Religion:

Tickford Priory

Trouble at Tickford: a catalogue of calumny
1140 Tickford Priory founded by Fulk Paynell.
1233 Bishop of Lincoln said that the rule was so lax and so badly kept that the priory was a scandal, and it had only half the monks it needed.
1275 Simon de Reda appointed prior.
1278 Under-sheriff of Bucks ordered to take the priory into the King's hands and imprison all those monks 'who had lately been under the leadership of one who had been excommunicated for his excesses, had attacked the priory and wasted the goods of the monastery'. Later de Reda was reinstated, but disturbances continued.
1290 Bishop of Lincoln visited Tickford. His visit was resisted by some monks, whom he excommunicated. The Bishop found that de Reda was the cause of recent scandals.
1291 Simon de Reda was sacked, accused of 'waste of goods, evil living and homicide!' (murder).
1324 There were only 8 monks besides the prior and two chaplains. All of poor character.
1340 Battles with the vicar of Newport: the Prior and his monks besieged his house, broke the doors and windows, insulted, beat and wounded the vicar and robbed him of £10 worth of goods and chattels.
1503 Priory of Snelshall promoted to Tickford to continue the good work, so it was not all bad!
1524 Wolsey threw down the 'superfluous house of Tickford'. Wolsey annexed the priory for Christ Church College, Oxford, together with all its lands, tithes and advowsons. The Prior was given a pension of £10 pa and the 5 monks 6s 8d each.

Few locals grieved its passing.
A monk fishing by D. Mynard, courtesy of MK Parks Trust