded between 1140 (fn. 1) and 1146 upon the site of a hermitage at Moddry in the parish of Clophill, granted to Ralf the hermit by Henry d'Albini, and afterwards by his son Robert d'Albini to the abbey of St. Albans as a cell of that monastery. (fn. 2) A small cell had already been founded at Millbrook under Richard, the fifteenth abbot (fn. 3) (1097-1119), and this was merged in the new priory. (fn. 4) The house was never an important one, as it was always small and poor. The original endowment only provided for four or five monks, (fn. 5) and it is not likely that their number was increased at any time.

From: 'House of Benedictine monks: The priory of Beaulieu', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 351-53. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40033&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

The original endowment (fn. 18) gave to the priory the demesne land in the parish of Clophill afterwards called the manor of Beaulieu (including the hermitage, the church of Moddry and 15 acres for the service of the chapel of Cainhoe three times a week); the churches of Millbrook, Ampthill and Clophill; the mill of Turnhall, the wood of Hazeldean, with other parcels of land and meadow, and certain rights of pasturage on the founder's demesne. Cecily, mother of the founder, added the church of Milton Ernest; (fn. 19) and Aumary de St. Amand a carucate in Wilshampstead for the service of the chapel of St. Machutus in the parish of Haynes (Hawnes).

Priors of Beaulieu
John of Caldwell, elected 1351 (fn. 38)

From: 'House of Benedictine monks: The priory of Beaulieu', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 351-53. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40033&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES OF BEDFORDSHIRE
INTRODUCTION
The county of Bedford was unusually rich in religious houses in proportion to its size, but none was of very ancient date. The abbey of Elstow was founded before the compiling of Domesday, and followed the Benedictine rule, which was as yet the only one introduced into England; other houses of the same order were the priories of Beaulieu and Markyate, both founded about 1145.

Austin canons had been introduced into this country some twenty-seven years, when Henry I. founded the priory of Dunstable about 1132; the canons of St. Paul's, Bedford, were transferred to Newnham and brought under the same rule about 1166; Bushmead Priory was founded a little later. Under the general heading of the Augustinian rule should be reckoned the priory of Caldwell, of the order of the Holy Sepulchre, founded some time during the reign of Stephen or of Henry II.; and the priory of Harrold, which followed the Arrouasian form of the rule, was founded about 1140. The Gilbertine priory of Chicksand dates from about 1150.

The Templars had lands in Sharnbrook (fn. 1) and elsewhere, and the churches of Langford and Little Stoughton; but they had no Preceptory in this county.

From: 'Religious houses: Introduction', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 349-51. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40032&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

HOUSES OF BENEDICTINE NUNS
THE ABBEY OF ELSTOW
The Benedictine abbey of Elstow was founded near the end of the eleventh century by Judith, the widow of Earl Waltheof and niece of the Conqueror: (fn. 1) tradition said that it was her act of reparation for the betrayal of her husband to death. (fn. 2) She endowed it with the vills of Elstow and Wilshampstead and a part of Maulden, (fn. 3) the conventual church being identical with the parish church of Elstow; it was dedicated to the honour of St. Mary and St. Helen. (fn. 4) From the thirteenth century at any rate the house was reckoned as a royal foundation, and the patronage remained with the Crown until the dissolution. The confirmation charter of Henry I., granted about 1126, (fn. 5) names amongst the benefactors Nicholas and Richard Basset, Nigel de Stafford, and Countess Maud, daughter of Judith and wife of Simon de Senliz.

[her second husband became Earl of Huntingdon then David I of Scotland his sister was married to the English King]

The property of the abbey was considerable, and very widely scattered; the mandates for restitution of the temporalities were addressed to the escheators in twelve counties.
The list of abbesses serves to show that the daughters of baronial families were frequently received at Elstow; the later names are those of the neighbouring gentry

From: 'Houses of Benedictine nuns: The abbey of Elstow', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 353-58. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40034&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

In 1337 Elizabeth Morteyn, who was then abbess, claimed the 'third penny' from the town of Bedford, in virtue of an alleged grant from Malcolm (IV.), King of Scotland; the case was carried before Parliament, and the burgesses were successful in proving that Malcolm never had any lordship in the town.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine nuns: The abbey of Elstow', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 353-58. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40034&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

There are the usual orders about the singing of the divine office, the administration of the revenues of the convent, the repair of the buildings, the due care of the sick; the nuns are cautioned to avoid scandal by refraining from conversation with all men, both secular and religious, especially the mendicant friars, and their near neighbours, the canons of Caldwell

From: 'Houses of Benedictine nuns: The abbey of Elstow', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 353-58. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40034&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

The original endowment of the abbey included the vills of Elstow and Wilshampstead with 5 hides and 1½ virgates in Maulden, and the church of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. (fn. 34) Small portions of land in Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire and Northampton shire were added by other benefactors as portions with the daughters whom they sent to school or into religion. (fn. 35) The churches of Elstow, Wilshampstead, Maulden, Kempston, Flitton, Westoning, with Hitchin (Herts), Inworth (Essex), Clanfield (Oxon), Westbury (Bucks), Harringworth and Wilbarston (Northants) were in the gift of the abbey from the thirteenth century to the Dissolution; while Goddington (fn. 36) (Oxon) and Tingrith (Beds (fn. 37) ) were claimed by it in the thirteenth century, and Halton-super-Humber (fn. 38) (Lincoln) in the twelfth.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine nuns: The abbey of Elstow', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 353-58. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40034&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

