| Summary : The remains of an Augustinian Priory. Flanesford priory was founded in 1346 and dissolved in 1536. The large refectory, later reused and extant as a barn, suggests that it was intended for perhaps 13 canons. However, built so soon after the Black Death, it is probable that numbers rarely exceeded 2-3 canons after 1349. The barn is 14th and 15th century with 16th century detail, and was altered in the 19th and 20th centuries, but most of the refectory remains intact. There are four fishponds remaining as earthworks to the south-west. Evaluations and watching briefs, including a photogrammetric survey of the barn, suggest that that it was a guest house and prior's lodging rather than a refectory. The drains of the reredorter were also located and there was evidence of the area being levelled to provide a level are for the priory buildings. Residual Roman material was found in that levelling material. The remaining priory buildings and fishponds are visible on aerial photographs. |
More information : (SO 579192) Flanesford Priory (NR) (Augustinian) (NAT)
Fish Ponds (NR) (Remains of) (NAT). (1)
Flanesford Priory. The priory of St John the Baptist, a small house of Augustinian canons, was founded in 1346 by Sir Richard Talbot. The remaining building, mid 14th with 15th and 16th century details is now used as a barn. (See plan and illus). The fishpond is to the SW. (2-3)
The surviving building of Flanesford Priory, at SO 5790 1938, is as described above and is still in use as a barn. Modern farm buildings adjoin the NE and SW corners. There are no visible remains of any other claustral buildings. To the SW at SO 57801930, are the partly filled-in remains of three Md fish ponds, now dry or marshy. Two are of irregular shape, some 20.0 to 25.0m across, the third, formerly rectangular, 60.0m long, 28.0m wide, has been reduced to half its size by the infilling of rubbish. A possible fourth fishpond, shown on the OS 1:2500, SW of the others, has been completely filled in. Published 1:2500 survey revised. See GP. (4)
6/13 Flanesford Priory
25.2.66
GV I
Former refectory of Augustinian Priory, now barn, founded 1346. Squared sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, C20 pantiled roof. Main range aligned east/west with lower south-east projecting wing, C19 addition to west gable end of main range. Refectory range: formerly of 2 storeys, floor removed and threshing floor with cambered stone lintels to doorways inserted during mid-C19, eastern end retains floor. South elevation: roof with 2 ridge levels; 3 pointed arched windows, originally of 2 cusped lights with quatrefoil, the central mullion to each now missing; all to east of inserted barn door, traces of fourth window above door, 2 square-headed windows to ground floor, one to east retains a stone mullion. Weathering and row of corbels to north wall (rear) imply positon of former cloister. South-east wing: 2 storeys with shouldered arched doorway in west side leading to staircase lit by 2 small windows and a further quatrefoiled opening, south gable has 2 square-headed windows and further blocked opening on ground floor. Two-storey C19 addition to west included for group value. The arrangement of the cowshed and barn to the rear of the refectory probably indicates the position of the former cloister. The priory was dedicated to St John the Baptist and was a small house of canons-regular of St Augustine founded by St Richard Talbot. (5)
The buildings associated with Flanesford Priory are visible on aerial photographs but as they are also shown on historical and current mapping (e.g. source 1), and recorded as a listed building, they were not mapped for NMP. Only two of the Medieval fishponds were mapped since, as source 4 states, the fishponds had been partially filled in. The fishponds are situated at SO 5789 1929 and SO 5781 1931. The easternmost measures 20m by 28m, and abutts the road. The westernmost is amorphous and measures 33m by 60m, with a leat extending south-east to the road from its eastern end. A leat is also visible as a ditch extending for 100m to the south of the road. This may have served as an overflow for the fishponds, which drained into the river Wye. (6)
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