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 date of the erection of St. Teath into a Collegiate Church is more
obscure. Between the years 1258 and 1264 Bishop Bronescombe founded two
prebends in St. Teath church, and, inasmuch as the number of prebends
does not appear ever to have exceeded two, it is probable that the
church owed its prebendal character solely to the bishop.
The Hospital of St. John the Baptist at Helston and the Lazar house at
Liskeard, being comparatively modern foundations, need not be examined.
Reference has been made to three churches or religious houses—it is not
clear which is the appropriate term—which are mentioned in Domesday
Book, but which are omitted in the _Monasticon_.
In the former document it is stated that St. Constantine has half a hide
of land which in the time of King Edward was free of all service, but
since the Count of Mortain received the land it has always rendered geld
unjustly like villeins’ land. This land, known as the manor of Tucoyes,
was bestowed upon Wihumar and henceforth lost to the Church. The
exemption from geld implies a monastic foundation, but no other trace of
monastic origin has been found in connection with the church of St.
Constantine.
Of St. Neot it is stated that the saint held a manor called Neotstou,
consisting of two hides of land in the time of the Confessor, Godric
being the priest in charge, and that the Count of Mortain has despoiled
the priests of all their land save one (Cornish) acre. It is also stated
that the two hides of land have never rendered geld. Monastic the church
of St. Neot undoubtedly was, but in this case we have trustworthy
historical evidence to prove that it was not Celtic but Saxon. St. Neot
had himself founded the house in Saxonised territory. No trace of its
original character is to be found in later documents. It would therefore
seem that it had already become (in 1086) purely parochial.
The honour of St. Cheus or Che, of which the manor of Tremaruustel was a
member at the time of the Domesday Survey, has hitherto resisted all
attempts at identification. It probably represents a moribund and
extinct monastic holding of considerable extent.
The Domesday manor of St. Mawnan (wrongly written Maiuian or Mawan in
both copies) had fallen into the King’s hand before the Conquest. But
the church of St. Mawnan is referred to in many subsequent translations
under the name of Minster, which suggests a monastic origin.
Manaccan, the monks’ church, calls for no comment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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