More information : (Area SP 053572) Site of (NAT) Priory (NR)
(Cistercian Nuns) (NR) Chapel (NR) Moat (NR) (1)
Cook Hill. A priory of Cistercian nuns founded before 1198; possibly about 1180. It had always been a poor house and there were only seven nuns when it was dissolved in 1538-9. (2-2b)
The original site of the Priory of Cookhill, according to a papal license of 1400, was at Spernal, Warwickshire (SP 06 SE 5), where there were then buildings and a church in ruins. (3)
Habington (f1 1605-1647) states that Isabel de Maudit, countess of Warwick, founded the nunnery in 1260 and that he had seen her tombstone in the ruined chapel. But the earliest mention of the house occurs in a deed dated by Nash to 1198, and the name of Sarah, prioress of Cockhill, appears in a patent roll of 1227. Tanner suggests that Isabel was probably their heritary patron or a considerable benefactress. (4-4d)
The present Cookhill Priory stands on the site of the Cistercian nunnery. Of the original buildings all that remains above ground are parts of the E and N walls of the chapel and the nucleus of the adjoining E range of a courtyard building open to the N, built soon after 1542 in half timber cased in brick, the S and W wings of which were pulled down in 1763. The house and chapel were largely rebuilt in 1763 and 1783; the W wing is modern. Under the N half of the garden S of the house is the basement of the S wing of the mid-16th century building. (An illustration of the interior of the chapel as it is today may be compared with the same view, before restoration, in Nash's History of Worcestershire, Vol 1, 1799, p.156) (5)
Cook Hill Priory. An 18th century brick house, and chapel incorporating 13th century walling now used as a store room. Grade 2. (6)
The site of Cookhill Nunnery is surrounded by a roughly triangular precinct enclosure formed by a bank and ditch, best preserved on its E side. Hedge lines within it suggest that it was formerly considerably smaller and that it was enlarged to the NW. On the N side a deep gulley, surviving in parts as a bank or hedge bank, forms the boundary and may have served as a by-pass track round the precinct. On the S. a bank remains but it is cut by a leat to a fishpond. There are a number of internal earthworks and a fishpond, now dry, within the SE corner of the enclosure with a dam at its W end. The NE apex of the enclosure (See SP 05 NE 21.) is occupied by a large moated mill mound. An excavation at its N side has revealed the stone foundations for the mill's cross-trees. Additional to the fishstews and possible moat shown on OS maps within the enclosure a large almost dry fish pond lies outside and parallel to the NW of the precinct bank, with a broken clay dam, and a second fishpond exists to the E. (7)
The chapel at SP 05365728 is no longer used for divine worship. A small amount of the original fabric is exposed and a niche has been let into the N wall near the NE corner. The features shown on the OS 25" and published as "moat" are fishponds at different levels connected by pipes. They are fed from the two ponds to the NE and from natural springs. The area is bounded by a triangular-shaped bank and ditch known as "The Nuns' Walk". The bank varies in height from 0.3 to 0.9m. Surveyed at 1:2500. (8)
The earthworks are much as described by Aston. The hollow way around the N side is an old road from the sides of which gravel has been dug in places.
A short dam at SP 05355716 retained a fishpond (now dry) in the SE corner, while to the south a deep gully runs from the Stratford - Worcester road towards the central fishponds. If this was a leat it was presumably spring-fed, but it may have
been an earlier course of the main road.
The large fishpond at SP 05145737 has been restored for farm use by repairs to its retaining earthen dam. To the E of this, modern gravel digging has obscured the outline of any other fishpond. (9)
Cookhill Priory. Farmhouse incorporating remnants of Cistercian nunnery. Probably C15 with additions of 1763 and early C20.
Chapel attached to Cookhill Priory. Early C15. Remodelled 1783. Grade II*. (See DoE list for details). (10)
Scheduled listing. (11) |