| Summary : Benedictine alien priory of St Mary and St John the Baptist, dependent on Cerisy-le-Foret. The priory was founded by Henry de Port circa 1120-30, probably for a prior and 12 monks, and suppressed in 1414. It passed to St Julian's Hospital, Southampton, eventually passed to Queens College Oxford in 1446, and repairs were undertaken in 1843 and 1936. Walls of flint and stone dressings with roofs of tile and slate. The Priory Church is still extant, dated 12th century with additions from the 13th century. It consists of the chancel and crossing tower and the South wall of the nave. The cloister was to the South of the church. Excavations have revealed an earlier church beneath the nave, the east wall of a chantry chapel, footings of the South transept and a North chapel. Roman tile was also recovered. |
More information : (SU 60905815) Priory (NR) (Remains of) (NAT) St. Mary & St.
John's Church (NAT) Moat (NR) (Twice) Moat (NR) (Track of) (NAT). (1)
Monk Sherborne, an alien Benedictine priory dependent upon
Cerisy-le-Foret founded circa 1120-30, dissolved in 1414. (a).
The principal remains are the central tower and presbytery of the
priory church which was restored in 1847 to serve as a parish church
(c). Of the 12th century church which was cruciform without aisles,
only the arches of the central tower and the lower part of the S.
wall of the nave remain. The presbytery was re-built and lengthened
circa 1220 and the tower arches to nave and transpets were blocked
with masonry probably in the 15th century.
Of the monastic buildings which were on the S. of the church
where the farmhouse of Priory Farm now stands, only the N. end
wall of the western range, which is in the same line as the S. wall
of the nave, remains.
The cloister was on the S. side of the nave but nothing is left of
it save the doorways into the nave. Bones of burials in the centre
of the cloister are often dug up. (b).
The moat which surrounded the precinct is still traceable. (d). (2)
The extant remains of Sherborne or Pamber Priory area as described
above. The S. wall of the nave and the return of its W. wall stand
to circa 3.0m. height.
The farmer has encountered foundations whilst digging where the
western range stood, but knows of no burials outside the present
graveyard.
The farmhouse probably occupies the site of the frater range,
but is mainly of 19th century date, except for the half timbered
W. wing which is probably of L. 16th or 17th century date.
Where best preserved, the moat averages 7.0m in width and 1.8 in
depth.
The parish church is known as the "Priory Church of the Holy Trinity,
Our Lady and St John the Baptist" (Inf from Revd F J Tackley, Vicar,
and church notice). See GP A0/57/88/8. (3)
No change.
Published 1:2500 revised. (4)
Grade A. (5)
Excavations on the north side revealed the footings of a chapel,
a chalk floor inside the chapel and a wall to the north of the
chapel.
Finds included re-used Roman tiles and medieval floor tiles but no
medieval pottery. (6)
Listed. (7)
Additional bibliography. (8)
History of the priory and discussion of aspects of the church building phases and precinct layout. There is the possibility that the church originated before the priory church. (9) |