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LEEDS PRIORY

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The Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas at Leeds was founded by Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119 and continued in existence until 1539. An extensive mansion was built in the vicinity by 1719, which in turn was demolished at the end of the 18th century. Nothing now remains above the ground of the church or claustral buildings. An extensive excavation was undertaken by the Kent Archaeological Society in 1973. The Norman cruciform church was extended in the 14th century, particularly the prsebytery being rebuilt with aisles and lengthened. Unusually, the short, 5-bay Norman nave with its West porch was not remodelled. The claustral range lay to the South. The East range consisted of the chapter house and dormitory, the South range had the refectory and kitchen. The only building which survived the Dissolution was the slype, which is a rectangular building , 45 feet by 12 feet, aligned North-South, and still standing to 10 feet high. Originally built in ragstone, it was partly rebuilt in brick in the 16th century. In the 19th century, a red brick chimney was added.

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(TQ 82345299) Remains of [NAT]
St Mary and St Nicholas's Abbey [NR]
Black Canons of the order of St Augustine AD 1119 [NAT] (1)

Priory of Augustinian Canons at Leeds, Kent. Foundation date given as before 1119. (2)

A Priory of Austin Canons, founded by AD 1119 and dissolved between 1537 and 1540. Very little remains but to the south-east of the farm-house (TQ 85 SW 37) is a stone rubble wall, and there are two other portions to the south of the main barn of Abbey Farm and to the northeast of the mill pond. (3)

With the exception of the supposed remains of the gate-house (TQ 85 SW 76) there are no extant remains of Leeds Abbey. According to Mr L R A Grove, Hon Corr and Curator, Maidstone Museum, the site of the Abbey is centred at TQ 82375305. It was excavated by Cave-Brown c1890, but his records were lost. No trace survives except a levelled area, now partially occupied by derelict farm buildings, or afforested. A building is shown here and described 'Leeds Abbey' in 1779 (a). (4)

Survey of 8.1.61 checked and correct. (5)

Augustinian Priory founded AD 1119. Perhaps the "finest" house in Kent. Thoroughly dismantled at the dissolution. The scheduling to include the claustral ranges the entire precinct and the dovecote(s). The precinct still stands to the north and the west. The AP shows the site before the demolition of the farm buildings. The only building still standing in this area is the brick vaulted slype which will shortly collapse unless remedial measures are taken, its date is uncertain. The area of the Abbey has been demonstrated by excavation and the site has proved to be of Guardianship quality.
(6)

The Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas at Leeds (Kent) was founded by Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119 and continued in existance until 1539. An extensive mansion was built on the site which in turn was demolished at the end of the 18th century. Nothing now remains above the ground of the church or claustral buildings. An extensive excavation was undertaken by the Kent Archaeological Society in 1973 and continued until 1976. Full excavation report. (7 - 8)

Slype at TQ 823529 in grounds of former Leeds Priory. Slype. Late Medieval or Medieval core, partly rebuilt in 16th c. West elevation roughly coursed ragstone with no plinth. East wall
red brick in English bond on galletted stone plinth with chamfered coping. Rectangular, lying north-south, approximately 12' broad and 45' long externally, with thick walls standing to height of approx 10'. Formerly with more to top, and with further stone buildings to north and west at north end. Remains of 19th c red brick chimney stack towards south end of east elevation. Three rectangular window openings to east elevation. Doorway in south end with chamfered stone outer jamb to west side, with broach stop hooks for hinges on inside, head missing. Doorway to north end of west elevation with chamfered red brick jambs, head missing. Interior red brick barrel vault in English bond springing from stone inner walls. 3 east windows with flat stone outer lintels, jambs and cills, morticed for iron grilles, segmental brick inner heads and splayed and rebated brick reveals. Priory of Austin Canons dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas founded 1119 by Robert de Crevequer or Crevecoeur and dissolved between 1537 and 1540. Scheduled Ancient
monument. (9)

Mention. (10)

TQ 82375304. The published site of the Abbey lies in a dense young conifer plantation which is at present impenetrable. The crumbling sections of alleged precinct wall are rather overgrown, with no dateable features exposed. TQ 82345295. Slype the remains of this structure, a 14.2m long vaulted passage, although overgrown survive as described in a
reasonably stable condition.

Published 1:2500 survey correct. (11)

Additional bibliography. (12 - 26)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

Ordnance Survey 6" map sheet 1961

( 2) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1953 Medieval religious houses : England and Wales

Page(s)143

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

DOE (HHR) Hollingbourne RD Kent Nov 1960 59

( 4a) General reference

Map of Kent 1779 (Andrew Drury & Herbert)

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

First OS Archaeology Field Investigator ASP 15-Dec-61

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

Second OS Archaeology Field Investigator ASP 25-Jun-63

( 6) General reference

DOE (IAM) Record Form 15.12.86

( 7) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

Excavation on the site of Leeds Priory (P J Tester) 93, 1977 Page(s)33-45

( 8) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

Excavations on the site of Leeds Priory (P J Tester) 94, 1978 Page(s)75-98

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

DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 14 Dec 1984 49

(10) by John Newman 1976 West Kent and the Weald

The Buildings of England 1969 Page(s)355

(11) Field Investigators Comments

Third OS Archaeology Field Investigator MJF 13-Mar-86

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

(L E Webster, J Cherry) 20, 1976 Page(s)178

(13) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

(P J Tester) 88, 1973 Page(s)211-212

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

(L E Webster, J Cherry) 19, 1975 Page(s)235

(15) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

(P J Tester) 92, 1976 Page(s)247

(16) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

(P J Tester) 89, 1974 Page(s)215-6

(17) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

(P J Tester) 91, 1975 Page(s)199-200

(18) Royal Archaeological Institute The Archaeological Journal

82, 1925 Page(s)260

(19) The Victoria history of the counties of England

(R C Fowler) Kent 2, 1926 Page(s)162-165

(20) Royal Archaeological Institute The Archaeological Journal

(M W Thompson) 143, 1986 Page(s)314

(21) General reference

Monasticon Anglicanum (ed Caley Ellis Bandinel) 6 215 1817-30 (W Dugdale)

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

Page(s)163

(23) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

(J Cave-Brown) 49, 1893 Page(s)89-102

(24) General reference

Notitia Monastica (ed Naismith) Kent 32 1787 (Tanner)

(25) by John Newman 1976 West Kent and the Weald

The Buildings of England Page(s)370

(26) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

(P J Tester) 97, 1981 Page(s)307

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MONUMENT NO. 418234
LEEDS

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Larger of two dovecotes in the grounds of former Leeds Priory, built in the mid or late 16th century and altered in the late 18th century. Red and vit...

MONUMENT NO. 418239
LEEDS

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Early 16th century dovecote in the grounds of former Leeds Priory, built of red and vitreous brick in English bond with diaper work. Ashlar stone quoi...

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