DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32039#0027
VICARS’ CLOSE AT WELLS.
5
Nicholas Bubwith, as his arms occur on the door of the Chapel, and also
on the painted glass of the windows.
The next and principal addition made to this building was
Thomas Beckington,* who built the Close-Hall-Gate, or Chain-Gate, which
connects the Vicars’ Close with the Cathedral; it extends from the Hall to the
staircase leading (from the North Transept) to the Chapter House; of
which the flight is continued to the floor of the gallery over this gateway.
This eminent and distinguished person, who, by Godwyn, is characterised as
“ a good statesman, a good churchman, a good townsman, a good subject,
a good kinsman, a good master, and a good man,” was a munificent
benefactor to the church and city of Wells. Soon after his promotion to
this see, he built a row of houses on the north side of the Market-place,
which he called his Nova Opera; and granted a supply of water from St.
Andrew’s Well, in the grounds of the Episcopal Palace, to a conduit in the
market-place, flowing night and day, which he vested in the master, brethren,
and burgesses of the City of Wells for ever;f in commemoration of which
benefit, they bound themselves to visit yearly the spot in the cathedral where
he should be interred, there to pray for his soul, and the souls of all the
faithful deceased : and he granted an indulgence of forty days to all such as
* Thomas de Beckington, LL.D., succeeded to tlie see of Bath and Wells on the 13th of October, 1443, in the
peaceable enjoyment of which he remained till his deatli, which took place on the 14th of January, 1464-5. He seems
to have heen of obscure origin, as he took his name from the small town of Beckington, near Frome, Somersetshire;
and in a Journal of Beckington, puhlished in 1828 hy Nicholas Harris Nicolas, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, it is conjectured
that his birth toolc place ahout 1385, whicli would make him 80 years of age at his death; this is hy no means impro-
bable, as he was ohliged to apply for permission to absent himself from parliament on account of his advanced age.
He was educated at William de Wykeham’s College, at Winchester; and, whilst there, seems to have attractecl the
attention of that prelate for his ahilities and comeliness of person ; having distinguished himself, he was removed to
Wykeham’s New College, at Oxford, of which he became a fellovv in 1408 ; he took the degree of Doctor of Laws,
and obtained various ecclesiastical dignities. He was afterwards appointed tutor to the young King Henry VI.
was made Dean of the Arches, Chancellor to Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, Arclideacon of Buckingham, Prehendary of
Lichfield, York, and Wells, Rector of St. Leonard’s, near Hastings, and of Sutton, in the diocess of Salisbury. He seems
to have acquired great fame hy writing a refutation of the Salique Law, which proved the right of the Kings of England
to the crown of France. This called forth additional favours from the court, and he was made principal Secretary of
State and Keeper of the Privy Seal. In 1442, be was intrusted, together with Robert Roos, knt., and Edward FIull, esq.,
with an emhassy to negotiate a marriage hetween the king, Henry VI., and a daughter of the Count of Armagnac.
Ilenry at length got him elected to this see, to which he was consecrated in Eton College Chapel, October I3tb, a.d.
1443.—See a Life ofthis hishop affixed to a Journal of one of the Suite of Beckington, hy Nicholas PIarris Nicolas, Esq.,
Barrister-at-Law. Godwyn, De Prcesulibus. Brttton’s Wells Cathedral, pp. 43-48, and 111. AngUa Sacra. Willis’s
Survey of Cathedrals, &;c. Cassan’s Lives of tlie Bislwps of Bath and Wells.
By many, Beckington is styled the Founder of the Vicars’ Close; hut he himself did not presume to such
distinction; as, in the statutes and injunctions revised hy him, is one which enjoins, “ That every vicar going out
or going in att the Close Gate shall say a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria for the soul of the Bishop lialph of Shrewsbury,
founder of the said Close, and for the souls of his predecessors, fifathers, and mothers, and their benefactors, and for
all Christian souls.” — The Statutes and Charter of Close Hall, p. 12, MS. in the possession of the Bishop of Bath and
Wells.
t Godvvyn, De Prcesulibus, p. 380.
