| Summary : A Benedictine secular college was founded (before 1087) and was converted into the Priory of St Mary the Virgin (a cell of St Albans), by William Peverel in the reign of Henry I (before 1100). Church built 12th century, altered in 13th and 15th centuries, becoming a parish church on the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, and restored in the 19th century. Built of flint and pebble rubble with dressings of limestone and clunch and some brickwork, roofs tiled. |
More information : (TL 797110) St Andrew's Church (rems of) (NAT)
Benedictine Priory (NR) (1)
A Benedictine secular college was founded in the reign of William II (before 1087) and was converted into the Priory of St Mary the Virgin (a cell of St Albans), by William Peverel in the reign of Henry I (before 1100). There was a prior and four monks at its dissolution in 1536. The small but interesting conventual priory church is all that now remains. Its nave is the whole church of St Andrews. After the dissolution it was very much altered and further drastically restored in the 19th century. (2)(3)(4)(5)
St Andrew's church, originally comprised chancel, central tower and transepts, and incorporated the domestic buildings of the priory to the south. Only the nave of the old church survives with the blocked 11th century chancel arch forming the east wall. Part of the domestic buildings are visible in the SE angle of the nave. See photograph. These buildings, composed of 15th century brick, according to a drawing in the church, were demolished after 1760 when the `Priory', an 18th century domestic house, was built. A series of ponds at TL 796111 and two rectangular ponds to the south of the church at TL 79751065 were probably associated with the priory but have been landscaped. (6)
Parish Church of St Andrew. C12, altered in C13 and C15, much restored in C19. RCHM 1. Grade II*. (7)
Additional references. (8)(9) |