Grace Dieu Priory

History of Grace Dieu Although the area around Grace Dieu has historical connections dating back to the Romans and beyond the Priory came into being around 1235-1241 as a house for Augustinian canonesses, and was dedicated to God, the Holy Trinity and St Mary and was founded by Rohese (Rose) de Verdon. Rose was a member of a landowning family with estates around Belton. Her father Nicholas de Verdon had been given the land around Snape by William Wastneis, lord of the manor of Osgathorpe, to add to his park at Belton. Rose endowed the priory with "all my manor of Belton... the park, warren and mills' and with the Manor of Kirby in Kesteven, Lincolnshire. The charter of the foundress, confirmed by Bishop Grosseteste of Lincoln in 1241, describes the priory as "the church of the Holy Trinity of the Grace of God at Belton dedicated to God and St Mary". This provided the priory with the epithet Gratia Dei or Grace Dieu by which it is still known. Rose was buried in the priory chapel, and later records state that an annual sum of 12d was set aside to maintain a light shining on the tomb. The tomb and effigy were later removed, possibly at the Dissolution, to the parish church of Belton, where it can still be see today

YouTube | May 23, 2008