| Summary : St Leonard's Priory, a Benedictine nunnery, was founded in 1141 and was dissolved in 1536. The nunnery was then granted to Robert Burgoyne and John Scudamore in 1544. Surviving features of the nunnery include the ruins of two conventual buildings and part of the early 14th century priory church. The conventual buildings of the nunnery were situated to the south of the former St Leonard's Church which is now known as Wren's Chapel and include the ruins of the chapter house and the frater, and the sites of the other claustral buildings. During the late 16th century a secular brick-built house was constructed by the Burgoyne family on the site of the western cloister range which was demolished as was the nave of the priory church. In 1861 the Wroxhall estate, including the site of the nunnery, was sold to James Dugdale. The post-Dissolution house, along with most of the claustral buildings were demolished in 1864 and in 1866 a new house was built on an adjoining site to the north west of the cloister. This house was in use as a school until 1995, and was subsequently reopened as a hotel. The church is thought to have closed around 1995 but was reopened as a chapel for an independent Christian church in 2001. The site, except the former school is Scheduled. |
More information : (Name: SP 223 707) St. Leonard's Church (TU): St. Leonard's
Priory (GT) (Benedictine) Remains of A.D.1141 (T1). (1)
Wroxall Priory: The Benedictine nunnery of Wroxall, dedicated to
St. Leonard, was founded about the end of the reign of Henry I.
Leland gives 1141 as the actual date. The founder was Hugh, son of Richard, who held the lordships of Wroxall and Hatton, and Dugdale gives a legendary account of the founding from a supposed 15th century document. At the Dissolution there were five nuns with the prioress. In 1544 Henry VIII granted the site and the priory demesues to Robert Burqoyne and John Scudamore. The list of Prioresses of Wroxall commences with Evneburga, whose name occurs in 1141, and finishes with Agnesslittle, 1525-1536. (2)
Listed with reference to Authority 2. (3)
"Apart from the church there are only scanty remains of Wroxall
Priory. The roofless ruins of two buildings exist south of the church.The smaller is about 16' square and 37 1/2' from the church, nearly opposite the thickened solid bay of the south wall. It has a west doorway similar to the north-west doorway of the church, with the same peculiar foiled rear arch. The chamber was vaulted.
It is probable that this was the Chapter House, and it appears to
have extended eastwards or it may have had an apse.
The other ruin nearly 80' south of the church, has the east and parts of the north and south walls of a hall, probably part of the priory frater originally and afterwards adapted. It is about 17' wide,
and about 35' of the length remains from the east wall to the broken end of the side walls.
Full history and architectural description of the priory and former
manor-house, together with illustrations and plan showing conjectural restoration of the site. (5)
St. Leonard's Church (within which is a notice stating it to be
the Lady Chapel of the Priory Church) is in normal use.
At SP 2219707 are remains of the suggested Chapter House of authy 4. The masonry stands to a max. height of 2.7 inc. (see photograph), the classification of this building is probably correct - the 16th century font is still within, the building is complete but roofless.
At SP 22197069 are remains of the ? frater, all masonry is
contemporary with that of the perp chapter house and again this
classification is most likely.
At SP 22177070 are remains of a later building constructed by the
rebuilding of early masonry, this is doubtless the lower courses
of the 16th century. Manor House of authy 4 but not shown on the accompanying plan.
In the smaller building are many loose stones and a disused font of the 16th century.
The parish church of St. Leonard was originally structurally part
of the priory church, but it is probable that this part was always
assigned to the parishioners and that the destroyed portion south
of it constituted the church of the nuns. It is a rectangular
structure dating from about 1315 and having the west tower of
1663-4 built within the west end.
The house built by the Burgoynes about the end of the 16th century occupied the site of the whole of the western range of the cloister. It had symmetrical wings projecting westwards, with a porch in the angle of the south wing and the hall block: the back (east) elevation was of half timber construction and probably earlier, perhaps retaining some of the monastic masonery in its lower story. The whole was demolished by Mr. James Dugdale about 1864. The present house and its auxillary buildings are entirely modern and serves as a school for girls."
Wroxhall Abbey (modern) is still a Girls school. (6)
No change since report of 23.5.68. Published survey (1:2500)
correct. (7)
Additional bibliography. (8)
Description of church, priory and house. (9-10)
Statutory details of the site. (11-13)
The school at Wroxall Abbey was closed in 1995, as did St Leonard's Church. The former school became a hotel run by Wroxall Abbey estates. The church reopened in 2001 as Wren's Chapel. It is registered as an independant Christian Church. The chapel's website contains a list of clerics at the church since the middle ages and a history of the site as well as details of the present arrangements as Wren's Chapel (14-15) |