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 in Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England. It was founded in the 12th century by a group of Augustinian canons, who were a type of religious community.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries, the priory church became the local parish church. This church, dedicated to Saint George and Saint Mary, 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, which is an open courtyard. The dining hall (called a refectory) was on the south side. Two chapter houses, where meetings were held, were on the east side.

Today, only the foundations of the church and the lower part of its tower remain from the original 12th-century buildings. This is because a lot of rebuilding work happened around 1820. The church is now a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important historically.

History of Gresley Priory

How the Priory Started (12th Century)

Gresley Priory was founded by William De Gresley. He lived in the nearby Castle Gresley. He started the priory sometime between 1106 and 1135, during the time of King Henry I. It was built for Augustinian canons and was dedicated to Saint George. The Gresley family played a big role in the priory's life for many years.

The Priory in the 13th Century

In 1245, another William de Gresley gave the right to choose the priest for the church in Lullington, Derbyshire to the priory. In return, he wanted the priory to pray for him forever.

Later, 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. In 1291, Sir Geoffrey's grandson, also named Geoffrey, gave more land to the priory in Castle Gresley. He also arranged for one of the canons to say special prayers for his wife, Anneys, after she passed away.

Around 1291, the priory was valued at about £3 19s. 7d. 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 troubles. In 1310, they were allowed to take over the Church of Lullington. However, they kept asking the Bishop for permission to sell the church. The canons said they were too few in number and their land wasn't producing enough food to support themselves and the church.

It wasn't until 1339 that Roger Northburgh, the Bishop, finally agreed. But he made them promise to pay a yearly fee to the vicars at Lichfield Cathedral. The Prior and all future leaders of the priory also had to travel to the Cathedral within six days of being chosen to swear they would pay this fee. Letters from this time show that there were only four "brethren" (canons) living at the priory.

In 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 could have been about money problems, or maybe there were reports of bad behavior.

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 and 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 quite small in the 1400s. In 1493, the Prior, John Smyth, died. The sub-prior, Robert Mogge, had to write to the Bishop. He asked the Bishop to directly choose a new prior because there weren't enough canons to hold an election themselves. The Bishop simply appointed Robert Mogge as the new Prior.

The End of the Priory (16th Century)

In 1535, the priory was valued at about £26 15s. 4d. each year. With the churches of Gresley and Lullington, its total value was £39 13s. 8d. After paying for things like helping the poor, the clear value was about £31 6s. This was roughly equal to three years of an average craftsman's wages back then.

The priory was officially closed down in 1536 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The Prior, John Okeley, received a pension of £6. Two canons who served as 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, it was given to "Henry Churche of the Householde."

Before this, there wasn't a regular priest for Gresley. The priory's own prior or one of the canons usually served the local people. After the priory closed, its church became the official parish church for the village. It was renamed the St George and St Mary's Church, Church Gresley.

Around 1820, the church and the top part of its tower were rebuilt. Later, 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

Here is a list of the known Priors (leaders) of Gresley Priory. It's not a complete list, but it shows who was in charge over the years:

See also

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