| Summary : A Benedictine monastery founded in 1043, on the site of St Osburg's Convent (Monument HOB UID 895253) which was destroyed in 1016. It was founded by Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife, Lady Godiva, and dedicated to St Mary, for an abbot and 24 monks. In 1102 it became a priory and cathedral. The main cathedral building (Monument HOB UID 869510) was cruciform in plan and construction took place over two phases, up to 1143 and between 1150 and 1250. During the 12th century, the monastery was impoverished, firstly by the plundering by Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Coventry, circa 1100, who is alleged to have destroyed several houses and stripped the church, secondly by Robert Marmion in 1143, who turned the monastery into a fortress, temporarily dispossessing the monks, and thirdly by Hugh de Nonant, Bishop of Coventry, who in 1189 is alleged to have pulled down several buildings while lodging several newly appointed canons there.In 1539 the priory was surrendered and its buildings offered to the people of Coventry by the crown, but they were unable to raise the funds so most of the buildings were destroyed. The northwest tower of the cathedral survived and was used as a house until 1714, then a school (Mounument HOB UID 335760). Parts of the cathedral (Monument HOB UID 869510) were discovered during rebuilding of the school in 1865. Further excavations during the 1960s and late 1990s have recorded the plan of the site, mainly dating to the 14th century . Parts of the site are open to the public as the 'Priory Garden', and the cloisters have become a park and visitor centre for the priory. |
More information : (SP33607910) Remains of St Mary's Priory (Benedictine founded 1102) [NR].(1)
Benedictine Priory (Rms). Founded 1043 by Leofric on the site of St Osburg's Convent, which had been destroyed in 1016, (SP37NW115 - Monument HOB UID 895253). (2-3)
SP339791. Priory ruins. Scheduled, W Mids No.11.(4)
Priory ruins. Grade I. (5)
The Benedictine Abbey in Coventry was founded circa 1043 by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and his wife, Godgifu, (Godiva), on lands owned by Godiva, and had an abbot and 24 monks. At the time of Domesday, the only lands it held were those within its precinct. Soon after 1086, the whole of Coventry was granted to the Earls of Chester, but by 1113, the Priory, (as it became between 1095 and 1102), lay claim to the half of Coventry lying to the north of the castle, (the Prior's half). The origins of this claim lay not only in the original grant, but also in the machinations of Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Chester. In 1102, he moved his see from Chester to Coventry, laid hands on the priory making it a cathedral priory, with himself as bishop becoming titular abbot. In 1107 or 1111, he presented his claims to the liberties and customs within and without Coventry, taking advantage of the minority of the Earl of Chester. Following his death in 1117, the monks created a number of forgeries, including Leofric's charter and a confirmation by Pope Alexander II, inserting clauses of independence against episcopal control. A further series of forgeries in the 1120s, 1130s and in 1147 obtained King Stephen's confirmation of episcopal independence, and affirmed the liberties and customs gained by de Limesey. Hugh, 2nd Earl of Chester, confirmed the liberties and customs circa 1161-75, an act which was later to bring the priory into conflict with the Crown when Queen Isabel came into possession of the manor of Coventry. For several years during the 12th century, the monastery was impoverished, firstly by the plundering by de Limesey, circa 1100, who is alleged to have destroyed several houses and stripped the church, secondly by Robert Marmion in 1143, who turned the monastery into a fortress, temporarily dispossessing the monks, and thirdly by Bishop Hugh de Nonant, (1188-98), who is alleged to have pulled down several buildings while lodging several newly appointed canons there. The priory was surrendered in 1539, and wholesale destruction followed.
The precincts occupied a site extending from the churchyards of St Michael's church and Holy Trinity Church to the south, to the River Sherbourne on the north, and from beyond the modern Priory Street on the east side, to what is now Trinity Street on the west side. The Priory Church, (Monument HOB UID 869510), stood on the highest point of the site in the southern part of the precinct. The arrangement of monastic buildings was not recovered until excavations were undertaken from 1965 onwards. The buildings of the final phase were arranged to the north of the church, and comprised a cloister garth about 80' square with a cellarium to the west, a chapter house with apsidal east end on the east side of the cloister and lying just north of the north transept of the church, and dorter and frater undercrofts arranged to the north and east of these. To the northeast of this group is a building interpreted as a farmery. The monastic cemetery lay to the east of the monastic buildings. No work of a date earlier than the 14th century has been found; in some areas solid rock formed the foundations, suggesting that if earlier structures had existed, a complete clearance was made before rebuilding. (6)
Full report on the excavations undertaken between 1965 and 1970 on the cathedral and monastic buildings. It was clear from these that the builders had levelled the hilltop down to bedrock, thus destroying any evidence of earlier monastic features. Similarities with Christ Church, Canterbury, are noted. (See illustration cards).(7-8)
(See also the Priory Church, SP37NW86, the Priory Guest House,
SP37NW87, and Bishop's Palace, SP37NW88.)
A Benedictine monastery founded in 1043, on the site of St Osburg's Convent which was destroyed in 1016. It was founded by Leofric, earl of Mercia and his wife, Lady Godiva, and dedicated to St Mary, for an abbot and 24 monks. In 1102 it became a priory and cathedral. The main cathedral building was cruiform in plan and construction took place over two phases, up to 1143 and between 1150 and 1250.
During the 12th century, the monastery was impoverished, firstly by the plundering by Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Coventry, circa 1100, who is alleged to have destroyed several houses and stripped the church (11), secondly by Robert Marmion in 1143, who turned the monastery into a fortress, temporarily dispossessing the monks (12), and thirdly by Hugh de Nonant, Bishop of Coventry, who in 1189 is alleged to have pulled down several buildings while lodging several newly appointed canons there. (13)
In 1539 the priory was surrendered and its buildings offered to the people of Coventry by the crown, but they were unable to raise the funds so most of the buildings were destroyed. The northwest tower of the cathedral survived and was used as a house until 1714, then a school (Mounument HOB UID 335760).
Parts of the cathedral (Monument HOB UID 869510) were discovered during rebuilding of the school in 1865. Further excavations during the 1960s and late 1990s have recorded the plan of the site, mainly dating to the 14th century . Parts of the site are open to the public as the 'Priory Garden', and the cloisters has become a park and visitor centre for the priory. (9-13) |