Cardigan Priory facts for kids
Cardigan Priory was an old religious building in Cardigan, Ceredigion, in mid-west Wales. It was a special kind of monastery called a priory, run by Benedictine monks. It was also known as The Priory Church of Our Lady of Cardigan.
Today, the priory's church is still used as a local church. It is called St. Mary's Church, Cardigan. The priory building itself was separate from the church.
Contents
History of Cardigan Priory
How the Priory Started
Old documents kept at Gloucester Cathedral tell us about Cardigan Priory. They say that Chertsey Abbey once took over the Church of the Holy Trinity in Cardigan. This church had been given to Gloucester Abbey by a lord named Gilbert de Clare. This happened even before the priory was fully set up.
An old Welsh history book, Brut y Tywysogion, also mentions this. It says that Gilbert de Clare gave Cardigan Priory to Gloucester Abbey. This happened before he passed away around the year 1117.
Changes Over Time
Around 1164, Rhys ap Gruffydd, a powerful Welsh prince, took control of Cardigan. He brought the area back under Welsh rule. Prince Rhys then confirmed that the priory should belong to the Benedictines from Chertsey Abbey in Surrey.
When the de Clare family was in charge, the priory was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. But when Prince Rhys took over, it was dedicated to St. Mary.
The Priory's End and New Uses
Cardigan Priory stopped being a monastery in 1538. After that, it was turned into a large house. It was first given to Bisham in Berkshire. Later, it was given to William and Mary Cavendish around 1539 or 1540.
In the mid-1600s, the priory was a favorite home for Katherine Philips. She was a famous writer known as "The Matchless Orinda." Much later, in 1922, Dame Margaret Lloyd George reopened the building. It became the Cardigan District and Memorial Hospital.
The Priory Grounds
The priory was built on a large area of land, about 200 acres. This land was right next to Cardigan Castle. The priory's buildings and grounds stretched along the River Teifi.
The Bishops of St Davids would stay in one of the priory buildings when they visited Cardigan. This might have been when the abbot of Chertsey noted some problems around 1433 or 1434.
An old map from 1599 shows the priory church shaped like a cross. Another map from 1646 by Blaeu shows the cross-shaped church with a small chapel attached. This chapel was probably for Sir John ap Jevan.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia prioral de nuestra señora de Cardigan para niños
