Kirklees Priory facts for kids
Kirklees Priory was a Cistercian nunnery located in what is now Kirklees Park. This area is near Brighouse in West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1155 by Reiner le Fleming. He was the Lord of the manor of Wath upon Dearne. The priory was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St James. It was built during the time of King Henry II.
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Life at Kirklees Priory
Life at the priory was usually peaceful. Nuns lived there, dedicating their lives to prayer and work. They followed strict rules set by the Cistercian order. However, sometimes there were challenges. Between 1306 and 1315, there were reports of some nuns not following the rules. The Archbishop of York, William Greenfield, even wrote to the prioress about these issues. He wanted to make sure the priory kept its good reputation.
The Priory Closes Down
Many monasteries in England were closed down in the 1500s. This was part of a big change called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Kirklees Priory was not closed right away in 1535. It continued to operate for a few more years. Cecilia Topcliffe was the prioress at this time. The nuns kept living and worshipping there.
But in 1539, the priory was finally closed. This happened after the Second Act of Dissolution. Joan Kyppes was the prioress then. There were eight nuns living at the priory when it closed. The land and buildings were given to John Tasburgh and Nicholas Savill. The church and other priory buildings were torn down. Their stones were used to build a new house called Low Hall. Today, this house is known as Old Farm.
The Three Nuns Inn
A local inn called The Three Nuns was named after some of the priory's history. It is said that Cecilia Topcliffe, Joan Leverthorpe, and Katherine Grace were three nuns. They sought shelter at a guesthouse that belonged to the priory. They then ran it as a place for travelers to stay. The current inn building was built in 1939. The original guesthouse site is now buried under the inn's car park.
What Remains Today
Not much of the original Kirklees Priory is left. However, some parts still stand. You can see a long barn with two aisles. Parts of the Old Farm House are also still there. There is also a calf house and the old gatehouse. All these buildings are now part of Old Farm. They are considered very important historical buildings. This means they are Grade I listed. The gatehouse needed a lot of repair work. It was once on a list of buildings at risk. But after the repairs, it was removed from that list.
In 1757, a landscape gardener named Francis Richardson surveyed Kirklees Park. The park has many medieval buildings. The Armytage family has helped preserve these buildings since the 1500s.
Robin Hood Connection
Kirklees Priory is also famous for its connection to the legend of Robin Hood. Many stories say that Robin Hood died here. There is a monument in the woods near the River Calder. It claims to be Robin Hood's Grave.
