Gresley Priory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gresley Priory

Gresley Parish Church.
Location in Derbyshire
Monastery information
Full name	The Prior and Convent of Saint George.
Other names	Later, The Parish Church of Saint George and Saint Mary.
Order	Augustinian
Established	Between 1106 and 1135
Disestablished	1536
Dedicated to	Saint George
Diocese	Diocese of Lichfield
Controlled churches	Lullington, Derbyshire
People
Founder(s)	William De Gresley
Site
Location	Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom.
Coordinates	52°45′35″N 1°34′1″W / 52.75972°N 1.56694°W / 52.75972; -1.56694
Visible remains	Part of present Parish Church

Gresley Priory was a monastery (a place where monks or nuns live and work) for Augustinian canons. These were like monks who followed the rules of Saint Augustine. The priory was located in Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England. It was founded in the 12th century.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (when King Henry VIII closed many monasteries), the priory church became the local parish church. It was named St George and St Mary. This church is actually how the village of Church Gresley got its name!

In 1861, people dug up parts of the old priory. They found that the buildings were built around a cloister (an open courtyard) south of the church. The dining hall (refectory) was on the south side. Two chapter houses (meeting rooms) were on the east side of the courtyard.

Today, only the foundations of the church and the lower part of its tower remain from the original 12th-century priory. This is because much of the church was rebuilt around 1820. The church is now a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historical building.

History of Gresley Priory

How the Priory Started (12th Century)

William De Gresley founded Gresley Priory. He lived in the nearby Castle Gresley. He started the priory between 1106 and 1135, when King Henry I was ruling England. It was built for a group of Augustinian canons and was dedicated to Saint George. The Gresley family gave a lot of money and land to the priory. Because of this, they had a lot of influence over it for many years.

The Priory in the 13th Century

In 1245, another William de Gresley gave the priory the right to choose the priest for the Church of Lullington, Derbyshire. This was called an "advowson." In return, he wanted the priory to pray for him and his family forever.

In 1268, Sir Geoffrey de Gresley confirmed all the gifts the Gresley family had given to the priory. This included a mill at Castle Gresley. Later, in 1291, Sir Geoffrey's grandson, also named Geoffrey de Gresley, gave more land to the priory. He also arranged for one of the canons to say a special mass for his wife, Anneys, after she passed away.

In 1291, a record called the Taxation Roll showed how much the priory was worth. It was valued at £3 19s. 7½d. a year. The churches of Gresley and Lullington were each valued at £5 6s. 8d. a year.

All Saints Church, Lullington

Challenges in the 14th Century

By the 1300s, the priory seemed to be having money problems. In 1310, they got permission to own the Church of Lullington forever. This was called "mortmain." However, they kept asking the Bishop if they could sell the church. The canons said they were too few in number and their lands weren't producing enough food or money. They struggled to support themselves and the church.

Finally, in 1339, Roger Northburgh, the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, agreed to the mortmain. But he made them promise to pay a yearly fee to the vicars at Lichfield Cathedral. The Prior and all future Priors had to travel to the Cathedral within six days of being chosen to swear an oath to pay this fee. Letters from this time show that there were only four "brethren" (monks) living at the priory.

In June 1313, Bishop Walter Langton visited the priory. He ordered that no special permissions or payments could be given out by the priory without his approval. He also said that no women were allowed inside the monastery. We don't know exactly why he made these rules. It might have been about money issues, or perhaps reports of improper behavior. It could also have been a standard rule he made for all monasteries.

In 1363, Sir John de Gresley gave the priory more land and properties. These were in Heathcote, Church Gresley, Castle Gresley, and Lullington. These properties were worth £10 a year. They would fully belong to the priory after the people living there passed away. At this time, the priory was known as "The Prior and Convent of St. George".

The Priory in the 15th Century

The priory remained small through the 1400s. In February 1493, the Prior, John Smyth, passed away. The sub-prior, Robert Mogge, had to write to the Bishop. He asked the Bishop to choose a new prior directly. This was because there weren't enough monks at the priory to hold an election themselves. The Bishop simply appointed Robert Mogge as the new Prior.

The Priory in the 16th Century and Its End

In 1535, a survey called the Valor valued the priory at £26 15s. 4d. each year. The churches of Gresley and Lullington were worth an extra £12 18s. 4d. This made the total value of the priory £39 13s. 8d. After taking out some costs, like money given to the poor, the clear value was £31 6s. This was about three years' wages for an average craftsman back then.

The priory was closed down a year later in 1536. This was part of King Henry VIII's plan to close all monasteries in England. The Prior, John Okeley, was given a yearly payment of £6. Two canons who served as vicars (priests) in Lullington and Gresley each received £5 16s. 8d.

SS George & Mary parish church, drawn by Samuel Hieronymus Grimm in the 18th century. This was before the church was largely rebuilt in the 1820s.

What Happened After the Priory Closed

After the priory was closed in 1536, its land and buildings were given to a man named Henry Churche.

Before this, there wasn't a regular vicar (priest) for Gresley. The priory's prior or one of the canons usually served the parish. After the priory closed, its church became the official Parish Church. It was then named St George and St Mary's Church, Church Gresley.

Around 1820, the church and the top part of its tower were rebuilt. In 1872, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was built. It was designed by A.W. Blomfield.

Today, only the lower part of the tower remains from the original 12th-century building. The church is protected as a Grade II* Listed building because of its historical importance.

Leaders of Gresley Priory (Priors)

Here is a list of the known Priors (leaders) of Gresley Priory. This list is not complete, but it shows the ones we know about:

See also

• Castle Gresley
• Church Gresley
• Gresley Baronets
• Lullington, Derbyshire