Spinney Priory (Abbey), Wicken

History of Spinney Priory

Listed Building

House dated 1775 on right hand gabled end on or near the site of a C13 priory of Augustinian Canons. The house is built on a plan of two parallel gables linked by a short hall range. The walls are of coursed Barnack ashlar reused from the priory and also of clunch, probably from Burwell.

the religious house was founded before 1228. In 1301 Mary de Bassingbourn gave more land to support seven canons in all, and then later, a house for seven infirm or poor men. Each of the seven men were to receive a farthing loaf, a herring and 1d worth of ale every day. They also had a yearly allowance of linen and a pair of shoes. Every two years they received a woollen garment worth 2s 6d. The balance of the money was to be used three times a year to provide a free farthing loaf, and a herring to 1000 poor folk.

A dispute over the inheritance of the right of the manor rose climaxed in 1403 when the prior was stabbed by three of his own canons in church. He fled to the hall and locked himself in, but the monks broke down the door an killed him.

The finances of the orginal endowment were by now insufficient to meet the original aims. They were replaced by the grant of a penny to the most needy of the village, paid twice a year to the total value of a mark (13s 4d).

The house was sold to George Carlton at the Dissolution and the it remained largely intact until 1774 when it was replaced by the current building.

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1935 (August)

While repairing a wall three skeletons were discovered. The injuries that had led to death seemed to have happened before burial. (A Grim Almanac of Cambridgeshire p128)