| Summary : St Leonards Augustinian Priory was founded in 1114-9 by Ralph fitz Brien and his wife, as an alien priory cell of St Leonard de Noblat. It became a Crown possession after the suppression of alien cells in 1414. It was burnt down in 1416, and reoccuppied, since the prior was listed at Osney in 1443. In 1444, Henry VI granted it to his college at Cambridge. Excavations in 1926 showed that the present church of SS. Mary and Lawrence incorporates the remains of the Priory church. The position of the E. and W. doors on the N. side of the nave, the lines of the Norman transept and the E. wall of the Manor House are suggestive of a cloister. The uncovering of a wall in the farmhouse exposed a circa 1270 wooden arcade and led to the discovery that this substantially 13th century building was in fact the western range of the cloister. |
More information : (TM 03865068) Bricett Hall (NAT)
Remains of St. Leonard's Priory (NR) (Augustinian)
(TM 03665068) Moat (NR) Nunnery Mount (NAT) (1)
Augustinian Priory of St. Leonard, founded 1114-19, burnt down in 1444 (?). (2)
Excavations in 1926 showed that the present church of St. Mary and Lawrence incorporates the remains of the Priory church. The position of the E. and W. doors on the N. side of the nave, the lines of the Norman transept and the E. wall of the Manor House are suggestive of a cloister. The uncovering of a wall in the farmhouse exposed a c.1270 wooden arcade and led to the discovery that this substantially 13th c. building was in fact the western range of the cloister. (Plan).
West of the church are the flattened remains of two areas surrounded by a moat in the rough shape of a figure eight. It is known locally as Nunnery Mount although there is no evidence as to the existence of a nunnery in the neighbourhood. (The shape of the moated area suggests an early Norman Motte and Bailey). (3-7)
The present church, dedicated to St Mary and St Lawrence, incorporates some of the fabric of the priory church dedicated to St Leonard, as planned by Fairweather. Neither of the excavated transepts remain above ground level. The cloister was to the N of the church, and Bricett Hall, though externally modern and not outstanding, incorporates the remains of the W range of priory buildings, including the 13thc wooden arcade. There is no trace of the N and E range.
Nunnery Mount (name still known) is a sub-circular homestead-moat measuring c75.0m overall diameter. The waterfilled moat is c13.0m average width and varies from 0.8m to 2.5m in depth. A causeway in the SE gives access to the island, which is cleared of vegetation and shows a scatter of building debris. The other supposed moat part to the SE is filled in and ploughed over, leaving no trace.
Not a motte and bailey and no evidence of a nunnery.
Published survey (25") revised. (8)
Article on fund raising in the Mediaeval period for the support of the priory. (9) |