| Summary : Benedictine alien priory dependent on Holy Trinity, Rouen, founded 1088 and dissolved circa 1409. Refounded as an independent priory circa 1409 and dissolved 1536. The only monastic building still existing is the church, which was built soon after the foundation in 1088. The south aisle was converted to parochial use during the 13th century. The west tower is 15th century. The eastern arm was allowed to fall into decay as were the claustral buildings to the north. The site of the East end is walled from the parish church and covered by a garden. After a century in ruins, the domestic buildings were adapted for private use, but this house was demolished and the site levelled in about 1670, by Edward Mellish. His `neat and exact' house incorporated only a small crypt or cellar with a plain barrel vault from the mediaeval. work, but now the Hall has been pulled down, even that fragment has gone. Late 11th century church altered in the early 13th century, circa 1300, 1400 and in the late 15th century. The transepts and 5 apses were blocked off in the 15th century and demolished in the mid-16th century. Restored by Fowler 1885, further various 20th century restorations, the bell chamber being restored 1929/30. Plan of West tower, nave, north and south aisles with tribunes and clerestorys, south porch. The crossing, north and south transepts each with apsidal east chapel, the chancel ending in an apse and with straight-ended chapels have all been demolished. |
More information : [SK 62408734] Blyth Hall[T.1.]
[SK 62408729] St. Mary & St. Martin's Church [T.U ] (10
Blyth, House of Benedictine (Black) Monks. An alien priory dependent on Holy Trinity, Rouen, founded 1088 and dissolved c.1409. Refounded as an independent priory c. 1409 and dissolved 1536. Net income at 1535 over #113. In 1379 the priory housed, besides the retired prior and monks, 2 chaplains, a vicar, 3 clerks, a steward, a serjeant-at- arms, 9 corrodians, and a number of servants. (2)
The only monastic building still existing is the church, which was built soon after the foundation in 1088. The south aisle was converted to parochial use during the 13th cent. The west tower is 15th cent. The eastern arm was allowed to fall into decay as were the claustral buildings to the north. The site of the East end is walled from the parish church and covered by a garden. (3)
After a century in ruins, the domestic buildings were adapted for private use, but this house was demolished and the site levelled in about 1670, by Edward Mellish. His `neat and exact' house incorporated only a small crypt or cellar with a plain barrel vault from the md. work, but now the Hall has been pulled down, even that fragment has gone. (4)
"In 1684 he [Edward Mellish] began to take down the old residence of Blyth Abbey, and in April of that year commenced building the present Blyth Hall". On August 2nd, 1689, he records that "the whole cost and charges of building the abbey house, out-houses and walls about the grounds, repairing the church end" etc. was #6,083 4 11 1/4d. (5)
"Blyth Hall, c. 1700, now 1951 almost derelict. Nine bays wide with N. & S. facades, both with a centre of five bays, three one-bay projections, and then one outer bay. Quoins and, perhaps only added temp. George III, square turrets on the four projections ... The stables of the hall, on the other hand, must be part of the William and Mary building". (6)
Of this monastic establishment only the west half of the conventual church remains and is in use as the parish church of St. Mary and St. Martin. The E end, including the crossing, transepts and presbytery having been destroyed. No trace of the claustral buildings was seen but their position is corroborated by evidence of the S. cloister walk in the form of pentice corbels and recesses on the N. side of the church. Further evidence said to have existed in the cellars of Blyth Hall, now gutted, roofless and derelict, is no longer visible. The monks cemetery was at the E. end of the church in the area SK 62458728. The Rev. P. Pennant, the incumbent, has been told that when a lily pond was made there some 50 years ago skeletons laid in lines were found "apparently buried face downwards".
GP/AO/59/193/1 Blyth Hall - main front from W. (7)
The church is as described above, but the hall has been completely demolished and its site and gardens have been developed as a small private housing estate. (8)
(SK 62408729) St. Mary & St Martin's Church Remains of (NAT)
Priory (NR) (Benedictine. Founded 1088) (NAT) (9)
Blyth Priory, listed under Ecclesiastical Buildings (9). Priory
church of Saint Mary and Martin, one of the most important Norman
buildings in the country. Grade `A'
Priory Church. Late C11, early C13 c.1300, c.1400, late C15. The transepts and 5 apses were blocked off in the C15 and demolished mid C16. Restored by Fowler 1885, further various C20 restorations, the bell chamber being restored 1929/30. Founded by Roger de Builli in 1088. Ashlar and brick with lead roofs and segmental stone coped parapet at the east end. Tower, nave, north and south aisles with tribunes and clerestorys, south porch. The crossing, north and south transepts each with apsidal east capel, the chancel ending in an apse and with straight-ended chapels have all been demolished. The angle buttressed C15 tower of 2 stages has a chamfered base with 2 moulded string courses over. There is a central arched west doorway with moulded jambs and arch, with inner order of fleuron decoration. Over is a hood mould decorated with worn crockets and rising to a crocketed pinnacle with decorated finial. Above is a slightly projecting canopy. The outer order of the jambs support single slender flat piers with set offs. These are decorated with blind tracery and topped with a crocketed pinnacle and finial which terminate at the canopy. Above is an arched 3-light window divided by a single transom and 3 mullions, with reticulated tracery below the transom and reticulated and panel tracery above. Over is a hoodmould and label stops. On either side are single niches, having ogee arches topped with a crocketed pinnacle. Rising from the springing of these arches are single small slim piers with worn decorated capitals. Above the window is a similar niche and above a single square light. There are 6 small stair lights. The 4 large arched bell chamber openings of 4 arched lights, surmounted by a further 4 arched lights and tracery have a hood mould with finial and label stops, the latter rise to single gargoyles. The top of the tower is embattled with centre and corner crocketed pinnacles. The merlons are conjoined by single open-work crocketed and cusped arches.
