Dodnash Priory

Last updated

Dodnash Priory was a small Augustinian priory located in Bentley, Suffolk, England, near the village's boundary with East Bergholt. [1] [2] It was situated close to Dodnash brook, which flows into the River Stour.

Contents

History

These stones are the only surviving ruins of Dodnash Priory. Last Remains of Dodnash C12th Priory by footpath - geograph.org.uk - 498249.jpg
These stones are the only surviving ruins of Dodnash Priory.

Foundation

Although details of the priory's foundation are scant, [1] its charters show that it was established in about 1188 by Wimer the Chaplain, sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk and a prominent servant of Henry II, on land granted by the Tosny family. [2] [3]

Priory life

The religious life of Dodnash Priory and the secular life of the surrounding area are recorded in its charters, which are thought to contain the first known references to Flatford Mill. [3] The priory initially held lands in Bentley, East Bergholt and Chelmondiston and in 1327 its prior was granted free warren over lands in Bentley, East Bergholt and Falkenham. Other property and rents were later acquired in mortmain, and by 1485 the priory's endowment included rents and lands in 15 Suffolk parish, as well as the tithe of barley in Falkenham. [1]

The priory was home to a small number of canons (four are recorded as living there in 1381) of the Order of Saint Augustine. [2]

Dissolution

Dodnash Priory was dissolved in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey and its endowment used to found colleges in Ipswich and Oxford. At the time, it was home to just three canons and was considered too small to be viable. [4] It was surrendered on 1 February 1525 by its last prior, Thomas, in the presence of Thomas Cromwell and other members of Wolsey's commission.

The priory and its lands were later assigned to the Tollemache family. [1]

The priory today

Archaeological evidence of the priory has all but disappeared, save for a pile of re-used mediaeval stone in a field that can be accessed via a public footpath. [4] [5] The name also survives in the name of Dodnash Priory Farm.

List of priors

Priors of Dodnash included: [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breadsall Priory</span>

Breadsall Priory is a former Augustinian priory in Derbyshire, situated around two kilometres north of Breadsall, and two kilometres east of Little Eaton. The priory was established before 1266 by a member of the Curzon family. Only a small priory, Breadsall was dissolved in 1536.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Botolph's Priory</span>

St. Botolph's Priory was a medieval house of Augustinian canons in Colchester, Essex, founded c. 1093. The priory had the distinction of being the first and leading Augustinian convent in England until its dissolution in 1536.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Frideswide's Priory</span> Former house of Augustinian canons

St Frideswide's Priory was established as a priory of Augustinian canons regular in Oxford in 1122. The priory was established by Gwymund, chaplain to Henry I of England. Among its most illustrious priors were the writers Robert of Cricklade and Philip of Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunstable Priory</span> Church in Dunstable, United Kingdom

The Priory Church of St Peter with its monastery was founded in 1132 by Henry I for Augustinian Canons in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. St Peter's today is only the nave of what remains of an originally much larger Augustinian priory church. The monastic buildings consisted of a dormitory for the monks, an infirmary, stables, workshops, bakehouse, brewhouse and buttery. There was also a hostel for pilgrims and travellers, the remains of which is known today as Priory House. Opposite the Priory was one of the royal palaces belonging to Henry I, known as Kingsbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulverscroft Priory</span>

Ulverscroft Priory is a former hermitage and priory in Ulverscroft, Leicestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Denys Priory</span>

St. Denys Priory was a priory of Austin canons in the St Denys area of Southampton, Hampshire, England.

Sir Humphrey Wingfield was an English lawyer and Speaker of the House of Commons of England between 1533 and 1536.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caldwell Priory</span> Priory of Canons of the Holy Sepulcher

Caldwell Priory was a priory of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre in Bedfordshire, England, from c. 1154 to 1536. It was situated in the south-west of Bedford on the south bank of the River Great Ouse.

Harrold Priory was a priory in Harrold, Bedfordshire, England. It was established in 1138 and disestablished in 1536.

Newnham Priory was a priory in Newnham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

Poughley Priory was a priory of Austin Canons at Chaddleworth in the English county of Berkshire, located between Great Shefford and Leckhampstead.

Repton Priory was a priory in Repton, Derbyshire, England. It was established in the 12th century and was originally under the control of Calke Priory. It was dissolved in 1538.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicknacre Priory</span> Former priory in Essex, England

Bicknacre Priory, formerly also Woodham Priory or Woodham Ferrers Priory, was a community of Austin Canons in Bicknacre, Woodham Ferrers, Essex, England.

Alvingham Priory was a Gilbertine priory in St. Mary, Alvingham, Lincolnshire, England. The Priory, established between 1148 and 1154, was a "double house", where religious of both sexes lived in two separate monasteries. They did not commonly communicate with one another, and there was an internal wall dividing their priory church. The superior of every Gilbertine house was the prioress, the prior being really an official of her house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farewell Priory</span>

Farewell Priory was a Benedictine nunnery near Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. Although it received considerable episcopal support, it was always small and poor. It was dissolved in 1527 as a by-product of Cardinal Wolsey's scheme to establish a college within Oxford University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flixton Priory</span> Former monastery in United Kingdom

Flixton Priory was a nunnery under a prioress following the Augustinian rule, which formerly stood in the parish of Flixton in the north of the English county of Suffolk, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of Bungay. It was founded by Margery de Creke in 1258, and was dissolved in 1536–37. It was the poorest of the nunneries within the Diocese of Norwich. The site of the priory, which was enclosed by a moat, was at the present Abbey Farm, where little apart from the position in the landscape and a small section of standing wall remain to be seen. It was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1953. It is privately owned and is not open to the public. It is suggested that some parts of the masonry may have been re-used in St Peter's Hall at St Peter, South Elmham.

St Peter & Paul Priory, Ipswich was an Augustinian priory in Ipswich Suffolk, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxstoke Priory</span> Former Augustinian priory in Maxstoke, Warwickshire, England, UK

Maxstoke Priory was an Augustinian priory in Warwickshire, England. The substantial remains are on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register due to their poor condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke Priory</span> Former house of Augustinian monks in Brooke, Rutland

Brooke Priory was a minor house of Augustinian monks in Brooke, Rutland. It was a cell of St Mary's Abbey, Kenilworth.

Stoke-by-Clare Priory was a Benedictine monastery in Stoke-by-Clare, in Suffolk, an alien priory, dependent on Bec Abbey, in Normandy. Reinstituted in 1124, the Priory was suppressed in 1415.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Historic England. "Monument No. 387983". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Houses of Austin canons: Priory of Dodnash | British History Online".
  3. 1 2 Christopher Harper-Bill, Dodnash Priory Charters (Boydell Press, 1998).
  4. 1 2 East Bergholt Society, Dodnash Priory. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. East Anglian Daily Times, "Weird Suffolk: A curious corner of Suffolk with ghosts, tunnels and treasure", 25 March 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  6. [7]

51°58′47″N1°03′48″E / 51.979696°N 1.063428°E / 51.979696; 1.063428