Monument MPM2167 - Possible site of grange belonging to Southwick Priory, Stubbington (Portsmouth)

A grange or granges (farm/estate) at Stubbington belonging to Southwick Priory are mentioned in various gifts recorded in the cartularies of the priory dating to the 13th century. The references are usually made in relation to the location of nearby lands being given to the priory. The earliest mention appears in the record of a gift dating to before 1250. [1] The priory's serjeant of the grange at Stubbington, Adam Wysman of Exton, is named as making a gift (in free alms) of various properties and land to the Prior and cannons between 1277 and 1281. The gift included houses, outbuildings, shops, half of two mills (windmill and horsemill) and goods etc. within the town of Portsmouth (now Old Portsmouth), and arable land within and outside the town. A tenement with buildings and land at Kingston is also mentioned. [1, p.299] A record of another gift to the priory made between 1273 and 1281 by Roger de Katerington, makes reference to a lay brother called Adam, who was the custodian of the priory's grange. [1, p.325] A quitclaim by Henry Pray to Southwick Priory c.1270 relating to a messuage (house) and land within Portsbridge at Stubbington, records this as having been situated where the priory's granges had subsequently been built. This may suggest the granges may have been built on the site of earlier buildings. [1, p.252] A footnote in Hanna, 1989 'The Cartularies of Southwick Priory' suggests that the Stubbington Lodge marked on 19th century maps, was probably the site of the priory's grange. [1, p.232] The manor of Stubbington is recorded in the cartularies as part of the priory's holdings. An inquisition of the 24th July 1398 records there were several houses within the manor, although they were not worthing. [2, p.20] The manor of Stubbington is sometimes referred to as being within Portsbridge. [1, pp.3, 252] In 1543 the manor together with its farm and rectories, was granted by Henry VIII to St Mary's College, Winchester. Stubbington Farm later occupied the site (see MPM1810). [3]