MONK BRETTON PRIORY

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The now ruined Monk Bretton Priory was founded circa 1154 and housed monks of the Cluniac order. After a number of disputes concerning the appointment of its priors, it severed its ties with its mother house, La Charite sur Loir, and St John's in Pontefract to become, in 1281, an independent Benedictine Priory. The priory was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538.

The visible remains are of the church and domestic ranges around a central cloister occupying the south and west parts of the precinct. Northwards, these are divided from the main gatehouse and a separate administrative building by the outer court, while to the south, a second court served the prior's lodging and the guest house. The church, which formed the north cloister range, was built in the second half of the 12th century and was altered by the end of the 12th century and in the mid 14th century. Apart from the south transept, only the lower walls of the church remain standing. The administrative building, though altered in the 17th century, is of late 13th-early 14th century date, while the main gatehouse dates to the early 15th century. South of the church are the cloister ranges of the priory. The temporary buildings, erected after the priory's foundation, were replaced in stone throughout the 13th century and were altered at various times during the later Middle Ages. The east cloister range consisted of the chapter house, warming house and the monks' dormitory. East of this range are the remains of the infirmary. The south cloister range was occupied by a later warming house and the refectory, and on the north side was the lavatory. South of the refectory are the 13th century remains of the kitchen and a bakehouse. The west cloister range comprised an outer parlour and undercroft used for cellarage and storage. On the first floor were the prior's apartments which, after the Dissolution, were altered to form a dwelling house. The remains of two fishponds are also visible.

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[SE 37320651] Remains of Monk Bretton Priory [G.T.] (Benedictine Founded AD 1153). (1)

A Cluniac priory at Monk Bretton was founded 1153-5. It became Benedictine c.1279, and was surrendered in 1539. There are extensive remains dating from the 12th to 15th centuries. The west range, originally 14th cent, contains a late 16th century house built out of the prior's lodging. Scheduled. (2-4)

The remains of Monk Bretton Priory are in the care of the Ministry of Works. On the whole they are well preserved and in part restored.
See G.Ps AO/64/239/5 & 6.
A dry fishpond at SE 37410654 and the exhausted remains of a drain SE 37340646 have been surveyed at 1:1250. (5)

Monk Bretton Priory, a small Cluniac house, a recalcitrant daughter house of Pontefract (and thus a `grandaughter' of La Charitie), was founded c.1154 by Adam Fitz Swane. (6-7)

Note on excavation in the west range. (8)

Monk Bretton Priory remains 12th-late 15th centuries. Founded in 1154 by monks of the Cluniac Order, it became Benedictine in 1281. Most of the remains are only a few feet high, though the gatehouse and the administration building are still standing. Grade 1. (9)

The now ruined Monk Bretton Priory was founded circa 1154 and housed monks of the Cluniac order. After a number of disputes concerning the appointment of its priors, it severed its ties with its mother house, La Charite sur Loir, and St John's in Pontefract to become, in 1281, an independent Benedictine Priory. The priory was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538.

The visible remains are of the church and domestic ranges around a central cloister occupying the south and west parts of the precinct. Northwards, these are divided from the main gatehouse and a separate administrative building by the outer court, while to the south, a second court served the prior's lodging and the guest house. The church, which formed the north cloister range, was built in the second half of the 12th century and was altered by the end of the 12th century and in the mid 14th century. Apart from the south transept, only the lower walls of the church remain standing. The administrative building, though altered in the 17th century, is of late 13th-early 14th century date, while the main gatehouse dates to the early 15th century. South of the church are the cloister ranges of the priory. The temporary buildings, erected after the priory's foundation, were replaced in stone throughout the 13th century and were altered at various times during the later Middle Ages. The east cloister range consisted of the chapter house, warming house and the monks' dormitory. East of this range are the remains of the infirmary. The south cloister range was occupied by a later warming house and the refectory, and on the north side was the lavatory. South of the refectory are the 13th century remains of the kitchen and a bakehouse. The west cloister range comprised an outer parlour and undercroft used for cellarage and storage. On the first floor were the prior's apartments which, after the Dissolution, were altered to form a dwelling house. The remains of two fishponds are also visible. (10)

These are additional references. (11-12)

This source contains the priory's Conservation statement. (13)

This website for the priory has been created by the Friends of Monkton Priory. (14)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1955

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

Page(s)71, 98

( 3) by Nikolaus Pevsner 1959 Yorkshire : the West Riding

The buildings of England Page(s)370-1

(4) Ministry of Works 1961 Ancient monuments in England and Wales : list prepared by the Ministry of Works, corrected to 31st December 1960

Page(s)112

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JRF 14-OCT-64

(6) Royal Archaeological Institute The archaeological journal

SE Rigold 125, 1968 Page(s)322

(7) 1926 An Historical and Architectural Description of the Priory of St. Mary Magdalene of Monk Bretton in the West Riding of the County of Yorkshire

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

27, 1983 Page(s)210

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

Barnsley, 13-JAN-1986 1014 Page(s)1-3

(10) Scheduled Monument Notification

10-JUN-1992

(11) Rose Graham 1966 Monk Bretton Priory, Yorkshire

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

Page(s)71,100

(13) English Heritage Yorkshire Region Conservation Statements

Monk Bretton Priory, Oct-2002

(14) World Wide Web page

Friends of Monk Bretton Priory. Monk Bretton Priory, http://www.monkbrettonpriory.org.uk/index.php [accessed 01-MAY-2009]

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WAKEFIELD

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Cluniac priory, founded by Robert de Lacy in 1090, the monks originaly being housed at the Hospital of St Nicholas, which was given to the Priory. The...

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