And in the course of the year, 1110 quarters of
barley, 60 oxen, 40 sheep, 30 swine, and 24 calves; a proof that great
hospitality and charity prevailed here at that time. The monastery
consisted of an abbot, prior, sub-prior, sacrist, chanter, cellarer,
and custos infirmorum: the monks never exceeded twenty in number.
At the visitations of their superiors, punishments if requisite were
inflicted for immoralities. The house and church appear to have been
stately edifices; the chancel, if not the whole of the choir, being
paved with flat tiles, painted in a curious manner, some of them
being now occasionally found; and the few ruins still extant cover
an extensive plot of ground, exhibiting fine specimens of Saxon and
Gothic architecture.
Several persons of note have been buried in the church, particularly
John, Lord Botetourt, baron of Weoleigh castle, near the high altar,
under a tomb of alabaster; Sir Hugh Burnell, also baron of Weoleigh;
Sir William Lyttleton, of Frankley, and others, about the year 1507.
This monastery was dissolved A.D. 1558, by Henry 8th. The common
sigillum, or chapter seal, was in the reign of Henry 4th, a
representation of the blessed Virgin, in a sitting posture, with the
infant Christ on her left knee, and in her right hand a sceptre.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224