St Helen's Priory was founded in 1137 by a man named Towyne, who was a Burgess of Derby.[1] The priory was constructed to the North-West of the town of Derby, just outside the town walls. Dedicated to St Helen, the priory is described as being "an oratory or small religious house".[1]
The Priory was endowed by Hugh, Dean of Derby, with lands at "Little-Derley", and was given control of St Peter's Church, Derby.[2] This land at "Little-Derley", around a mile from the priory, was used for the establishment of Darley Abbey, and, in 1154, many of the canons transferred from St Helen's to Darley; St Helen's thus becoming a cell to Darley Abbey.[2][3]
Shortly after, in 1160, the priory began to operate as a hospital.[1][2][3]
When assessed for tax in 1291, St Helen's is recorded as having a total annual income of £4 17s. 8d., the vast majority of which coming from the priory/hospital's 120 acres of arable land.[1][4]
The hospital is thought to have ceased operating around 1350.[3]
The priory was located in the area currently known as St. Helen's Street, however, nothing remains of the priory buildings.[3]
After the dissolution of Darley Abbey, the Abbey's land, including that of the previous St Helen's Priory, was surrendered to the crown. In 1554 Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary), issued a Royal Charter granting several of Darley Abbey's properties and endowments to the Corporation of Derby for the establishment of: ""a Free Grammar School, for the instruction and education of boys and youths in the said town of Derby for ever to be maintained by the Bailiffs and Burgesses of the same town".[5] This school was Derby School.
Between 1766 and 1767, St Helen's House (which takes its name from the priory), was constructed on land formerly owned by the priory. First a private house, from 1861 it was home to Derby School.
Around 1817 human remains, attributed to the priory and hospital, were found at the former priory site.[3] Also at this time, part of the site was occupied by a Marble Factory, owned by a "Mr Brown".[2]
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.
Darley Abbey is a former historic mill village, now a suburb of the city of Derby, England. It is located approximately 1.4 miles (2.3 km) north of the city centre, on the west bank of the River Derwent, and forms part of the Darley ward along with Little Chester and the West End. The settlement dates back to the medieval era, when it was the site of an Augustinian monastery. In the 18th century, the Evans family developed their planned industrial mill village in the area; Darley Abbey is now part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.
St Andrews Cathedral Priory was a priory of Augustinian canons in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was one of the great religious houses in Scotland, and instrumental in the founding of the University of St Andrews.
King's Mead Priory was a Benedictine Priory situated west of Derby, in the area currently known as Nun's Street, or Nun's Green. It was the only Benedictine Nunnery in Derbyshire.
Priory of St. Thomas near Stafford was an Augustinian religious house near Stafford, Staffordshire, England. Founded sometime in approximately 1174, it was a surrendered to the Crown in 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Trentham Priory was a Christian priory in North Staffordshire, England, near the confluence between the young River Trent and two local streams, where the Trentham Estate is today.
St. James Priory, also known as Derby Cluniac Priory, was a Benedictine monastery, formerly located in what is now Derby City Centre. It existed until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
