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WARTER PRIORY

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Augustinian Abbey from 1132-1181/92, and priory thereafter until dissolved in 1536. The priory was founded in 1132 by Geoffrey FitzPain, on a site already occupied by a church served by canons. Initially the priory was a daughter house of Arrouaise, but it gained its independence in 1162. It was suppressed in 1536, and granted to the Earl of Rutland. After the Dissolution the nave of the priory church continued in use as the parish church until it was demolished in 1864 and replaced by the present building. Extensive earthworks are visible across the entire site. These include building platforms and foundations, some of which are identified as remains of the church and cloisteral buildings. On the North side of the site, a linear earthwork may be an original boundary around the inner monastic precinct. A complex of water- management features, including dry fishponds, is also visible. The South portion of the site includes the churchyard of the modern parish church of St James, built on the site of the monastic church. In 1899 William St John Hope carried out a short programme of excavations to the East of the present church, uncovering foundations of the priory church's tower, the North end of a transept and what were believed to be foundations of chapter house and presbytery walls.

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(SE 869504) Site of Warter Priory (NR) (Originally Abbey (NR))
(Augustinian, Founded c 1132) (1)

Augustinian Abbey founded c 1132, became a priory c 1206, suppressed 1536. (2)

Excavations were carried out on the supposed site of the priory in 1899. From a survey of the priory in the Earl of Rutland's papers, made probably at the time of the suppression, it was evident that the nave of the priory church was used as the Parish church. If this latter, a modern structure, occupied the original site as it appeared to do (th old church being destroyed in 1864) then the Canon's church should be to the East. The excavations in that area, revealed foundations of the presbytery; these were probably of the date of the founding of the Abbey, with an extension at the close of the 13th century. Other features of the Priory church were also revealed. A plan was exhibited but not published. (3)

There are no certain remains of the Priory, which is centred on the present church of St James at SE 87005043. An amorphous platform east of the church at SE 87045043 (surveyed at 1:2500) may be the site of Hope's excavations, and hummocky ground immediately north possibly represents the position of claustral buildings; but no intelligible plan, or even the extent of these is recoverable.

Further earthworks to the north and east, apart from a probable fishpond at SE 87095055, are connected with shrinkage of Warter Village. (See SE 86 SE 16). (4)

SE 8699 5050. Site of Warter Augustinian Priory. Scheduled RSM No21170. Extensive earthworks are visible across the entire site. These include building platforms and foundations, some of which are identified as remains of the church and cloisteral buildings. On the N side of the site, a linear earthwork may be an original boundary around the inner monastic precinct. A complex of water- management features, including dry fishponds, is also visible. The S portion of the site includes the churchyard of the Grade II Listed modern parish church of St James, built on the site of the monastic church. The priory was founded in 1132 by Geoffrey FitzPain, on a site already occupied by a church served by canons. Initially the priory was a daughter house of Arrouaise, but it gained its independence in 1162. It was suppressed in 1536, when it was valued at 144 pounds, 7 shillings and 8 pence, and granted to the Earl of Rutland. After the Dissolution the nave of the priory church continued in use as the parish church until it was demolished in 1864 and replaced by the present building. In 1899 William St John Hope carried out a short programme of excavations to the E of the present church, uncovering foundations of the priory church's tower, the N end of a transept and what were believed to be foundations of chapter house and presbytery walls. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1958

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

Page(s)158

( 3) Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London

W H St J Hope 18, 1899-1901 Page(s)50-8

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 BHP 26-FEB-73

(5) Scheduled Monument Notification

English Heritage Scheduling Amendment 9/11/93

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

Page(s)178

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