| Summary : The remains of Castle Acre Priory are located south west of the village of Castle Acre, Norfolk. It was founded in 1089 by William de Warenne, second Earl of Surrey, as a dependency of Lewes Priory. The entrance to the precinct is through a gatehouse on the north side. Built in the late 14th or early 15th century, the gatehouse is of two storeys and rectangular in plan. The ruins of the church and conventual buildings stand to the south and south east of the gatehouse. The church was the first building to be completed and retains many original features of late 11th and early 12th century date. It was extended in the 14th and 15th centuries. The conventual buildings, mostly dated to the mid-12th century, are ranged around three sides of a cloister which abuts the south side of the church. The western claustral range included a food store, guest hall, prior's chamber, outer parlour, prior's chapel and the kitchen. It was altered extensively in the late 12th, mid 14th and late 15th centuries. The southern range contained the refectory and the eastern range comprised the monk's dormitory and chapter house. A latrine block stood to the south of the east range and the infirmary, altered in the 14th century, was located to the east. Also within the monastic precinct are agricultural and domestic service buildings, an extensive complex of rectilinear earthwork enclosures and the remains of medieval water management features, including a series of fishponds. It may have also included the monastic cemetery, as well as a garden and orchards. The priory was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1537 and granted to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. By 1558 the buildings were being demolished, however the prior's lodgings were retained for use as a house. In 1615, after several owners it was acquired by Sir Edward Coke, in whose family it remains. In 1929 the priory was taken into guardianship by the Ministry of Works and is currently opened to the public by English Heritage (2009). |
More information : TF 81391479. Remains of (NAT) Priory of St Mary, St Peter and St Paul (NR) (Cluniac) (NAT).(1)
Cluniac Priory of St Mary, St Peter and St Paul, founded 1089 AD, dissolved 1537. (2)
The Dept of the Environment have a programme of continuous maintenance and restoration of the remains. See 25" survey and photographs.(3)
TF 814148 Excavations, between 1972 and 1976, of a ruined building in a complex lying to the west of the standing priory produced evidence of a two-storey structure; the upper floor carried on central supports. It was probably built for use as a barn in c1360 and continued in use as an agricultural building after the Dissolution. Before the construction of the surviving building, successive phases were a) marsh environment b) a timber building c) a lime-kiln. Full excavation report (4)
TF 814148 Excavations in the Lady Chapel beneath a 15th century stone coffin lid revealed the upper surface of the late 12th century rammed chalk foundations of the junction of the spire, N aisle and the flanking apse of the N transept. There was no underlying burial and the coffin lid had been set among Flemish floor tiles in the 15th century (5).
Gate house and remains of priory listed Grade 1 (6)
Details of coffin lid (7)
Additional references (8-9)
Castle Acre priory is located to the south west of the village of Castle Acre. The priory is thought to have been founded in or around 1089 by William de Warenne, first Earl of Surrey, as a daughter house of the Cluniac priory of Lewes, which he had also founded and which was the first house of the order to be established in England. It was, however, his son, the second earl, who confirmed the foundation charter. The church and cloister were consecrated by the bishop of Norwich some time between 1146 and 1148.
In the record of a visitation c.1390 the full complement of monks was stated to be 26, although in the previous century the number had sometimes exceeded 30. The priory was dissolved in 1537 and granted by the Crown to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. It then passed successively to Thomas Gresham and Thomas Cecil, later Earl of Exeter, whose son, William, sold it to Sir Edward Coke. Part of the monastic building remained in use as a farmhouse.
The principal entrance to the monastic precinct is through a gatehouse on the north side. The ruins of the church and conventual buildings stand to the south and south east of the gatehouse, and to the west and south west of these there are remains of outer courts containing other buildings of monastic date, including agricultural and domestic service buildings. Within the part of the precinct which lies east and north east of the church and conventual buildings there is an extensive complex of rectilinear enclosures defined by low earthworks. The channel which supplied water to the monastery and functioned also as the principal drain runs east-west across the precinct, and beyond this are remains of what are considered to be medieval water management features, including a series of fishponds. It is thought there was also a chapel standing on the site of Abbey Cottage within the north east corner of the precinct. Parts of medieval walls believed to be of 15th century date and to be, perhaps, the remains of the chapel, are incorporated in the east gable wall of the cottage.
