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WESTBURY COLLEGE

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Benedictine cell and later secular college built on the site of the Saxon minster, (seeST57NE85). Refounded as a Benedictine Cell of Worcester in 1093 but disbanded again by Wulfstan's successor, Samson, before 1112. Refounded as a regular Benedictine community in 1125. It became a college of secular priests in 1194. Bishop Carpenter of Worcester extended the buildings in 1447, including an almshouse for 6 poor men and 6 widows. Surrendered at the Dissolution and the remaining buildings converted to residential use by Sir Ralph Sadlier. (For the College buildings post-1459, see ST57NE82). A Saxon grave stone reused in the Saxo-Norman period and 15th centuries, and microliths, have been discovered there. Excavations have located collegiate and monastic buildings, and remains of a boundary wall, stone jetty and moat.

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(ST 57257746) College (NR) (Rems of). (1)

Westbury was refounded as a cell of Worcester c1086, only to lapse before 1112. In 1194 a college of canons was established, enlarged from five to fourteen canonries by Giffard, Bishop of Worcester, in 1286. It was reconstituted by Bishop Carpenter in 1447, with a grammar-school and almshouse, and surrendered to the King in 1544. The buildings, except for the standing part of the south range, were largely destroyed by Prince Rupert in 1643. Excavations by M W Ponsford in 1968, on behalf of the Bristol City Museum, revealed a boundary wall and stone jetty adjoining the River Trym, possibly part of the college of 1194, and the sites of 13th to 15th cent buildings with an L-shaped moat. Two microliths were found during the investigations. See plan (4). (2-4)

Two stones, obviously halves of what seems to be a Saxon grave-stone, possibly as early as the 8th cent, are built into the underside of the spiral stair leading to the bell-chamber at Westbury College. Later work traceable on the stones suggests appropriations, firstly as the memorial of a Saxon thegn or Norman Knight, and secondly for a 15th cent monument, which use must have preceded the building of the turret in 1447 by Bishop Carpenter. (5)

ST 573774. Westbury College. Excavations continuing. (6)

C15. Random rubble. Remains of north boundary wall beside the stream. 'Postern' opening blocked. (7)

ST 573 774 Westbury College. In 1970 excavations by MW Ponsford for Bristol Museum continued. The C15 north range, part of the east range,and part of the courtyard was uncovered. (8)

Excavations at Westbury College-notes and plans (see Illustration Card): Structural evidence of the monastic period exists in the form of timber buildings, a cemetery and a few human fragments from pits, a stone jetty and a riverside wall. In c1194 the first college of priests was founded by Bishop Celestine of Worcester-part of a cobbled courtyard a new river wall and subsidiary walls probably belong to this period. C1286-1455 general expansion by Bishop Giffard. A kitchen, moat, timbershed, priest's house, courtyard and river wall were added. C1455 College rebuilt by Bishop Carpenter.

It was partly destroyed by Prince Rupert in 1643, which accounts for its fragmentary condition, although the rebuilt west range was destroyed in 1967. The remains are now in the care of the National Trust. Full results of the excavations will be published as a Bristol Museum Monograph. (9)

The college buildings were converted to domestic use by Sir Ralph Sadlier after the Dissolution. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1936

( 2) edited by William Page, F.S.A. 1907 The Victoria history of the county of Gloucester, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)106-8

( 3) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 4) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

13, 1969 Page(s)244-5

( 5) Bristol Archaeological Research Group (B.A.R.G.) bulletin

3 (3), Dec-1968 Page(s)64

(6) Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society

E S Lindley 79, 1960 Page(s)303-5

(7) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(8) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

DM Wilson and S Moorhouse 15, 1971 Page(s)138-9

(9) Bristol Archaeological Research Group review

MW Ponsford Page(s)24-6

(10) G H Cook 1959 English collegiate churches of the Middle Ages

Page(s)71-4

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