From "A History of Sutton A.D. 675 - 1960" by Robert Smith.
A list of Surrey Churches, with Domesday, gave Sutton and Watendone near Sutton, the locality of the latter seemed worth enquiry, but Watendone as a place name could not be traced.
A chance mention of a Hotel of that name at Coulsdon (four miles from Sutton by the old track) led to an inquiry of its Parish Council, who replied "Watendone" (spelt in several different ways) was a Sub-Manor at one time, its records are held by Purley Library. The Librarian produced a Charter of 1364 A.D. which gave the missing link. It relates to a transfer whereby the Rector of Sutton, Sir Roger Mohant purchased 20 acres of land from the Rector of Coulsdon; the next year it was resold to William Fromond of East Cheam Manor, John Gad of Sutton was the Clerk.
Watendone Chapel was a Chantry, sacred building devoted to the singing of Masses. The Charter does not state that the Church stood on the 20 acres but the Fromond family were ardent Roman Catholics, they had a private chapel at East Cheam, their desire for a connection with the Chantry is understandable. Henry Gerbregga was Minister in 1453. Dissolution of Monastries and Chantries came in 1548 when the Chapel fell into disuse. In 1549 Edward VI "granted to Wm. Ward the former Chapel of Watendone with the burial ground"; later Thos. Templeman purchased it for £200, the building was then used as a barn and destroyed by fire in 1780.
Conclusive evidence of its connection with Sutton is that in 1547 A.D. valuation of St Nicholas effects at the time of the Reformation, those of the Chantry are mentioned.
From "A History of Sutton A.D. 675 - 1960" by Robert Smith.
A translation of the Cartulary of Chertsey Abbey published by the Surrey Records Society contains many references, dating from A.D. 1339, to tenants in Sutton and the terms of their tenure....
...A lengthy and rater extraordinary entry in A.D. 1367 gives cause to wonder; "Alice de Boghyer granted to Robert Mohand, Rector of Sutton, and another 2 crofts of my arable land, rendering to me every year 20 shillings"; later she seeks to modify the terms, she "grants that if she has and receives while she lives from the Almonry of the lord Abbot... as much as one of the poor brethren in bread, ale, kitchen clothing and corn and also their alms at certain times of the year as the poor receive them and also a dish of the lord Abbot called Almersdysshe every week for one day the aforesaid rent of 20/ - shall cease to be held for nothing."
Was this Almonry and kitchen the Sutton branch? If so it must have been on a fairly large scale.
Note: In Roger de Mohante's time there were further outbreaks of plague in England. 1361 was the Pestis secunda or Pestis puerorum and 1369 saw the Pestis tertia.
Source: SHREWSBURY, John Findlay Drew (1970), A History of Bubonic Plague in the British Isles, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
The Friends of St Nicholas Churchyard seeks to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation and appreciation of the churchyard, church and environs of St Nicholas Church, Sutton as a place of remembrance, historic importance and natural beauty.
