| Summary : The ruined remains of an Augustinian abbey founded in 1133 by William Fitznigel, Baron of Halton, for a community of Augustinian canons. The priory church was begun circa 1135 and shows six phases of construction and alteration. Temporary monastic lodgings have been revealed dating to this first phase of construction. A chapter house was later added during the 13th century. In 1392 the priory was raised to abbey status. During the 15th century a tower house, known as the Abbot's Tower, was built. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII, the remains of the abbey buildings were incorporated into a Tudor mansion and the church was allowed to fall down. The Tudor mansion was replaced by a Georgian country house built in around 1750. This house was demolished in 1928.The site of the monastery was surrounded by a moat, now filled in. On the moated site, apart from the abbey buildings, where a number of other features including an excavated bell pit, a moated garden or orchard, a tile kiln and an extensive burial ground. The ruined abbey church is on the north side of the site. To the south of the nave are the cloister, the Abbot's lodgings and, attached to the lodgings, the Abbot's tower. Little of the cloister remains. The garth was 17 metres square and surrounded by an ambulatory. Fragments of this arcade are now restored in the museum. The cellarer's range within the Abbot's lodgings are the only original buildings still standing on the site. To the south of the choir was a sacristy and the original chapter house. To the south of the cloister and chapter house are the refectory and dormitory range. The main drain for the abbey buildings ran across the south end of the site. To the western end of this drain was a building complex of some quality which has been interpreted as the guest quarters for the abbey. |
More information : [SJ 5484 8303] Site of Norton Priory [GT] Augustinian
Founded circa 1115. (1)
Norton. 'This [Augustinian] priory was originally at Runcorn and
was founded C.1115... It was moved to Norton in 1134... Early in
the reign of Henry VI [1422-61] if not sooner, the priory was
made an abbey' Suppressed 1536-7. (2)
Norton Priory. Scheduled. (3)
Some of the ancient vaults of the Priory, and an ornamental
doorway leading to them, are preserved in the present edifice.
The arches of the doorway are semi-circular and rest on pillars
with sculptured capitals. It is a fine piece of Norman work and
is in excellent preservation.
The vaults are much altered and sub-divided, but consisted
originally of groined arches sprung from short octagonal columns
with capitals. The site of the church stood a little to the east
of the present Mansion. (4)
The mansion has been destroyed and its site is occupied by trees
and scrub, but the remains of the Priory have been preserved.
The remains consist of a rectangular block, orientated
North-South and situated at SJ 5483 8304.
The block has sides of 34.0m by 10.0m and it is protected by a
flat concrete roof. The walls stand to a height of c 3.5m.
Situated at SJ 5487 8309 are two stone coffins which have been
cut from solid blocks.
Please see GP's AO/59/29/7 & 8 for coffins. (5)
As described by authorities 4 and 5. (6)
Detailed account of the Norman undercroft, the preserved remains
of Norton Priory. (7)
Norton Priory. Excavations in progress on the Priory site since
1970, have located the remains of a number of buildings
previously uninspected, proving the site to have been quite
substantial (see plans). Some of the monastic buildings were
converted into a Tudor house between 1545 and 1600, those
surrounding the cloister being replaced by a Georgian house, this
itself being demolished in 1928, leaving only the Medieval
building. (8-9)
SJ 548830. Runcorn. Norton Priory listed under Ecclesiastical
Buildings and scheduled no 16. (10)
[SJ 54858305] Site of [NAT]
Priory [NR]
(Augustinian) [NAT] (11)
Surveyed at 1:1250 scale. (12)
The excavated priory is open to the public and a museum has been
erected w of the restored Norman undercroft. Small-scale excavations
continued until last year, although it is not expected that any
further work will be undertaken in the foreseeable future.
Unpublished FSD revised at 1:1250. (13)
Excavations began in 1971 under the direction of P J Greene for the Runcorn Development Corporation and financed by the Ches Co Council Planning Dept. Excavation showed a complex development of seven periods of church building and other priory works on the south-west periphery. Examination of the finds and the results of the excavation are still being evaluated. (14-19)
Please see these sources for detailed information. (20-29)
Remains of Norton Priory, founded by the Baron of Halton c1115, the
Priory was raised to abbey status in 1391, affected by the dissolution of 1536, it became the site of a Tudor house for Sir Richard Brooke in 1545 which was, in 1730, replaced by a Georgian house. This house was altered by James Wyatt in 1775, altered again
in the 19th century and demolished in 1928. Grade 1. (30)
The remains of the Priory described in 1-30 are visible as structures on air photography examined as part of the North West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment. A walled garden and Priory cottages can also be seen lying to the north of the Priory. (31)
Description of the 13th century cloister arcade. (32) |