What is the origin of the word chantry?
The word chantry derives from Old French chanter and the Latin cantare, meaning to sing. Its medieval derivative cantaria translates directly as licence to sing mass.
Questions about Chantry
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Christian practices of prayer for the dead first appear?
Christian practices of prayer and offering mass for the repose of the soul date back to the 3rd and 4th centuries respectively. The custom of having quantities of masses offered for the dead first appeared in the early 7th century.
Who founded the first chantry school in England?
Katherine, Lady Berkeley founded the first chantry school in 1384. Chantry priests had previously provided education to communities across England before their suppression.
Which king passed an Act defining chantries as misapplied funds in 1545?
King Henry VIII initiated the Reformation and Parliament passed an Act in 1545 defining chantries as misapplied funds. This Act stated that all chantries and their properties would belong to the King during his lifetime.
How many chantries were closed by King Edward VI in 1547?
King Edward VI signed a new Act in 1547 which ended 2,374 chantries and guild chapels. It seized their assets and instituted inquiries to determine all possessions.