The last-named surrendered the Priory to Henry VIII in 1540, when he was granted a pension of £100 per annum, and the use of a house within the close. The aggregate granted to the other annuitants (eleven in number), amounted to £70. The pensions were to be paid half yearly. The annual value of the Priory at the surrender was estimated at £656 10s., from which "Reprisals," amounting to £32 3s. 6d., were deducted by the Commissioners, leaving £624 6s. 6d. net.
II[ToC]
The Priory Seal
The impressions given (p. 103) are taken from a fine, but imperfect, sulphur cast in the British Museum (4050 lxxii, 66 and 67) of the Seal in use in the twelfth century. It is circular, about 2-3/8 inches in diameter, and contains, within a vesical compartment, a figure of the Blessed Virgin, seated on a carved throne, holding a fleur-de-lis in her right hand, and supporting with her left the Infant Saviour upon her knee. The Holy Child is distinguished by a cruciform nimbus, while that of the Virgin is a plain circle. The Child is raising the right hand in benediction, and holds in the left an orb. The vesica is bordered with a double dotted line, containing the salutation: "Ave: Maria: gracia: plena: Dñs: tecum: benedicta." A similar border, immediately within the circumference, holds the legend: "Sigillum ecclesie sancte Marie de Suthewercha."
The space between the circumference and the vesica is occupied on each side by two angels, with expanded wings, those above issuing from waves, those below kneeling.
The reverse contains a small counterseal, 1-3/8 inch in diameter. The figure is an angel, with nimbus and expanded wings, issuing from waves, with (probably) an orb in the hands.
The inscription: "Ave: Mater: Misericordie."