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The following is a list of the monastic houses in Northamptonshire, England.
Alien houses are included, as are smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks), and also camerae of the military orders of monks (Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller). Monastic hospitals are included where they had the status or function of an abbey, priory, or preceptor/commandery.
| Symbol | Status |
|---|---|
| None | Ruins |
| * | Current monastic function |
| + | Current non-monastic ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure) |
| ^ | Current non-ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure) or redundant intact structure |
| $ | Remains limited to earthworks etc. |
| # | No identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains |
| ~ | Exact site of monastic foundation unknown |
| ≈ | Identification ambiguous or confused |
Locations with names in italics indicate possible duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented) or ecclesiastical establishments with a monastic name but lacking actual monastic connection.
| EH | English Heritage |
| LT | Landmark Trust |
| NT | National Trust |
| Foundation | Image | Communities & Provenance | Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names |
OnLine References & Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brackley Blackfriars | hospital of Ss James and John; Dominican Friars (1420) intended conversion of hospital never implemented |
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| Brixworth Abbey + | 
|
Saxon monastery Benedictine? monks founded after 675; daughter church of Medehamstede (Peterborough), Mercia (Cambridgeshire); probably became a minster; destroyed? 870 in raids by the Danes; parochial c.960-70; now parochial: All Saints' Church, Brixworth |
[1] 52°20′02″N 0°54′16″W / 52.3339558°N 0.9043148°W | |
| Canons Ashby Priory + | 
|
Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1147-51 (during the reign of Stephen) by Stephen de Leye; dissolved 1536; became nunnery; granted to Sir Francis Bryan 1537/8; converted into secular residence; part of church now in parochial use |
The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ashby ____________________ Canon's Ashby Priory Ashby Priory |
[2][3] 52°09′00″N 1°09′24″W / 52.1500132°N 1.1567965°W |
| Castor Priory | Saxon nuns founded before 664–5; destroyed by the Danes c.870 (or, less likely, 1010) |
Dormundescastre Priory | ||
| Catesby Priory | evidently initially Benedictine nuns founded c.1175 by Robert de Esseby (Ashby); order by papal bull c.1189; Cistercian nuns founded c.1175; Augustinian Canons Regular founded after 1175 (associated with the Cistercian nunnery); (given as Gilbertine in the Mappa Mundi); with regular priests or brethren (from date unknown to after 1316) dissolved 1536; granted to John Onley 1536/7; house built on site 16th century; demolished 1863 |
St Mary and St Edmund or St Mary, St Edmund and St Thomas the Martyr (?) ____________________ Katebi Priory; Katesbey Priory |
[4][5][6] 52°13′49″N 1°14′24″W / 52.2303639°N 1.2400429°W 52°13′53″N 1°14′51″W / 52.2312954°N 1.247364°W | |
| Chacombe Priory | 
|
Augustinian Canons Regular founded between 1216 and 1272 (during the reign of Henry II); dissolved 1536; granted to Michael Fox 1544/5; house named 'Chacombe Priory' built 17th century on the site |
Chalcombe Priory | [7][8] 52°05′28″N 1°17′22″W / 52.0911438°N 1.2894049°W |
| Daventry Priory | 
|
Cluniac monks (founded initially at Preston Capes c.1090); transferred here 1107–8; alien house: dependent on La Charite; allegedly seceded from Cluniac Order c.1231, although apparently reported directly to La Charite 1298, 1390 and 1405; became denizen: independent from 1405; dissolved 1525; granted to Christ Church, Oxford; Holy Cross church attached to the west range of the claustral buildings, demolished and replaced 19th century |
St Augustine ____________________ Daventre Priory |
[9][10][11] 52°15′31″N 1°09′32″W / 52.2586706°N 1.1590067°W |
| Deene Priory | Benedictine monks priory cell, dependent on Westminster; founded before 1066; dissolved after 1086 |
