HeritageGateway - Home
Site Map
Text size: A A A
You are here: Home > > > > Historic England research records Result
Historic England research recordsPrintable version | About Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Dudley Priory

Hob Uid: 118937
Location :
Dudley
Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : SO9431590888
Summary : The priory of St James was founded by Gervase Pagnell circa 1149-60 and was dependent on Much Wenlock as an alien priory of Cluniac monks. It was dissolved in 1395, but refounded as a denizen priory until finally dissolved in 1539. Cleared and preserved by DOE when small trial excavations were made in order to explore the earlier history of the conventual buildings. The remains are preserved in good order within Priory Park, a public open space in Dudley. The lines of destroyed walls are marked out in the turf by cement strips. The excavations revealed that the claustral range, to the North of the church, was laid out at the same time as the aisleless church in the 12th century. The original church consisted of a nave, apsidal quire, and transepts with apsidal East chapels. The quire was extended in the 13th century, and a South chapel added to it in the 13th-15th centuries. Of the claustral range, the foundations indicated 12th century origins for the chapter house and day room in the East range, a rebuilding of the frater circa 1200, and of the West range in the 13th century. Scheduled and listed.
More information : (SO 94339084) St James's Priory (NR) (remains of) (1)

The priory of St James was founded by Gervase Pagnell circa 1149-60 and was dependent on Much Wenlock as an alien priory of Cluniac monks. It was dissolved in 1395 when it became denizen until finally dissolved in 1539. (2)

Cleared and preserved by DOE when small trial excavations were made in order to explore the earlier history of the conventual buildings. (See plan for building periods) (3)

Remains of St James's Priory are preserved in good order within Priory Park, a public open space in Dudley. The lines of destroyed walls are marked out in the turf by cement strips.See photographs. Published 1:1250 survey revised. (4)

No change since report of 5 4 74. 1:1250 survey still correct.Transferred to MSD. (5)

1.
5106 PRIORY PARK

Priory Ruins

SO 9490 NW 3/44 14.9.49

2.
Founded 1160 as a dependency of the Cluniac Priory of Much Wenlock. Limestone rubble. Some fragments of the conventual church remain with some exposed tiled pavements. Foundations of claustral buildings. AM. (6)

Short report on excavations conducted in 1984 to remove medieval floor tiles from the eastern end of the church for display in Dudley Museum. (7)

Early maps of the ruined priory suggest that it had a semi-moated appearance, being surrounded on at least 3 sides by large fishponds and mill pools. West of the building range is a long low earthen bank, which is believed to be the remains of one of the retaining dams for the fishponds. Archaeological recording during landscaping of the park in the late 1980s revealed what are thought to be the remains of a further fishpond and the eastern edge of the main island upon which the priory stood. Scheduling amended. (8)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 1:10 000 1973
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 99
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : CAR Radford
Page(s) : 449-59
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 20, 1940
Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : F1 ASP 05-APR-74
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : F2 ASP 11-JUN-76
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : DOE(HHR) Dist.of Dudley, W. Midlands, April 1976,28
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : Boland, P, Cocroft, WD, Reynolds, S, Linnane, SJ and Ratkai, S, 1985. Dudley Castle Archaeological Project; An Introduction and Summary of Excavations 1983-5. (35-8)
Page(s) : 35-38
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : EH Scheduling amendment, 11-FEB-2002
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Extant
Monument End Date : 1536
Monument Start Date : 1139
Monument Type : Church, Cloister, Chapter House, Fishpond, Mill Pond, Dam
Evidence : Ruined Building, Sub Surface Deposit, Earthwork
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Extant as alien cell
Monument End Date : 1395
Monument Start Date : 1149
Monument Type : Cluniac Cell, Alien Priory
Evidence : Ruined Building
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Denizen
Monument End Date : 1539
Monument Start Date : 1395
Monument Type : Cluniac Monastery, Priory
Evidence : Ruined Building

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 35114
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (West Midlands)
External Cross Reference Number : 999
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 99 SW 4
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1900-01-01
End Date : 1999-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1974-04-05
End Date : 1974-04-05
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1976-06-11
End Date : 1976-06-11
Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 1991-01-01
End Date : 1991-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2009-01-01
End Date : 2009-12-31