| Summary : Founded in 1351 by William of Edington, Bishop of Winchester, as a collegiate chantry. It was converted into a Bonhommes monastery in 1358 by the founder. It was badly damaged in Jack Cade's rebellion of 1450, when the Bishop of Winchester was dragged from the church and murdered. It surrendered in 1539, and most of the buildings were destroyed by 1579. Several features are still visible, these including fishponds, fragments surviving in the Priory, monastic gardens, the Conduit House, and the church (see ST95SW93 for the latter). |
More information : (ST 92605335) Church Farm Remains of (NAT) Priory
(NR) (Austin Canons or Bon-hommes) (NAT) (1)
The monastery or college of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Katherine and All Saints was founded by William of Edington in 1351 as a collegiate church with a warden and two chaplains, there being nine chaplains by 1353. Converted to a monastery of Bonhommes in 1358. The monastery was badly damaged in 1410 and by its surrender in 1539 there were 13 brethren. (2-3)
Monasticon Anglicanum gives the first foundation as 1347. (4)
The manor of Edington was given to the newly founded nunnery at Romsey by King Edgar in 968. (5)
The monastery buildings were still intact in 1549 but destroyed by 1579. Part of the monks' dwelling is now a farmhouse with a gabled front and the addition of two square towers. A masonry wall (extant about 1830), 7ft high by 2 ft thick, connected the house and the church. (6)
Remains of Abbey or Priory. Grade 1. (7)
High, thick walling, which appears medieval, is that from ST 92695334 at the E. end of the churchyard, through ST92765534 to ST 92745340. (8)
The remains of the prior complex now comprise:
1. Priory Church, now the parish church.
2. Possibly the central portion of 'The Priory', a 16th century stone-built private residence.
3. A large rectangular fishpond.
4. Probable medieval walling enclosing a garden E of the church.
5. A stone vaulted conduit head.
No trace remains of the claustral buildings. The house east of the so-called 'Old Monastery Garden', at ST 92715337 has been demolished and the site is under grass. The stew-ponds and the moat-like pond, (The Wilderness), have been completely filled in leaving only the slightest traces to mark their sites.
Published 1:2500 AM survey revised: PFD revised. (9)
The walls of the former priory enclose two large rectangular gardens and are probably 14th century in date, but altered during the early 17th century. They survive to a height of 3-4m. The north wall of the enclosure to the north of the church retains remains of monastic buildings. After the Dissolution the monastic buildings and land were granted to Sir Thomas Seymour then bought by Sir William Paulet who probably created the gardens. Grade I (10) |