| Description | The monks of Christ Church had to carry out various duties essential to the running of the priory and its estates. These posts were called obedientaries, and a fairly comprehensive list of them is to be found in 'Archeaologia Cantiana' vol. xxxvii (1925) p129. Some of the more significant of these obedientaries, responsible for whole departments of the priory, had to account for their expenditure and revenue, and there are series of rolls surviving for such as the sacrist, almoner, and treasurer. Others, such as the feretarian or infirmarian, have left only the occasional account, and some, such as the precentor, have left none at all.
The six greater obedientaries - subprior, precentor, penitencer, sacrist, cellarer, and chamberlain - were appointed by the archbishop from three nominees submitted by the prior. The prior and chapter appointed the lesser obedientaries - treasurers (usually two), almoner, anniversarian, granger, and bartoner.
The cellarer was responsible for providing for the bodily needs of the priory's brethren. He accounts for arrears, receipts, mostly from the prior, with some rents and sale of stock, and expenses for the pantry, butlery, garderobe, kitchen, scullery, and domestic utensils, also for wages, property repairs including the kitchen and refectory, rents paid, and allowances, followed by quarterly accounts of bread and beer used and an attached bill of moneys received from the prior from various sources. |