Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][merged small][merged small]

of their origin. The Priory, as it is still called, was lately the property of William Shrive, esq. who had it from the family of the Barkers, to whom it has returned. Annual value 3241. 48. Id.

Having no authentic documents respecting the building of the parish church of Clare, which is an ancient and a beautiful structure, it must be passed over without a history; but from its stately appearance, there is great reason to suppose that it was built chiefly at the cost and charges of the lords, who allowed the inhabitants of the town the use of it. The font is of stone, and evidently of the same age as the church.

The following is the list of the dukes and earls of Clare.

A. D. 1. Richard Fitz-Gilbert 1139-2. Gilbert earl of Clare 1152-3. Roger de Clare 1174-4. Richard de Clare

Note. At the death of Richard, the title lay long extinct in that Glouchester. 1362-5. Lionell D. of Clarence, third son of king Ed. III.

1411-6. Thomas D. of Clarence, second son of Henry IV.

1462-7. George D. of Clarence, brother of Edward IV.

1624-8. John Hollis, earl of Clare, lord Houghton.

[blocks in formation]

The following is a translation of a copy of letters patent granted by Elizabeth de Burgh, widow of Lionell, duke of Clarence, and grand-daughter of Gilbert de Clare, giving permission to sell or exchange a small piece of ground, situated in her market of Clare, with three persons, who are called guardians of her chancery in Clare. The seal of the chancery is affixed to it, but some part of the wax being broken, only the remains of the quarterings of the Clare family (viz.), three chroroness, and the earldom of Gloucester, a cross, can be made out. The impression in the middle of the compartment is very imperfect. As this lady was the widow of Lionell, it is most likely the achievement of the duke. The original deed, which is written in French, is in the possession of Thomas Ruggles, esq. of Clare, to whom we are indebted for the copy. It exhibits a striking and a curious proof of the pride and absurd affectation of royal prerogatives in the nobility of those times. All the parade of royal letters patent are made use of by a subject, to give a tenant of her honour of Clare leave to exchange a place in the market only sixteen feet long and eleven

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

wide, with the guardians of her chancery, as they are called. For this purpose, the first person plural is made use of-" Given in our Castle of Clare, the seal of our chancery being affixed." It proves, however, that Clare possesses the grant of a market, which, by some, has been doubted. It shews also that its noble owner, as well as our gracious sovereign, held a court of chancery, and also put the great seal into commission, that the court was held at Clare, and that the Castle in the year 1347 was inhabited by Elizabeth de Burgh, dame de Clare, who (as it was before noticed) was buried in the chancel of the Priory church.

"As tous ceup que ces lettres verront ouElizabeth de Burgh, dame de Clare, salutz in semp.' As William holds of us, by favour of our court, a place in our market of Clare, near that of Walter Abory, which measures in length sixteen feet, and in breadth eleven, by the favour of our court, for the rent of fourpence per ann. Be it known that We grant, by our special letters patent, and give leave to the said William to exchange the said place in the said market with William Sorrel, Johan Peche, and William Shepherd, guardians of the

chancery of our lady of Clare-To have and to hold to them and their successors, guardians of the said chancery of Us and of our heirs, for the aforesaid rent of fourpence per ann. for ever. And as We have given leave to the aforesaid William Sorrell, Johan Peche, and William Sheppherde, guardians of our said chancery, to purchase the said place of the said William in the market by exchange, to hold of us and of our heirs on the terms aforesaid, without being in danger of any encroachment to them and their successors from us or our heirs on the aforesaid purchase.

"Given in our Castle of Clare the fifteenth day of May, in the year of the reign of our lord the king Edward the Third, after the Conquest."

An ancient house, standing on the north side of Clare church, attracts attention from its ornaments, consisting chiefly of armorial bearings and foliage; but, being much defaced with whitewash, it is nearly impossible to ascertain exactly the figures.

To the rev. William Daking, of Boxted, in Essex, the proprietors of this work are indebted for the above particulars.

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

ST. Mary's Church is traditionally reported to have been built by the prior and convent of St. Martin's, formerly of this town, about the year 1916, and stands near the market-place. The living was in the gift of the king in the reign of John, but in the eighth year of Richard 11. anno 1384, we And it appropriated to the abbot of Pontiniac. At a later period, this appropriation, as well as the advowson of the Church, came into the possession of the master and brethren of the hospital of the Maison Dieu, who supplied a priest to officiate in the Church daily for the benefit of the parish. In this state it continued till the suppression of the hospital in the thirty-sixth year of Henry VIII. when it came into the possession of the crown. In a short time, the king, at the humble entreaty of the parishioners, gave them this Church with the cemetery adjoining to it, to be used by them as a parochial church; since which time the patronage of it has been continued in the inhabitants of this parish: every parishioner paying scot and lot having a vote in the choice of the minister, whose maintenance depends upon them. The curacy is at present fixed at 80l. per annum, besides a good house for the curate to reside in. This parish contains nearly Ave-sixths of the whole town, and a far greater proportion of the inhabitants.

The Church of St. Mary is a most curious specimen of the ancient architecture of this country. Its date has never been fixed with any degree of certainty by historians or antiquaries. The most probable conjecture is, that the greater part of it was built soon after the Conquest; some parts of it convey an idea of greater antiquity than that time, particularly the western extremity of the nave. The Church is large, consisting of three aisles, a high and a south chancel. The interior is about one hundred and thirty feet long by sixty feet wide, and completely filled with pews. The western extremity of the nave, as before observed, appears the most ancient: the pillars are of great thickness considering their height, and the arches arising from them semicircular. Immediately beyond them, on each side, is an immense elliptical arch, supported by pillars of large dimensions. The arches of the chancel are pointed and irregular. The exterior of the tower at the west end is a beautiful specimen of the early Norman architecture, and in good preservation. It contains eight bells, and from it arises a small steeple of a more modern date. Within the Church is an epitaph of no great merit on Churchill the poet, though he was not buried

here.

« PreviousContinue »