Philip de Sancto Austolo

[Richard Turner]

Having read your interesting discussion about the Cardinham family, I'm sure you have the collective expertise to help me with some research into Philip of St Austell.

I have found no records of his dob or early years, but Philip ended up as Dean of Westminster, dying in 1304. His significance to the early history of St Austell is that in 1294 he received a royal licence to grant the advowson and patronage of St Clether to maintain certain chaplains celebrating divine service in St Austell. This was the origin of St Michael's Chapel, which still exists as one of the oldest parts of Holy Trinity Church in St Austell. There is no mention of its building, but, clearly, Philip had already funded its construction. He followed this up in 1301 by paying a fine for the alienation in mortmain of a "messuage and 3 acres of land in Menekudel". This was to support and pay for three chaplains to celebrate divine service daily for the good of his soul. Bishop Pontissara was about to drag him off on a hazardous journey overseas so he may felt it prudent to beef up his team of divine representatives.
This application was made before the Bishop of Coventry, but I cannot find any other connection between Philip and this diocese. Perhaps the Bishop was acting as Royal Treasurer at this time?

It is this bequest of land in Menekudel that intrigues me. This would surely have been part of the manor of Treverbyn, the southern boundary of which was marked by the Menagu Stone, for many years situated at the bottom of Menacuddle Street diagonally opposite the church (it has now been re-located in the churchyard.)

The question arises - what was Philip's connection, if any, with the de Treverbyn family?

Another document that is perhaps relevant is a confirmation, provisionally dated 1251, between Odo son of Walter, lord of Treuerbin and Tyrwardreath Priory. This seems to have been written up to confirm an earlier grant of 1169 in which Robert Fitzwilliam had freed the sanctuarium de Sancto Austelo from all dues and obligations. There is a hint that Odo may have been summoned because he had not been fulfilling these earlier obligations e.g. "and half the tin which [Odo] has been receiving flouting (contra) the Prior, when he ought to have divided it between them, as shown in a charter of Philip his ancestor (proavus) to the monks...." [Oliver Monasticum pp 42-3)

At first, I thought this might have been our Philip - but the dates clearly rule it out. But who was this Treverbyn "ancestor"?

Apart from the chantry (which survived until it was suppressed under Edward VI) Philip's legacy is marked by a Priory Road that leads northwards and would presumably have joined Menacuddle Street until its route was disrupted by the railway. Early census returns show that the surrounding land was still called "Priory Fields".

Incidentally, that rather unreliable source Reade's "The House of Cornewall" suggests that Philip de Sancto Austolo and Philip le Cornwaleys were one and the same man. The latter certainly existed but whether that connection and the further claim that Cornwaleys was the illegitimate son of Earl Richard King of the Romans and his mistress Joan de Valletort seem extremely doubtful.

I can't help thinking that Philip of St Austell must have had some local patron who set him on the way to a distinguished career in the church. Could it have been through the offices of the de Treverbyns? In some documents he is referred to as "Master" Philip - which sounds rather patronising, but might it indicate a university connection?

All a bit disjointed, I'm afraid, but a fair indication of where I am with my research. Any help the group can provide would be greatly appreciated!



S

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Richard ~

The message below provides concrete evidence that Richard, King of the Romans, Earl of Cornwall, had an illegitimate son, Philip, who was a cleric in 1248. I also discuss the alleged link between Philip of Cornwall and the individual known as Master Philip de Saint Austell.

I seriously doubt the two Philip's were the same people. Whoever Philip de Saint Austell was, I note that he regularly employed the suname "de Saint Austell" and even had a nephew/kinsman named J. de Saint Austell.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

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King John's second son, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, King of the Romans
(died 1272), is known to have had a large tribe of children, both
legitimate and illegitimate. It has been alleged more than once in
print that Earl/King Richard had an illegitimate son, Philip, who was
also known as Philip de Saint Austell [see, for example, NEHGR 119
(1965): 98; Reade, House of Cornewall (1908): 31].

In recent time, I've had the occasion to examine the available
contemporary evidence for this Philip's existence. I've determined
that on 20 March 1248, Pope Innocent IV granted an indult at the
request of Philip of Savoy, Archbishop elect of Lyons, for Philip, son
of the Earl of Cornwall, clerk, to hold an additional benefice with
cure of souls [Reference: Berger, Les Registres d'Innocent IV, 1
(1884): 570 ("Philippo clerico dilecti filii nobilis viri comitis
Cornubie.").]. So, Philip son of the Earl of Cornwall definitely
existed. To date, however, I haven't found any further record of this
Philip.

