Alvecote Priory facts for kids
Alvecote Priory is a very old ruined building in Alvecote, Warwickshire, England. It used to be a home for Benedictine monks. Today, not much of it is left. But you can still see a tall wall and a cool entrance arch. This arch is about 20 feet (6.1 m) high! There's also an old dovecote nearby, which is a building for pigeons. Both the priory ruins and the dovecote are on a special list called the Heritage at Risk Register. This means they are in danger from things like bad weather and people damaging them.
History of Alvecote Priory
Alvecote Priory was started in 1159 by a man named William Burdett. He founded it as a way to make up for a serious mistake he had made. The priory was connected to a bigger monastery called Great Malvern Priory.
We don't know a lot about this small priory's history. We only know the names of five of its leaders, called priors. The first prior we know about was William de Wikwane, who left in 1282. The last priors came one after another very quickly. William Sutton was prior in 1535, but by 1536, William Umberleye had taken over. It was probably William Umberleye who handed the priory over to the King's officials. This happened when many monasteries were closed down during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540.
A historian named Dugdale said that the founder, William Burdett, was buried at the priory. His tomb was covered by a stone with a large cross carved on it. The priory was not very rich. In 1291, its property was valued at only £7 9s 2d.
After about 200 years, the priory buildings were in bad shape. The monks asked King Edward III for help. The King allowed them to collect money in churches to fix their church and cloister (a covered walkway). The priory was officially closed in 1543. Its land was then given to Chancellor Audley. Later, it was sold to Joan Robynson, a widow from London. Today, the priory ruins are part of Pooley Country Park.
The priory house, which was also a ruin by 1965, was built using stones from the old Benedictine Priory.
See also
- grid reference SK251041
