List of the priors of St John of Jerusalem in England

The following is a list of the Lord Priors of St John of Jerusalem in England, the Knights Hospitallers, until the Order was stripped of its properties and income by Henry VIII, during the brief restoration of the Grand Priory under Queen Mary I, and from the restoration of the Grand Priory of England in 1993. For Lord Priors and Grand Priors of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem see the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem.

• Gabnabius, (or Gabnebius) of Naples, the first prior. He was prior in the time of Richard de Balmeis II, Bishop of London (who died 1162), and also when Richard FitzNeal held the same see, from 1189 to 1198. Died the last day of August. At the time there was a sister house at Buckland, Somerset (during the reign of Henry II), which had a prioress for 60 years.
• Richard De Turk. Died 12 August.
• Rodolphus De Dyna. Died 13 May.
• Alanus, prior, was raised to the Bishopric of Bangor 16 April 1195. Died 19 March 1196.
• Gilbert De Vere prior 1195. Died 13 August.
• Hugh De Alneto. Died 23 November.
• Robert Theasarius. Died 26 October.
• Terricus De Nussa (or Mussa), prior 1237 – 1238. Died 21 December.
• Robert De Manneby, prior 1251 – 1262. Died 14 October.
• Roger De Vere, prior 1269, gave the church of Clerkenwell one of the six pots used when Jesus turned water into wine. Died 15 February 1270.
• Joseph De Chauncy prior 1274 – 1280. In the last year he gave the Vicar of Standon lands in the same parish. Died 11 March.
• William De Henley prior 10 February 1280 –1288. He was responsible for building the cloister of Clerkenwell in 1284. Died 4 February.
• Peter De Hakham (or Hagham), prior 1291 – 1293. Died 11 January.
• William De Tothall prior 1297. Died 12 October 1318.
• Richard Joe Paveley prior 1318 – 1321. Died 3 August.
• Robert De Dyna, prior, died 24 November.
• Thomas L'Archer was prior in 1323. Died 28 August 1329.
• Leonard De Tybertis succeeded L’Archer in 1329. Died 31 January.
• Philip De Thame prior 1335 – 1353.
• John Paveley prior 1355 – 1371.
• Robert Hales prior 1372. On 1 February 1380 he was appointed Treasurer of the Exchequer by King Richard II and was beheaded on Tower Hill by the insurgents under Wat Tyler, 1381.
• John De Radington prior 1382 – 1406.
• Walter Grendon prior 1408 – 1416.
• William Hulles prior 1407, 1427, 1429 -1431.
• Robert Mallore, prior 1432 – 1437.
• Robert Botyl, prior 1439 -16 January 1469.
• John Langstrother, prior, 9 March 1469.
• William Tournay, prior, 1471 – 1474.
• Robert Molton prior 1474 – 1476.
• John Weston prior 1477 – 1479, 1483 – 1485.
• John Kendal prior 1491, 1495 – 18 November 1501.
• Thomas Docwra prior 1 May 1502 - 1527.
• William Weston, the last prior before the dissolution, died 7 May 1540, the same year the priory was dissolved by Henry VIII.
• Richard Shelley (Knight of St. John) (1513?–1589?) was the last grand prior of the knights of St. John in England.
• Thomas Tresham I, prior 1557-1559 (the first restoration of the Grand Priory of England).
• Oliver Starkey, Grand Prior 1578
• Henry FitzJames, Grand Prior 1696

• Fra' Matthew Festing, Grand Prior 1993-2008 (i.e., from the second restoration of the Grand Priory of England until he was elected Grand Master of the Order).
• Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart, Grand Prior 2008-2011.

The priorship dates of the following are not known, but probably served during the reign of Edward I (1239 -1307).

• Simon Botard, died 3 May
• Elias Smetherton, 27 April
• Stephen Fulhorn, 1 January
• Walter

References

• Patrick Levaye, Géopolitique du Catholicisme (Éditions Ellipses, 2007) ISBN 2729835237 ;
• John NELSON (1811), The History of Islington, p58-61, reprinted 1980, ISBN 0-85667-104-5 ;

Patent Rolls 12 Richard II Part I Membrane 23 describes a meeting of the King's Council at Oxford on 2 July 1388.

The list of Council members includes "Ralph de Basset, prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England".

This suggests that the dates given for John De Radington are incorrect.