Ecclesfield Priory
St Wandrille's Abbey | |
| Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ecclesfield, South Yorkshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°26′38.3″N 1°28′14.5″W / 53.443972°N 1.470694°W |
| Visible remains | Chapel |
| Public access | None |
Ecclesfield Priory was a
, England.History
Early history
There is no written evidence of any building on the site before 1273, but an 1161 agreement between Richard de Lovetot and the abbey mentions "the monks of Ecclesfield". In 1866, an outer wall of the Priory was uncovered, at the west end of the chapel. The architect supervising the work claimed that this may have been 12th-century work, but there has been no further investigation of this.[1]
Religious use
The Priory was in existence by 1273, when it was mentioned in a papal bull of Pope Clement IV, again confirming some of the abbey's possessions. It acted as a cell of the abbey in Normandy. Many writers have assumed that this demonstrates that the surviving structures were built prior to this date, but David Hey notes that it is possible that a 12th-century structure was in use and was only replaced a few years later.[1]
The names of most priors from the early 14th century are known:
- To 1328: Robert de Bosco
- 1328 – 49: John de Fauvel
- 1349 – 69: Robert Gullielmi
- 1369 – 71: William Fulmere
- 1371 – 72: John Burdet
- 1372 – 85: Sir Henry de Medbourne
In 1357, the abbey sent two armed messengers to bring Gullielmi back because he had ignored a summons questioning his "evil life and embezzlement of the priory's goods". Fulmere was ejected as he was not ordained, and Burdet was imprisoned in Newgate for threatening Fulmere. Upon his release, Burdet unsuccessfully challenged de Medbourne's appointment in Parliament.[1]
In 1386, the Priory was confiscated from the abbey during the
The Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535 noted that there was a dwelling house for the vicar, usually presumed to be either the Priory or a neighbouring structure. St Anne's was dissolved in 1539, and in 1542 the right to present vicars and collect tithes in Ecclesfield was purchased by Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury; it then passed through several hands to the Shirecliffe family. They converted the building into a farmhouse under the name Ecclesfield Hall, inserting a fireplace and mullioned windows. The priory chapel and room below were not altered.[1]
Domestic use
In 1637, John Harrison described "The scite of the mannor, or mansion house called Ecclesfield-hall with all the Out-houses there to belonginge some of them being in decay and some fallen downe. Also the orchard, gardens, yard, the conney-greave and the Intack lyinge next unto Ecclesfeild Churchyard..."[1] An inventory of 1691 listed the Hall's rooms as "hall, little parlour adjoining to the hall, milk house, kitchen, brewhouse, oxen house, dining room, closet, buttery, cellar, Chappel parlour, passage, Chappel Chamber, Greene Chamber, passage, Servants Chamber, boulting house, hay lath, fold, stable and Old Chappell." The Hall was greatly extended in 1736. It is uncertain whether any parts of the old building were demolished at this time.[1]
By the
Architecture
The surviving building consists of a north–south oriented block, with the chapel connected to its south-east corner. It is constructed of sandstone with Millstone Grit dressings and is built directly on the bedrock.[1] The three-storey chapel block is of thinly coursed rubble, while the crosswing is of squared stone and is coursed.[2]
The main block was substantially altered in the 17th century and again in 1866, with windows dating from both periods. One first-floor room has a
The entire building is
