Wife of Stephen KIRTON

• General Notes
  • The last prior of Christchurch 'was John Draper, suffragan
    Bishop of Naples, who had held the office twenty
    years, when the Act for the suppression of the larger
    monasteries came into force. He was " a very coniform-
    able person," and obtained the reward of his servility in
    an annual pension of £133 6s. 8d. and a part of the
    manor of Somerford, which till then had served as a
    grange to the priory. Eighteen of the canons also experienced
    the favour of the crown, probably because they
    had willingly complied with the bidding of their superior.
    The sub-prior had an annual pension of £10, whilst the
    pensions of the canons varied from £6 to £7. The
    annual revenues of the priory amounted to £312 7s. 9d.
    according to Dugdale, and to £544 6s. Od. according to
    Speed, which have subsequently passed into divers
    hands. The site of the monastic offices was granted,
    among other things, to Stephen Kirton and Margaret his
    wife, to hold of the king in capite by the service of a
    fortieth part of a knight's fee and the rent of 31s. 6|d.;
    and by letters patent, the church and church-yard, with
    every thing there appertaining, were granted to the
    churchwardens and inhabitants of the town.
    
    On 28 November 1539, John Draper the last prior of Christchurch, surrendered the priory, and it was dissolved. Prior Draper was granted a pension of £133-6s-8d and the use of Somerford Grange for life.
    
    The monastic buildings of the priory were pulled down soon after the dissolution. The King had intended to pull down the church as well as the monastic buildings, but in response to a plea from the townspeople, supported by Prior Draper, he granted the church together with the churchyard to the churchwardens and inhabitants of Christchurch to be used as the parish church in perpetuity on 23 October 1540, a grant that was confirmed on 12 February 1612 by James I.