Somersham.info

By the 14th century the local parish church was a source of great wealth. It was common for well to do churchmen to hold several churches, take the profits from tithes, rents and produce, and then pay a poor clerk a few pounds to say mass for the locals. As we see below, it was possible for a church to be traded whilst the current priest was still alive, anticipating his death. And if a bishop fell on hard times, well he would just be shoved a few extra churches as compensation!

7 Kalends October 1397
To William de Waltham. Provision of the rectory of Somersham in the diocese of Lincoln, value not exceeding 95 marks, void by the death at the apostolic see of Adam, cardinal priest of St cecilia’s who held it by grant of the said see and thereby reserved to the pope in accordance with his late reservation of the benefices so void. Not withstanding that he (William) holds the parish church of Algarkirk in the diocese of Lincoln and canonries and prebends in the monastery of the Benedictine nuns of Wilton, York, London and Salisbury value altogether not exceeding 480 marks……

4 Kalends August 1395
Appropriation motu proprio to the Episcopal mensa of Ely, of the parish church of Summersham in the diocese of Lincoln, in the gift of the bishop of Ely. To take effect on the resignation or death of the present rector who is a cardinal of the Holy Roman church. A fitting portion for a perpetual vicar is to be reserved.

12 kalends July 1351
The prior and convent of Spalding. For faculty to the aforesaid archbishop (of Canterbury) to receive from Richard de Badewe his resignation of the rectory of Somersham and to make provision of it to Master William de Wittlesey, their councillor, bachelor of civil and canon law who has the archdeaconry of Lincoln and three other benefices; inducting him into the same; intimation being duly given within six days to the papal nuncio in England.

5 Ides September 1349
The bishop of Ely for the appropriation to his Episcopal income of the churches of Hadenham value Ł80, Leverington value Ł85 and Somersham value Ł35 seeing that his possessions are held of the king “in capite” and can be confiscated by royal mandate or applied to the royal use.