| Summary : The site of an alien Benedictine Priory founded at Ware before 1081. It was one of the most important alien houses in England, and probably maintained some thirteen monks in the thirteenth century. The church and other endowments were granted to the Abbey of St Evroul before 1231. The priory was dissolved in 1414 and granted to the Carthusians of Sheen. The old rectory or manor house was built on the site early in the 17th century and was altered in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was previously thought that this manor house may have been part of one of the claustral buildings, however investigations have shown this to not be the case. The Church of St Mary (Monument Number 367669), which was the conventual church, has been so altered that the relationship between it and the claustral buildings has been lost or hidden.Some of the early remains have been revealed by sewer trenches dug across the Priory gardens in 1954 and 1977. Substantial foundations were uncovered which have been interpreted as forming part of the friary church. In 1990 a further fragment was found which has been interpreted as being part of either the church or of a closed court. Further work in 1992 identified parts of the friary church north of the surviving complex, an eastward extension of the south cloister range, and to the south west probable remains of the friary kitchens. The 17th century two-storey manor house consists of plastered timber framing and a tiled roof with internal oak panelled rooms. Later alterations include 19th century windows. |
More information : An alien Benedictine Priory was founded at Ware before 1081 and was dissolved in 1414. It was one of the most important alien houses in England, and probably maintained some thirteen monks in the thirteenth century. The priory was granted to the Carthusians of Sheen. (1)
The foundation of the Benedictine priory at Ware, was due to High de Grentemaisnil's gift of the church tithe, and 2 carucates of land (a) to the abbey of St. Evroul in Normandy (b). There is no evidence when the house was built. Apparently the earliest reference to it occurs in a charter of William Bishop of Lincoln c. 1203-6 (c). The Countess Margaret between 1204 and 1235 built a great hall, a large chamber and a chapel. (d). In 1414 the priory was suppressed, and the King granted it in 1415 to his new foundation at Sheen. (e) A list of priors exists from 1174 to 1414. (2)
"There are no remains of the priory, but the old rectory (now called the manor house) may possibly mark the site of the monastic buildings." (3)
"Having been told that there was an idea that the old rectory, now known as the Manor House, was a priory, I inspected the house ... and am of the opinion that it was probably a building standing at the south-east angle of the cloisters, and that the upper floor, which contains some very early woodwork, was the dormitory of the alien priory ..... The area of the land on the north side of the churchyard on which the schools and Rectory stand is a sufficient indication that this is the site of the Benedictine Priory." (4)
"No traces of the domestic buildings remain ... but it appears probable that the priory stood immediately east of St. Mary's Church [TL 3562 1443] on the site bounded by Dead Lane [now called Church Street] on the east and north, and West Street on the south, as a barn called Corpus Christi barn [TL31SE45] adjoined Dead Lane." (5)
The old Rectory was built early in the 17th century, but has been greatly altered in the 18th and 19th centuries. (6)
[TL 3570 1448] Manor House, Grade II, 2 storeys. Plastered timber framing and brick, 19th century irregular fenestration.Good brick stack at rear. Old tile roof. Interior contains good oak panelled room of mid 17th century date with carved overmantal, also other 17th century oak panelling in other parts of house. 17th century and later. (7)
The Manor House (nameplate) is as described by Auth. 7, but its identification with the Priory buildings must be considered unlikely, both architecturally and positionally. Unfortunately the restoration of the Priory church (TL 31 SE 4 - now the parish church) has erased any clues as to the physical relationship between church and buildings and in the absence of firm evidence elsewhere any attempt to site them would be purely speculative. (8)
No 9 Church Street, (The Manor House), Grade 2* (shown on OS 1:1250 1974 at TL 35711448). Of two storeys, cement rendered with an old tiled roof, of the 17th century and earlier with later alterations. The interior contains heavy timbers suggesting Medieval framing. Probably once part of the Benedictine Priory of Ware, suppressed in 1414. (9-10)
Listed. (11)
Sewer trenches dug across the Priory gardens in 1954 and 1977 revealed substantial foundations interpreted as forming part of the friary church. A large cedar was blown down in 1990 in the vicinity of the foundations revealed by the sewer trenches. A further fragment of friary buildings was revealed. This appears to form part of the same building revealed in 1954 and 1977, and may be interpreted as either the church or may from part of a closed court. (12)
Evaluation targeted areas of proposed disturbance during renovation and visitor works in 1992. Trenches identified parts of the friary church north of the surviving complex, an eastward extension of the south cloister range, and to the south west probable remains of the friary kitchens. (13)
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