5
Nicholas Bubwith, as his arms occur on the door of the Chapel, and also
on the painted glass of the windows.
The next and principal addition made to this building was
Thomas Beckington,* who built the Close-Hall-Gate, or Chain-Gate, which
connects the Vicars’ Close with the Cathedral; it extends from the Hall to the
staircase leading (from the North Transept) to the Chapter House; of
which the flight is continued to the floor of the gallery over this gateway.
This eminent and distinguished person, who, by Godwyn, is characterised as
“ a good statesman, a good churchman, a good townsman, a good subject,
a good kinsman, a good master, and a good man,” was a munificent
benefactor to the church and city of Wells. Soon after his promotion to
this see, he built a row of houses on the north side of the Market-place,
which he called his Nova Opera; and granted a supply of water from St.
Andrew’s Well, in the grounds of the Episcopal Palace, to a conduit in the
market-place, flowing night and day, which he vested in the master, brethren,
and burgesses of the City of Wells for ever;f in commemoration of which
benefit, they bound themselves to visit yearly the spot in the cathedral where
he should be interred, there to pray for his soul, and the souls of all the
faithful deceased : and he granted an indulgence of forty days to all such as
* Thomas de Beckington, LL.D., succeeded to tlie see of Bath and Wells on the 13th of October, 1443, in the
peaceable enjoyment of which he remained till his deatli, which took place on the 14th of January, 1464-5. He seems
to have heen of obscure origin, as he took his name from the small town of Beckington, near Frome, Somersetshire;
and in a Journal of Beckington, puhlished in 1828 hy Nicholas Harris Nicolas, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, it is conjectured
that his birth toolc place ahout 1385, whicli would make him 80 years of age at his death; this is hy no means impro-
bable, as he was ohliged to apply for permission to absent himself from parliament on account of his advanced age.
He was educated at William de Wykeham’s College, at Winchester; and, whilst there, seems to have attractecl the
attention of that prelate for his ahilities and comeliness of person ; having distinguished himself, he was removed to
Wykeham’s New College, at Oxford, of which he became a fellovv in 1408 ; he took the degree of Doctor of Laws,
and obtained various ecclesiastical dignities. He was afterwards appointed tutor to the young King Henry VI.
was made Dean of the Arches, Chancellor to Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, Arclideacon of Buckingham, Prehendary of
Lichfield, York, and Wells, Rector of St. Leonard’s, near Hastings, and of Sutton, in the diocess of Salisbury. He seems
to have acquired great fame hy writing a refutation of the Salique Law, which proved the right of the Kings of England
to the crown of France. This called forth additional favours from the court, and he was made principal Secretary of
State and Keeper of the Privy Seal. In 1442, be was intrusted, together with Robert Roos, knt., and Edward FIull, esq.,
with an emhassy to negotiate a marriage hetween the king, Henry VI., and a daughter of the Count of Armagnac.
Ilenry at length got him elected to this see, to which he was consecrated in Eton College Chapel, October I3tb, a.d.
1443.—See a Life ofthis hishop affixed to a Journal of one of the Suite of Beckington, hy Nicholas PIarris Nicolas, Esq.,
Barrister-at-Law. Godwyn, De Prcesulibus. Brttton’s Wells Cathedral, pp. 43-48, and 111. AngUa Sacra. Willis’s
Survey of Cathedrals, &;c. Cassan’s Lives of tlie Bislwps of Bath and Wells.
By many, Beckington is styled the Founder of the Vicars’ Close; hut he himself did not presume to such
distinction; as, in the statutes and injunctions revised hy him, is one which enjoins, “ That every vicar going out
or going in att the Close Gate shall say a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria for the soul of the Bishop lialph of Shrewsbury,
founder of the said Close, and for the souls of his predecessors, fifathers, and mothers, and their benefactors, and for
all Christian souls.” — The Statutes and Charter of Close Hall, p. 12, MS. in the possession of the Bishop of Bath and
Wells.
t Godvvyn, De Prcesulibus, p. 380.