SLHS: Guild Of The Holy Cross

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Whilst some care has been taken to check externally linked websites no responsibility is offered nor implied for the suitability, legality or reliability of content therein.

Statements are made here to the best of our knowledge. However no statement here should be regarded as irrefutable fact. Please contact us if you consider otherwise.

Origin

A group of gentry formed a guild for prayer. Led by Master Robert (father to John de Stratford). In 1269 they petitioned Bishop Giffard for a license to conduct divine service for the souls of guild members their ancestors, brethren and priests in need. This was granted and they formed The Guild Of The Holy Cross and St John The Baptist and built a tiny chapel (where the chancel is now). A hospital was added for those in need.

One 140years later, on 8 June 1403, Henry IV enacted a charter re-confirming the terms of the Guild's earlier license and gave it permission to continue as a fraternity. In 1429 a further charter, granted by Henry VI, merged the guild with another widening their remit of dedication to The Holy Cross, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St John The Baptist.


Significant Wealth

Internet Archaeology explains..

“By 1441 the Guild had acquired 41 tenements, 8 cottages, 5 shops, 2 burgages, 7 barns, 2 crofts, 2 gardens and 2 'lands' in Shottery fields. This growth enabled the guild to embark on an ambitious programme of rebuilding the Church Street/Chapel Lane complex, including the Guild Chapel.“

In 1469 Hugh Clopton(1440-1496) joined the Guild. In his dying year he laid considerable wealth aside to rebuild and extend the building with the best decoration money could buy without it being over-opulent (see Chapel Construction).


Dissolution

As is well known following Henry VIII Dissolution Of The Monasteries Act of 1536 in 1547 the whole Guild was closed down and his successor, Edward VI, took all of its assets (See English Monarchs on the Timeline Index).

Further Information..

  1. Guild Register

  2. Reference to the extant copy:  SBT Guild Register photograph and description

  3. Printed translations are available from bookshops starting at £30.


  5. Brief Introductions To The Operations Of The Guild

  6. Guild Chapel leaflet:  The Guild of the Holy Cross in Stratford its Buildings

  7. Internet Archaeology 2.1 The Guild Of The Holy Cross


  9. Books

  10. An expert book (8Mb download from Digital Library of Ethiopia): 94: The Guild & Guild Buildings Of Shakespeare’s Stratford- JR Mulryne

Webmaster

Headquartered in the Guild Chapel

● These items have aspects that uniquely contribute to national or world history.

Guild ChapelGuildChapelMasterPage.html

To return to Master page click on ‘Guild Chapel’ above.

Guild Register

The most important remaining artifact is a copy of the original Guild Register Of Members 1403 to 1535 (left). It records 8000 names with details of social networks and the far distant locations, and social status, from which its members came. Scholars use this as a window into the lives of those wealthy merchants at the time.

This copy of the original, made in 1488, is held for safe keeping but is not for general viewing (see Further information below)

Guild Register 1488-9

Click on picture to go to a full page view.

You will need to hit ‘Back’ to return here.

A page from the Guild Register 1409

  1. Data Availability

  2. ● Full

  3. ● Partial

  4. ● None

Master Pages

  1. Timeline Index

  2. Geographic Index

  3. Archaeology

  4. Canal ●

  5. Churches ●

  6. Cinemas

  7. Clocks & Bells

  8. Councils

  9. Future Developments

  10. Heritage Sites

  11. Hotels

  12. Medical & Welfare

  13. Markets & Fairs

  14. Mills

  15. Prominent Businesses ●

  16. Prominent People ●

  17. Pubs

  18. Railways ●

  19. Rivers

  20. Schools

  21. Sports & Competitions

  22. Streets

  23. Theatres ●

  24. Tollhouses

  25. Tourism

  26. Tunnels

  27. War & Combat

  28. Welcombe

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Last update: 31/10/2024

Created: 11/09/2023