More information : (TL 12680818) St Mary de Prae's Church (NR) (site of).
(No information in ONB to authenticate the published site). (1)
The site of the Priory of St Mary de Pre is between Watling Street and the Ver, about 3/4 of a mile NW of the church of St Michael. (2)
The nunnery of St Mary de Pre was founded in 1194 by Warin, Abbot of St Albans. He built a church and houses for leprous women at the place where St Amphibalus met the shrine of St Alban on his way to the Abbey. Founded as a leper hospital 1194, became Benedictine 1328-36 there being a prioress and eight nuns in 1352-3. Dissolved and annexed to St Albans Abbey in 1528. (3,4)
Carved stones and foundations were found in 1966 when a gas trench was cut through the area. (5)
A concentration of building debris, including large flints and Roman tiles together with Medieval tiles, were found on the ploughed surface at TL 12730819 on the line of the gas trench, though a general scatter exists throughout the area. The siting of St Mary De Prae's Church cannot be given accurately, as other buildings are known to have made up the Leper Hospital complex. No further information was obtained on the 1966 finds. Survey at 1-2500 revised. (6) |