St Osyth's Abbey (originally and still commonly known as St Osyth's Priory) was a house of Augustine Canons Regular in the parish of St Osyth (then named Chich) in Essex, England in use from the 12th to 16th centuries. Founded by Richard de Belmeis, Bishop of London, c. 1121, it became one of the largest religious houses in Essex. It was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul as well as St Osyth (Osith), a royal saint and virgin martyr.[2] Bishop Richard obtained the arm bone of St Osyth from Aylesbury for the monastic church and granted the canons the parish church of St Osyth.
A charter of King Henry II confirmed the right of the canons of St Osyth's to elect their abbot and to hold a market every Sunday at Chich in the later 12th century.
John Depyng, prior of St. Botolph's was made abbot of St Osyth's in 1434, and took with him goods of considerable value belonging to the priory. He never returned these, and after his death St Botolph's brought an apparently unsuccessful lawsuit in Chancery against St Osyth's for their recovery.[7]
During the Suppression of the Monasteries, the religious group was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539, at which time there were a prior and sixteen canons. The king granted it to his minister Thomas Cromwell, but on his fall from favour, the abbey and its estates were returned to crown possession. In the reign of King Edward VI they were sold to Sir Thomas Darcy for just under £400.[8] The gatehouse, dating from the late 15th century, is the most significant remnant of the original monastic structures still standing. The exterior is a fine example of decorative flint work. Five parts of the priory are Grade I listed buildings.[1][9][10][11][12]
On 11 November 1884 the building was consecrated as a masonic lodge (no. 2063),[13] one of the principal officers being the then owner, Sir John Henry Johnson. The priory was later owned by the writer Somerset de Chair, from 1954 until his death in 1995. It stood in for St Anselm's Theological College in the BBC's miniseries adaptation of P. D. James' Death in Holy Orders in 2003.
^ abJ. C. Dickinson, The Origins of the Austin Canons and their introduction into England (1950), 112-113.
^John Timbs and Alexander Gunn, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales - Their Legendary Lore and Popular History, (London: 1925), 216-218
^"Houses of Austin canons: Abbey of Chich or St Osyth's | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
^Thomson, R. M.; Winterbottom, M. (2007). William of Malmesbury: Gesta Pontificum Anglorum: Volume I: Text and Translation. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 233. ISBN978-0-19-820770-2.
^The work is lost, only extracts survived. Susan Janet Ridyard (1988). The Royal Saints of Anglo-Saxon England: A Study of West Saxon and East Anglian Cults. CUP Archive. p. 135. ISBN978-0-521-30772-7.
^"Houses of Austin canons: Priory of St Botolph, Colchester | British History Online".
^Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales, 218-219.
^Historic England. "St Osyth's Priory: The Abbot's Lodging and South Wing, the Darcy Clock Tower and C18 House (formerly listed as the Convalescent Home) (Grade I) (1337158)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
Watney, John, Some Account of St. Osyth's Priory, Essex, and its Inhabitants (Waterlow & Sons, 1871)
The Somerset de Chair Collection at St. Osyth's Priory, Essex (1971) Souvenir Guidebook
External linksedit
B/W Drawing of the gateway: A Day in St Osyth's Priory. 1866. p. 487. (from the magazine Once A Week)
May 04, 2024
osyth, priory, osyth, abbey, originally, still, commonly, known, house, augustine, canons, regular, parish, osyth, then, named, chich, essex, england, from, 12th, 16th, centuries, founded, richard, belmeis, bishop, london, 1121, became, largest, religious, hou. St Osyth s Abbey originally and still commonly known as St Osyth s Priory was a house of Augustine Canons Regular in the parish of St Osyth then named Chich in Essex England in use from the 12th to 16th centuries Founded by Richard de Belmeis Bishop of London c 1121 it became one of the largest religious houses in Essex It was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul as well as St Osyth Osith a royal saint and virgin martyr 2 Bishop Richard obtained the arm bone of St Osyth from Aylesbury for the monastic church and granted the canons the parish church of St Osyth St Osyth PriorySt Osyth PrioryLocationSt OsythCoordinates51 47 57 N 1 04 30 E 51 7992 N 1 0749 E 51 7992 1 0749AreaEssexListed Building Grade IOfficial nameSt Osyth s Priory The Abbot s Lodging and South Wing the Darcy Clock Tower and C18 House formerly listed as the Convalescent Home Designated21 February 1950Reference no 1337158Listed Building Grade IOfficial nameSt Osyth s Priory ruined east ranges of the Darcy House including the Tower and ChapelDesignated21 February 1950Reference no 1337159Listed Building Grade IOfficial nameSt Osyth s Priory Gatehouse and East and West flanking RangesDesignated21 February 1950Reference no 1111495Listed Building Grade II Official nameSt