The north aisle, west wall, on a shallow plinth with slim rectangular set back buttresses has a brick arched opening leading to a cellar doorway. Between the wall and the tower buttress is an ashlar lean-to with ashlar roof - remnants of a former spiral stair turret. The north aisle wall, with corbel table to the 3 eastern bays and traces of the cloisters, has 4 large buttresses, the western one being topped with a flue. The 2 western most bays are set on a shallow plinth and there are remnants of a sill band. The 3 bays to the west each have a single small round headed arched window in a deep recess. The 2nd bay in from the east has a single similar arched window and a small single, flat headed, window replacing an arched one. The eastern most bay has a similar flat headed window in an arched opening and a single similar arched window. There is a 2nd founder's tomb with decorated arch and a blocked arch now containing a doorway. At tribune level are 5 windows each with 3 arched lights under a flat head. In the clerestorey are 6 arched windows. Above, supporting the roof, runs a corbel table.
The east wall has a central moulded arch supported on compound piers of rectangular and segmental moulding, with worn capitals. This leads to a blocked off bay of the nave with vaulted ceiling and single boss, with evidence of the once internal round piers and volute capitals. The north and south walls of this bay are blocked, to the north with brick. On either side of the arch are C20 brick refaced walls with some rendering. The south aisle wall is buttressed and set on a plinth. The parapet is embattled and has 7 gargoyles under. There is a sill band interrupted by the porch. There are 5 arched windows, each with recently restored 3-light intersecting tracery, hood moulds and label stops. To the west, between the 4th and 5th window is the c.1200 buttressed porch, with embattled, gabled parapet with 3 crocketed pinnacles and single gargoyles to its east and west walls. The central moulded arch is supported on either side by single alternating pairs of colonnettes and columns with worn and restored crocket capitals. Over the guttering, which follows the line of the gable, is a sundial. The inner arched doorway has on either side single colonnettes and single columns supporting a double order of nail head decoration. The double doors have blind tracery. To the west is an arched doorway with hoodmould over. There are 6 arched windows in the clerestorey, the eastern most one being blocked. Above, supporting the roof, runs a corbel table. The west, south aisle wall with angle buttresses and parapet has a band terminating at the large 5-light arched window, with panel tracery, hoodmould and label stops. Interior. Nave and aisles are separated by 5 bay arcades. The piers have square cores with a flat projection to each side and a further flat projection to the aisle sides. The other 3 sides each have a single demi-column on a rectangular plinth. The slender columns facing the nave once rose to the roof, they now support the c.1230 quadripartite vaulted ceiling with narrow ribs and 4 remaining bosses. The capitals of the larger columns are decorated with primitive volutes and a single central tongue. Some of the bases of the columns are decorated. The arches have 2 steps. At tribune level is a string course running around the columns. The tribune openings are large, the arches have 2 steps and are supported by imposts. The northern openings have 3 C17 style windows.
The clerestory windows each have an outer order of columns. The blocked north eastern bay has a grille in the east corner. In the blocked east wall is an arch which once lead to the choir. There is a double chamfered tower arch. The north aisle has crude depressed transverse arches and crude groined vaults, the eastern most bay is blocked off. There is a blocked arch in the west wall, this once lead to a spiral stiarcase. In the late C13 the south aisle was widened. There is double chamfered arch leading to the tower and a blocked arch in the west wall, once leading to a spiral staircase. The blocked east wall has a 2 bay opening, once leading to the transept, with moulded arches and centre octagonal pier with moulded capital. The northern, restored, respond has square shafts with a demi-column the south also has a carved head and moulded capital to the inner shaft. The C15 south aisle screen with tracery and cusping is vaulted either side, this and the C15 nave screen have painted panels. There is a further C15 traceried screen separating organ and south aisle. The C17 font is decorated with cherubs' heads and has a Jacobean style cover.
The panelling in the south east end of the aisle is said to be preserved from the old pews and is dated 1656. The decoration corresponds to that on the C17 pulpit. In the south aisle is a C17 oak table; in the nave a C15 wooden alms box. There are scant remnants of a wall painting on the pulpitum. In the south aisle is a painting attributed to Fra Bartolomeo, c.1490 of St. Mary Magdalene. On the north wall is a large, fine and elaborate monument to Edward Mellish, 1703, by John Hancock. This comprises the figure of Mellish, reclining upon a chest tomb with his head resting upon one hand, above is the inscription with elaborate carved drapery over. Ionic columns support a segmental pediment with centre carved shield. Also in the north aisle is a coffin slab with worn cross and another rather more worn. In the tower is a coffin slab with foliated cross c.1300. Beside the north wall of the south aisle is a damaged recumbent knight in full armour, with cylindrical helmet and visor, c.1240. In the nave is a monument, 1772, to Catherine Hornby and Thomas Judson Gent. This has a decoratively carved cherub's head on the apron with an urn and swag flanked by single torches on the crown, and is by J. Wood. (10)
Analysis of the Romanesque church. (11)
History and architectural description of the priory, with an interpretation of The Doom rood screen. (12) |