Although it doesn't look anything special now, Wix Church was once part of a Priory and has a lot of history surrounding it.
History Of Wix Priory
Wix Priory, dedicated to St. Mary, was a small convent of Benedictine Nuns situated at the top of Abbey Hill, Wix, Essex, between the present parish church and Wix Abbey farmhouse. It was founded in the reign of King Henry I by the sons and daughter of Walter the Deacon who owned much of Wix in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. There is little evidence of the priory above ground now but an archaeological dig in 1961 did uncover stone foundations on the site. Fortunately, however, there are many ancient documents preserved in the Public Record Office and it is mostly from this source that a history of the priory has been pieced together.
In the Late 12th, early 13th Century, it was a small relatively unimportant religious house of eight to ten nuns but, despite its size, had much influence on the everyday life of the villagers. The priory owned large areas of freehold, copyhold and demesne land in Wix and surrounding villages in Essex and Suffolk. It was also a manor in its own right and tenants of copyhold land owned by the priory had to perform many onerous customary manorial services, as did the tenants of the neighbouring Manor of Wix, Park Hall.
During the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 the discontented villagers attacked the priory and burned many of the manor court rolls which detailed their labour and other services owed to the priory. They soon regretted their action, however, when the Prioress evicted them from their tenancies and extracted a fine from each one before allowing them back to their homes.
Wix Church
The nunnery was in existence for about four hundred years until it was suppressed by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525 together with several other small monasteries in Essex. The priory manorial lands were sold off and became known as the Manor of Wix Hall, alias Wix Abbey, despite the fact that only a small priory had previously existed there.
After its suppression the priory buildings were demolished, together with the convent church which was attached to the east end of the parish church, and the present Wix Abbey farmhouse was built on the site some time before 1575.
The only remains of the priory now to be seen are the blocked 13th. century arches which form the north wall of the present Church of St. Mary The Virgin, Wix, whilst you are finding the clues please do take a look.
This is a simple multi-cache, you need to find the clue which will help you work out the final co-ords.......
This Bell Cage was presented to the Church by Roger Paskell of Wix (Died 10th October ABCD)
N 51 55.0(A-1)C
E 001 08.5(B-A)(Dx2)
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