Barnwell Priory Facts for Kids

The Cellarer's Chequer, part of the old Barnwell Priory in January 2021

Barnwell Priory was a special religious house in Barnwell, Cambridgeshire, England. It was home to a group of Augustinian canons regular, who were like monks but followed a slightly different set of rules. Today, only a few parts of the priory remain, including a 13th-century building called the Cellarer's Chequer and some bits found in the walls and gardens of Abbey House.

An unknown writer, known as the Barnwell chronicler, lived at the priory. This person wrote important historical accounts about the time of King John.

A Look Back: The Priory's Story
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A Look Back: The Priory's Story

How Barnwell Priory Started

Barnwell Priory began around 1092. It was founded by Picot of Cambridge, who was a very important official in Cambridgeshire at the time. The story goes that Picot's wife, Hugolina, was very sick. She promised that if she got better, she would help start a religious house. She did recover, and so Picot helped make her promise come true.

The first home for the canons was St Giles' Church, near Cambridge Castle. These canons were religious men who followed the Rule of St Augustine, a set of guidelines for their daily lives. Picot gave them money and land to help them live and pray.

Moving and Growing

After Picot and Hugolina passed away, the priory came under the control of King Henry I. He then gave it to a man named Pain Peverel. Pain had big plans for the priory. He convinced King Henry to give him more land on the edge of Cambridge. This allowed him to move the priory and make it much bigger. This new, larger home became known as Barnwell Priory.

Over time, the priory grew even more, thanks to gifts of land from local people. It became very strong and important, eventually having 30 canons living there. The priory also earned money from an annual event called the Barnwell or Midsummer Fair, which was a popular gathering.

Priory's Role in Learning

Barnwell Priory was a place of learning. It had an active scriptorium, which was a room where books were copied by hand. It also had a large library filled with books. Because the priory owned a lot of land, there was always plenty of legal work to do. All of these activities likely helped the early University of Cambridge get started and grow.

Many details about how Augustinian canons lived in England come from a book called the Barnwell Observances. This book was written at the priory in the 13th century.

Challenges and End of the Priory

Barnwell Priory was quite wealthy. Because it owned so much land, it became a target during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. This was a time when many ordinary people protested against the rich and powerful.

For a short time, between September and October 1388, the English Parliament even met at Barnwell Priory. This was the only time it ever met there.

Sadly, Barnwell Priory was officially closed down on November 11, 1538. This was part of a bigger event called the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when King Henry VIII closed many religious houses across England. The priory's buildings eventually fell into ruin and were mostly destroyed by 1810.