More information : (Centred at SZ 63658954) Supposed Site of Priory (G.T.)
(SZ 63718948) St. Helens Church (G.T.) (Remains of) (1)
The Alien Cluniac Priory of St. Helen was founded 1071-86 and was dissolved in 1414. (2)
The church, which served the parish after the Dissolution, was replaced in 1717 by the present church of St. Helens, about a mile inland. The only remaining portion is the E.13th c. tower with 18th c. buttresses, supported by brickwork and used as a sea mark. The rest of the building was eroded away by the sea (3)
Of the priory, not a vestige remains, it having been finally demolished and the modern Priory House erected on the site c.1850 (4)
In the southern part of the wood near the Priory, are the remains of an ancient watch-tower, supposed to have belonged to the priory (5)
Priory shown (6)
In my researches into the deeds of this Priory at Carisbrooke Castle Museum, I have transcribed an extent of 1581 in which occurs "the situation where there is to be seen signs of the foundations where the old priory house stood adjoining to the chancel of the church of St.Helens" (a). An engraving of a lost painting of the church, dated 1545, shows no buildings near it, but my own feeling is that some kind of very modest dwelling must have existed in the direct vicinity of the church in the area now occupied by the beach. The position marked on O.S. maps is not likely from the nature of the field.(b) The tower is now under M.O.W. guardianship (c) (7)
Only the W front and parts of the side walls of the church tower remain. On the E is a massive brick wall formerly painted white to serve as a sea mark. The interior of the tower is blocked by brick walling. Nothing was seen of other buildings. At the 'Priory', at SZ 6320 9030, no trace of pre 19th c. buildings was seen, but landscape gardening 'ruins' are pointed out as 'parts of the old priory', and a description of the old watch tower by members of the staff who remember its demolition in 1927, show it to have been a similar sham 'ruin'. Reused moulded and worked stones in the E wall of the present church of St. Helens, at SZ 6259 8997, are said to have come from the destroyed church. It would seem most likely that the Priory buildings were near the church and together with the bulk of the church, have been entirely eroded by the sea. (8)
No change. There is nothing to be seen at the published probable site of the Priory which is in a pasture field. Published 1/2500 survey (St.Helen's Church) correct. (9)
Listed. (10)
Additional Bibliography. (11,12)
Detailed history of the Priory. (13) |