Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Llanthony Prima

1136: Founds cell

Miles, earl of Hereford, gave the refugee canons a site at Gloucester which was founded as a cell of Llanthony Priory; it was later known as Llanthony Secunda.

The canons stayed with Bishop Robert until 1136 but with no sign of the troubles in Wales abating the bishop instigated the foundation of a cell for them at Hyde, just outside Gloucester. This was on land given to the community by Earl Miles of Hereford, The church was officially dedicated in September 1137.
There were now two communities under the prior of Llanthony.
The canons' removal to Gloucester was intended as a temporary measure until calm was restored in Wales. Then the canons would return to Llanthony leaving a small community of thirteen at Gloucester to maintain religious services. However, when the time came to return to Wales the canons were reluctant to leave Gloucester. According to the chronicler of the house the community had grown complacent at Gloucester and used to a better lifestyle had forgotten their 'former wilderness'.
The cell at Gloucester was subsequently enriched and the Welsh house declined.

Gerald of Wales commented on this in his Journey through Wales:

There followed a period of unrest and warfare during which the daughter house, so soon to become the rival of its mother, came into being at Gloucester, under the patronage of Milo, earl of Hereford. By Divine Providence and through the virtues and prayers of these holy men, both of whose bodies lie buried beside the High Altar, the mother house continued in that laudable state of poverty which it had always affected, whereas the daughter rejoiced in a vast superfluity of wealth and possessions. Let the bustling and active then take up their residence in Gloucester, leaving this other foundation for men of contemplation. There in Gloucester men strive for earthly possessions, but here in Llanthony let them rather turn their minds towards the promise of eternal bliss. There let them enjoy the company of mortal men, but here let them prefer the concourse of the angels. There let the great men of this world be entertained but here let Christ's poor and needy seek relief. There, I say, let them keep up their clamour about the affairs and pretences of this world, while here the brothers continue to mutter over their books and whisper over their prayers. There let wealth grow ever greater, wealth the prime cause and creator of vice, and of all the cares which follow in its train; but here in Llanthony let the golden mean continue to flourish and in moderation, the mother of all virtues.
[Gerald of Wales, Journey through Wales, trans. Thorpe, pp. 100-101]

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire, ed. Robert Atkyns (London, 1712; repr. 1974) vol. 1, pp. 511, 519-520

Williams, David H., 'Llanthony Prima Priory', The Monmouthshire Antiquary, 25-26 (2009-2010) p. 18

Other events in the history of this site

1108X1118: Foundation - According to the foundation history of the house, Llanthony Prima had its origins in the late eleventh century when William de Lacy, a knight in the service of Hugh de Lacy (d. c. 1115), sought to live as a hermit in the Llanthony Valley, where a former chapel dedicated to St David stood.

