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Cranborne Priory
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Cranborne Priory
Cranborne Priory is a former priory church in the village of Cranborne, Dorset, England. Founded in 980 as Cranborne Abbey, it became a priory in 1102, remaining that way until it was dissolved in 1540. The tower, nave and aisles from the priory survive to form the Church of St Mary and St Bartholomew, the parish church of Cranborne. The building, which has fragments from the 12th century, is designated a Grade I listed building.
The surviving church is notable for its large west tower, considered "amongst the finest in East Dorset", three medieval wall paintings and numerous monuments.
In a manuscript by William Dugdale, housed in the Ashmolean Museum, it is stated that in ancient times there was a college of six monks at Cranborne, built in memory of certain Britons who were slain in battle there. Some of the earliest history comes from the chronicle of Tewkesbury, which states that in 930, during the reign of Athelstan, there was a knight named Aylward Sneaw (also known as Aethelweard Maew), nicknamed 'Snow' for his pale complexion. Aylward founded an abbey at Cranborne, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, no later than 980. Aylward was patron of the monastery at Tewkesbury, which he made entirely subservient to the new monastery at Cranborne, thus making Tewkesbury a priory. Aylward later died, and was buried in his monastery at Cranborne. His descendants expanded the monastery by enlarging it and rebuilding it over generations.
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the holder of the manor, Brihtric, was imprisoned by William the Conqueror in Winchester Castle for an act of disrespect against his wife, Queen Matilda. His estate, including the monastery at Cranborne, was confiscated, and granted to Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman nobleman.
The Domesday Book of 1086 records that Cranborne Abbey was one of the most important monastic foundations in the region, holding at its maximum extent some 13,000 acres (20 sq mi) of land across four counties, including in Gillingham (Dorset), Damerham (Hampshire), Ashton Keynes (Wiltshire) and Loosebeare, near Crediton (Devon).
By 1102, Fitzhamon had become lord of Tewkesbury, and the monastery there was in ruins. When Fitzhamon and the abbot of Cranborne, Giraldus, worked to rebuild the monastery there, they realised that Tewkesbury was much better sited, offering strategic importance due to its location at the confluence of two rivers, the Severn and the Avon, as well as more fertile land and better access to water, compared to Cranborne's small River Crane. As such, the situation of 980 was reversed, Cranborne now becoming entirely subservient to Tewkesbury. Subsequently, in 1102, Giraldus, now abbot of Tewkesbury, accompanied by fifty-seven monks, left Cranborne for Tewkesbury Abbey.
Cranborne, now a priory church under control of Tewkesbury, was left with one prior and two monks, its importance greatly reduced. Much of the history of the priory is lost, being interwoven with that of Tewkesbury. It is known however that almost all of the main church building was demolished and rebuilt during the early to mid 13th century, reconsecrated in 1252, dedicated to St Mary, St Peter and St Bartholomew. Further additions and rebuilding took place over the following centuries, including rebuilding the tower and roof in the 15th century.
In 1535, the yearly income of Cranborne Priory amounted to £55 6s 1d, surveyed as part of Valor Ecclesiasticus, a nationwide examination of the Church of England's finance ordered by Henry VIII.
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Cranborne Priory
Cranborne Priory is a former priory church in the village of Cranborne, Dorset, England. Founded in 980 as Cranborne Abbey, it became a priory in 1102, remaining that way until it was dissolved in 1540. The tower, nave and aisles from the priory survive to form the Church of St Mary and St Bartholomew, the parish church of Cranborne. The building, which has fragments from the 12th century, is designated a Grade I listed building.
The surviving church is notable for its large west tower, considered "amongst the finest in East Dorset", three medieval wall paintings and numerous monuments.
In a manuscript by William Dugdale, housed in the Ashmolean Museum, it is stated that in ancient times there was a college of six monks at Cranborne, built in memory of certain Britons who were slain in battle there. Some of the earliest history comes from the chronicle of Tewkesbury, which states that in 930, during the reign of Athelstan, there was a knight named Aylward Sneaw (also known as Aethelweard Maew), nicknamed 'Snow' for his pale complexion. Aylward founded an abbey at Cranborne, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, no later than 980. Aylward was patron of the monastery at Tewkesbury, which he made entirely subservient to the new monastery at Cranborne, thus making Tewkesbury a priory. Aylward later died, and was buried in his monastery at Cranborne. His descendants expanded the monastery by enlarging it and rebuilding it over generations.
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the holder of the manor, Brihtric, was imprisoned by William the Conqueror in Winchester Castle for an act of disrespect against his wife, Queen Matilda. His estate, including the monastery at Cranborne, was confiscated, and granted to Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman nobleman.
The Domesday Book of 1086 records that Cranborne Abbey was one of the most important monastic foundations in the region, holding at its maximum extent some 13,000 acres (20 sq mi) of land across four counties, including in Gillingham (Dorset), Damerham (Hampshire), Ashton Keynes (Wiltshire) and Loosebeare, near Crediton (Devon).
By 1102, Fitzhamon had become lord of Tewkesbury, and the monastery there was in ruins. When Fitzhamon and the abbot of Cranborne, Giraldus, worked to rebuild the monastery there, they realised that Tewkesbury was much better sited, offering strategic importance due to its location at the confluence of two rivers, the Severn and the Avon, as well as more fertile land and better access to water, compared to Cranborne's small River Crane. As such, the situation of 980 was reversed, Cranborne now becoming entirely subservient to Tewkesbury. Subsequently, in 1102, Giraldus, now abbot of Tewkesbury, accompanied by fifty-seven monks, left Cranborne for Tewkesbury Abbey.
Cranborne, now a priory church under control of Tewkesbury, was left with one prior and two monks, its importance greatly reduced. Much of the history of the priory is lost, being interwoven with that of Tewkesbury. It is known however that almost all of the main church building was demolished and rebuilt during the early to mid 13th century, reconsecrated in 1252, dedicated to St Mary, St Peter and St Bartholomew. Further additions and rebuilding took place over the following centuries, including rebuilding the tower and roof in the 15th century.
In 1535, the yearly income of Cranborne Priory amounted to £55 6s 1d, surveyed as part of Valor Ecclesiasticus, a nationwide examination of the Church of England's finance ordered by Henry VIII.