Hatfield Peverel Priory facts for kids
Hatfield Peverel Priory was a special kind of monastery in Essex, England. It was also known as Hatfield Priory. A priory is a religious house where monks or nuns live and pray. This one was for Benedictine monks. It started as a religious school before the year 1087. Later, it became a priory, like a smaller branch of the big St Albans Abbey, before 1100.
The priory is located in the village of Hatfield Peverel, about 5 miles north-east of Chelmsford. Today, the land and buildings are listed on the English Heritage Register. This means they are important historical sites. When monasteries were closed down in England, the priory mainly had wooden buildings.
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The Priory's Beginnings
Some old stories say that a Saxon noblewoman named Ingelrica founded the priory. She was the wife of Ranulph Peverel. People believed she started it to make up for things she had done wrong.
The local church, St Andrew's Parish Church, is still standing today. It is part of the Church of England. This church is actually a piece of the original priory church. It was built in the Norman style a very long time ago.
Who Owned the Priory?
Over many centuries, Hatfield Priory changed hands several times. Each new owner added their own touch to the property.
The Wright Family Era
The Wright family bought the property in 1764. John Wright, a coachmaker, was the first in his family to live in Essex. A new house was built in 1769. It stood on a hill overlooking the Chelmer valley. The park around the house was designed by a famous gardener named Richard Woods in 1765.
John Wright's son, John Wright II, took over the estate. When he passed away in 1796, he had no sons. So, the property went to his nephew, Peter Luard. Peter had to change his name to Wright to inherit the estate. Peter (Luard) Wright made the property much bigger.
Later Owners and Changes
Later, another family member, John Wright V, faced money problems. In 1912, he rented the estate to Philip Charles Tennant. Philip was the seventh son of Robert Tennant, who was a Member of Parliament for Leeds. Philip Tennant eventually bought Hatfield Priory in 1928.
In 1935, Philip Tennant sold the priory to the Marianhill Mission. This was a group of Catholic lay brothers. They used the priory as their main base in Europe. However, they closed down in 1972. The property then became quite run down.
A property developer named Dolph Claydon bought it in 1972. He quickly sold it to Derek Marriott, who turned it into a school. The school closed in 1979. In the year 2000, Adrian and Fiona Cowell owned the property. They worked hard to restore both the house and its beautiful grounds.