Contemporaries commented on the beauty of the site:
'What more can I say?' he asked, 'The entire treasure of the king and his realm would not be sufficient to build such a cloister.' When he had held the minds of the king [Henry I] and his court in suspense for a long time by this assertion he finally explained the enigma by revealing that what he really meant was the circle of mountains which enclosed the monastery on all sides.
[Bishop Roger of Salisbury [d. 1139], cited by Gerald of Wales in his Journey through Wales, trans. Thorpe, p. 99.] [4 sources][1 archives]
1108x35: Reputation - Bishop Roger of Salisbury (d. 1139) visited the site and was impressed with what he saw there. [1 sources]
1115: Founds cell - A cell was founded at Weobley but was short-lived. [1 sources]
1135: Dispersal - The community suffered from Welsh attacks and sought refuge first in Hereford with the former prior of Llanthony, Bishop Robert, and thereafter at Gloucester, where a cell was founded. A few stalwarts remained at the Welsh house throughout these troubled times. [3 sources][1 archives]
1136: Founds cell - Miles, earl of Hereford, gave the refugee canons a site at Gloucester which was founded as a cell of Llanthony Priory; it was later known as Llanthony Secunda. [2 sources]
c.1140-70: Decline - Religious life at Llanthony declined as most of the community remained at Gloucester and various books, relics and even the bell were taken from the mother house for use in its cell.  [2 sources]
1177x1210: Recovery - Thanks to Hugh de Lacy II and his son, Walter, the community acquired significant interests in Ireland which greatly helped the priory's recovery. [5 sources]
1205: Formal separation of the two Llanthonys - An agreement was drawn up to formalise the separation of Llanthony Prima and its cell in Gloucester. [4 sources][2 archives]
c.1212: Concession - The community was granted the privilege of electing its own prior during a vacancy and was not obliged to consult with Walter de Lacy, lord of Ewyas. [2 sources][1 archives]
c.1214: Charter - Walter de Lacy, patron of the priory and the great great nephew of the founder, granted an extensive charter to the community. [1 sources][1 archives]
1216x1220: Charter - Charter granted to the community by Reginald de Braose, lord of Abergavenny and Brecon. [1 sources][1 archives]
1217: Building work - Completion of the rebuilding of the church. [1 sources]
1242: Praised - Archishop Albert of Armagh praised the priory where he had himself taken refuge. [1 sources]
1276: Royal custody - The priory was in debt and duly taken into royal custody. [2 sources]
c.1277-1300: Legal battles - In the late thirteenth century the priory faced a number of challenges from the Marcher lords and was involved in ongoing legal disputes. [3 sources]
1284: Visitation - Visitation of the priory was undertaken by Archbishop Pecham. [4 sources]
1284: Harbours outlaw - Peter de Marinis, an outlaw, took refuge in the priory. [1 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio of c. 1291 Llanthony's total income was estimated at c. £160. [5 sources]
1301: Monastic observance - Archbishop Winchelsey of Canterbury complained to the bishop of St David’s that a former prior of Llanthony was ‘wandering at large with the connivance of the bishop'. [3 sources]
1330: Theft - John of Hereford, a canon of Llanthony, was charged with theft and incarcerated in the bishop of Hereford’s prison. [1 sources]
1348: Royal custody - The priory was once again taken into royal custody. [2 sources]
1354: Recalcitrant apostate - Thomas de Crudewell, a former canon of Llanthony who had absconded from the priory, wished to return to the religious life. [2 sources]
1373x1376: Violence - Prior Nicholas de Trinbey (Trinley) was brutally attacked by several canons of the house who gouged out his eyes. [4 sources][1 archives]
1376: Resignation of prior - On 8 February a mandate was issued to receive the resignation of Prior Nicholas Trilley (Trillek / de Trinleye). [3 sources]
1381: Clerical poll tax - The sub-prior, RALPH, and six monks [WALTER CROK, JOHN MARA, JOHN ABERGEVENY, NICHOLAS CARYLUNM, ROBERT WYNTER, JOHN LOUNDON] each paid a tax of 6s.8d. [1 sources][1 archives]
1386: Prior imprisoned - The prior of Llanthony was imprisoned for failing to deliver the payment of tithes and subsidies he was charged with collecting. [2 sources]
1402x1405: Glyn Dŵr revolt - The priory suffered considerable damage as a consequence of the rebellion. The prior of Llanthony was initially suspected of supporting the rebel. [3 sources]
1481: Change in status: the union of the two priories - Llanthony Prima, originally the mother house, now became a cell of its daughter, Llanthony Secunda (Glos). [5 sources]
1504: Union finalised - The terms of Llanthony Secunda's takeover of Llanthony Prima were finalised. [1 sources]
1522: Fiscal demands - Llanthony Prima was required to pay £20 towards financing the king's expenses in France. [1 sources]
1534: Act of Supremacy - Prior John Ambrose acknowledged Royal Supremacy. [3 sources][1 archives]
c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the priory had an estimated net income of £112 0s 5d.  [4 sources][1 archives]
1538: Dissolution - On 10 March David Kempe, alias Mathewe, surrendered Llanthony Prima; Llanthony Secunda was dissolved at the same time. [4 sources]
 
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