The Celtic Christianity of Cornwall: Divers Sketches and StudiesTaylor, Thomas
History
The Celtic Christianity of Cornwall: Divers Sketches and Studies
Taylor, Thomas
Cornwall (England : County) -- Church history
The collegiate church of St. Buryan is undoubtedly an early instance of
the conversion of a Celtic monastery to a recognised English type. King
Athelstan by charter gave a small piece of his land in a place which is
called the church of St. Berrian ... to be free of all taxation unless
the clerks who had promised him their prayers, viz. 100 masses, 100
psalters and daily supplications failed, to perform their task. The
place which is called the church of St. Berrian was evidently
Eglosberria or Eglosveryan, of which we have already spoken. In later
times it was advantageous to the dean and his fellows to cite Athelstan
as their founder and their church as a royal chapel. All that the Saxon
King did for them was probably to guarantee to them security of tenure
for the lands which they already held and freedom from payment of geld.
The Canons of St. Crantock who held the manor of Langorock at the time
of the Survey (1086) also survived the various changes made in the
constitution of their community until their dissolution in 1536. Robert,
Count of Mortain, had already seized their lands when the Survey was
made. His son, Count William, founded the Cluniac house at Montacute in
Somerset, and to it he is said to have given the church of St. Crantock.
It is certain that in 1236 the prior of Montacute transferred the church
and its possessions to William Briwer, bishop of Exeter. The bishop
thenceforth became patron of the deanery and prebends. In 1291 there
were on the foundation a dean and nine prebendaries. St. Crantock had
become a typical collegiate church. The several stages through which it
passed leave no doubt that as Langorock it had established its claim to
considerate treatment by Saxon and Norman alike.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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