Although I find it rather doubtful, it is but remotely possible that
Philip, living 1248, is the same person as Master Philip de Cornwall,
late Archdeacon of Llandaff, canon of Glasney, Cornwall, who died
shortly before 23 Jan. 1319/20. Little seems to be known of this
man. For what particulars I know of Master Philip de Cornwall, see
Hingeston-Randolph, The Regs. of Walter Bronescombe (A.D. 1257-1280),
& Peter Quivil (A.D. 1280-1291) (1889): 418, 427; Stapledon Reg. of
Walter de Stapeldon, Bishop of Exeter, (A.D. 1307-1326) (London,
1892): 124, 219; Peter, Hist. of Glasney Collegiate Church, Cornwall
(1903): 120.

Reade, House of Cornewall (1908): 31 explains that Hingeston-Randolph
thought Philip, son of Earl/King Richard, living in 1248, was the same
person as a much later individual, namely Master Philip de Saint
Austell (otherwise le Cornwaleys), Archbishop's clerk, Archdeacon of
Winchester. However, I've found no evidence to support this idea. As
it happens, Philip de Saint Austell was a rather active individual in
his lifetime. I haven't found any evidence that he used the style "of
Cornwall," as did the other bastard children of Earl/King Richard.
Rather, he regularly employed the suname "de Saint Austell" and even
had a nephew/kinsman named J. de Saint Austell. Nor is he ever
styled kinsman by King Edward I of England, although they had
interaction on several occasions.

Master Philip de Saint Austell first occurs in April 1285, when King
Edward I gave him safe conduct, he then going to Rome. In 1292 the
king granted him protection for two years, he then going beyond seas
with John de Pontissara, Bishop of Winchester. In 1294 the king
licensed him to assign one acre of land in "monte de Tremur" near St.
Clether, Cornwall, together with the advowson and patronage of St.
Clether, Cornwall, to maintain certain chaplains celebrating divine
service. In May 1299 the king granted him protection until Easter, he
then going beyond seas with John de Pontissara, Bishop of Winchester.
In 1301 the king granted him authority to convey one messuage and 30
acres of land in Menkudel for the maintenance of three chaplains to
celebrate divince services daily for the good of his soul in the
chapel of St. Michael in the town of Saint Austell, Cornwall. In 1303
he was granted protection by the king for one year, he then going
beyond seas with John de Pontissara, Bishop of Winchester. He died
shortly before 10 June 1304. In Feb. 1305 the king pardoned Reynold
son of Richard de Penres for acquiring in fee simple 3s. 7-3/4d. rent
in Landewynnek and the advowson of the church of St. Cross, Kerrier,
Cornwall from Master Philip de Saint Austell, sometime Archdeacon of
Winchester, who held them in chief. [References: Cal.Patent.Rolls,
1281-1292 (1893): 157; Cal. Patent Rolls, 1292-1301 (1895): 92, 179,
415, 600; Hammond, A Cornish Parish: Being an Account of St. Austell,
Town, Church, District & People (1897): 15-17, 110; Cal. Patent Rolls,
1301-1307 (1898): 127, 314. VCH Hampshire 4 (1911): 337-344;
Pontissara, Reg. Johannis de Pontissara 1 (Surrey Rec. Soc. 1) (1913):
29 (J. de Saint Austell, clerk, styled nephew/kinsman [nepos] of
Philip de Saint Austell, Archdeacon of Winchester, in 1287); Jones,
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300-1541 4 (1963): 50-51; Horn, Fasti
Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300-1541 12 (1967): 58-61; Greenway, Fasti
Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300 2 (1971): 92-93].

In summary, the evidence confirms that Richard, Earl of Cornwall, King
of the Romans, had an illegitimate son, Philip, a priest, living in
1248. I've found no evidence to link him with Master Philip de Saint
Austell, who died in 1304. Special thanks go to Martin Hollick for
supplying me a copy of the reference in the published registers of
Pope Innocent IV which relates to Philip, son of the Earl of Cornwall.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah