Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Ewenny

1141: Re-foundation and change in status

Ewenny was raised to conventual status.

While William of London established a small cell at Ewenny it was his son, Maurice, who re-endowed the priory and raised it to conventual status, that is, it was now intended for a community of twelve monks rather than a small house for two or three.
Maurice granted lands and churches to St Peter's, Gloucester (eight churches and a chapel), to provide for a prior and twelve monks at Ewenny. It was probably Maurice himself who initiated this elevation in Ewenny's status. As a new man, Maurice would have lacked the necessary resources to establish an independent house yet by effecting this change at Ewenny he would have enjoyed some of the benefits of having an 'Eigenkloster' on his lands, including the kudos of presiding as patron of a convent rather than of a cell. Not least, there were spiritual advantages for a house of twelve monks was more likely to observe the daily round of liturgical duties and prayers for benefactors than a cell of two or three, thereby increasing Maurice's hopes for a smooth passage to salvation.
Ewenny had its own common seal.

People associated with this event

Maurice de Londres (patron)

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Cowley, F. G., The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349 (Cardiff, 1977) pp. 16-17

Heale, Martin, The Dependent Priories of Medieval English Monasteries, Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 22 (Boydell and Brewer: Woodbridge, 2004) pp. 38, 44

Other events in the history of this site

pre 1131: Foundation - It is not known when precisely Ewenny Priory was founded but it had its origins before 1131 when William of London (d. 1131), lord of Ogmore Castle, gave the church of St Michael there to St Peter's, Gloucester, to establish a cell.  [4 sources]
1141: Re-foundation and change in status - Ewenny was raised to conventual status. [2 sources]
1144: Burial - The burial of Maurice of London’s sister, Matilda, caused a serious dispute between Prior John of Ewenny and the bishop of Llandaff.  [1 sources]
1284: Visitation - Archbishop Pecham conducted a visitation of the house; the injunctions survive. [2 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica Ewenny's income was estimated at £56. [2 sources]
c.1300: Patronage - At this time the patron of Ewenny was Payn de Chaworth.  [2 sources]
1400x1415: Destruction - The house suffered extensive damage during the rebellion of Owain Glyn Dŵr. [1 sources]
1534: Numbers - Two monks and a prior subscribed to the Act of Supremacy. [3 sources]
c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiastcus Ewenny’s gross income was £78 14s. [2 sources][1 archives]
c.1535: Stewardship - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus, the earl of Worcester held the stewardship of Ewenny at this time.
 [1 sources]
1537 (28 February): Custody - Gloucester Abbey leased Ewenny Priory and its appurtenants to Sir Edward Carne for a period of ninety-nine years and for the rather menial rent of £20 10s per annum. [1 sources]
1540: Dissolution - The priory was surrendered with Gloucester Abbey on 2 January 1540.  [3 sources]
 
Graphic.