What can we learn about the role of the Church in England from the Norman Conquest to the Reformation by a study of the Priory?

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Christchurch Priory is situated on the south coast of Dorset. The area was previously known as Twynham, meaning ‘between two rivers’ due to its situation at the head of a bay formed by the confluence of the Rivers Stour and Avon.

The rivers alone gave reason for the priory to be built here. The area was fertile, benefiting from the alluvial plain, and the land was flat making it suitable for both arable and pastoral farming. Also, the rivers provided a route for communication, a fresh water supply and a natural power supply for a mill.

The origins of the priory are not definite, as there had been a Church at Twynham from a very early time.

We know that the Church was first built in Saxon times because there is a south-side window, which suggests it was built in the seventh century:

Small rounded early design.

The Saxon built their settlement here because the rivers Avon and Stour were useful for trade and transport. Also the site provided security with its old Norman castle.

Further proof of the church being built in Saxon times is that it was mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086:

‘A Priory at Twynham during the reign of Edward the confessor (1042-66)’

Norman times

William I appointed Flambard to re-build and improve the Priory.

The Priory has typical Norman arches to prove this:

Clerestory

Triforium

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The Saxon built their settlement here because the rivers Avon and Stour were useful for trade and transport. Also the site provided security with its old Norman castle.

Further proof of the church being built in Saxon times is that it was mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086:

‘A Priory at Twynham during the reign of Edward the confessor (1042-66)’

Norman times

William I appointed Flambard to re-build and improve the Priory.

The Priory has typical Norman arches to prove this:

Clerestory

Triforium

Norman arches

The arches show that the Priory was to be a very important place. The arches are magnificent, and they have a triforium with windows and patterns outside. It is situated on the North side of the building.

Source 9 tells us how the Priory was built to display the Norman’s support towards the Pope, and was a move towards eliminate the Saxon Bishops.

The Normans also built the constables house, which helped them to control the town.

The Middle Ages

In the middle ages the church was at its strongest and most powerful point. It was the centre of religious and social life. Source 5 talks about how the Church helped people.

Many people believed that by giving money to the Church you could ‘buy’ yourself a place in Heaven. People who wanted the cannon to pray for them donated money. However, they were actually funding the development of the Priory, which was enlarged. . An example would be the de Redvers family, who are mentioned in Source 20. Source 21 gives us an idea of the amounts of money that the rich were willing to give to the church.

The plan of 1535 shows numerous buildings. They helped the community, such as the infirmary, set up to help the local sick and a guesthouse for travellers and pilgrims. St. Michaels loft was added to the church in order to accommodate education for the boys.

The Prior’s role was similar to that of the social security system of today. The North Porch contains the ‘Prior’s seat’, where the Prior would sit when he paid the workers and acted as judge, an honour given to him by William I under the feudal system.

The English Reformation

By the time of the 16th century, the Church was at the centre of everyday life. The King, Henry VIII felt that it had become more powerful and far richer than he was. Henry VIII had lost a lot of money through fighting (and losing) wars in France.

Henry wanted a divorce from his Wife Catherine of Aragon, because she could not provide him with the son he desired. The Pope refused to allow their divorce and so Henry VIII excommunicated the Pope and in turn made himself the Head of the church in England. He then went on to reduce the power of the church in England and dissolve the monasteries, as shown in Source 4:

‘In 1536, Henry ordered Parliament to pass an act closing down the small monasteries’

-Rosemary Kelly, ‘A Wider World’

Source 6 shows how Cromwell urged him to lessen the power of the Church. This is shown in Christchurch Priory by the empty niches on the Rood screen, from where the statues had been removed. The people of Christchurch and the countess of Salisbury pleaded with Henrys minister to save the Priory, as it was their Parish Church. Henry stole the gold and silver of all the monasteries and sold the land.

‘Henry VIII decided to destroy the monasteries for two reasons:

Monks and nuns might obey the Pope and not him
He was short of money

Source 3 –Rosemary Kelly

The seats in the Quire with their decorated misericords show how many people had left money to the church in return for the churches prayers for their souls.

Conclusion

From my visit to the Priory, I can see that the church has developed gradually, with several extensions in different styles. It began with a typical Cruciform shape and was added to over the years, depending on money and resources.

The King’s influence has had a visible affect upon the church between the 11th and 15th centuries. The Priory was influence by William I through its developments and then influenced by Henry VIII in its destruction.

As so many of the buildings have been destroyed, it is difficult to give a complete picture of the role of the church. The mill remains to show how important the Priory was as an employer. However there is no remaining evidence of the other buildings that show it helped the community.