See above, pp. 12–16. In a sense all abbs. who sign most Pre-Conquest charters are unidentified, in that normally their house is not named. But where reasonably probable identification (or choice of identification) can be made, an abb. is not included in the following list.

Names in brackets only occur in charters of doubtful authenticity, and may be fictitious – not (most probably) in the sense that the forger, or some copyist, invented them, but that they have either been imported from a different period or context to embellish a list of signatories, or are seriously corrupt.

Ægfridus occ. in Ely Calendar (Cambridge, Trinity Coll. MS O.2.1, f. K1ov) under 28 Oct. See Ely, St Albans.

Ælfhere, Æluere occ. 1018, 1019, 1019, 1022, 1023, 1026, 1031 (Kemble, nos. 728–30 (cf. OS Facs., II, Exeter no. 10); EHD, 1, 553ff.; Kemble, nos. 734, 739, 743, 744). See Bath.

Ælfnoth occ. 974 (Birch, nos. 1303–4).

* Ælfnoth, Æthelnoth (presumably different from above) occ.999, 1002, 1005, 1007, 1014,1019 (Kemble, nos. 703, 707, 714, 1303, 1309, 730; cf. 729: ‘Filnoth’). Cf. Muchelney, Winchester, New Minster.

(Ælfred occ. 974 in Kemble, no. 686, but the earliest MS reads Ælfweard.)

* Ælfsige, Æthelsige occ. (Æthel–) 974, 988, (Æl–) 990 (ΧI) (two of the name), 994 (Birch, no. 1303; Kemble, nos. 664, 712, 686 – see p. 232 n.3) – and see Ely, to which one of the pair probably belonged. Later references to pairs (999–1012) are probably to Ely and Winchester, New Minster, or Peterborough: but in MS 1 of Kemble, no. 703 (see Appendix) one Ælfsige is identified as abb. ‘Ceas, the other as of Ely.

This book has been long in the making. When one of the authors (M.D. K.) first began to study English monastic records in 1926 he adopted the practice, for his own interest and information, of noting any contemporary reference to an abbot or prior. He took for his limiting dates 1066 and 1216. In the event, the opening date has been pushed back to 940, the refoundation of Glastonbury which heralded the great revival. The entries were made in a series of large notebooks, divided among the orders with a page for each house. When, about 1931, the names had already accumulated in some strength, the compiler, on a visit to Cambridge, called upon Dr (later Professor) Z.N. Brooke in his house in Milton Road to tell him of this and other projects which were under way. Dr Brooke was, as always, courteous and helpful, but did not appear to take any special interest in the lists. In due course, however, when correspondence passed, he began to send notes of abbots he had come across in his own reading. At last in May, 1942, a formal suggestion of collaboration was made by M. D. K. and accepted by Dr Brooke. This was followed by a meeting in London, which was attended by C. N. L. B., still a schoolboy, but already interested in problems of chronology. The Brookes carried off the notebooks to transcribe them, and C. N. L. B. left them on the top of a bus. Fortunately, a swift pursuit on foot led to their recovery; and the pursuit has continued ever since, though rarely at the original pace or with the same hazard.

Of the houses founded before 1216, no names have been found in this period for Church Preen, Clifford, Great Witchingham, Horkesley, Kersal, Malpas, St Carrok, St Clears, St Helen's, Wangford.

BARNSTAPLE (Devon), St Mary Magdalene (St Martin-des-Champs) f. c. 1107

List in Oliver, p. 196.

Richard Occ. 1157 (Cambridge, King's Coll. Muniments 2. W/6 = Mon., v, 106 = Oliver, p. 194, where ‘Bardeneia’ is a misreading for Bard' = Barnstaple); 14 Aug. 1159 (Cambridge, King's Coll. Muniments 2. W/7).

Norman Occ. 1159×60 (CDF, no.1272); 1157×c. 1179(Mon., v, 198).

*Martin de Bovele Possibly before Norman. Mentioned as former pr. in 1206 (CRR, IV, p. 198).

The next recorded pr., Richard, occ. early 1227 (Prynne, Records, III, 74).

BASFORD, see NOTTINGHAM

BERMONDSEY (Surrey), St Saviour (La Charité) f. 1089 (see below)

*Lists in Rose Graham, English Ecclesiastical Studies, pp. 121ff.; VCH Surrey, II, 75 (the latter from Ann. Bermondsey). Miss Graham, pp. 93ff., showed how unreliable in general the annals are; but it has been suggested above, p. 6, that the case is (paradoxically) somewhat better for the twelfth than for later centuries; and they have been used here, though with caution. Dates which fit into the pattern of other evidence may be accepted, since in this period the compiler followed a good source for most of his information about the priors; but he shows here as elsewhere his tendency to introduce names out of context and to multiply brief priorates; and we may be reasonably sure that the multiplication of Peter, Adam and Henry de Soilli is an example of this mode of error.

