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Craswall Priory

Hob Uid: 104776
Location :
County of Herefordshire
Craswall
Grid Ref : SO2724037650
Summary : Remains of St Mary's Priory, founded circa 1225 by Walter de Lacy and granted to God's House College, Cambridge, in 1462. The priory belonged to the French Order of Grandmont and is unique in retaining its Grandmont ground plan in spite of centuries of natural decay. The priory was built of sandstone rubble and a few dressed stones are also visible today. The plan of the priory is barely distinguishable but consisted of a small apsidal ended church, the cloisters to the South, with sacristry separated from the chapter house by a small passage.
More information : (SO 27253767) Craswall Priory (NR) (Grandmontine) (NAT) (1)

A house of the order of Grandmont dedicated to St Mary was founded at Craswall circa 1225 (2-3). The house survived the general suppression of alien monasteries and continued until 1462(2a). In 1441 it was given to God's House, Cambridge which was afterwards united to Christs College(3b). The remains of the Priory Church and claustral buildings (see plan) are disintegrating mainly due to frost damage. There was an extensive collapse in the spring of 1947. (4-5) (2-5)

Steady deterioration of masonry. Further collapse of walling and architectural detail following Wrights recent excavations [1962] in the North and South Chapels, Chapter House etc. Gradual destruction also by unrestricted tree growth. (6)

The remains of the Abbey buildings are generally as shown on the RCHM plan. Except where some recent haphazard excavation has been carried out, mainly within the church and chapter house, revealing the interior wall surfaces, any extant walling is largely obscured by turf and weed-covered banks of fallen debris. The stone foundations embedded within turf-covered banks of stretches of the perimeter wall, can be traced to N, SW and SE of the Abbey buildings.

The site is much overgrown and in an advanced state of decay.
Published 1:2500 survey revised.

See GPs. (7)

Excavation of principal features undertaken by C.J. Lilwall 1904-8. Finds, including a lead reliquary containing human bone uncovered to NW of altar, presented to the Woolhope Club in 1918 by the excavator. (8-13)

Clearance of vegetation limiting further deterioration of remains undertaken in 1985, grant-aided by English Heritage. (14)

Craswall Priory. Ruins of priory listed grade II. (15)
Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1964
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Source Number : 2
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Page(s) : 103
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Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : C J Lilwall
Page(s) : 36-40
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Vol(s) : 1908-11
Source Number : 10
Source :
Source details : B Stallybrass
Page(s) : 49-52
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Vol(s) : 21-2, 1914-7
Source Number : 11
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Source details :
Page(s) : XXXII
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Vol(s) : 23, 1918-20
Source Number : 12
Source :
Source details : G Marshall
Page(s) : 18-21
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Vol(s) : 31, 1942-5
Source Number : 13
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Source details : I W Cornwall
Page(s) : 251-4
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Vol(s) : 38, 1964-6
Source Number : 14
Source :
Source details : Rescue News 41 Winter 1986 3-4 (R Shoesmith) Plan photos
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Source Number : 15
Source :
Source details : DOE (HHR) Dist of S. Herefordshire 14 March 1986 3
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Source Number : 2a
Source :
Source details : Mems Old Hereford 1904, 129 (A T Bannister)
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : R Graham, A W Clapham
Page(s) : 172-3,183-4
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Vol(s) : 75, 1926
Source Number : 3b
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Source details : Cal Letters Pat 1461-7, 217
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Source Number : 4
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Source details :
Page(s) : 42-4
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Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : C F Wright
Page(s) : 76-81
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Vol(s) : 38, 1964
Source Number : 6
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Source details : Here News sheet 2, Jan 1967
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : F1 ASP 11-JUL-72
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Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : C J Lilwall
Page(s) : 267-74
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Vol(s) : 1902-4
Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Extant
Monument End Date : 1462
Monument Start Date : 1225
Monument Type : Grandmontine Monastery, Alien Priory
Evidence : Ruined Building
Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : HE 24
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Hereford & Worcestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : 167
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 27520
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : NBR Index Number
External Cross Reference Number : 38974
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 23 NE 5
External Cross Reference Notes :
Related Warden Records :
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Relationship type : Is referred to by
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Relationship type : Is referred to by
Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date :
End Date :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1904-01-01
End Date : 1908-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1962-01-01
End Date : 1962-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1972-07-11
End Date : 1972-07-11
Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 1993-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : MANAGEMENT SURVEY
Start Date : 2006-01-01
End Date : 2006-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : MANAGEMENT SURVEY
Start Date : 2015-01-01
End Date : 2015-12-31