Kirby Bellars Priory facts for kids
| Saint Peter's Parish Church Kirby Bellars | |
A view of the tower
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| Country | England |
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| Denomination | Anglican |
Quick facts for kids History |
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| Founded | Circa eleventh century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Benefice | Upper Wreak |
| Diocese | Leicester |
| Province | Canterbury |
 Location in Leicestershire
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| Monastery information | |
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| Other names | Kirkby Bellairs Priory |
| Order | Augustinian Canons Regular |
| Established | 1319-1359 |
| Disestablished | 1536 |
| Dedicated to | Saint Peter |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lincoln |
| Controlled churches |
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| People | |
| Founder(s) | Sir Roger Beler |
| Site | |
| Location | Leicestershire, England |
| Coordinates | 52°45′30″N 0°56′17″W / 52.758245°N 0.93807°W |
| Visible remains | The Parish Church of Saint Peter was formally the Priory Church. There are some earthworks to the north of the churchyard where the priory house once stood. |
| Public access | There is a contact for a key in the church porch. The earthworks can be found nearby. |
Kirby Bellars Priory was a small religious house in Leicestershire, England. It was home to a group of Canons Regular of Saint Augustine, who were priests living under a set of rules. Today, the old priory church is still used as the Church of England Parish Church of Saint Peter's, serving the village of Kirby Bellars.
Contents
The Priory's Beginnings
The church building you see today, Saint Peter's, started being built in the 1200s. Back then, the village was called Chirchebi.
In 1316, a knight named Roger de Beler decided to set up a special chapel. This chapel, also dedicated to Saint Peter, was at his home, Kirby Bellars Manor House. He wanted two chaplains (priests) to say daily prayers there for him and his family after they passed away. This kind of chapel was called a chantry chapel.
Roger de Beler also set up another chantry chapel in the Parish Church itself. In 1319, he made the group bigger, creating a "college" of priests. This meant there was a warden and twelve chaplains. Roger gave them land and money to support their work. The priests from this college also led services in the Parish Church, which came under their control.
Historians believe that after 1359, the large Saint Peter's Church likely became the main church for the priory too. Sadly, Roger de Beler was murdered in 1326, which caused some problems for the college of priests for a while.
Becoming an Augustinian Priory
In 1359, the college of priests changed. They became Augustinian canons, following the Rule of Saint Augustine. This rule meant they had to stay at the priory and dedicate their lives to prayer, helping the community, and looking after the priory's buildings. Their daily life included eight prayer services and a special Conventual Mass.
The de Beler family continued to support the priory and chose to be buried in its church.
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Over time, the canons gained control of other local churches. In 1363, they swapped control of All Saints Church in Clipston for Saint John the Baptist Church in Buckminster, which was closer. Later, in 1392, they gained control of Saint Mary's Church in Garthorpe. In 1412, they also took over Saint Andrews Church in Twyford.
A Visit in 1440
In 1440, a bishop named William Alnwick visited the priory. He checked on how things were going and found that the standards were good. He only pointed out small things, like how some of the canons dressed or minor mistakes in the church services.
Fire and Rebuilding
In the early 1500s, a fire badly damaged many of the priory's buildings. In 1511, the priory was allowed to offer "indulgences" (special blessings) to people who donated money to help rebuild.
Even in 1518, a report showed that many buildings still needed fixing. This report also mentioned some problems, like one of the canons having private property and two others being suspected of bad behavior. It also said the food for the canons was too fancy!
By 1535, a royal report said the priory's buildings were in good condition. At that time, the priory's yearly income was about £140, which was not a huge amount compared to other religious houses.
The Priory's End
Kirby Bellars Priory was closed down in 1536. This happened during a time called the dissolution of the monasteries, when King Henry VIII closed many religious houses across England.
Images for kids
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The south side of the church.
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The north side of the church, where a part of the building was removed.
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The bell tower, with empty spaces where statues of saints once stood.
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A view inside the church, looking towards the west.
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A view showing where the north aisle used to be, seen from the south aisle.
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The sanctuary (the holy part of the church) and the rood screen (a decorative screen).
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The field north of Saint Peter's Church, where the priory's other buildings once stood. You can still see some earthworks (changes in the ground) that might be the remains of a moated area.
See also
