| Summary : A pre-Conquest monastery and associated early Christian cemetery and a later Augustinian priory situated between the estuaries of the Rivers Avon and Stour at Christchurch. The pre-Conquest monastery was associated with the Saxon burh known as 'Twynham'. Documentary sources suggest that a church, founded at the site during the Saxon period, served a college of 24 canons. Records also suggest that by the late 11th century the Saxon church was associated with seven chapels within the churchyard, and that these were demolished circa 1100 in order to make way for a new church building. This in turn became the priory church of the Augustinian priory founded by Baldwin de Redvers around 1150. Finally completed in 1234, the priory church is well preserved and has served as the parish church since 1540 following the Dissolution in 1539. The churchyard is now closed. The main monastic structures were around the cloister block, to the south of the church. Many of these were demolished following the Dissolution but buried remains of the claustral ranges survive beneath and around Priory House, which was constructed to the south of the church in 1765. Standing remains include the precinct wall, and the gateway in the north west which survives as a sandstone built wall 2 metres high. The south western area of the precinct contained Place Mill. The mill has stone foundations dating from the 12th century. To the north of the mill is a stone-built loading quay and bridge across the mill leat. Place Mill is the only water powered flour mill known to have served the priory and town during the medieval period. In 1539 it was extensively renovated and converted into a fulling mill before being re-converted into a flour mill. In 1908 it became a boat store and was restored in 1980 and opened to the public. The site is Scheduled and includes several Listed Buildings. |
More information : (SZ 16009245) Priory (NR) (Remains of) (NAT)
(SZ 16039252) Christ Church (Priory Church) (NAT)
(SZ 15969249) Gatehouse (NR)
(SZ 15949250) Gateway (NR)
(SZ 15949248 - SZ 16109248) Priory Wall (NR) (Twice)
(SZ 16049245; SZ 16109248) Tower (NR) (Twice)
(SZ 16009239) Place Mill (NR)
(SZ 15779238) Site (NAT) Fish Pond (NR) (1)
(SZ 16019251) Cloisters (NR) (Site of) (NAT)
(SZ 15999259) Dormitory (NR) (Site of) (NAT)
(SZ 16029249) Refectory (NR) (Site of) (NAT) (2)
A collegiate church of 24 canons existed at Twynham (Christchurch)
in the time of Edward the Confessor and was probably of much earlier
origin. (3-5)
During the incumbency of Flambard prior to 1099, the church was
rebuilt, but the number of canons dropped to five. The college was
changed into a priory of Augustinian Canons in 1150. At the
dissolution in November 1539 it had a prior and eighteen canons; it
was thereafter used as a parish church. (5)
Full ecclesiastical history (3).
Description of the church (4).
PRIORY CHURCH
This is now the parish church of Christchurch, and in use for divine
service. (6)
? GATEHOUSE
A 16th stone built house in a good state of preservation, whose N
wall utilises a portion of the Priory wall, and which is pierced
for windows. Position and general appearance do not conform to the
normal gatehouse. See ground photograph. (7)
GATEWAY
Typical of the masonry of the Priory wall, containing slabs of
ferruginous sandstone, it is now approximately 2.0m. high, with modern decorative capping at the terminals, and is best described as
'remains of gateway'.
TOWERS
The remains of 2 mural turrets (rather than towers) are visible.
'A' an ivy covered ruin, approximately 4.0m. high.
'B' the remains are 1.0m. high but include fragments of a return
wall on the north.
PRIORY WALL
C-D Three separate alignments of walling containing ironstone slabs,
the average height of the walling being 2.0m.
D-E No trace.
E-F Height 2.5-3.0m., one 8.0m. section of modern brick walling
exists just north of E, and the wall has been refaced and partly
bricked east of the greenhouses.
F-G No trace except for one section 10.0m. long, 1.7m. high on the
W. side and refaced on the E. side 1.3m. wide.
H. 3.0m. of walling adjoins the church buttress, the rest being of
modern construction. See ground photograph.
FISHPOND (Delineated on OS 1:500 1870)
Now covered by a Corporation yard and pumping station- 'site of'.
The claustral buildings are known to have existed to the S. of the
conventual church, but little is known of their exact layout which
must remain conjectural.
Apart from the N. walk of the cloister which is indicated by the
Processional Doorways etc. no traces of the claustral buildings was
seen during field investigation.
PLACE MILL. There has been a mill on this site for at least 800 years; Place Mill is mentioned in Domesday. The building has Medieval stone footings which bear a strong resemblance to the type of stone and construction of the Priory Wall, and are in places surmounted by
early brickwork.
The footings are assumed (a) to be those of the Priory mill. The
building is now used as a boat store.
See guide book.
No change. Published survey correct. (8)
Full description of the Priory Church (9).
Gateway to Christchurch Churchyard, Grade 2*. 19th century gateway
of cast-iron. (10)
Christchurch Priory and Parish Church, Grade A. As described.
The Priory Ruins, Grade 2. Various portions of stone rubble Medieval
walls that formed part of Christchurch Priory and its conventual
buildings abutting the walls, including a portion of the gateway.
Priory Cottage, Grade 2*. Formerly the Porters' Lodge of Christchurch
Priory, of Medieval origin, restored by the last prior in the early
16th century. Of two storeys, built of stone rubble with a slate and
tile roof.
Place Mill, Grade 2. This was the monastic mill belonging to the
priory. It has a Medieval stone base with red brickwork above and
a tiled roof.
SZ 161924. Excavations were carried out adjacent to the millstream
south-west of the church. Two east-west walls and the remains of two
garderobes were found adjacent to the precinct wall; these appear
to be of 11th century date. The possible remains of a 14th century
bridge were found to the north, where the precinct wall changed
course. (11-12)
Finds included organic remains, metalwork, and Medieval pottery
including much imported ware.
Place Mill, Grade II*. (13)
Excavations between the Priory House and the nave (SZ 16039251) revealed considerable C19th disturbance. Several graves were also discovered, but these are presumed to be post-1540 and pre-1750. (14)
The priory precinct wall was located and excavated between SZ 1610 9248 and SZ 1599 9251. At SZ 1610 9248 at the junction between this wall and the South precinct wall, the priory garderobe was found. Pottery dated its use from the C13th-C16th after which it was used as a rubbish pit by the owners of Priory House. (15)
The mid C9th burh at Christchurch must have been built after the minster had been created, since it lies at the North end of the peninsula with the minster to the South. The burh's location is defensively weaker than had it been located where the minster was. The minster therefore predates the mid C9th, and possibly by a couple of centuries since at the time of the construction of the new church in the reign of William Rufus, it had 9 chapels in the churchyard, suggesting greater antiquity. (16) |