[12] 52°31′03″N 0°36′05″W / 52.5176131°N 0.6013727°W | ||
| Delapré Abbey | 
|
Cluniac nuns founded c.1145, built by Simon de St Liz (Senlis) II, Earl of Northampton; dissolved 15 December 1538; granted to John Merabe 1542/3 |
St Mary ____________________ Northampton, Delapre Abbey; de Pratis |
[13][14][15] 52°13′28″N 0°53′22″W / 52.2245036°N 0.8893695°W |
| Dingley Preceptory | Knights Hospitallers founded before 1154; merged with Battisford 1461; dissolved 1540; granted to Edward Griffith 1544 |
[16][17] 52°28′57″N 0°51′57″W / 52.4824323°N 0.8658063°W | ||
| Everdon Priory # | Benedictine monks alien house: grange dependent on Bernay founded before c.1100; considered by some a parcel of Creeting St. Mary; dependent on Eton College before 1367; dissolved before c.1399; granted to Eton College 1440; remains recorded 1720; not locatable by 1970 |
[18][19] 52°12′42″N 1°07′34″W / 52.2115809°N 1.1262435°W | ||
| Fineshade Priory | 
|
Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1208 by Richard Engayne (Engain), Lord of Blatherwike; dissolved 1536; granted to John, Lord Russell 1541/2; Sir Robert Kirkham converted west range into a country residence, which was demolished along with the remains of the priory 1749; house subsequently built on site; demolished 1956 |
St Mary ____________________ Castle Hymel Priory |
[20][21] 52°34′08″N 0°33′54″W / 52.56883°N 0.56513°W |
| Fotheringhay Nunnery | Cluniac nuns founded c1141(?) transferred to Delapré c.1145; secular college founded on site 1411, with associated church c.1460; dissolved 1548; granted to James Crew |
Fodringhey College | [22][23] 52°31′32″N 0°26′23″W / 52.525486°N 0.4397079°W | |
| Grafton Regis Priory | Augustininan Canons Regular cell or hermitage; founded 1180–1205; amalgamated with the Abbey of St James's, Northampton before 1400 (end of 14th century) |
St Mary and St Michael ____________________ Grafton Regis Hermitage |
[24][25] 52°06′52″N 0°54′09″W / 52.11444°N 0.9026344°W | |
| Guilsborough Preceptory | Knights Hospitaller camera/hospital founded before 1285; dissolved before 1338 |
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| Kalendar Priory | Premonstratensian canons priory?/cell, dependent on Sulby; founded after 1155: land granted by William Buttevant; probably ceased to exist before 1291(?) |
St John ____________________ Kayland Priory Kaylend Priory |
[26] 52°21′55″N 0°59′17″W / 52.365174°N 0.9881204°W | |
| Luffield Priory, Syresham |
Partly in Buckinghamshire. See entry under List of monastic houses in Buckinghamshire | |||
| Northampton Abbey | Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1145-50 by William Peverel II of Nottingham; dissolved August 1538; granted to Nicholas Giffard 1545/6; housing estate now occupies site |
The Abbey Church of Saint James, known as Northampton Abbey in St James End, Northampton | [27][28][29] 52°14′26″N 0°55′30″W / 52.2404941°N 0.924992°W | |
| Northampton Austin Friars | Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of Oxford) founded 1275-90 (or possibly not before 1323 by Sir John Longville, of Wolverton[note 1]); dissolved 1538; granted to Robert Dighton 1540/1 |
[30][31] 52°14′04″N 0°53′53″W / 52.2344757°N 0.898068°W | ||
| Northampton Blackfriars ~ | Dominican Friars (under the Visitation of Oxford) founded before 1233; dissolved 1538; granted to William Ramesden 1544/5 |
[32][33] 52°14′12″N 0°54′01″W / 52.2366703°N 0.9001976°W (probable) | ||
| Northampton Friars of the Sack | Friars of the Sack founded before 1271; abandoned (before(?)) 1303 |
[34] 52°14′08″N 0°53′23″W / 52.2354934°N 0.889686°W (probable) | ||
| Northampton Greyfriars, earlier site | Franciscan Friars (under the Custody of Oxford) founded 1226 by Sir Richard Gobion; transferred to new site (see immediately below) c.1235 |
[35][36] | ||
| Northampton Greyfriars | Franciscan Friars (under the Custody of Oxford) transferred from earlier site (see immediately above) c.1235; built by 1258; dissolved 1538; granted to Richard Taverner 1544/5 |
[35][36] 52°14′22″N 0°53′42″W / 52.2393345°N 0.8950049°W | ||
| Northampton — St Andrew's Priory | Cluniac monks alien house: dependent on La Charité founded 1093–1100; became denizen: independent from 1405; dissolved 1538; site built over 19th century |
