Bicknacre Priory Ruins (EHER 5545)

The remains of an Augustinian priory are visible as a single 12th century arch, which is probably the remains of the West part of the crossing. The priory was built on the site of a hermitage and founded 1175. It ceased in 1507 following the death of the last prior.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. The ruins of Bicknacre Priory The walls are of iron puddingstone rubble with some brick, the dressings are of Reigate and a harder limestone. The priory was founded is around 1175 by Maurice Fitz-Geoffrey for Augustinian canons. The ruins apparently date from around 1250. The house was always a poor one, coming to an end in 1507 when the last canon died. The only remains are the west arch of the church's crossing, with adjoining responds from the north and south arches. Part of the west wall of the north transept is attached, and there are definite indications of the north transept in the turf. Stumps of walls of the nave are also attached to the crossing. On the north side is part of the splay of a doorway or window. 'There are doubtful indications in the turf of a chancel extending 65ft east of the existing arch'. There no visible traces of the south transept. West of the south arch, on the outer face, is a heavy corbel for a roof. This indicates the former existence of a south aisle or chapel on this side that communicated with the south transept, without an intermediate arch. Part of a respond has been reset in what is left of the north transept's west wall (attached to the crossing). Only stumps of walls of the nave remain, to north and south. On the north side is part of the splay of a doorway or window. The lack of evidence of an aisle on the north side of the nave suggests that the cloister and domestic buildings were to the north of the church. <1> <2> This priory was not mentioned in the 'Taxatio' of 1291. A grant of lands was made to the priory in 1337, with a stipulation that a mass be said daily for the donor. <3> <4> A plan of the remains is in the SMR (copy of RCHM plan). <5> 'Soon after it was established, the Priory owned nearly 1, 000 acres of land and properties including a mill. It also made a living from one-and-a-half churches'. Henry VIII allowed the priory to become part of a London hospital. After the dissolution, there is no firm evidence of what happened to the priory. An 18th century visitor is quoted as saying 'for many years the roads in the vicinity have been mended with stones taken from the ruins'. The priory became a farmhouse in 1786. Priory Farm now has little of the original building incorporated in it. <6> This source has photos of illustrations of the priory ruins in made 1793, 1818 and around 1832. The caption to the one of 1793 says that at that time there was still much of the chapel in Priory Farm house, 'complete with the painted figures of saints, with sentences issuing from their mouths'. The crossing appears to have been built into the farm buildings, from the illustration. The line of an aisle (?) roof seems to be visible. The 1818 illustration shows a wall with a round-headed window and the other crossing arches. Possibly the wall was part of the chancel? <6>-<10> Other ref: <11> Hand excavation of a foundation trench for a new footbridge across the stream forming the n-w edge of Priory field was carried out in 2006. The trench indirectly north of standing priory remains. Beneath the subsoil a patchy surface composed of broken roof tile and flints extended for around 1m. The tile is considered to be medieval in date and may have been part of the roof of the Priory. The surface is considered to be post-medieval in date and may be related to when the Priory ruins were re-used locally. <12> Aerial Photos. <13> In 2012 two trenches were excavated to try and locate the southern wall of the nave. No evidence for this was recovered and it was concluded that the nave probably did not originally extend beyond 15.5m in length. <14> An Augustinian priory of St Mary and St John the Baptist was founded by Maurice fitz Geoffrey in 1175. Before that time there was a hermitage. It was a small priory and when the last prior died in 1507 it ceased and was granted, later, to St Mary's Hospital without Bishopgate, London. All that now remains is one tall lonely west arch (the crossings of the church of about 1250) standing in a field. Grade II. <15> <16> Site visit, 1962 Bicknacre Priory as described above and in fairly good condition. See illustration card: photograph of arch. <17> Site visit, 1975 The arch still stands and appears to be the west part of the crossing. It is situated in a permanent pasture field, rig and furrow to the east and well trampled grass to the west. No other standing remains or foundations could be seen. See new photograph. Published survey (25" 1971) revised. <18> Site visit, 1980 The crossing arch was dilapidated in 1980. <3> Site visit, 1987 The NGR abstracted from <20> is incorrect. The remains of Bicknacre Priory as described are situated at TL78570268. Resurveyed at 1:2500. <19> (TL 78760269) Bicknacre Priory (NR) (Augustinian Founded AD 1175) (NAT) <20> Scheduled listing. <21> Photographs <22> <23>