Marwell College
Encyclopedia
Marwell College was a college
of secular priests in Marwell Park, Owslebury
, Hampshire
, England
.
Marwell was sometimes spelt Merwell or Merewell.
The college was founded by Bishop Henry de Blois (1129-1171) in the church or chapel
he had built in Marwell Park. The church was dedicated to St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent and St. Quintin. Houses and other buildings were erected beside the church for four priest
s, who should there continuously pray for the King of England and the Bishops of Winchester, and for other benefactors and faithful Christians. He endowed the college with £13 of rents at Twyford
, divided as 60s. to each chaplain and 20s. for the ornaments and lights of the church.
In 1226, Bishop Peter des Roches added a deacon to the foundation and a gift of fifty quarters of grain and four cartloads of hay annually from the rector of Bushopstoke. He also laid down rules for the governance of the chaplains on a collegiate basis:
Bishop Woodlock (1305-1316), who was born at Marwell, added further to the property of the college. But the endowments were not sufficient to keep up with inflation and by the time of the Valor Ecclesiasticus
(1535) the college was termed a chantry
and could only support two priests. The college was suppressed and it, along with the episcopal estate and manor house of Marwell, became the property of Sir Henry Seymour
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
of secular priests in Marwell Park, Owslebury
Owslebury
Owslebury is a village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire, in the South of England approximately outside of Winchester. It lies within the administrative district of the City of Winchester.-Geography:...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Marwell was sometimes spelt Merwell or Merewell.
The college was founded by Bishop Henry de Blois (1129-1171) in the church or chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
he had built in Marwell Park. The church was dedicated to St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent and St. Quintin. Houses and other buildings were erected beside the church for four priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s, who should there continuously pray for the King of England and the Bishops of Winchester, and for other benefactors and faithful Christians. He endowed the college with £13 of rents at Twyford
Twyford, Hampshire
For other places of the same name, see Twyford.Twyford is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, approximately three miles south of Winchester and near the M3 motorway and Twyford Down. In 2001, the population of the parish was 1,456...
, divided as 60s. to each chaplain and 20s. for the ornaments and lights of the church.
In 1226, Bishop Peter des Roches added a deacon to the foundation and a gift of fifty quarters of grain and four cartloads of hay annually from the rector of Bushopstoke. He also laid down rules for the governance of the chaplains on a collegiate basis:
The four priests were annually to choose one of their number to act as prior, to whom due obedience was to be paid both within and without the church; no one was to be absent from the saying of the canonical hours, or from their common meals, or at night time, without the prior's special leave; no one was to be granted longer leave than eight days by the prior; if more was desired the bishop's licence was to be sought; any one guilty of incontinence or any other serious fault, or even if suspected, was to be expelled without hope of restitution; surplices and black copes were to be worn in the quire; the Sarum use was to be followed from mattins to compline; and of the £12 for stipend of Bishop Blois, £1 was to be assigned to each for clothes, and the remaining £8 were to be spent for common purposes by the prior with the advice of his brethren.
Bishop Woodlock (1305-1316), who was born at Marwell, added further to the property of the college. But the endowments were not sufficient to keep up with inflation and by the time of the Valor Ecclesiasticus
Valor Ecclesiasticus
The Valor Ecclesiasticus was a survey of the finances of the church in England, Wales and English controlled parts of Ireland made in 1535 on the orders of Henry VIII....
(1535) the college was termed a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
and could only support two priests. The college was suppressed and it, along with the episcopal estate and manor house of Marwell, became the property of Sir Henry Seymour