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Summary

Site of a priory cell of Augustian canons founded in the 12th century. There are no remains.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SW/68
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX99SW64

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PRIORY (Founded, XII - 1101 AD (Between) to 1200 AD (Between))

Full description

1749, Map of Alphington (Record Office Collection). SDV366890.

A map showing the public roads leading to a field called Barn Close, a way across which was indispute. A property called marsh Barne is depicted within Barn Close with Marsh House marked to the south.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

The site of Marsh Barton Farm is marked as being on the site of St Mary's Priory.

Worthy, C., 1892, The History of the Suburbs of Exeter, 186 (Monograph). SDV24928.

The priory was possibly converted into a mansion by James Coffyn. Coffyn acquired the priory site in 1546. In 1562, it was sold to J. Hoker.

Clarke, K. M., 1904-1905, The Conventual Houses of Exeter and the Neighbourhood, 137-138 (Article in Serial). SDV24921.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1958, SX99SW64 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24456.

Marsh Barton is on the site of St Mary's Priory. The priory was founded in 1121, a cell of Augustinian canons, dependent on Plympon Priory.
The farmer has no knowledge of the priory site. Nothing has been unearthed during farming operations over the past 30 years (oral 6th June1953)
Site visit 6th July 1953. The house is an ordinary and somewhat dilapidated farmhouse. It is now close to a newly constructed trading estate and it seems likely that the farm will give way to make room for more buildings. No additional information on the priory was ascertained.
The final note, dated December 1957, states that Marsh Barton has now been demolished.

Knowles, D. + Hadcock, R. N., 1971, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, 166 (Monograph). SDV323253.

The cell became a dependency of Plympton in the 12th century. It was possibly for 3-4 canons.

Midmer, R., 1979, English Medieval Monasteries, 139-140 (Monograph). SDV22282.

Midmer suggests that the site of the priory is covered by the cattle market at the Marsh Barton Industrial Estate.

Devon County Council, 1986 - 1987, Devon Religious Houses Survey (Un-published). SDV347681.

St Mary's Priory was one of sixty plus religious houses investigated as part of the Devon Religious Houses Survey, a Devon County Council Rescue Project. The aims of the survey were to identify how much remains of the site and to consider how any surviving remains could be conserved for the future. The work comprised a rapid assessment of the site, summarising the present state of knowledge, followed by a more detailed survey in order to define the extent of the religious house and its plan, identify the earthwork and standing remains and assess its post-dissolution history. See separate entries for the results of the surveys.

Weddell, P. J., 1986-7, Devon Religious Houses Survey 1986-7. Preliminary Assessment Form. Marsh Barton Priory (Un-published). SDV366642.

A priory cell of Augustinian Canons dedicated to St Mary, a dependent of Plympton. The site of Marsh Barton Farm is believed to be the site of the priory. It has been suggested that the site was under the cattle market but there is no evidence to support this. The area is covered by an industrial estate. No evidence of buried deposits is known.

Weddell, P. J., 1987, Devon Religious Houses Survey: Marsh Barton Priory, Exeter (Report - Survey). SDV24460.

The priory was a cell of Plympton Priory, for Augustinian Canons. It was founded in the 12th century, probably by 1142 and dedicated to St Mary. The site of the priory itself still remains uncertain. It is likely to have been on or near the site of Marsh Barton Farm, although the Cattle Market site and Marsh Barton Barn have also been suggested. There are documentary references in 1274 to the land of the priory in the Inqisition Post Mortem of John de Courtenay, in 1409 when a cook attached a priory, and in 1444/5 in a dispute between Plympton Priory and the rector of Alphington. It had land in St Sidwells, Alphington and Heavitree and the rents from properties in Exeter.
The site was leased to Sir Richard Pollard in 1539 and in 1545 it was purchased by James Coffin and Thomas Goodwin. Coffin appears to have taken control of the estate shortly afterwards and it was to remain in the Coffin family for over 300 years, although it is doubtful that they ever lived there.
There priory buildings were probably largely destroyed at the dissolution as there are no antiquarian descriptions of surviving buildings; Oliver in 1840 wrote that 'hardly a vestige remains'. There is a reference to the 'mansion of the Marsh' in 1562 but this may have been a completely new house, perhaps built using robbed stone or a conversion of one of the priory buildings. The only post dissolution reference to buildings is in an agreement of 1689/70 between Richard Coffin and John Hawker who was leasing the property. Hawker was to keep in repair the room 'sometime the hall of the said Barton of Marsh now turned into a barne'.
The barn shown on the 1749 map had disappeared bythe mid 19th century when the Tithe Map was made. A plan of 'the Haven' in the 1758 Exeter Chamber map book shows a small group of buildings immediately to the north of a single house in the area of Marsh Barton. The building to the south is presumably that called Marsh House in 1749.
The estate was cut through by the Exeter Canal in the mid 16th century. The later history of the area and particularly more recent developments have now obscured all traces of the site and its landscape. The site is now almost completely built up, although some stratigraphy may survive below ground.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV22282	Monograph: Midmer, R.. 1979. English Medieval Monasteries. English Medieval Monasteries. Unknown. 139-140.
SDV24456	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1958. SX99SW64. OSAD Card. Card Index + Digital.
SDV24460	Report - Survey: Weddell, P. J.. 1987. Devon Religious Houses Survey: Marsh Barton Priory, Exeter. Devon Religious Houses Survey. 16. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV24921	Article in Serial: Clarke, K. M.. 1904-1905. The Conventual Houses of Exeter and the Neighbourhood. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. 3. Unknown. 137-138.
SDV24928	Monograph: Worthy, C.. 1892. The History of the Suburbs of Exeter. 186.
SDV323253	Monograph: Knowles, D. + Hadcock, R. N.. 1971. Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales. Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales. Hardback Volume. 166.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #7995 Map object approximate, based on this source, ]
SDV347681	Un-published: Devon County Council. 1986 - 1987. Devon Religious Houses Survey. Devon Religious Houses Survey. Mixed Archive Material.
SDV366642	Un-published: Weddell, P. J.. 1986-7. Devon Religious Houses Survey 1986-7. Preliminary Assessment Form. Marsh Barton Priory. Devon Religious Houses Survey. A4 Stapled + Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV366890	Record Office Collection: 1749. Map of Alphington. 1508M. A3 single sheet + digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV2416 - Devon Religious Houses Survey

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