Chapter XIV: LAUNCESTON, olim Lanstaveton, i. e. Fanum S. Stephani

1. AUSTIN CANONS. There was a college of Secular[119] canons before the Conquest, in the church of St. Stephen,[120] about half a mile from this town, which being given to the bishop and church of Exeter by king Henry I.[121] it was suppressed before A.D. 1126. by Will. Warlewast bishop of Exeter, who in lieu of it founded in the west suburb under the castle hill,[122] a priory for canons[123] of the order of St. Austin, which was also dedicated to St. Stephen, to which he gave the best part of the college lands.[124] The yearly revenues of this monastery were rated, _26 Hen. 8._ at 354_l._ 0_s._ 11_d._, _q._ Dugd. 392_l._ 11_s._ 2_d._ _q._ Speed.[125]

_Vide_ in Mon. Angl. tom. ii. p. 107. quæ Leland. in Itin. vol. ii.
p. 110. habet de Launceston: et cart. 13 Hen. 3. p. 1. m. 10.
recit. per Inspex. cart. R. Joan. anno regni primo.
Lelandi Collect. vol. i. p. 76. ejusdem Itin. vol. ii. p. 109. vol.
iii. p. 132, 133. vol. vii. p. 123.
In Itin. Will. de Worcestre, p. 134. dimensiones ecclesiæ, de
fundatione, excerpta ex kalendario.
In Auctuario ad Adamum de Domerham, p. 602. compositionem inter
abbatem et conventum Glaston, et priorem et conventum de
Lanstaventone de decimis in dominico dom. Odonis de Portlo.
Registrum hujus prioratus, penes magistrum Ric. Escot de hosp.
Lincoln.
Registrum prioratus de Launceston, ms. in bibl. Bodl. Oxon. Tanner.
196.
Pat. 13 Hen. 3. m. 7. pro maner. de Cloveston.
Pat. 3 Ed. 1. m. 24. de terris in Tottesden:
Pat. 11 Ed. 1. m. 1. vel 2.
Pat. 1 Ed. 3. p. 3. m. 14. vel. 15. Pat. 16 Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 1.
Pat. 1 Ric. 2. p. 2. m. 3. pro ten. in Newport; Ibid. p. 3. m. 19.
Pat. 6 Ric. 2. p. 3. m.. Pat. 12 Ric. 2. p. 2. m. 24. pro mess.
voc. _Shiphouse_ in Treburdesk: Pat. 16 Ric. 2. p. 2. m. 31. de
mess. et terris in Newland, Landren, Leskard, &c. Pat. 19 Ric. 2.
p. 2. m. 35. pro vicariis S. Tallini, de Tallam S. Mellorii, &c.
Parl. 4 Hen. 4. petitionem contra priorem de vicariis de Lyskeret,
Larkinham, et Tallum.
Inquis. Corn. 1 Hen. 5. n. 51. de Bernhay: Pat. 2 Hen. 5. p. 3. m.
32 vel 33.
Rec. in scacc. 10 Hen. 6. Trin. rot. 5.
Pat. 19 Ed. 4. m. 5 vel 6.

2. ST. LEONARD’S HOSPITAL. An hospital for lepers in this town, dedicated to St. Leonard, is mentioned[126] pat. 6 Ric. 2. p. 3.

3. FRIERY. Mr. Carew[127] mentions a friery to have been here, besides the abbey or priory.

[MS. Lansdown. Brit. Mus. 939. fol. 21 b. Ex Registro Priorat. de
Launceston MS. apogr. inter Libros olim Will. Griffith.
Domesd. tom. i. fol. 120, 120 b.
Harl. MS. 6958. pp. 180, 182.
In Thorpe’s Cat. of MSS. 1833. No. 281. is a “Survey of the lands
belonging to the Priory at Launceston, at the Dissolution of the
Monasteries, 1539, 31 Hen. VIII. a contemporary Record, a long
roll, upon paper, in fine condition, £16 16.” H. E.]