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Summary

Otterton Priory was founded by King John. It was a cell of the Benedictine Abbey at Mon St Michel in Normandy, who owned the manor of Otterton, which had been given to them by William I. The priory was dissolved as an alien house in 1414 and the lands given to Syon Abbey in Middlesex, which in turn was dissolved in 1539. The manor was then sold to Richard Duke who built a house on the site. There is no definite surviving evidence of the priory buildings but three buildings, the parish church, Otterton House and Duke's House, may contain remnants.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1097519: GRANT HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 17 METRES SOUTH EAST OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204742: ST MICHAELS CLOSE
• Listed Building (II) 1334071: 1, THE GREEN
• Listed Building (II) 1097520: PAVER HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 21 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204920: MILLSIDE COTTAGE
• Listed Building (II) 1334072: 7, THE GREEN
• Listed Building (II) 1097496: 15, THE GREEN
• Listed Building (II) 1204719: DENCH HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 9 METRES SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1281093: FRANCIS CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 5 METRES SOUTH EAST OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097494: 3 AND 5, THE GREEN
• Listed Building (II) 1097521: CRUMPE HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 25 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1281055: PAVER HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 6 METRES SOUTH SOUTH WEST OF PORCH OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1393173: WAR MEMORIAL
• Listed Building (II) 1097515: BRADDOCK HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 6 METRES SOUTH OF PORCH OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204730: RAMSON CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 12 METRES SOUTH OF PORCH OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1334044: PEEDESEN HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 6 METRES SOUTH WEST OF PORCH OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097495: 9 AND 11, THE GREEN
• Listed Building (II) 1204715: WOOD HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 7 METRES SOUTH OF THE PORCH OF THE CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II*) 1281083: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097518: ANONYMOUS HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 11 METRES SOUTH SOUTH EAST OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204738: WHYTE HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 24 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1334047: SHORE CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 25 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097516: STOFORD HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 8 METRES SOUTH OF AISLE OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204733: PORBURRY HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 16 METRES SOUTH EAST OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1334045: SLADER HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 10 METRES SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097514: WAY CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 3 METRES SOUTH OF AISLE OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204724: COOK CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 11 METRES SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1334043: TEDBURY CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 4 METRES SOUTH EAST OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1097517: CARTER HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 9 METRES SOUTH SOUTH EAST OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1204736: MAIN CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 18 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• Listed Building (II) 1334046: BIRD CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 15 METRES SOUTH OF TOWER OF CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL
• SHINE: Otterton Priory. Medieval Priory in Otterton

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY08NE/22
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY08NE17

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PRIORY (XI to Late Medieval - 1001 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Reichel, O. J., 1898, The Domesday Churches of Devon, 311 (Article in Serial). SDV863.

Brushfield, T. N., 1899, Aids to the poor in a rural parish, 215 (Article in Serial). SDV117086.

Chope, R. P., 1918-1919, Devonshire Wine, 170-171 (Article in Serial). SDV117090.

A vineyard may have existed at Otterton. Records show that the priory made wine in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Tapley-Soper, H., 1927, Thirteenth report on manuscripts and records existing in, or relating to Devonshire, 184 (Article in Serial). SDV117087.

A document relating to Otterton Priory in 1260 is described.

Masterman, J. H. B., 1931, Address of the President: The Monasteries of Devon, 74 (Article in Serial). SDV136066.

Handed over by Henry V to Sion Abbey. Its income was under one hundred pounds.

Rose-Troup, D., 1936 - 1937, Cartularies of Religious Houses in Devon, 142-144 (Article in Serial). SDV256423.

The cartulary of Otterton Priory was in the possession of Lord Coleridge at the time of writing.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1954, SY08NE17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV117085.

Site visits 1953. St Michael's Church said to be on the site of Otterton Priory. William the Conqueror gave the Manor of Otterton to the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of St Michael in Periculo Maris in Normandy. The priory was founded by King John, a cell of the alien Benedictine priory. It was suppressed in 1414 and given to Syon Abbey in Middlesex. The manor was purchased from Henry VIII by Richard Duke who built a 'fayre house in this place' (citing various sources).
The present church was rebuilt in the 19th century, apart from the tower. The date of this is uncertain and it can not be positively identified as contemporary with the priory. The church probably served a dual role, both monastic and secular but the suggestion that it was divided in two with the tower central is considered unlikely.
In the church is a wall-plaque giving the priors of the monastery and the vicars and patrons of the church. The list of priors begins in 1161 and ends in 1415, when it states that the monastery was suppressed and annexed to Syon. The list of vicars begins about 1150 and continues to the present. The patrons of the church include Syon Abbey.

Copeland, G. W., 1963, Proceedings at the 101st annual meeting, 21 (Article in Serial). SDV115766.

The priory, of which the church tower is the principal relic, was founded in the 11th century. It was a dependency of Mont St Michel, Normandy. After the dissolution, part of the monastic buildings were converted into a mansion house by Richard Duke. The tower is now towards the eastern end of the church but in the medieval period was inbetween the monastic church to the east and the parochial church to the west.

