More information : (NU 16361581) Hulne Priory (NR) (Carmelite) Founded AD 1240 (Ruins of) Tower (NR) (1)
It is a matter of dispute, whether Hulne was the first Carmelite house to be established in England. Founded c1240, and built for some twenty four friars, little is known of its history beyond the endowments, the chief of these coming from John de Vescy between 1252-89. (2)
Following dissolution in 1539 the church was destroyed, and the other buildings are now in ruins. The Priory was also used as a dwelling house. Excavation in 1888-9 revealed the remainder of the ground plan (see copy,) and at that time part of an AS cross shaft was found. It is now in Alnwick Castle Museum. The ruins vary in condition from the full height of the tower, precinct wall, and parts of the church and main claustral buildings to the foundation walls at ground level of the lesser buildings. A modern house intrudes on the east side of the cloister, and the farmery and chapel (see plan) have been modernised to provide a further residence. Published survey (25") revised. (3-5)
Hulne Friary; ruins of church and claustral buildings. Grade I. Ruins of Carmelite Friary. Foundation c.1240 by William de Vesci; claustral buildings converted into house in C16; some late C18/early C19 alterations. Squared stone. long aisleless church with SE sacristy; cloister on S; E range incorporating cloister walk, with chapter house and warming house/reredorter block both projecting to E. W gable of church with tall lancet and vesica above; S wall has 3 trefoiled lancets above corbelling for cloister roof, doorway to walking place between nave and choir, two 2-light windows to W of sacristy, triple sedilia and part of piscina. N wall and E end much reduced. Gabled 2-storey sacristy has piscina and recess with bowl, shelf and flue. Chapter house has double-chamfered door and 4 trefoiled lancets on S; warming house with fireplace. Transomed windows in S gable end of E range may be post-Dissolution alterations, as there are blocked openings in the S wall of the cloister. Wall on W of cloister is the outer wall of the former W range, with attached C18 Gothick privy below ealier 1st floor fireplace and stack; to right is C18 summerhouse (q.v.). Unusual graveslab with Tau cross in floor of nave; worn slab set in W end of church brought in early C19 from St Waleric's Church at Alnmouth. C18 statue of praying friar by S wall of chapter house. The best preserved and probably the earliest Carmelite friary in England; foundations of other buildings, identified from C16 survey and excavated 1888-89 by the Duke of Northumberland, are now covered over.
Hulne Friary: Summerhouse and Tower. Grade I. Tower built 1488 by Sir Henry Percy, summerhouse built and interior of tower remodelled 1778-89 by Robert Adam and 'Capability' Brown for 1st Duke of Northumberland. Squared stone with flat leaded roofs. Rectangular 2-storey summerhouse at N of friary W range, linked by bridge to tower on W. Gothick style. Tower of 2 storeys (originally 3). Pointed doorway on N; chamfered loops; large Gothick sashes on S and W at 1st floor level. Corbelled-out embattled parapet with angle turrets, those on E linked to form chamber with original canted oriel, with cinquefoil-headed lights and moulded parapet. Tower retains originall barrel-vaulted basement and mural stairs with shouldered lintels.
Hulne Friary: curtain wall and attached structures. Grade I. Curtain wall with gateways and other structures. Wall and gatehouse probably C15; E and SW gates late C18. Wall c.4m high with bases of bartizans at NW and SE angles, and occasional remains of chamfered-out parapet, on external face S of E gate a slab with raised shield and lion rampart. Gatehouse is 2-storey square tower with elliptical arch and barrel-vaulted passage. Blocked medieval doorways on the N and W of the SW gateway. Inside curtain, remains of attached buildings on the S and W. Ruins of brewhouse to W of C20 cottage on the S. Remains of barn and byre on the W; gable end to the N is a C18 reconstruction. Well-preserved fortified perimeter of a Borders monastery.
Outer precinct wall to east and north of Hulne Friary. Grade II. Medieval with later patchings, 0.65m thick and 2.8m high. From the present gateway NE of the friary the wall runs south for c.120m to a ruined termination near the river, and west for c.150m ending by the C20 kennels. (6)
NU 164 158. Hulne Priory. Scheduled No ND/63. (7)
The Priory was enclosed in an irregular walled ward with a strong tower built in 1488. (8)
Description of the Anglian cross-fragment found in 1889. Dates to the first half of the 10th century. (9) |