The prior of Llanthony Prima was the head of Llanthony Priory in Wales and, from its founding in 1136 to its independence in 1205, the prior of Lanthony Secunda.
The first prior was Ernisius, in , and the last was David Kemp, who surrendered the priory in 1538 during the dissolution of the monasteries. The last independent prior was John Adams, as in 1481 Llanthony Prima was made a cell of Lanthony Secunda.
Llanthony Priory
Llanthony Priory began as a hermitage at the beginning of the twelfth century on the edge of the Black Mountains, founded by William de Lacy, a household knight of Hugh de Lacy, and Ernisius, a former chaplain of Queen Matilda. With the support of Queen Matilda and possibly Henry I it developed into an Augustinian monastery .
In 1136, most of the canons fled Llanthony after lawlessness followed the death of Henry I and founded Lanthony Secunda as a cell of Llanthony Prima outside Gloucester. Lanthony Secunda remained a cell with a shared prior until 1205, when it gained independence.
By "ancient custom", the canons of Llanthony Prima elected their prior without their patron's consent. In 1322, when the king was Llanthony's patron, this custom was confirmed after an investigation found that the priory had always elected priors without licence from their patron, "by virtue of a deed of Walter de Lacy".
In 1481 Edward IV granted Lanthony Secunda, then under Henry Deane, a charter making Llanthony Prima a cell of its former daughter house. The charter required that Lanthony Secunda maintain at Llanthony Prima a dative prior and four canons.
Priors +FromUntilIncumbentNotesErnisiusFirst prior. Took up residence at Llanthony , likely resigned .1131Robert de BethuneElected bishop of Hereford in 1129, consecrated 1131.11311137Robert de BraciThird prior of Llanthony Prima and first prior of Lanthony Secunda. Died shortly after the church at Llanthony Secunda was consecrated.11371150William of WycombeForced to resign in 1150.1150Clement of LlanthonyFormerly sub-prior of Llanthony.Roger of NorwichFormerly sub-prior of Llanthony.1203Geoffrey de HenlawAppointed bishop of St Davids in 1203.1203MartinEighth prior of Llanthony Prima and sixth prior of Lanthony Secunda. The two houses separated during his priorship. Elected to continue as prior of Llanthony Prima.Roger de GodestreReached a final settlement with Lanthony Secunda over the apportionment of assets.WalterStephenOccurred 1236PhilipOccurred 1241, 1242DavidOccurred 1251ThomasOccurred 1253SimonAccording to the king, Simon's priorship was after the statutes of Mortmain. According to a later prior of Llanthony, it was before.Occurred Bartholomew 12651279Walter (Thope, Tope, de Langedon)12791295NicholasWas pardoned for receiving the outlaw Peter de Marines in 1285.12961301Thomas of Gloucester (Glocestria, Glovernia)Resigned at the beginning of 1301. In the same year Robert Winchelsey, archbishop of Canterbury, complained that the former prior was not compliant with monastic discipline with the tacit permission of the bishop of St Davids.13011304NicholasMay be Nicholas de Feckenham.1304Walter de LangeleyeOccurred 1316John of Kingston (Kyngeston)John of RuffordProbably died 1338, certainly deceased by 1348.John of GloucesterLikely deceased 1358.Henry RagonOccurred 1362Adam13631376Nicholas de Trinbey (Trilley, Trillek, de Trinleye, Trinbeye)While saying the Office of the Dead in he was attacked by three canons and blinded. He resigned after the attack and was recorded as still alive in 1380.1376John (de) YattonWas imprisoned in 1386 for failing to render tithes to the king.John de Welyngton (Welynton, Wellyngton, Wellynton, Welynton, Wellington)One of the canons who had attacked Nicholas de Trinbey. He had previously been injured by Nicholas.1409William Cromp (Crompe)JohnMay be John Pembruge.John Pembruge (Penburgh)He was recorded as dying in August 1469. Since his successor is recorded earlier, either the date is erroneous or he resigned before his death.1481John AdamsLast prior of an independent Llanthony Prima. He was accused of having "wasted and destroyed the profits, revenues, and emoluments" of the priory.1481Reginald de BraoseDative prior of Llanthony Prima.Occurred 1524John AbyndonDative prior of Llanthony Prima.Occurred 1534John ChesterDative prior of Llanthony Prima.Occurred 1534John AmbroseDative prior of Llanthony Prima. Acknowledged royal supremacy in 1534.Occurred 1535William AmbroseDative prior of Llanthony Prima.1537Henry WydonDative prior of Llanthony Prima.1538David KempDative prior of Llanthony Prima. Llanthony Prima was dissolved in 1538 as one of the lesser monasteries. References