Selborne Priory

Infobox monastery
name = Selborne Priory


caption =
full = Priory of St Mary, Selborne
other_names =
order = Augustinian canons
established = 1233
disestablished = 1485
mother =
diocese =
churches =
founder = Peter des Roches
dedication =
people =
location = Selborne, Hampshire, England
coord = coord|51.1039261486031|-0.9226101636886597
oscoor =
remains = some earthworks
public_access = no

Selborne Priory was a priory of Augustinian canons in Selborne, Hampshire, England.

Foundation

The priory was founded in 1233 by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester. The bishop innitially endowed the priory with lands obtained by gift from James de Acangre, James de Norton, and King Henry III. The canons had the manor of Selborne with all its privileges and the churches of Selborne, Basing and Basingstoke. The foundation was confirmed by Pope Gregory IX in September, 1235

13th to 15th centuries

The house acquired numerous small endowments over the years, but also various obligations such as the upkeep of the vicarages of the various churches. The original foundation was for fourteen canons but by the mid fifteenth century this number had fallen to just four and the priory was in serious debt.

Dissolution

On 21 April, 1478, the general chapter of the Augustinian Order authorised a visitation by the priors of Breamore and Tortington. And on 2 September, 1484, Bishop Waynflete appointed a commission for the annexing of the priory to Magdalen College, Oxford. The evidence given to the commission showed that there were no canons in residence and the buildings were dilapidated. The decree of annexation was pronounced on 11 September 1484 and confirmed in 1485.

Post-Dissolution

After the suppression a chantry priest was maintained by the college at Selborne, to celebrate masses for the benefactors and founders of both college and priory. The muniments of the priory were transferred to the college and kept in the Founder's Tower.

Present Day

No visible remains of the buildings can be seen above ground. Archaeological investigations was carried out in the 1960s and 1970s finding the remains of the church, cloister and other buildings. The surviving muniments are one of the most complete sets for any religious house in the country.

References

* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=38108 "A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 2", The Victoria County History 1973]
* "The Buildings of England: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight", Nikolaus Pevsner and David Lloyd, 1967