THE ABBEY OF PERSHORE
The abbey of Pershore is stated by William of Malmesbury to have been founded by Egelward, duke of Dorset, in the reign of King Edgar, (fn. 1) but this is generally accepted as the date of the re-constitution of a house already in existence and the introduction of Benedictine monks. (fn. 2) Leland describes the monastery as originally founded about the year 689 by Oswald, (fn. 3) a nephew of Ethelred, king of the Mercians, who instituted secular canons in the new foundation, monks being subsequently introduced, then the canons reinstated and finally replaced by monks through the instrumentality of King Edgar. (fn. 4) The monastic Annals say that St. Oswald after introducing monks at Worcester and Westbury constituted the same at Pershore in 983, the name of the first abbot being Foldbriht or Fulbert. (fn. 5) According to the chronicle this holy man, famous for the austerities he practised, was raised from death by the prayers of St. Oswald and declared the glorious visions he had seen under the guidance of St. Benedict and that for the merits of St. Oswald he had received forgiveness of sins and assurance of salvation, after which he again expired. (fn. 6)
The charter of Edgar, dated 972, recites that he has granted to the convent situated at Pershore and dedicated to the ever blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord, and the apostles SS. Peter and Paul, all the privileges bestowed on them by his predecessor Coenulf at the request of Duke Beornoth with the liberty of electing a head according to the rule of St. Benedict after the death of Folbriht, in whose time this liberty had been restored.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Pershore', A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 2 (1971), pp. 127-36. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36470&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

The abbot of Pershore was summoned in 1264 to Parliament with other prelates to confer with Simon de Montfort on the affairs of the kingdom, (fn. 63) and to the Parliaments held in 1295 and 1299. (fn. 64) The service of the house from the year 1155-6 was assessed at two knights' fees. (fn. 65) By a deed dated 1166 Reginald, abbot of Pershore, acknowledged that he held all knights' fees of the old feoffment, and that of these William Beauchamp held one, and Geoffrey Blacke and Robert de Lorticote half a knight's fee each of the abbot. (fn. 66) In all burdens incident to their position the abbot and convent of Pershore bore their due share, respectable but wholly commonplace.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Pershore', A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 2 (1971), pp. 127-36. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36470&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

The position of the abbot of Pershore from early days was an important one in ecclesiastical circles, and he receives frequent mention during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The abbey of Pershore was included in a federation which, according to a document dated 1022, contained in the chartulary of Bath Abbey, united the abbots of Evesham, Chertsey, Bath, Pershore, Winchcomb, and Gloucester, and the dean of Worcester, in a bond of agreement pledged to abide by the Benedictine rule, and to live as if all seven monasteries were one monastery, 'quasi cor unum et anima una.'

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Pershore', A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 2 (1971), pp. 127-36. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36470&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

The anniversary of Henry de Bideford who augmented the goods of the house, and obtained the restoration of the church of Alderminster, was ordained by William de Leigh to be observed on the vigil of St. Martin 'in hieme' (11 November), and the anniversary of Henry de Caldwell on 2 March.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Pershore', A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 2 (1971), pp. 127-36. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36470&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

Abbots Of Pershore.
Henry de Caldwell, elected 1274, (fn. 150) died 1289-90.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Pershore', A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 2 (1971), pp. 127-36. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36470&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

HOUSES OF AUSTIN CANONS
THE PRIORY OF DUNSTABLE
The Augustinian priory of Dunstable was founded by King Henry I. about the year 1132, and endowed by him at the same time with the lordship of the manor and town in which it stood. (fn. 1) Tradition says that the same king was also founder of the town, and had caused the forest to be cleared away from the point where Watling and Icknield Streets crossed each other, on account of the robbers who infested the highway. (fn. 2) However this may be, he certainly granted to the priory all such liberties and rights in the town of Dunstable as he held in his own demesne lands. His charter was confirmed by Henry II., (fn. 3) who also granted to the prior and convent the lordship of Houghton Regis; and before the reign of Richard I. a great many of the churches of the neighbourhood had been granted to the priory by different benefactors, (fn. 4) as many as thirteen, besides the chapel of Ruxox, in the county of Bedford, with Cublington, North Marston and half Chesham, Bucks, and Higham Ferrers with half Pattishall, Northants. Several of these gifts were disputed before the century was out, (fn. 5) but most of them were retained by the priory throughout its existence.
Bernard, the first prior of the house, was closely associated with the introduction of Austin Canons into England, for he had accompanied his brother Norman (afterwards prior of St. Botolph's, Colchester, and then of Holy Trinity, London) to Chartres and Beauvais, in Anselm's time, to learn the rule of St. Augustine, with a view to introduce it into England.

From: 'Houses of Austin canons: The priory of Dunstable', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 371-77. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40038&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

There can be no doubt of the good order of the house during the time of Richard de Morins; he would scarcely have been chosen twice to visit other houses unless he had ruled his own with care and diligence. During his forty years of office canons of Dunstable were at least five times elected priors to other monasteries of the order—at Caldwell, St. Frideswide's, Ashby and Coldnorton.

From: 'Houses of Austin canons: The priory of Dunstable', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 1 (1904), pp. 371-77. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=40038&strquery=Caldwell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

[elsewhere but also here for completeness]
THE PRIORY OF BINHAM
Before the end of the eleventh century Peter de Valoines and Albreda his wife began the foundation of a priory or cell of Benedictine monks at Binham which was to be subordinate to the great abbey of St. Albans. Matthew Paris mentions the existence of this cell as an accomplished fact in the year 1093; (fn. 1) but the foundation charter, with which the extant chartulary opens, is of the reign of Henry I, and probably of the year 1104.

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Binham', A History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2 (1906), pp. 343-46. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=38265&strquery=Caldewell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.

Priors Of Binham
John de Caldewell, (fn. 38) elected 1337

From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Binham', A History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2 (1906), pp. 343-46. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=38265&strquery=Caldewell%20Benedictine. Date accessed: 04 February 2006.