| 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.
Responsible for the administration of the priory's estates, the monk warden accounted for sums received from estate officials, bedels and farmers, on his progress, and for sums paid out as expenses, such as for pensions for the warden, fellows, and scholars of Canterbury College, Oxford, and payments to London traders. The progresses were made half- yearly, at Easter and Michaelmas. |