Felley Priory

Add links
Coordinates: 53°03′23″N 1°16′50″W / 53.056456°N 1.280452°W / 53.056456; -1.280452
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Felley Priory
The house built upon the former monastery
Felley Priory is located in Nottinghamshire
Felley Priory
Location within Nottinghamshire
Monastery information
Other namesThe Convent of St. Mary, Felley
OrderAugustinian
Established1156
Disestablished1536
Mother house1156–1260: Worksop Priory; then independent
Dedicated toSaint Mary
People
Founder(s)Ralph Brito
Site
LocationNottinghamshire
Coordinates53°03′23″N 1°16′50″W / 53.056456°N 1.280452°W / 53.056456; -1.280452
Grid referenceSK4822151298

Felley Priory is a 16th century house with gardens located in the village of

dissolved in 1536. The gardens were started in 1974 by Maria Chaworth-Musters and opened to the public through the National Garden Scheme just two years later. Since Maria's passing in 2010, the gardens have been managed by her granddaughter and expert gardener, Michelle Upchurch. In 2021, the gardens were one of the four finalists in the public gardens category in NGS's The Nation's Favourite Gardens competition.[1][2][3][4]

History

The priory was established by Ralph Brito (of Annesley) in 1156 on the site of an earlier chapel served by a Hermit (listed as "Brother Robert" in the charter of foundation

which?] and had, in 1151, been endowed by Brito who placed it under the control of Worksop Priory.[6] Worksop retained control when the priory was established, a situation which was confirmed in a papal bull by Pope Alexander III in 1161.[5] Worksop remained in control until 1260, when Felley became an independent priory.[6]

Ralph Brito and his son donated to the priory the church at Felley. Other donations include the church of

Newark, Colwick and Southwell. The priory also received charters of confirmation from both Pope Celestine III and Pope Gregory IX.[5]

The priory was never very large: It was probably home to only five or six

canons (monks), and the priory church is thought to have been only a simple nave and chancel.[6] The 1534 Valor Ecclesiasticus records the priory as having an income of £61 4s. 8d.[5]

The priory was visited by two commissioners (Legh and Layton) who recorded the priory had an annual income of around £40 but was almost as much in debt.

Dissolution of the Monasteries.[6] The last prior, Christopher Bolton, was given an annual pension of £6; this was, however, cancelled when Bolton became rector of Attenborough.[5]

Priors of Felley

Monastic remains

Felley Priory. The older stonework attributed to the monastery is clearly visible

Little survives of the priory. Following the dissolution, a house was built on the location of the western arm of the cloister. This house is also known as Felley Priory. The core of the house dates from the 15th and 16th-centuries and is thought to incorporate some old masonry from the priory. It has, however, been extended and remodelled since the 17th century.[6]

Four semi-circular columns, thought to be from the priory church, survive and have been reused as gateposts for the house. The priory's precinct wall and fishponds also survive.[6]

History after dissolution

In 1539 the priory's land was granted to William Bolles, but he did not hold them for long as

Strelley, near Nottingham
. After the former priory reverted to the Crown again,
King James I
leased the former priory to Anthony Millington, who made it his family seat.

restored, he was condemned to death along with other regicides. He was, however, spared the gallows and spent the rest of his life in captivity on Jersey until he died in either 1666[7] or 1676.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-7112-3299-0
    page 160
  2. ^ Felley Priory garden @ National Garden Scheme
  3. ^ The Nation's Favourite Gardens winners, by Country Life (magazine)
  4. ^ Felley Priory: The ultimate lesson in the value of planting hedge, Country Life, July 9, 2017
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Houses of Austin canons Houses of Austin canons: The priory of Felley, A History of the County of Nottingham: Volume 2 (1910), pp. 109-12. Date accessed: 30 July 2013
  6. ^ a b c d e f "FELLEY PRIORY". English Heritage: PastScape. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  7. ^ a b c Richard L. Greaves, ‘Millington, Gilbert (c.1598–1666)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 30 July 2013
  8. ^ Felley and its Priory, Nottinghamshire History, accessed 30 July 2013
  9. ^ Felley Priory, Nottinghamshire History

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Felley Priory.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Felley_Priory&oldid=1178239736"