The Prior of Rochester was the head of the Benedictine Priory of St. Andrew established at Rochester Cathedral in 1083. The priory was dissolved in 1540 and the last prior, Walter Phillips (or Phylypp) became the first Dean of the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Years
Name
Alternative spellings
Notes
References
1083–1089–96
Ordouvin
Ordowinus
Wharton records Orduvin as mentioned in the Textus Roffensis and as having signed Gundulf's charter creating the priory on 20 September 1089.
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
? – 1096
Ernulph
Arnulf
Wharton records a charter (in the Canterbury archives) as being signed by "Arnulfi Prioris Roffensis". Later Prior of Canterbury , Abbot of Peterborough then Bishop of Rochester .
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) disputed by Greenway (1971)
1096–1107
Ralph
Radulfus
Later Abbot of Battle
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1107–1115?
Ordouvin (again)
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
Letard
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1145?– 1146
Brian
Brien
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1146?– 1154
Reginald
Obtained a confirmation of the privileges of Rochester from Pope Adrian IV in 1154
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
Ernulf II
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
William [de] Borstalle
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
fl. 1177
Silvester
Confirmed by Pope Alexandro in 1178. Following a fire he rebuilt the refecorty, dormitory and three windows in the chapter house.
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
– 1182
Richard
Went to be Prior of Burton, Staffs
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1182–1186
Alfred
Became Prior of Abingdon in May 1186
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1186 –
Osbern de Scapeya
Scapella
Author
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1193?– 1208?
Ralph de Ros
Expanded the priory, leaded the church roof.
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1214?–1215
Elias
Helias
Completed Ralph's work and further expansion
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
8 March 1215
unnamed
Appears in a legal case
Greenway (1971)
fl. 1222
William
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1225–1239
Richard de Derente
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1239–1241
William de Hoo
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1241–1252
Alexander de Glanville
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
– 1262
Simon de Clyve
Hastead actually says 1622
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
– 1283
John de Renham
Rensham
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
– 1291
Thomas de Wouldham
Suthflete
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1292–1294
John de Renham
Rensham
(again)
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1294–1301
Thomas de Shelford
Shuldeford
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691) , Greenway (1971)
1301–1314
John de Greenstreet
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1314–1320
Hamo de Hethe
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1320–1321
John de Westerham
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1321–1333
John de Speldherst
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1333–1352
John de Scapeya
Shepey
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1352–1361
Robert de Suthflete
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1361–1380
John de Hertlepe
Hertley
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1380–1419
John de Sheppey
Scapeya
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1419–1447
William Tunbrygg
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1447–1448
John Clyfe
Hastead (1798)
1448 –
John Cardone
Hastead (1798)
Richard Pekham
William Wod
Wode
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
fl. 1480
Thomas Bourne
Hastead (1798)
fl. 1496
William Bishop
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
1508 –
William Frysell
Fresell
Hastead (1798) , Wharton (1691)
fl. 1533–34
Laurence Mereworth
Hastead (1798)
– 1150
Walter Boxley
Philips
Monks adopted the name of their birthplace on entering the monastery to signify the break with their family. Boxley retook his family name of Philips after the dissolution.
Hastead (1798)
References
Greenway, Diana E, ed. (1971), "Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces)" , Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300 , vol. 2, pp. 78– 80, retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British History Online
Hastead, Edward (1798), "The city and liberty of Rochester: The priory and cathedral church" , The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent , vol. 4, Canterbury, retrieved 25 August 2018 – via British History Online
Page, William, ed. (1926), "Houses of Benedictine monks: The cathedral priory of St Andrew, Rochester" , A History of the County of Kent , vol. 2, pp. 121– 126, retrieved 25 August 2018 – via British History Online
Wharton, Henry (1691), Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum, partim antiquitus, partim recenter scriptarum, de Archiepiscopis & Episcopis Angliae [Sacred England or a collection of history in part old, part recently written, of archbishops and bishops in England ] (in Latin), vol. Pars Prima, London: Richard Creswell, retrieved 29 November 2018 – via The Internet Archive
Early modern
Ordouvin
Ernulf
Ralph
Ordouvin (again)
Letard
Brian
Reginald
Ernulf
William Borstalle
Silvester
Richard
Alfred
Osbern de Scapeya
Ralph de Ros
Elias
William
Richard de Derente
William de Hoo
Alexander de Glanville
Simon de Clyve
John de Renham or Rensham
Thomas de Wouldham
John de Renham (again)
Thomas de Shelford
John de Greenstreet
Hamo de Hethe
John de Westerham
John de Speldherst
John de Scapeya
Robert de Suthflete
John de Hertlepe
John de Sheppey
William Tunbrygg
John Cardone
Richard Pekham
William Wod
Thomas Bourne
William Bisshop
William Frysell or Fresell
Laurence Mereworth
Walter Philips