THE SITE

From the remains surviving at Penryn, just a portion of a wall and an arch, one would never guess that at this site, on the south side of the town, was an ecclesiastical institution that, in the late Middle Ages, was one of the most important in West Cornwall. The college of secular canons was founded by Bishop Bronescombe of Exeter in 1265.

THE BUILDING

Much of the establishment was modelled on the existing Exeter Cathedral. The church with tower over the transept, central nave and ambulatories on each side, was a smaller replica of the Cathedral. In Devon similar colleges came to be established at Crediton and Ottery St Mary and their churches too were built in a similar way. The site of Glasney was at the head of a small creek and as a defence Bishop Bronescombe had built three towers, forming one block which acted as a defence both for the college and the town of Penryn. Much of the area in the vicinity was held by the Bishop of Exeter and in 1236 a predecessor had obtained a market for Penryn. The 13th century was a time of population growth and economic expansion and landholders founded numerous new towns and markets seeing the commercial benefits that might accrue. As well as the towers and buildings on the east side, which may have included also a gatehouse, dormitory, refectory and chapter house, for the canons of the college houses where built to the south of the churchyard or close, in a row on the northward facing slope. There were thirteen canons, their role being to some extent honorary. They did not have to reside all the time and to undertake the services entailed they each had a deputy, a priest-vicar or vicar-choral. Over all there came to preside a chief canon or provost.

INCOME

The chief means of providing funds to enable the college to function was by the appropriation of churches. The main income was "tithes" or tenths of the produce of farmers and fishermen, corn, hay, cattle, sheep, fish etc., which they were obliged to pay.

The owner of the rectory who could be a private landholder or clergyman, transferred his rights to the College which then collected the tithes and other increments due while for the performance of religious services in the parish "a vicar" (ie a deputy) was appointed. In this way a whole number of parishes were "appropriated" to Glasney - Budock, St Gluvias (these two had belonged to the Bishop), Feock, Sithney, Zennor, St Goran, St Enoder, Kea, Manaccan, Colan, St Allen, Mylor, Mevagissey and St Just in Penwith.

SERVICES

Services at Glasney's church were no doubt attended by local people as well as by canons and other junior members of the college and it became an important and sacred place in people's lives. People sought to be buried in its precincts. Chantry chapels came to be established by wealthy families who provided funds for the setting up of an altar and the salary of a priest to pray for the souls of members and their ancestors. In the 14th century, Chantries were established by Otto de Bodrugan, John de Beaupre and Bishop Brantyngham of Exeter.

DIFFICULTIES

For much of the time the College no doubt performed its function well, but occasionally there were lapses. In the early 14th century there were complaints that some of the canons had intruded into the bishop's woods and hunted there. The Black Death in 1349 hit Glasney as other institutions and five vacancies were filled at the college during that year. In 1942 a visitation of the college found that its operations had deteriorated. There were only seven vicars instead of the 13 stipulated, three of the houses of non-resident canons were in ruins, the service of matins was not held in the middle of the night as it was supposed to be and 40 shillings they were to distribute to the poor was no longer being handed out. In the 1530s, the provost, James Gentle, seems to have been a rather worldly character. He and his servants "be men of great pleasure, more like temporal men than spiritual, do daily use hawking and hunting".

IT'S EDUCATIONAL ROLE

From an early time the college had an educational role in the local community and on the death of one priest there were great lamentations locally because of his teaching ability. At the Dissolution it was said the bellringer taught local children their ABC. Because of the general illiteracy, however, one of the main ways of getting the Christian message across was by visual methods, by impressive church interiors, coloured glass and wall-paintings and also through dramatic recreations of stories from the Bible and accounts of local saints. To enliven scenes it is clear some not-so-holy jesting and tricks were introduced and in 1360 Bishop Grandissor issued a prohibition to the colleges of Glasney, Ottery St Mary and Crediton, regarding "the acting of plays in the churches during Christmas holidays and on certain Saints' days .... such unseemly and improper pastimes were forbidden".

MIRACLE PLAYS

Dramatic enactments on holy themes, the Creation, the Nativity, the Resurrection continued, however, and Miracle Plays as they were called were performed by Glasney as elsewhere throughout the period. The unique thing about the performances at Glasney and other churches in the land was that they were in the Cornish language. From that distant age, the late Middle Ages, only a few plays survive and those in Cornish "The Creation of the World", "The Passion of our Lord", "The Resurrection of our Lord", "Bewnans Meriasek" (The Life of St Meriasek - the patron saint of Camborne, all seem to have been connected with the college, and may well have been composed there.

ITS DISSOLUTION

Glasney, like other famous religious establishments throughout Britain, monasteries, priories, friaries and chantries, was the victim of Henry VIII's takeover of the English Church in the 1530s and 1540s.

The dissolution of the monasteries was an aspect of the 16th century Reformation whereby some countries and communities opted out of the Roman Catholic system with the Pope at Rome at its head and established their own independent Protestant church. In 1536 the big priories in Cornwall were dissolved like those in other parts of the country. As a Chantry Church, Glasney held on until 1548 but then suffered the same fate.

THE FRIENDS OF GLASNEY

To encourage interest in this important Cornish medieval institution, in 1986 we formed a Society at Penryn, the Friends of Glasney College, which holds regular monthly meetings, stages an annual lecture at Penryn Town Hall and prints pamphlets about its history. We try and care for the remains of the college and have the ultimate aim to excavate the site methodically and establish a visitor centre. If you would like more information about the Friends of Glasney College, contact:

Dr James Whetter, The Roseland Institute, Gorran, St Austell, Cornwall, UK - Telephone: 01726 843501

Cornish Culture

The definitive book on Glasney College by James Whetter ... now available
THE HISTORY OF GLASNEY COLLEGE