Noteable Information

Below are a few details of the Prioresses of Ankerwycke as well as a brief list of owners and occupiers.

Many women who took the veil came from well to do families. There were other reasons for joining a religious institution, notably education, protection, security as well as simply their devotion to worship God.

It is evident that some women were forced into the Priory, as several are recorded to have left.

Lettice, occurs 1194

Emma, occurs 1236, died 1238

Celeste, elected 1238

Julian, elected 1244

Joan of Rouen, elected 1251

Margery of Hedsor, occurs 1270, resigned 1305

Alice de Sandford, elected 1305

Emma of Kimberley, elected 1316, died 1327

Joan of Oxford, elected 1327, died 1349

Joan Godman, elected 1384, died 1390

¶Maud Booth, elected 1390, resigned 1401

Elizabeth Golaffre, elected 1401

Clemence Medford, occurs 1441, dies 1443

Margery Kirby, elected 1443

Margaret Peart, died 1478

Eleanor Spendlow, elected 1478

Alice Worcester, occurs 1526 and 1535

Magdalen Downes, last prioress. Received a £5 annual pension
.

For much of its' history Ankerwycke Priory was occupied by two families - The Smiths and The Harcourts. The Smiths retained Ankerwycke for just over 100 years.

1536 - 1651:

1536 Leased to John Norris

1537 William Byrd (tenant farmer)

1538 Bisham Abbey (upon its refoundation)

1539 Andrew Windsor

1542 Mr Thornton and Joan his wife (tenant farmer)

1545-51 Michelle Barret and Joan Barrett (nee Thornton) (tenant farmer)

1550 Sir Thomas Smith (1512-1577) and Elizabeth Carkett acquire Estate from Edwards VI - paying £414 10s 4d for Ankerwycke Purnish and Ankerwycke Priory and Overton and Overston (Northants) and Bynderton (Sussex)

1554-8 Edward de Vere (?Shakespeare) lives at Ankerwycke as ward to Smith

1559 Smith's mansion comes under attack by Thomas and Edmund Windsor

1578 George Smith and his wife Isabella

1584 Sir William Smith (1550-1626)

1604 Mansion leased to Edward Seymore (Lord Beauchamp) for £28 a year

1626 Sir William Smith (d1631) (son of prev Wm)

1631 Sir Thomas Smith (1602-1668)

1632 Widow of Sir William Smith - Anne marries Sir William Salter. Recorded as residing at Ankerwycke House

1651 Sir Thomas Smith conveys Ankerwycke Purnish to John Lee (Snr)

Though there are very few surviving medieval records, a few contain details of the younger nuns and novices who were present there:

The Story of Anne Clement (b1177)

Alice Clement sent to Ankerwycke when she was 5 years old (c1190). She was the younger daughter of William Clement of Dunchurch Warwickshire. Three years later she was persuaded her to say that she wished to be a nun. But when she turned 21 she refused to accept her vows and left the nunnery. She claimed she had been forced there against her will by a guardian who wished to secure her father's inheritance. Both Alice and her supporter William de Bidun were excommunicated. But a later inquiry into her case caused Pope Innocent III to annul the sentence and to approve her marriage to Alan de Wodecot.

1441 Visitation of Bishop Alnwick

The Bishop of Lincoln attended Ankerwycke in 1441 and recorded 10 nuns in total (and 6 had left during the past few years). Their names are:

Dame Clemence Medford (Prioress)

Dame Isabel Standene (Sub Prioress)

Dame Juliane Messangere

Sister Margery Kirkeby (Cellaress)

Sister Thomasine Talbot

Sister Agnes Dychere

Sister Margaret Smythe

Sister Ellen Moretone (13yrs old)

Isabel Coke (<13yrs)

Elizabeth London (<13yrs)

When John Lee acquires Ankerwycke, the estate is split, with many subsequent owners living across the river on Coopers Hill at Ankerwycke Purnish
1652 - 1937

1652 John Lee (Snr) acquires Ankerwycke Priory and arranges to have it leased out.

1664 Hearth Tax Returns. Ankerwycke Priory possibly leased to Francis Bartholomew – 10 hearths mentioned

1676 John Lee (Jnr) leases Ankerwycke Priory for 9 years to Thomas Harrison including farmhouse, gaterooms et al and 114 ac 14p of land for £145 pa (renewed in 1680)

1685 John Lee younger buys Wraysbury Manor

1706 Reference found stating “Payment for Mr Will Smith of Anchorwicke, Wyradisbury, Bucks for a loss by fire.

1725 Mary Lee (aged 69 widow of John Lee dies. Ankerwycke passes to her sister Elizabeth and her husband Sir Philip Harcourt

1759 John Harcourt (d1785)

1785 John Simon Harcourt

1790 Tenant of Ankerwycke Priory was Crickett Blake of Ankerwycke paying £104 pa)

1800 John Blagrove and Ann tenant of Little Ankerwycke

1804 John Blagrove buys Ankerwycke House and remainder of estate. Transforms the estate, building a new mansion, farm and creates parks and pleasure ground

1829 George Simon Harcourt purchases Ankerwycke

1850s Tenants mentioned include Elizabeth Countesss of Norbury, Lord Charles Beauclerk, Captain William Brooke, RN, and Felix Priory

1857-1860 Cotterill Scholefield and family tenant (2 daughters born at Ankerwycke)

1867-79 Joseph Anderson, house and 76 acres; shooting over 600 acres. The whole to be let on Lease at £550

1885-92 Tolmarch Scott and later Lady Aylesford owners? / tenants?

1892 Arthur Benson

1935 Frederick E G Stanford

1937 Buckinghamshire County Council

1998 The National Trust

Noteable Information

For much of its' history Ankerwycke Priory was occupied by two families - The Smiths and The Harcourts. The Smiths retained Ankerwycke for just over 100 years.1536 - 1651:

Though there are very few surviving medieval records, a few contain details of the younger nuns and novices who were present there:

When John Lee acquires Ankerwycke, the estate is split, with many subsequent owners living across the river on Coopers Hill at Ankerwycke Purnish1652 - 1937

Privacy Settings

Select all services

Website Translator

Google Maps

For much of its' history Ankerwycke Priory was occupied by two families - The Smiths and The Harcourts. The Smiths retained Ankerwycke for just over 100 years.

1536 - 1651:

When John Lee acquires Ankerwycke, the estate is split, with many subsequent owners living across the river on Coopers Hill at Ankerwycke Purnish
1652 - 1937