Goldcliff- details of Visitation, 1284

The records for Pecham's visitation of Goldcliff Priory are one of only five to have survived and reveal that there, as in the other houses, Pecham was concerned there should be a central treasury and a regular system of auditing the accounts. As at Ewenny, Pecham sought to control the eating of meat both within and outside the monastery, and to reform other aspects of monastic discipline such as the preservation of silence and almsgiving - he reminded the monks that all leftovers should be distributed to the poor and not given to friends, families or even the dogs.

1113: Foundation - The priory was founded and endowed in 1113 by Robert de Chandos, at the instigation of Henry I. [2 sources]
1143: Dispute - Goldcliff was embroiled in a dispute with Bishop Uchtryd of Llandaff (1140-8). [2 sources]
1200: Visitation - The abbot of Bec visited Goldcliff and other dependencies. [1 sources]
1274: Levy imposed - Bec imposed a levy on its dependencies. [1 sources]
1284: Visitation - Visitation by John Pecham, archbishop of Canterbury. [2 sources]
1290: Concession - By royal command the house was permitted to hold an annual fair to combat its poverty. [2 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - According to the figures recorded for the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Pope Nicholas IV, Goldcliff’s spirtualities and temporalities totalled £171. [3 sources]
1291: Dispute - The prior of Goldcliff was embroiled in a dispute with the priory's patron, Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester. [2 sources]
1295 : Royal custody - The house was seized by the king as an alien priory in August 1295. [2 sources]
1297: Numbers - At this time numbers had fallen to fifteen. [1 sources]
1318: Disputed deposition - Prior Ralph was removed from office. [1 sources]
1320-1337: Debt - The priory was in debt to the sum of £63 13s 4d; its creditor was Philip de Columbariis (Columbers), patron of the house. [1 sources]
1321: Custody - Custody of Goldcliff was given to Thomas, the earl of Norfolk. [2 sources]
c.1327: Custody - Following the outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War the prior of Goldcliff was permitted to retain custody of the house for the annual sum of £10. [1 sources]
1330s: Succession dispute - A long drawn-out dispute over the succession to the priorship dogged the community in the 1330s. [1 sources]
1400: Restoration - On 31 March 1400, Goldcliff was formally restored to Prior German de Sancto Vedasto. [1 sources]
1410: Rejuvenation - Prior German de St Vaast (Vedasto) took steps to regenerate the priory. [3 sources]
c.1420-45: Priorship contended - Prior Laurence de Bonavilla was challenged for the headship of Goldcliff by John Twymyng, a monk of Gloucester. [2 sources]
1424: Destruction - Severe storms and flooding destroyed the church. [1 sources]
1442: Re-foundation - Goldcliff was annexed to Tewkesbury Abbey and refounded as a cell of the English house. [3 sources]
1450x70: Dissolution - Monastic life was seriously impeded from c. 1445 but was formally terminated in 1467 and the church was left to ruin. [1 sources]
1451 (2 April): Custody - The king granted Goldcliff to Eton College. [2 sources]
1462 (1 Feb): Custody - Goldcliff was granted once more to Tewkesbury. [2 sources][1 archives]
1467: Custody - King Henry reconsidered the custody of Goldcliff and gave it once more to Eton college. [1 sources]

Event detail for site: Goldcliff

1284: Visitation

People associated with this event

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Other events in the history of this site


Home dershane Project team Project News Future plans Contact us Search the database Browse list of sites Browse list of orders Browse bibliography & archives Browse people Browse articles Glossary of terms Monastic Wales is not responsible for the content of external internet sites	Event detail for site: Goldcliff 1284: Visitation Visitation by John Pecham, archbishop of Canterbury. The records for Pecham's visitation of Goldcliff Priory are one of only five to have survived and reveal that there, as in the other houses, Pecham was concerned there should be a central treasury and a regular system of auditing the accounts. As at Ewenny, Pecham sought to control the eating of meat both within and outside the monastery, and to reform other aspects of monastic discipline such as the preservation of silence and almsgiving - he reminded the monks that all leftovers should be distributed to the poor and not given to friends, families or even the dogs. People associated with this event John Pecham; Peckam; Peckham , Archbishop of Canterbury Bibliographical sources Printed sources Registrum Epistolarum Fratris Johannis Peckham Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis, Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores; or, Chronicles and memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages, 77, 3 vols (London, 1882-1885) vol. 3, pp. 798-800 Cowley, F. G., The Monastic Order in South Wales 1066-1349 (Cardiff, 1977) pp. 101-103, 208-209 Other events in the history of this site 1113: Foundation - The priory was founded and endowed in 1113 by Robert de Chandos, at the instigation of Henry I. [2 sources] 1143: Dispute - Goldcliff was embroiled in a dispute with Bishop Uchtryd of Llandaff (1140-8). [2 sources] 1200: Visitation - The abbot of Bec visited Goldcliff and other dependencies. [1 sources] 1274: Levy imposed - Bec imposed a levy on its dependencies. [1 sources] 1284: Visitation - Visitation by John Pecham, archbishop of Canterbury. [2 sources] 1290: Concession - By royal command the house was permitted to hold an annual fair to combat its poverty. [2 sources] c.1291: Wealth - According to the figures recorded for the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Pope Nicholas IV, Goldcliff’s spirtualities and temporalities totalled £171. [3 sources] 1291: Dispute - The prior of Goldcliff was embroiled in a dispute with the priory's patron, Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester. [2 sources] 1295 : Royal custody - The house was seized by the king as an alien priory in August 1295. [2 sources] 1297: Numbers - At this time numbers had fallen to fifteen. [1 sources] 1318: Disputed deposition - Prior Ralph was removed from office. [1 sources] 1320-1337: Debt - The priory was in debt to the sum of £63 13s 4d; its creditor was Philip de Columbariis (Columbers), patron of the house. [1 sources] 1321: Custody - Custody of Goldcliff was given to Thomas, the earl of Norfolk. [2 sources] c.1327: Custody - Following the outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War the prior of Goldcliff was permitted to retain custody of the house for the annual sum of £10. [1 sources] 1330s: Succession dispute - A long drawn-out dispute over the succession to the priorship dogged the community in the 1330s. [1 sources] 1400: Restoration - On 31 March 1400, Goldcliff was formally restored to Prior German de Sancto Vedasto. [1 sources] 1410: Rejuvenation - Prior German de St Vaast (Vedasto) took steps to regenerate the priory. [3 sources] c.1420-45: Priorship contended - Prior Laurence de Bonavilla was challenged for the headship of Goldcliff by John Twymyng, a monk of Gloucester. [2 sources] 1424: Destruction - Severe storms and flooding destroyed the church. [1 sources] 1442: Re-foundation - Goldcliff was annexed to Tewkesbury Abbey and refounded as a cell of the English house. [3 sources] 1450x70: Dissolution - Monastic life was seriously impeded from c. 1445 but was formally terminated in 1467 and the church was left to ruin. [1 sources] 1451 (2 April): Custody - The king granted Goldcliff to Eton College. [2 sources] 1462 (1 Feb): Custody - Goldcliff was granted once more to Tewkesbury. [2 sources][1 archives] 1467: Custody - King Henry reconsidered the custody of Goldcliff and gave it once more to Eton college. [1 sources]

© All material on this website is copyright Monastic Wales unless otherwise noted. Website and database development: Technoleg Taliesin Cyf. design Martin Crampin USERLOGIN