As the authors of the first volume wrote of it in 1972, this book has been long in the making. Soon after the publication of the 940–1216 volume, Miss Vera London went on to make notes from printed sources for a second volume continuing the lists up to 1377. This work progressed slowly but surely, when periodic access to Cambridge University Library allowed, on her regular visits from Shropshire. In 1985, following discussions with Professor Christopher Brooke, I became involved in the project with the prime responsibility for checking through the manuscript sources. The activity has continued from then until the present time. With such collecting work there is always the temptation not to finish – there is always just another cache of documents to check, just another plea roll to consult – but it is in the nature of such fasti lists that they can never attain to anything approaching completeness. To search systematically through the hundreds of unpublished plea rolls for the period is beyond one individual's efforts and one can only aim to improve on existing lists and provide a good basis for lists not produced before. That we have achieved such a limited aim is in no small part due to the unstinting help generously given by friends and colleagues over these fifteen years.

ABBOTSBURY (Dorset), St Peter f. c. 1044

List in VCH Dorset, II, 53.

Æsuuerdus Occ. 1075 (Wilkins, Concilia, 1, 364; signatories to this document have been checked by Cambridge, St Johns Coll., MS 236. Cf. Brooke in Studia Gratiana, XII (Bologna, 1967), pp. 56ff.).

1107–1139: abbey held by Roger, bp. Salisbury (Red Book, 1, 211; cf. fW, p. 59).

Geoffrey 1140 – M. of S. ‘Floscello’, app. 1140 (Florence, 11, 122=fW, p. 59 and n.).

*Roger Occ. (R.) 112×50 (Voss, p. 175; see Quarr); 1148 (Ctl. Eynsham, 1, no. 114; cf. no. 115: see Luffield).

Geoffrey II Occ. 1166 (Red Book, 1, 211).

1–8 July 1175 abbey vacant (Diceto, 1, 401; Gesta Hen. II, 1, 91–3).

Ralph Occ. in late 12th cent. context in BM Cott. MS Claud. C. vi, f. 172 (167); possibly the Ralph who d. 21 May (see below).

Roger II Occ. 3 June 1201 (Ped. Fin., 11, pp. 78, 81).

Hugh Occ. 1204×5 (14th cent. note in CPR, 1313–17, p. 299); early 13th cent. (Reg. St Osmund, 1, p. 373).

Vacant, 15 July 1213: abbey ordered to send candidates for the king's choice (Rot. Lit. Claus., 1, 150).

The next recorded abb., Hugh II, occ. 1216×20 (Ctl. Loders, pp. 62–4: see Axmouth). An Abb. Ralph d. 21 May in Cambridge, Trinity Coll. MS O. 9. 25, f. 158v (13th cent.), and BM Arundel MS 68, f. 28.

ABINGDON (Berks), St Mary ref. c. 954

List in VCH Berks, 11, 61; basis in Florence, MS Lambeth 42, cited by Thorpe in notes to his edn.

For the following houses founded or prob. founded before 1216, no names have been found in this period: Alnesbourn, Anglesey, *Baxterwood, Beddgelert, Bentley, Berden, Bradley (Leics), Breadsall, Bromehill, *Carham, *Dodford, Fineshade, Haverfordwest, Ipplepen, Letheringham, Marsh Barton, Mottisfont, North Creake, North Ferriby, Nottingham, Holy Sepulchre, Patrixbourne, Peterstone, *Pynham, Ratlinghope, Sandleford, Sheringham, Shulbred, Skewkirk, Stamford, St Sepulchre, Stonely, Thelsford, Tiptree, Tregony, Weybourne, Woodspring (Dodlinch), Wormegay.

For Baswich, see under Stafford. Some small cells, groups attached to convents of nuns etc., communities of doubtful origin and hospitals have been omitted.

ARBURY (Warws.), St Mary f. 1154+

List in VCH Warws, II, 91.

William Occ. 1157×66 (EYC, II, nos. 1109, 1111 = Bk. Seals, nos. 515, 517).

Adam Occ. 13 Aug. 1202 (Warws F., no. 139); 1203 (PRO, Le Neve's Indexes, XXIV, 5).

*The next recorded pr. Albinus, occ. 1227×8 (PRO E40/5785; Cat. Anc. Deeds, III, p. 223).

BARLINCH (Soms), St Nicholas f. 1174×91 (c. 1180: see below)

List in VCH Soms, II, 134.

Master Walter Occ. + 1180 (Ctl. Buckland, no. 34); c. 1184 x c. 1188 (ib., no. 181; HMC Wells, I, 38). = Master W. pr. Buckland.

