More information : [SK 43362355] Langley Priory [T.I.] on site of Priory [G.T.] (1)
House of Benedictine Nuns. Langley Nunnery was founded by William Pantulf and his wife Burgia, about the middle of the 12th century.... The nuns of Langley came from Farewell Priory, Staffs (a).. Farewell seems to have been a Benedictine house (b) but in the 12th century, at least, the nuns of Langley claimed ... the privileges of the Cistercian Order ... In the late 13th century ... the nuns were forced to abandon their claims ... In the later Middle Ages Langley is mentioned as a Benedictine house (c)(d)... It was reported in June 1536 that the priory ... contained six nuns besides the prioress ... The priory was small and old but in good repair (d). Langley was presumably dissolved with the other small religious houses in 1536(e), though there is no record of the exact circumstances of its suppression. It was dissolved before June 1537(f). (2)
Langley Priory. Founded c. 1154, dissolved 1536 (3)
"Langley Priory but now and long since called Langley Hall ... Most of the ancient buildings are remaining, which belonged, no doubt to the priory; but the middle part has been cased over with stone about King William's time, and contains several good rooms ..." (4)
Further references: [Confirms the foundation of Langley Priory by William Pantulf & his wife]
[Short history & Inventories.] [Account of the visitation by William Lnwick, Bishop of Lincoln in 1441] (5-7)
Stone from the castle of Donington [SK 40 NW 20] was used by "Mr. Gray for his building now in hand at his house at Langley within two miles." (8)
The name Langley Priory is retained. The central block of the house was completely rebuilt in the early 19th c. The two wings contain the surviving remains of the Md priory but were largely rebuilt in the 16/17th c. There is no evidence as to the plan of the monastic buildings. Burials are reputed to have been found on the east side of the house. (a)
Langley Priory is a substantial two-storied private house comprising a central block with north and south wings. The central block has a faced stone entrance front on the west with a central door with segmented pediment and other early 19th c. features. The eastern, garden side is mainly of brick. The north and south wings are built of irregularly coursed stone with mullioned and transomed windows and four-centred arched door-heads. A drain-head is inscribed RS 1690 and the wings seem to be mainly of 16/17th c. date. The west end of the north wing, however, has a blocked single-pointed archway on the ground-floor with traces of other blocked openings. It is probable that these wings incorporate a substantial part of the Md priory. The northen wing has been widened on the north side in the 19th c. The plan of the house suggests that it follows three sides of a typical monastic plan but there is no evidence that the north wing incorporates remains of the church or of the relative situation of the monastic component buildings.
GP A0/60/105/7 Langley Priory. West Face. (9)
No change. (10)
II Langley Priory
*Built on the site of, and probably incorporating parts of the structure of the Benedictine nunnery formerly here. This was founded by William Pantulf and Burgia his wife in the twelfth century. The present house is mainly of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and the exterior is particularly attractive architecturally. Entrance front. The entrance front is quadrangular with the fourth side open save for iron railings of Georgian date. The centre part dates from 1690 and is inscribed with that date and the initials R.S. Two storeys, ashlar, six stone mullioned and transomed windows with leaded lights. Band between storeys. Central doorway of ashlar with bolection moulded surround and segmental pediment. Balancing doorways each side of centre with stone architraves, pulvinated friezes and cornices. Wood modillioned eaves cornice, old tile roof with five gabled leaded casement dormers. Identical wings project to right and left. C16 or early C17. Two storeys, rubble with gables in centre of wings facing inwards, coping and ball finials. Old stone mullioned windows with leaded lights. Gable ends facing outwards with coping and ball finials. Stone mullioned windows.
Garden front, two storeys, red brick with black headers, has, to right, two gables, brick band between storeys. Coped gables and finials. Two sash windows. 'R.S. 1690' on rain water head. Centre part, of brick, has five mullioned and transomed windows. Canted bay on ground floor and three windows. Projecting end to left of ashlar, one gable with ball finial. Seven-light mullioned and transomed stone window on ground floor with dripmould, early leaded glass. Three-light attic window. Side elevation to south has old mullioned windows and projecting chimney breasts. Corresponding side elevation covered by early C19 addition.
Interior. The interior was largely redecorated during the nineteenth century and is quite plain. It retains, however, two late C17 or C18 staircases, and one room on the first floor has fitted tapestry - said to have been made by the nuns here but more likely to be Flemish seventeenth century - and a fireplace with bolection moulded surround and lined with blue and mauve delft tiles. The window in the tapestry room has a number of pieces of stained glass in it, mediaeval and later, some evidently foreign and one said to bear the arms of William Pantulf.
Setting. Remotely situated country house in fine landscape park with lake. (11) |