Leeds Priory,also known asLeeds Abbey,was aprioryinLeeds,Kent,England,that was founded in 1119 and dissolved in 1539. A mansion was later built on the site of the priory; it was demolished in the late 18th century. The site of the former priory is ascheduled monument.
  Location within Kent | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1119 |
| Disestablished | 1539 |
| Dedicated to | St MaryandSt Nicholas |
| Diocese | Rochester |
| People | |
| Important associated figures | Robert de Crevequer |
| Site | |
| Location | Leeds, Kent |
| Coordinates | 51°14′50″N0°36′40″E/ 51.24722°N 0.61111°E |
| Grid reference | TQ 823 530 |
| Visible remains | None |
| Other information | Site obliterated by the building of a mansion, itself demolished in the 18th century. |
Description
editThe original priory church was built in theNormanstyle. Materials used in the construction were KentishRagstone,withCaen stonecorners.[1]It had a vaulted porch, similar to that to be seen today atSnettishamchurch,Norfolk.[2]In the 1320s,[3]thenavewas rebuilt, and the northtranseptwas enlarged in theDecorated style.[4]The south transept may have been rebuilt at this time.[5]At a later date, probably in the late 1380s or early 1390s,[3]thepresbyterywas replaced. This was a reversal of the normal process, where the presbytery was rebuilt before the nave and transepts. A probable cause was the sharply rising ground immediately east of the church presenting a barrier to extension.[6]Thechapter houseadjoined the south transept,[7]built c. 1160.[8]
The main church formed the northern part of the priory, with ranges to the east,[8]west,[9]and south. Thewarming housewas probably in the south range.[10]The kitchen was adjoining the south range.[9]
History
editThe Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas, also known as Leeds Abbey, was founded in 1119.[11]Its founders wereRobert de Crevequerand his sonAdam.The priory was occupied byAugustinian canons.[11]In 1177, Robert de Crevequer's son, also namedRobert,bequeathed afulling millon theRiver Lento the priory in his will. The mill remained in the ownership of the priory until its dissolution.[12]As well as Brandescombe Mill, the priory also possessedAbbey Millat its dissolution.[13]
In 1198,Pope Innocent IIIconfirmed the priory as falling under theSeeofCanterbury.In 1368, the donations of the de Crevequers were confirmed byKing Edward III,who also confirmed his patronage of the priory.[11]In 1384, the priory was valued at£220. 12s. 8d.About this time, during the reign ofKing Richard II,canon Thomas Hazlewood came to Leeds Priory. He wrote several history books here, includingA Compendious Chronicle.In 1452,King Richard IIIconfirmed the liberties of the priory.[11]
By 1487, the priory was deeply in debt.James Goldwell,Bishop of Norwich,made generous donations to the priory, and gave sufficient support for an additional priest. Leeds Priory wasdissolvedin 1539, then being valued at £362. 7s. 7d. The last prior, Thomas Day, received apensionof £80 per annum fromthe King.[11]
After the priory had been dissolved, the King leased it toAnthony St Legerfor 21 years,[13]at a rent of £22. 17s. 2d. per annum. The lease included both mills and 323 acres (131 ha) of land, and all houses etc. associated with the priory. The priory itself was demolished and the materials carried away. In 1551,King Edward VIgranted the site of the priory and land and woods inBroomfield,Langley,Leeds andSutton Valenceamounting to 229 acres (93 ha) to St Leger to be heldin capite.The remainder of the estate had been assigned in 1542 by King Henry VIII to the Dean and Chapter ofRochester.[11]
In 1559,Warham St Legerinherited the priory from his father. In 1573, St Leger transferred the estate toSir William Meredith,ofStansty,Denbighshire.[11]Apigeon housewas erected in the grounds of the priory.[14]In 1581, Meredith's son, also named William, purchased certain lands in Warham St Leger that had previously formed part of the estate. The estate passed throughSir Richard MeredithtoSir Roger Meredithin 1723. Sir Roger died in 1738 and left the estate to his niece Susanna Meredith. On her death in 1758, the estate passed toSir George Oxenden.In 1765, Oxenden sold the estate toJohn Calcraft,ofIngress, Kent,who considerably extended the house and landscaped the grounds. Calcraft died in 1772, and the estate passed to his son,John.[11]The mansion was demolished at the end of the 18th century.[15]
The dovecote of the mansion remains and is on theHistoric EnglandHeritage at Risk Register.[16]
Burials
edit- Eleanor de Ferrers, wife ofRoger de Leybourne
Excavations
editThe site of the priory was partially excavated in 1846. In 1973, an excavation of the site took place over eleven weeks in total, covering all four seasons.[15]Members of the Archaeological Society ofSir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School,Rochester, theKent Archaeological Society,the Sittingbourne and Swale Archaeological Group and the Thameside Archaeological Group assisted in the excavation.[17]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Tester 1977,p. 35.
- ^Tester 1977,p. 42.
- ^abTester 1978,p. 97.
- ^Tester 1977,pp. 35, 38.
- ^Tester 1977,p. 40.
- ^Tester 1977,pp. 42–43.
- ^Tester 1978,p. 75.
- ^abTester 1978,p. 79.
- ^abTester 1978,p. 82.
- ^Tester 1978,p. 80.
- ^abcdefghHasted 1798,pp. 478–502.
- ^Goodsall 1957,p. 120.
- ^abSpain 1967,p. 57.
- ^Tester 1978,p. 84.
- ^abTester 1977,p. 33.
- ^"Heritage At Risk: South East Register 2017"(PDF).Historic England.2017. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 3 January 2018.Retrieved2 January2018.
- ^Tester 1977,p. 34.
Sources
edit- Hasted, Edward (1798).The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5.Canterbury: W Bristow.
- Goodsall, Robert H. (1957)."Watermills on the Len".Archaeologia Cantiana.LXXI.Canterbury:Kent Archaeological Society.
- Spain, Robert (1967)."The Len Water-mills".Archaeologia Cantiana.LXXXII.Canterbury:Kent Archaeological Society.
- Tester, P J (1977)."Excavations on the Site of Leeds Priory, Part 1 – The Church".Archaeologia Cantiana.XCIII.Canterbury:Kent Archaeological Society.
- Tester, P J (1978)."Excavations on the Site of Leeds Priory, Part 2 – The Claustral Buildings and Other Remains".Archaeologia Cantiana.XCIV.Canterbury:Kent Archaeological Society.