The gatehouse is dated to the late 14th or early 15th century and is now roofless. It is constructed of mortared flint rubble faced with knapped flint and brick dressings, and is of two storeys, rectangular in plan, with diagonal buttresses at the angles. The outer walls of the lower floor survive intact, with the wide arches of the carriageway to north and south and the smaller arches of a pedestrian entrance to the east of these. A stone carved with the arms of the priory is set over the arch of the pedestrian entrance, and above this are four more panels bearing the Royal Arms and the arms of the principal patrons. Within the gatehouse, to the east of the pedestrian entrance, is a porter's lodge.
The monastic church was the first of the buildings to be completed and retains many original features of late 11th and early 12th century date, as well as evidence of later additions and alterations. It is constructed, like the adjacent conventual buildings, chiefly of mortared flint rubble incorporating some chalk and carstone, with freestone ashlar facings and dressings, but some of the later additions are distinguished by the occasional use of brick in arches and elsewhere. It was built cruciform in plan, including an aisled nave of seven bays with square towers flanking the main door at the western end, transepts with apsidal chapels to either side of a central crossing, and an apsidal east end of three bays flanked by shorter aisles, also with apsidal chapels. In the 14th century the east end was extended and rebuilt with a square ended presbytery and south aisle, and the north aisle was subsequently replaced by a larger rectangular chapel, dated to the 15th century. Surviving features include most of the west front, the south west tower, traces of a stair in the north west tower and some low wall footings in the eastern part.
The conventual buildings, which are dated for the most part to the mid-12th century, are ranged around three sides of a cloister which abuts the south side of the church. The footings of the cloister arcade, dated to the late 15th or early 16th century, stand to a height of up to 1 metre. The claustral buildings are ruinous, except for parts of the west range which were incorporated in the later farmhouse, but in many places the walls stand to almost full height and display a variety of features.
The western claustral range, which contained apartments for the use of the prior and accommodation for guests above cellars used for storage, comprises an original rectangular block of two storeys, with later additions and alterations of various dates. There are also remains of 14th century paintings on the walls. The main part of the south claustral range was occupied by the refectory, with a separate small rectangular room to the east and a kitchen to the west of it, abutting the southern end of the west range. The eastern range contains the dorter (monks dormitory) and the chapter house.
The reredorter (latrine block) stands immediately to the south of the east range, and is a rectangular building, constructed over the water supply channel and a narrower, parallel drain which took water from higher up the main channel to flush the latrines. The gable ends of the building and parts of the walls stand almost to full height and display various details of the internal arrangement.
The infirmary complex, represented chiefly by low wall footings, lies east of the east claustral range. The original 12th century infirmary hall and chapel is rectangular and was altered in the 14th century.
In the western part of the monastic precinct is a 19th century barn and farm buildings which replaced a medieval barn demolished in 1838. To the south of this is a court enclosed on the north, west and south sides by the remains of various agricultural and service buildings which were probably constructed in the 15th century and may have included a granary or storehouse, corn dryer and malthouse and brewhouse.
The eastern part of the precinct contains earthworks which include a large rectangular platform and the remains of a rectangular enclosure, earthen terraces, low banks and partly infilled ditches which are visible as linear hollows. To the north and north east of the church are two adjoining enclosures, which are almost certainly the site of the monastic cemetery and are defined by scarps and banks which probably cover the remains of masonry walls. Another quadrangular enclosure to the east of the infirmary halls may have been a garden area. The area beyond this is considered to have been the remains of paddocks, gardens and orchards.
The area to the south contains the earthwork remains of a series of fishponds, now partly infilled. The ruined boundary wall can be traced around all the western part of the precinct, running northward from the gatehouse to Priory Road, then eastwards along the roadside and south alongside South Acre Road to the river. (10)
Additional reference, please see source. (11-12)
Excavation of the granary to the south-west of the priory revealed it to have had a major role in brewing at the priory. (13)
The church was built in around 1140 and extended in 1160.
The west claustral range was altered and extended many times during the Priory's existence. In the 12th century when it was laid out, this range included a food and drink store, guest hall, external stair, prior's chamber, outer parlour, prior's chapel and the kitchen. Late 12th century alterations included the addition of an ornamental two-storey porch, a room for privileged guests and two wells. In the mid 14th century a vaulted room, prior's study and latrine were built and later additions that century included a new kitchen, two further storeys to the porch and the construction of walls creating a court yard. In the late 15th century a covered gallery and new porch were built.
By 1558 the priory buildings were being demolished, however the prior's lodgings were retained for use as a house. The priory has remained in the family of Sir Edward Coke. In 1929 the buildings were taken into guardianship by the Ministry of Works. (14)
This site is listed in the English Heritage members' & visitors' handbook 2009/10. (15)
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