The Holy Trinity Priory was a priory of Austin canons founded around 1108 by Queen Matilda of England, wife of King Henry I near Aldgate in London. The queen received advice and help in the foundation from Anselm of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was founded with clergy from Colchester, and the first prior was Norman, who was the queen's confessor. By 1115, the entire soke, or liberty of East Smithfield (including the ward of Portsoken) was given by the Knighten Guilde to the church of Holy Trinity within Aldgate. The prior of the abbey was then to sit as an ex officio Alderman of London. In the 12th century the priory had a reputation as a centre of learning under Peter of Cornwall, who was the prior.