St Andrew | [37][38] 52°14′38″N 0°54′11″W / 52.2438839°N 0.9029523°W | |
| Northampton Whitefriars | Camelite Friars founded before 1265 (1271) by Simon Montford and Thomas Chitwood; dissolved 1538; granted to William Ramesden 1544/6 |
[39][40] 52°14′27″N 0°53′41″W / 52.2409326°N 0.8946843°W | ||
| Northampton Nunnery | Franciscan nuns founded 1252; dissolved after 1272 |
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| Oxney Priory | Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Cambridgeshire | |||
| Peterborough Abbey | Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Cambridgeshire | |||
| Pipewell Abbey | Cistercian monks daughter house of Newminster; founded 13 September 1143 (1141) by William de Boutwylein; dissolved 5 November 1538; granted to William, Marquess of Northampton 1547/8; ruinous by 1548; systematically demolished and used as building material; (not the modern 'Abbey church' to the north) |
Pikewell Abbey | [41][42] 52°27′42″N 0°45′56″W / 52.4616512°N 0.7656527°W | |
| Preston Capes Priory | Cluniac monks alien house: dependent on La Charité; founded c.1090 by Hugh de Leicester; transferred to Daventry 1107–8 |
[10][43] 52°10′53″N 1°10′04″W / 52.181274°N 1.1678338°W | ||
| Rothwell Priory | Augustinian canonesses founded before 1262, probably by a member of the Clare family, purportedly by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester; dissolved 1537–8; former farmhouse known as 'The Nunnery' possibly built on site |
The Priory Church of Saint John the Baptist, Rothwell | [44][45] 52°25′28″N 0°48′21″W / 52.4245577°N 0.8058348°W | |
| Sewardsley Priory | Cistercian nuns founded between 1216 and 1272 (during the reign of Henry II) by Richard de Lestre; dependent on the Cluniacs at Delapré 1459/60 for maintenance (though no evidence that the community converted to the Cluniac order); dissolved 1538; granted to Richard Fermer 1550/1 |
Sewardesley Priory | [46][47] 52°09′03″N 0°57′13″W / 52.1508575°N 0.9534824°W | |
| Stamford — St Michael's Priory | Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Cambridgeshire | |||
| Stamford — St Sepulchre Priory | Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Cambridgeshire | |||
| Sulby Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons daughter house of Newsham; mistakenly asserted to have transferred from Welford[note 2] founded 1155 by William de Wideville; dissolved 1538; granted to Sir Christopher Hatton 1567/8 |
Sulbey Abbey; Welford Abbey |
[48][49] 52°24′53″N 1°02′04″W / 52.4147151°N 1.0344476°W | |
| Weedon Monastery | Benedictine? nuns founded c.680 by St Werburgh, possibly on the site of an Anglo-Saxon royal palace; destroyed in raids by the Danes 870 |
[50] 52°13′35″N 1°04′24″W / 52.2264621°N 1.0732055°W | ||
| Weedon Beck Priory | Benedictine monks alien house: dependent on Bec-Hellouin and St Lambert de Mallassis; founded before 1086 (after 1126); dissolved after 1329(?); granted to Eton College 1462 |
Weedon Bec Priory | [51][52] 52°13′32″N 1°04′45″W / 52.2255995°N 1.0790835°W | |
| Weedon Pinkney Priory | Benedictine monks founded before 1126 (in the tenure of Robert, Bishop of Lincoln): endowments granted by Gilo de Pinkney and other members of his family; dependent on St Lucien, Beauvais; granted to Biddlesden 1392; manor granted to All Souls College, Oxford 1440 |
Weedon Lois Priory | [53][54] 52°07′03″N 1°07′18″W / 52.1174129°N 1.121622°W | |
| Wermundsey Monastery ~ | unidentified, dependent on Peterborough, possibly located in Northamptonshire founded after 675 during the tenure of Abbot Cuthbald; destroyed in raids by the Danes 870 |
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| Wittering Priory | Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Cambridgeshire | |||
| Wothorpe Priory # | possibly intended Augustinian canonesses — Arroasian c.1160(?); Benedictine nuns founded 12th century (purportedly during the reign of Henry I); ruinous 1292; merged with Stamford 1354; granted to Richard Cecil 1540/1 |
St Mary ____________________ Wyrthorp Priory |
[55][56] 52°38′09″N 0°29′12″W / 52.6357765°N 0.4867968°W | |