Osyth s Priory Tithe Barn adjoining the west range of GatehouseDesignated21 February 1950Reference no 1308972Listed Building Grade II Official nameSt Osyth s Priory West Barn and Baliffs CottageDesignated21 February 1950Reference no 1166310Location of St Osyth Priory in Essex St Osyth s Priory Gatehouse 1 The upper part of the gatehouse The foundation began as a priory probably populated first by canons from Holy Trinity Aldgate 2 The first prior of St Osyth s was William de Corbeil who was elected archbishop of Canterbury in 1123 and who crowned King Stephen in 1135 3 The priory was converted into an abbey in the mid 12th century 4 In Gesta pontificum Anglorum William of Malmesbury spoke in praise of the piety and learning of the canons at St Osyth s in the twelfth century 5 One of the second generation of canons there was William de Vere later bishop of Hereford who wrote a Latin Life of St Osyth 6 in which he mentions that his mother Adeliza daughter of Gilbert fitz Richard of Clare had been a corrodian at the abbey for twenty years of her widowhood A charter of King Henry II confirmed the right of the canons of St Osyth s to elect their abbot and to hold a market every Sunday at Chich in the later 12th century John Depyng prior of St Botolph s was made abbot of St Osyth s in 1434 and took with him goods of considerable value belonging to the priory He never returned these and after his death St Botolph s brought an apparently unsuccessful lawsuit in Chancery against St Osyth s for their recovery 7 During the Suppression of the Monasteries the religious group was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539 at which time there were a prior and sixteen canons The king granted it to his minister Thomas Cromwell but on his fall from favour the abbey and its estates were returned to crown possession In the reign of King Edward VI they were sold to Sir Thomas Darcy for just under 400 8 The gatehouse dating from the late 15th century is the most significant remnant of the original monastic structures still standing The exterior is a fine example of decorative flint work Five parts of the priory are Grade I listed buildings 1 9 10 11 12 On 11 November 1884 the building was consecrated as a masonic lodge no 2063 13 one of the principal officers being the then owner Sir John Henry Johnson The priory was later owned by the writer Somerset de Chair from 1954 until his death in 1995 It stood in for St Anselm s Theological College in the BBC s miniseries adaptation of P D James Death in Holy Orders in 2003 Contents 1 Burials 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksBurials editRichard de Belmeis I Adeliza de Clare de Vere mother of Aubrey de Vere 1st Earl of Oxford Lucy Young Rochford wife of William Nassau de Zuylestein 4th Earl of RochfordReferences edit a b Historic England St Osyth s Priory Gatehouse and east and west flanking ranges Grade I 1111495 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 April 2017 a b J C Dickinson The Origins of the Austin Canons and their introduction into England 1950 112 113 John Timbs and Alexander Gunn Abbeys Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Their Legendary Lore and Popular History London 1925 216 218 Houses of Austin canons Abbey of Chich or St Osyth s British History Online www british history ac uk Retrieved 6 November 2019 Thomson R M Winterbottom M 2007 William of Malmesbury Gesta Pontificum Anglorum Volume I Text and Translation Oxford Clarendon Press p 233 ISBN 978 0 19 820770 2 The work is lost only extracts survived Susan Janet Ridyard 1988 The Royal Saints of Anglo Saxon England A Study of West Saxon and East Anglian Cults CUP Archive p 135 ISBN 978 0 521 30772 7 Houses of Austin canons Priory of St Botolph Colchester British History Online Abbeys Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales 218 219 Historic England St Osyth s Priory the Darcy Tower also known as Abbot s Tower and vaulting to west Grade I 1146545 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 April 2017 Historic England St Osyth s Priory the Chapel of St Osyth and ruins attached to north Grade I 1166377 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 April 2017 Historic England St Osyth s Priory The Abbot s Lodging and South Wing the Darcy Clock Tower and C18 House formerly listed as the Convalescent Home Grade I 1337158 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 April 2017 Historic England St Osyth s Priory ruined east ranges of the Darcy House including the Tower and Chapel Grade I 1337159 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 April 2017 St Osyth s Priory Lodge No 2063 history Further reading editWatney John Some Account of St Osyth s Priory Essex and its Inhabitants Waterlow amp Sons 1871 The Somerset de Chair Collection at St Osyth s Priory Essex 1971 Souvenir GuidebookExternal links editPicturesque England B W Drawing of the gateway A Day in St Osyth s Priory 1866 p 487 from the magazine Once A Week Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Osyth 27s Priory amp oldid 1199081095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
