Bilsington Priory was founded in 1253 by John Mansel. In 1261, Merton Priory confirmed that it had no jurisdiction over the house or its priors, despite the first three priors having come, at Mansel's request, from Merton (Heales, p.137-8). This third prior was R. de South Malling. The first prior was William. The VCH records, from the Close Rolls of Edward III, one Walter as the second prior (c.1255), and we can add R. de South Malling (c.1261 probably till 1276). In 1276, Merton's links with Bilsington's priors seem to have ended, as John Romenale was, according to VCH, a canon of Leeds Priory.
I don't have a picture of the seal, but it sounds a nice one. It's from the 14th century, and is a pointed oval. W. de Gray Birch describes it thus: "in an elegantly carved niche with three trefoiled canopies, pinnacled and crocketed, the coronation of the Virgin, an angel issuing from above and placing the crown on her head. Background diapered. In base, under an arcaded corbel, the founder, John Mansell, Provost of Beverley, turned to the r. h., holding a model of the Church ; and a group of kneeling canons. SIGILLVM • COMMVNE • ECCLESIE • SANCTE • MARIE • DE • BILSINGTONE."
The Coronation of the Virgin can be seen on Anthony Bek's seal, which will have to do for you until I get to snap this one. She's being crowned on the counterseal (the reverse); Bek himself is enthroned on the obverse, between SS Oswald and Cuthbert.
(By the way, I see there's an Anthony Bek Nursery and Primary School. What do they teach them? Profligacy? Hypocrisy? War-mongering?! By the way, too, I nicked these photos from the Age of Chivalry book, which is no longer in print, being a catalogue from an exhibition in the '80s, but which is really rather nice and defo worth having on your book shelf or coffee table if you can find a copy.)
Like Combwell, Bilsington is now a wedding venue. They seem to call it St Augustine's, but it was actually St Mary's - perhaps they're confusing it with being an Augustinian priory?
I'm just going to dump the list of witnesses to the foundation here, in case I need them later.
Bilsington, witnessed by Boniface, William, Bishop of Salisbury, Peter d’Aigueblanche (Hereford), Richard of Gloucester, Peter of Savoy, Peter Chaceporc, AD of Wells, Mr Wm Kilkenny, AD Coventry, Ralph Fitz Nicholas, John Grey, Bertam Cricel, John de Lexington, Robert Walerand, William de Lichfield, canon of London, Mr John Clarel, Geoffrey de Childerwick, Richard de Tilbury, Alard Fleming, Thomas de Colchester, Simon de Huntingdon, chaplain, and many others. 1253, June.
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