Geoffrey Occ. late 12th cent; + 1180 (Ctl. Buckland, no. 140: ref. to Henry II, alive or recently dead).

Elias Occ. 1191×1225, pr ob. c. 1200 (Ctl. Canonsleigh, no. 151).

The next recorded pr., John, occ. 1225×6 (Rot. Lit. Claus., II, p. 112); 3 Feb. 1242/3 (Soms F., p. 120).

BARNWELL (Cambs), St Giles and St Andrew f. c. 1902 (at Cambridge); 1112 (at Barnwell) (Ch. Barnwell, p. 46)

Where ghosts have been laid or uncertain identifications made in the lists in the main body of the book, they are not included here, though in every case the doubtful form of a house is given in the Index. ‘Abbas’ was a common surname for laymen in the twelfth century: we make no attempt to list the numerous examples which have led to confusion here; nor the cases where ‘pr(esbyter)’ has been read as ‘pr(ior)’.

Car’ ‘A. priore Car'’ occ. in a very corrupt cht. of 1161Χ8 in CDF, no. 1380.

*Cotes Ralph pr. occ. prob. 1163KHgr;86 (PRO C115 A1 K2/6683, sec. x, no.9). Perhaps the Hospital (Cotes, Northants).

Denedan Hugh pr. St Augustine's, occ. 1204Χ5 (Northants F., PRO transcripts): evidently corrupt. Possibly Daventry (see p. 117).

Holen Adam pr. occ. c. 1170Χ (Ctl. Montacute, no. 110; see Monk Sherborne).

Llwythlawr Gwrgenau abb. d. 1168 (Brut, Peniarth, p. 65; Red Book, p. 149); a suggested identification with Ludlow seems very unlikely: more probably the lay abbot of a clas church.2

Neop’ John pr. of, occ. twice, mid-twelfth cent. (+1153, with Isabel, countess of Northampton, evidently wife of Gervase Paynel: cf. CP,VI, 643; HMC Rutland, IV, 165, from Belvoir ctl.).

Neuham Hugh pr. occ. 1139Χ41 (Stenton, Eng. Feudalism, 2nd edn, p. 265, from PRO E40/14,208 (original)).

St Pernit Cristina prs., occ. 1205Χ5 (Northants F., PRO transcripts); possibly Markyate (St Trinity).

The purpose and scope

This book aims at providing lists of all known superiors of the religious houses in England and Wales between 1216 and 1377. Like the previous volume, covering the years 940–1216, we have restricted our interpretation of religious house to cover all establishments of monks, regular canons, and nuns, whether of abbatial or lower rank and whether autonomous or dependent. These lists are based on houses in existence between 1216 and 1377 as recorded in the relevant sections of Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales. A few small houses have failed to reveal the names of any heads and we have intentionally omitted hospitals, colleges, the military orders, and for this period the mendicant orders who arrived in England in the thirteenth century. The decision to omit the last-mentioned was taken partly because of the work that is presently being done on biographical registers of the mendicant friars by such scholars as Dr Michael Robson (Franciscans in England and Wales) and Fr Richard Copsey (Carmelites in England, Scotland and Wales) and the as yet unused research material left by the late Dr A. B. Emden (in the Modern Papers Department of the Bodleian Library, Oxford).

The materials

The one great advantage for compilers of the 1216–1377 volume over the earlier volume, which is at the same time daunting and overwhelming, is the development of record-keeping in the thirteenth century and the consequent great growth of surviving material – both the new series of records and the bulkier continuations of earlier extant series.

The first edition of this book was published in 1972, and rather rapidly went out of print. The publication of David Smith and Vera London's companion volume II, 1216–1377, makes this an ideal time to bring it back into the light, and I am exceedingly grateful to William Davies and his colleagues in the Cambridge University Press for arranging a reprint. This also provides the opportunity to note the changes and improvements of the past quarter of a century; and I have explained on p. 239 the lay–out and rationale of the Corrigenda and Addenda. Above all, I have listed the many kind friends and colleagues who have helped me. Two names must be repeated here: Vera London, whose work and friendship links the two volumes; and David Smith, who has not only given generous guidance as I contemplated what lay in and beyond 1216 – but helped in many difficulties throughout. To them and to all my helpers I offer my warmest thanks.

Pp. 1–238 are an exact reprint of the edition of 1972, with only some very minor corrections except that the asterisks refer to the Corrigenda, where page numbers to the original text are given before each entry. The reader is warned that minor changes have occurred at page ends in the process of reprinting, in a few cases affecting references in the recent literature.

For all that relates to pre-Conquest nuns and abbesses, see now Sarah Foot, Veiled Women, 2 vols. (Basingstoke, 2000).