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ST JAMES PRIORY

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The priory of St James was founded by Baldwin De Redverus or Rivers, Earl of Devon before the year 1143. The mother house was the abbey of St Martin-in-the-fields, Paris - a Cluniac House. The community was small and consisted of a prior and four monks. The last documented prior was in 1428. The site was subsequently occupied by a house called the old abbey. The cob wall surrounding the present building has been suggested as the precinct wall of the priory.

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[SX 93089099] Old Abbey on site of St. James's Priory [GT](Cluniac) (1)

Founded before 1143. (2)

The priory of St James was founded by Baldwin De Redverus or Rivers, Earl of Devon before the year 1143. The mother house was the abbey of St Martin-in-the-fields, Paris - a Cluniac House. The community was small and consisted of a prior and four monks. "Thomas Dene was certainly prior in 1428, and was, we believe the last who filled that office."

"Richard was the first prior, and augured Bishop Robert Chichester's confirmation in 1146. (3)

The present mansion "Old Abbey" has been converted into a cafe, guesthouse, and a few cottages and is probably 17th - 20th century. The proprietress has no knowledge of the previous Cluniac Priory. The house is situated on a bluff above St. James' Weir on the River Exe, and the garden is almost completely surrounded by an old cob wall considered to have been the original precinct wall of the Priory. (4)

Cluniac Abbey/Priory founded 1141. (5)

Made part of the endowment of Kings College Cambridge by Henry VI. The site of the Priory is now called the "Old Abbey". (6)

The name Old Abbey is now cancelled, but detail remains. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1932/38 Prov Ed

( 2a) Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book reference

ONB SX 9391

( 2) General reference

Anon Rec 6"

( 3) General reference

Monastican 1846 181-85 (D Oliver)

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 VM 06-JUL-53

( 5) General reference

The Religious Houses of Md England 1940 126 (Knowles)

( 6) General reference

Monasticon Anglicanni 1825 vol V 105 (Dugdale)

( 7) General reference

SS 6" (Reviser, 1957)

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