ECR 01

Reference code

ECR 01

Title

Modbury, Devon

Level

Series

Administrative / Biographical history

The Alien Priory of Modbury, a cell of the Abbey of St Pierre-sur-Dives in Normandy, was granted to Eton College inter alia by Henry VI by Letters Patent of 25 March 1441. The Priory consisted of a Prior and two monks, and the dissolution of the Priory, implied in the grant to Eton College, was not violent. William Beuselin, the last Prior, became lessee of the college for life, and a connection with the Abbey was maintained until at least 1470 when a monk was sent over. At the beginning of Edward IV's reign, Eton College briefly lost Modbury Priory which was granted to William Beuselin for his life by Letters Patent of 29 May 1462, with the reversion granted to the Abbey of Tavistock by Letters Patent of 25 November 1466. However, the property was restored to Eton College by Letters Patent of 17 July 1467.

Date

1140 - 1809

Provenance

In the mid eighteenth century, Honest Tom Martin described these records as being in Drawer 20. On their move to College Library in 1800, they formed the contents of drawer B.6. Some items from other estates ended up in that drawer, and they have also been listed here.