| Summary : The Priory was founded circa 1107 by Joel de Totnes. It was an alien cell of St Martin-des-Champs (Paris) until 1403, then became denizen. It was dissolved in 1536. Ruins of the greater part of the priory buildings were found in 1819 when the tannery and Rackfield Cottages were built. They stood within a precinct built North-East of the town ditch and bounded by Charles Street, the present Vicarage Street and the River Yeo.The rear part of Priory Cottage incorporates two walls of random rubble construction (approximately 6.0m and 4.0m long) with three square buttresses and a small slit window. This evidently represents part of the Priory but has no significant dateable features. Nearby, a substantial building, 16.0m by 10.0m, has similar masonry with two square buttresses and a large relieving arch. At a height of 3.0m there is a set-off which may indicate subsequent heightening. Again there is no dateable feature but it seems possible that this may be part of the medieval Priory. It has been re-roofed and is used as a workshop. |
More information : (SS 55823355) St Mary Magdalene's Priory (NR) Cluniac (site of).
(SS 55813354) St Mary Magdalene's Chapel (NR) (Remains of). (1)
A Cluniac Alien Priory founded by Joel de Totnes circa 1107, denizened in 1403 and finally dissolved in 1536. (2)
Ruins of the greater part of the priory buildings were found in 1819 when the tannery and Rackfield Cottages were built. They stood within a precinct built NE of the town ditch and bounded by Charles Street, the present Vicarage Street and the River Yeo.
A building known as St Mary Magdalene's Chapel is more likely to have been one of the domestic buildings of the priory. The east, north and east part of the south walls, with 12th century buttresses, remain but the masonry is crude and no east windows ever existed. (3)
The building known as St Mary Magdalene's Chapel is orientated NE-SW. Its original walls and buttresses, as described above. They are partly faced with concrete. (4)
No trace remains of the Priory. Rackfield Cottages at A(SS 55803358) and at B(SS 55813357) and the tannery at C(SS 55833360) have been demolished.
Some scanty Norman remains of the priory are incorporated within Priory Cottage 10 Boutport Street. (5)
Priory Cottage 10 Boutport Street, contains part of a building belonging to 12th century Priory of St Mary Magdalene incorporated in an outhouse. It consists of one battered wall with slit window and angle buttresses. Grade 2. (6)
(SS 55823355) Site of (NAT) Priory (NR) (Cluniac) (NAT). (7)
The rear part of Priory Cottage (SS 55813354) incorporates two walls of random rubble construction (approximately 6.0m and 4.0m long) with three square buttresses and a small slit window. This evidently represents part of the Priory but has no significant dateable features.
Nearby, at SS 55833357, a substantial building, 16.0m by 10.0m, has similar masonry with two square buttresses and a large relieving arch. At a height of 3.0m there is a set-off which may indicate subsequent heightening. Again there is no dateable feature but it seems possible that this may be part of the medieval Priory. It has been re-roofed and is used as a workshop.
The 1932 OS siting (1) for St Mary Magdalene's Chapel is most probably erroneous, the buildings in this area have all now been demolished. (8) |