Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Usk

1516: Disputed election

There was a tussle between Joan Harryman and Catherine Kemmys over the office of prioress.

Catherine, who had been elected to office and received papal dispensation to retain this, notwithstanding the fact that her election was null and void, appealed to the court at Canterbury and thereafter took her case to the papal curia. On 12 June 1516 a papal commission was appointed to look into the matter and Catherine Kemmys was forbidden to usurp the office from Joan Harryman.
Joan Harryman occurs as prioress on 6 October 1518.

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

The Heads of Religious Houses in England and Wales, III, 1377-1540, ed. David M. Smith (CUP: Cambridge, 2008) p. 701

Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland: Papal Letters, ed. William H. Blis, Charles Johnson, J. Twemlow, M. J. Haren, A. P. Fuller (London and Dublin, 1883-) vol. 20, pp. 422-3 (no. 602)

Archival sources

The National Archives, 'Exchequer: Miscellaneous Ecclesiastical Documents,cause over office of prioress, Usk Priory', (Document), (View website)

Other events in the history of this site

pre 1135: Foundation - Richard de Clare settled Benedictine nuns at Usk before 1135. [1 sources]
pre 1176: Concessions - Richard Strongbow, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (d. 1176) granted an important charter to the priory. [2 sources]
1246: Election - The community received licence to elect a new prioress.  [3 sources]
1284: Visitation - Visitation conducted by Archbishop Pecham. [3 sources]
c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio of 1291 the priory had twenty-four acres of arable and its temporalities and spiritualities totalled £42 6s.  [2 sources]
1322: Patronage - Edward II granted the patronage of the house to Hugh Despenser the Younger (d. 1326), together with the advowsons of Caerleon (Llantarnam) Abbey. [2 sources]
1330: Confirmation - Elizabeth de Burgh confirmed an important charter granted to the house by Richard Strongbow. [2 sources]
c.1360: Bequest - Elizabeth de Burgh (lady Clare) left the nuns £6 13s 4d and two cloths of gold. [1 sources][1 archives]
1404: Papal indulgences - Adam of Usk requested the pope that indulgences be granted to attract alms to St Radegund’s chapel at Usk Priory which had been devatsated by warfare. [4 sources]
1440: Burial - Adam of Usk, writer and lawyer, was buried at the house. [1 sources]
1514: Burial - William Bakere willed to be buried before an image of "Blessed Mary of the Priory."  [1 sources]
1516: Disputed election - There was a tussle between Joan Harryman and Catherine Kemmys over the office of prioress.  [2 sources][1 archives]
c.1535: Wealth - On the eve of the Dissolution the net income of the house, according to the Valor Ecclesiasticus, was £55. [2 sources][1 archives]
1536: Dissolution - In June 1536 the priory was surveyed and on 29 August it was dissolved. At this time the prioress, Ellen Williams, resided with five other nuns; she was granted a pension on 28 June.  [6 sources]
 
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