"Terra Archiepï Eborac. "In Suvine (Swine) with four berewicks, there are ten carucates of land, and two oxgangs to be taxed. Land to eight ploughs." "This manor was and is belonging to the archbishop of York. He has now there in the demesne, one plough; and eight villanes, and six bordars having three ploughs and a half. There is a priest, with half a plough. There are thirty acres of meadow.-Three miles long and one broad. Value in king Edward's time, a hundred shillings, at present forty shillings." This is the description of Swine in the reign of William the conqueror, Anno. Dom. 1086, when the compilation of Domesday book was finished. There was then a priest at Swine, with provision for his support; and it has been with good reason concluded, that in every manor mentioned in Domesday book, in which there was a priest, there was a church also. But as the manor belonged to the archbishop of York before the Norman conquest, it cannot be doubted that there was a church upon it, during the Saxon heptarchy. It is possible indeed that there might be a place for Christian worship at Swine in the time of the Romans, when early in the fourth century, under the persecution of Dioclesian, many Christians in Britain suffered martyrdom, Gildas, the most ancient of the British writers, says, that in the persecution of the tyrant Dioclesian, the churches throughout the whole world were overthrown to the ground, all holy scriptures that could be found were burned in the streets, and the chosen priests of the flock of our Lord, together with the innocent sheep, were murdered.* After this dreadful persecution had ceased, the faithful Christians in Britain, who during the time of danger had taken refuge in woods and caves, appeared again in public, and rebuilt the churches which the pagans had levelled with the ground; and the churches of Christ in Britain continued in peace until the Arian distraction.† But if the Christians had no place at Swine, in which to worship God at the time of that great persecution, nor when Constantine established Christianity in Britain, it is probable that when Paulinus preached Christianity to the Saxons in the East Riding, and the idol temple at Godmondham was destroyed, churches were erected in various parts of Holderness, or the heathen temples there were converted into Christ * Gildas's Epistle, c. 7. + Bede, 1. 1. c. 8. ian churches, and a place for the worship of the true God might then be established at Swine. After the successful labours of Paulinus and other Christian preachers, many churches were built in the seventh century, and in the succeeding periods of the Saxon government; notwithstanding the frequent ravages of the pagan Danes, who destroyed many churches and monasteries in various parts of England, and dispersed the clergy. In the time of archbishop Egbert, in the eighth century, when the church of York was loaded with favours by princes, especially by Ulphus, son of Torald, who governed in the west part of Deira, there is little doubt that the manor of Swine was in the possession of the archbishop of York, and had a church upon it. An historian who wrote in the twelfth century, informs us, that the Normans on their arrival, revived the observances of religion which were every where grown lifeless in England; and that by the Norman influence, churches were seen to rise in every village; and monasteries were built in the towns and cities, after a style unknown before. But this representation is not to be understood in its full extent, although there is no * Gough's Camden, vol. 3, p. 243. + Will. Malmsb. lib. 3, De Will. Primo. doubt that many churches and monasteries were built by the Normans soon after the conquest, and that the Normans, on various occasions, shewed much more respect for religion than the people whom they had conquered. PRIORY OF SWINE.. Bishop Tanner, in his Notitia Monastica, describes the priory of Swine in the following words: 66 Swinhey, or Swina, in the deanery of Holderness, and archdeaconry of the East Riding. CISTERCIAN NUNS. A religious house consisting of a prioress and fourteen or fifteen nuns of the Cistercian order, founded by Robert de Verli, before the end of the reign of king Stephen, which was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, and endowed with £82 3 9 ob. per ann. Dugd. £134 6 9 Speed. The site was granted, 32 Henry VIII, to Sir Richard Gresham, knt. and 3 and 4 Phil. and Mar. to Sir John Constable." The priory was situate on the south side of the church, and some ancient walls belonging to it were standing in the memory of several old persons yet living in the parish. At present the house standing on the site of the priory is called the Hall, and is connected with various buildings necessary for the occupation of a large farm. |