More information : [SD 4340 0994] Ruins of Burscough Priory [GT] (Augustinian)(AD 1189-91) (1)
The Augustinian priory of Burscough was founded about 1190 by Robert, son of Henry, Lord of Lathom and Knowsley ... and dedicated to St. Nicholas. It was dissolved under the Act of February 1536 as its income was less than 200 pounds. Richard (de Tarbock), brother to the founder, set apart a place called Ridgate, for the use of lepers, where the Priory kept a hospital for them. This place was given to the Priory, in 1283, by Henry de Lathom, Lord of Tarbock, as the parishioners had diverted it to their own use. (2)
Burscough Priory of Augustinian Canons. Founded c.1190. Dissolved 1536. Net income in 1535, #80. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. Burscough Leper Hospital dependent on Burscough Priory. Founded before 1311. Dissolution date unknown. (3)
In 1886 a systematic exploration of the ground on which the church stood was carried out, under the direction of Mr. James Bromley, and published in Trans. Hist. Soc. (NS) V, pp.127-46, with plan [as above] and numerous drawings of mouldings, tracery and miscellaneous finds.
"The church was cruciform with a presbytery 42 ft by 24 ft, a central tower 22 ft 6 in square; north transept 26 ft 6 in by 25 ft 6 in; south transept 24 ft by 23 ft; and nave 100 ft by 24 ft 9 in with a north aisle 12 ft wide. On the south side of the nave were the claustral buildings, the cloister being 67 ft square. The eastern and southern ranges were not cleared, but the approximate size of the frater, 54 ft by 21 ft was ascertained by means of a probe. About half the western range was uncovered, and the foundations of a building were cleared adjoining the north side of the north transept. The parts now above ground are the northeast and the northwest piers of the central tower of the church, which stand at some height above the springing ofthe crossing arches, though the voissoirs of the arches themselves have been removed. The work is plain but good in design and the presbytery appears to have been of the same dates. Whether any part of the older church was discovered is not stated, but the gap between the east wall of the cloisters and the southern transept suggest that the former is on the site of the twelfth - century cloister, and preserved the old arrangement after the eastward enlargement of the church c.1280. The plan of the nave also may represent that of the twelfth century church." (4)
Similar information to (4). Burscough Priory ... "was founded by Robert Fitz Henry de Latham, about 1124 ..." "The seal to the Surrender Deed of the Priory [reproduced in plate IX p 144] (copied from Vestuta Monumenta) ... is, I think of much earlier origin than the era of the surrender of the priory .. Engravings of so early a date [the place name of Borchestude" is a c.1250 form] are rude and frequently unreliable, but the recent excavations indicate that this seal gives a tolerably correct view of the elevation of the monastic buildings as they would appear from Hobcross (now Blythe) Lane ...(5)
Remains of [TI] Burscough Priory [GT]
(Augustinian. Founded c.AD 1190) [TI] (6)
BURSCOUGH. House of Augustinian canons which existed until AD 1500 [Type used indicates remains of importance] Burscough. Lesser hospital (income under 50 pounds) Dissolved or moved elsewhere before AD 1500. (7)
Burscough. A priory of Black Canons founded by Robert Fitz Henry temp Richard I. The house had a prior and five religious and forty servants. At the Dissolution the income was 80 pounds 7s 6d according to Dugdale. A second valuation was 122 pounds 5s 7d, while according to Speed it was 129 pounds 1s 10d. (8)
Leper Hospital at Burscough founded before 1311. (9)
[Information identical with authority 8] (10)
The only visible remains of the Priory are two massive piers representing the north side of the crossing and foundations of the south transept and west end of the chancel. The area in which the remains stand has been excavated to a maximum depth of 0.8m below outside ground level. The transept and chancel foundations vary from 1.0m to 1.6m in width with a maximim height of 0.4m. The two large piers rise to a maximum height of approx 7.0. The eastern pier has fragmentary walls projecting to the north and east, that to the north containing a small trefoil headed recess or aumbry. A mound between the piers has on it a gravestone with the incomplete date '175-' The surface of the ground to the north and west of the remains is uneven but no outline corresponding to the other parts of the priory could be identified. The remains are in good condition with the exposed ends of incomplete wall carefully cemented to prevent deterioration. Local enquiries revealed no knowledge of the place called Ridgate, referred to by authority (2) as being the site of the Leper Hospital. (11)
Remains of Burscough Priory. Grade I. The two piers at the junction of the N transept and the crossing, with the respond of the N arcade and the stump of the N wall of the chancel. Probably late C13. (12)
SD 434 099. Burscough Priory. Scheduled No LA/16. (13)
Listed. (14)
Scheduled, RSM Number: 35046. (15) |