| Summary : Wolston Priory was established on land given by Hubert Boldron to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Pierre-sur-Dives sometime between 1086-1194. In 1394 control of the priory was transferred to the Carthusian Priory of St. Anne at Coventry with which it remained until the Dissolution. The priory then became the property of the Wigston family who had the present house, The Priory. The house is mainly 16th century and incorporates part of a late 14th or early C15 timber-framed range which has been identified as part of the priory There are documentary references to the priory complex and a number of subsidiary holdings including a rectory. It is this rectory that is identified with the present Wolston Priory, and the substantial timber-framed elements in the east wall of the cross-passage of the present house are likely to relate to this building, believed to have originally been a tall single-storey building open to the roof and orientated east to west.The building is of sandstone ashlar with stone dressings to the main, south, elevation with roughly-squared, coursed lias stone with a sandstone plinth and dressings to other elevations. The house incorporates late 14th or early C15 timber framing to the interior and some 16th-17th century timber framing to gable ends and the cross passage. The house was also extended in the early 20th century.In 1588-89 the house was one of the few sites where John Penry set up a secret press, printing two of the Martin Marprelate tracts, a series of seven texts satirically attacking the episcopacy of the Anglican church and calling for religious reform.The Priory is a listed grade II* building and Wolston Priory a scheduled site. For the designated records of these sites please see the National Heritage List for England. |
More information : (SP 41607590) Wolston Priory (GT). (1)
"Wolston Priory...is a much restored and modernised 16th.c. house of considerable size." In the present kitchen , formerly a cellar, there is a piscina built into the wall about 6' above the floor; it is bowl-shaped with a circular basin. In the adjoining pantry, built into an angle, there is a corbel carved with a grotesque mask. These and possibly the entrance arch to the porch may have come from the Priory. "It was at the Priory...that John Penry in 1589 set up his press and printed some of the most famous of his series of 'Martin Marprelate' tracts, attacking episcopal government of the Church; for which he was hanged". (2)
The house Wolston Priory "stands, no doubt, on the site of the Priory..." (3)
Wolston Priory: A small alien priory of Benedictine monks, founded by Hubert Boldran between 1086 and 1194. (1094) In 1394 it was sold to the newly established house of Carthusians at Coventry. (4)
Listed with reference to Authy.4. Founding date given as 1086-94. (5)
The house is as described above, the entrance porch piscina and corbel being almost certainly re-set. The site of the priory, noted by Dugdale (a) as a cell is locally ascribed to the moat situated at SP 41427587, but there are no surface indications to corroborate this. Published survey (25" 1959) correct. (6)
Scheduled under 'Ecclesiastical Buildings' as 'Moated site at Wolston Priory'. (7)
II Wolston Priory
Land was given in the late C.11 to the Norman benedictine Abbey of St. Pierre-sur-Dives to found a cell at Wolston.In the C.14 it was sold to the Carthusian Priory of St. Anne at Coventry and at the Dissolution became the property of the Wigston family, the present house was built by them. In 1589 the press on which the Marprelate Tracts were printed was brought here from Fawsley and at least three were printed here. At the trial which followed Roger Wigston was fined 500 marks and Mrs. Wigston #1000. The house is C.16 probably incorporating some remains of earlier monastic building, said to include a piscina in wall of kitchen.
Two storeys and attic, brick with stone dressings, weathered and moulded stone string over ground floor windows, gables have stone copings with ball finials at apex and corners, old tile roof, chimneys nave diagonal shafts. The main S.E. front is E. shaped with wide outer gabled projections and narrow central gabled bay, whole height, in which is the entrance porch. The L.H. gable is larger than the R.H. and has a slight projection, with 3-light stone mullioned attic casement, 4-light similar on 1st floor and 8-light mullioned and transomed on ground floor. The central feature has two upper 2-light stone mullioned windows over porch with four centre arched stone doorway under hood mould and original door. The arch springs from moulded caps and has moulded jambs, and the interior is vaulted. Between this feature and the L.H. gable is a small gabled dormer over a 4-light stone mullioned window flanked by 2-light on 1st floor and a large 8 light mullioned and transomed window also flanked by 2-lights on ground floor. The R.H. portion of the house is similar with modern extension. Interiod may be of interest. (8)
Wolston Priory. Grade II. (For full description see list). (9)
Additional references. (10-11)
Wolston Priory is a 16th century house which incorporates part of late 14th or early C15 timber-framed range which can be identified as part of the priory at Wolston, which existed to the west of the house before the Dissolution. There are documentary references to the priory complex and a number of subsidiary holdings including a rectory. It is this rectory that is identified with the present Wolston Priory, and the substantial timber-framed elements in the east wall of the cross-passage of the present house are likely to relate to this building, believed to have originally been a tall single-storey building open to the roof and orientated east to west.
The building is of sandstone ashlar with stone dressings to the main, south, elevation with roughly-squared, coursed lias stone with a sandstone plinth and dressings to other elevations. The house incorporates late 14th or early C15 timber framing to the interior and some C16/C17 timber framing to gable ends and the cross passage. The house was also extended in the early 20th century.
In 1588-89 the house was one of the few sites where John Penry set up a secret press, printing two of the Martin Marprelate tracts, a series of seven texts satirically attacking the episcopacy of the Anglican church and calling for religious reform.
The Priory is a listed grade II* building (14) and Wolston Priory a scheduled site (16). For the designated records of these sites please see the National Heritage List for England. (15, 17) |