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CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL AND ST FELIX

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

RUMBURGH PRIORY

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Formerly St Michael's and St Felix's Benedictine Priory. Founded 1047-64 by Aethelmar, bishop of Elmham (1047-70), and by Abbot Thurston (abbot until 1064 or earlier) of St Benet of Hulme, as a cell of that abbey and Oxenedes. It was granted as a cell to St Mary's York by Stephen Earl of Britanny (donor in 1135). There were four monks in 1258 and two in 1286. In 1525 it contained a prior and monks. It was dissolved in 1528 when it was given to Cardinal Wolsey towards the endowment of his college at Ipswich. The site of the priory at Rumburgh has been completely planned. The nave of the church is still in use but the choir and transepts were never built, the East end of the aisleless nave being adapted as a choir. The West tower was clearly a narthex, converted into a belfry in the 15th century. Moats surround the site and a large moated forecourt precedes the church with indications of a gatehouse flanking the road. The present farmhouse on the site of the cloisters incorporates much re-used monastic work. A survey of the monastery was undertaken shortly after the Dissoution. The claustral buildings were to the North of the church and consisted of the cloister, kitchen, refectory, prior's Hall, larder, buttery, sacristy and chapter house.

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(TM 346818) Abbey Farm on site of (NAT) St Michael &
St Felix's Priory (NR) (Benedictine) (NAT) (1)

St Michael's Priory, Rumburgh founded 1047-64 by Aethelmar, bishop of Elmham (1047-70), and by Abbot Thurston (abbot until 1064 or earlier) of St Benet of Hulme, as a cell of that abbey and Oxenedes. It was granted as a cell to St Mary's York by Stephen Earl of Britanny (donor in 1135). There were four monks in 1258 and two in 1286. In 1525 it contained a prior and monks. It was dissolved in 1528 when it was given to Cardinal Wolsey towards the endowment of his college at Ipswich.(2)

Abbey Farm is of 17th/18th century date. Grade II (3). (2-3)

The site of the priory at Rumburgh has been completely planned (see illus - plan from (5)). The nave of the church is still in use but the choir and transepts were never built, the E end of the aisleless nave being adapted as a choir. The W tower was clearly a narthex, converted into a belfrey in the 15th cent. Moats surround the site and a large moated forecourt precedes the church with indications of a gatehouse flanking the road. The present farmhouse on the site of the cloisters incorporates much re-used monastic work. No trace of a chapter house was found. (4-5)

The nave, now used as St Michael's Church, is the only surviving feature of the Priory, and is as described by Cane.

No trace of any domestic buildings or gatehouse survive.

A waterfilled moat partly surround the site, though the south arm is weak and is now only a drainage ditch. Abbey farm (name verified) was built c 1630, and is not outstanding. No trace of any re-used monastic material was found in the building.
See ground photographs.

Published survey (25") revised. (6)

Article on Rumburgh Priory in the late Middle Ages. (7)

Parish church, originally built as the church of a Benedictine Priory, founded c.1065 from Hulme, Norfolk and given in the later C12 to St. Mary's, York. C13 and C15. Nave, chancel, west tower and south porch; random flint, part rendered, part red brick repaired with freestone dressings; shallow-pitched lead-covered roofs. Unusually-proportioned C13 west tower, as wide as the
nave. Grade I. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1957

( 2) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)481

( 3) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE (HHR) Wainford RD Suff Aug 1949 39-40

( 4) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

8, 1964 Page(s)244-5

( 5) Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History

L B Cane 22, 1935 Page(s)155-69

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 PAS 11-JUL-73

(7) Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History

40 (1), 2001 Page(s)8-23

RELATED MONUMENTS

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ST MARYS ABBEY
YORK

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The now ruined St Mary's Abbey was originally founded as the minster of St Olave at Galmanho before 1055, but had been re-established by 1068 as a Ben...

MONUMENT NO. 1125252
RUMBURGH

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Rumburgh is thought to have had a minster or monastery in the 11th century. This may have been on the site of the later priory.

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