More information : There may have been a pre-conquest minster at Trentham. It is possible that Trentham was founded in c 1087-1100 as a Benedictine Priory and renewed, after lapsing, as a house of Augustinian canons. The Priory of the Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints was founded by Ranulph II in 1153-5 and dissolved in 1537. (1)
Excavations in 1858 made through the churchyard wall to the church exposed fragments of encaustic tiles and other remains of ecclesiastical architecture. Remains of walls were found which agreed (to a certain extent) with the walls of the present church. (St Mary and All Saints). The whole of the churchyard on the east side of the chancel was composed of the remains of buildings and building debris. The architecture of the older parts of the church agree with the date of foundation of the Priory. (2)
The Norman pillars and their capitals in the Church, the trefoil of the N porch and part of the S wall are parts of the Priory Church. About 1844 the Church was rebuilt by the 2nd Duke of Sutherland. The S wall is of old stone of the former Church. The Norman pillars were taken down and rebuilt, stone by stone, but pointed arches arches replaced round arches. The Hall was taken down in 1911. (See SJ 84 SE 26 for remains of Trentham Hall) (3)
St Mary and All Saints' Church on site of Priory (Augustinian) circa AD 1150. The present Church, although rebuilt, probably stands on the original church foundations; in most Augustinian establishments the conventual church was used as the parish church. As stated in Authority 2, the churchyard, east of the chancel, is about 14 ft above the normal ground level in Trentham Hall. (4)
No change. Church in normal use. In the N porch is an C11th-12th stone grave cover. (5)
The work of a major Victorian architect - Sir Charles Barry.Grade 2* (6)
The history of the site is well-documented, but there is very little surface evidence of Trentham Priory. Excavations in 1858 made through the churchyard wall of St. Mary and All Saints Church exposed fragments of encaustic tiles and ecclesiastical architecture. The architecture of the older parts of the church correspond with the date of the foundation of the priory. The present church, although rebuilt and remaining in ecclesiastical use, probably stands on the original church foundations. There is no surface evidence of the conventual buildings. Although remains of the priory may survive below the ground surface there are problems associated with defining the boundary of the site and its layout. (7) |