Cartulary of the Priory of St Giles-in-the-Wood

Flamstead, 1150-1242

A nun at prayer
photo by Nicholas Connell
Extract from a County map by Kip, 1810 (Ref. CM10)
Hertfordshire archives and local studies

A cartulary is a monastic or estate register book containing details of deeds, charters, grants, property and other possessions. Occasionally a cartulary will be in rolls, but they are more often to be found in book form. This Flamstead cartulary is dated 1150-1242, with the charters dating from the 12th century, and the cartulary itself is most likely to be 13th century. The documents bound in the cartulary include the charter of Prioress Lucy, the charter of Queen Eleanor to nurse Agatha, a grant by Reginald Chanbeleng and a grant by Ralph le Dispenser.  

The manor of Flamstead was granted to Roger de Toeni by King William, and it descended through the family from father to son until 1310.  In the middle of the 12th century, during the reign of King Stephen, a priory was founded at Flamstead by Roger de Toeni for the Benedictine nuns of St Giles Church, Woodchurch. He endowed it with land and small tithes in the parish. In the foundation charter he stipulated that the agreement of himself and of his heirs must be obtained at the election of the prioress, and that without their consent there should never be more than thirteen nuns in the house. This small community was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1537.

This page was added on 12/08/2011.

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