Hockey, S. F., 1968-1970, Otterton Priory and Mont St. Michael, its mother house, 1-10 (Article in Serial). SDV117092.

History of the priory given.

Knowles, D. + Hadcock, R. N., 1971, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, 84, 90-91 (Monograph). SDV323253.

Otterton Priory. An alien priory of benedictine (black) monks, a dependent of Mont-St Michel. The Manor of Otterton and other endowments were granted by William I, (before 1087) with King John founding a priory for four monks in the late 12th/early 13th century. It has been suggested that there was already a cell in 11th century and that King John increased endowments, and erected better buildings. It was suppressed in 1414, and granted to Syon Abbey some years later.

Harrison, E. M., 1984, Otterton. A Devon Village (Monograph). SDV113587.

Description and history of the priory given. At the time of the Exeter Domesday Book the manor of Otterton belonged to the Abbey of Mon St Michel. The priory is first recorded in the 12th century. The building was on the north side of the present church, part of which remains. This was possibly the guest's hall. It was subsequently converted into a mansion by the Duke family and is now three houses. There are two chambers below the present building were possibly monastic kitchens within which a stone-mullioned window survives. An old stone stairway in the north-east corner may have led to the monk's refectory. The garden behind is suggested to have been the cloister. Wall foundations through the garden and across the school grounds may have enclosed the priory grounds; several flat tombstones found in 1700 on the site of the school probably marked the graves of monks or priors. A cottage that formerly stood on the east side at the lower end of Church Hill is also suggested to have probably been part of the priory. Harrison states that the monks rebuilt the church for their own use, with a detached tower at the south-west corner. With the addition of a nave to the west of the tower for the use of local people there would have been two churches, the tower between them.
The manor was confiscated in 1414 by Henry V and given to Syon Abbey, which was one of his own foundations. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 the manor was acquired by Richard Duke.

Gallant, L., 1986, Deer Parks and Paddocks of England (Un-published). SDV656.

Otterton priory estate extended to 7000 acres including a dove house, warren, park for 150 deer, carp ponds and ponds for sea fish.

Laithwaite, J. M. W., 1986, Devon Religious Houses Survey: Otterton Priory (Archive - Survey). SDV366136.

The priory was founded by King John. It was a cell of the Benedictine Abbey at Mon St Michel in Normandy, who owned the manor of Otterton, which had been given to them by William I. The priory was dissolved as an alien house in 1414 and the lands given to Syon Abbey in Middlesex, which in turn was dissolved in 1539. The manor was then sold to Richard Duke. The estate was finally sold by the Duke family to Denys Rolle of Bicton in 1786.
There is no definite surviving evidence of the priory buildings but three buildings have been thought to contain remnants - the parish church, Otterton House and Duke's House.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 1998, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 2, 140 (Monograph). SDV341167.

There was a religious house here from the time of the conquest. It was an alien priory, a dependent of St Michael de Monte in Normandy. The Normans were deprived of their English possessions by an Act of Parliament during the reign of Henry IV and the priory was subsequently gifted by Henry VI to Sion Abbey. The manor was bought by Richard Duke following the dissolution.
There was supposed to be a passageway from the priory, which stood on the site of the present house, to the chancel of the church which was said to have projected beyond the tower.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2021 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

William Conqueror gave Manor of Otterton to monks of Mont St Michel Normandy. Benedictine priory founded late 12th century early 13th century possibly replacing an 11th century foundation. Tower of present church suggested as part of priory church but this uncertain.
SMR.

Historic England, 2024, Historic England Research Record, 448538 (Website). SDV365986.

Otterton Priory. An alien priory of Benedictine (Black) monks is believed to have stood to the east of the present church of St Michael at Otterton. It was founded as a cell of the monastery of Mont St Michael in Normandy before 1087 and was their principal property in England. Its foundation for four monks by King John is recorded in 1332 but he may only have increased the revenues and erected better buildings for a small cell. The priory was temporarily alienated in 1332 for 120 pounds but may have been re-occupied by a monk from the parent house. It was suppressed in 1414 and some years later was granted to Syon Abbey, Middlesex. At the dissolution of this abbey in 1539 the property was purchased by Richard Duke, who converted part of the monastic building into his mansion.
The tower of the present church is beleived to be part of the priory, the monks using a chancel that is thought to have stood on its east side. It is traditionally believed that there was a passage on the second storey connecting the church with an arch in the cell's wall. Several flat tombstones were found before 1775 which were thought to have lain within this chancel.
Site visit by OSAD 19th November 1953. No trace could be seen of any monastic building. The nave of the present church was completely rebuilt in 1871 only the tower remaining. No date could be given to the tower's fabric.

Ordnance Survey, 2024, Mastermap 2024 (Cartographic). SDV365834.

The exact location and the extent of the priory is unknown but evidence suggests that the church and the almshouses are within the site and may contain the remains of priory buildings.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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