List of monastic houses in Cornwall Facts for Kids

This article is about the old monastic houses in Cornwall, England. These were special places where monks or nuns lived together, dedicating their lives to religious practices, prayer, and work. They were very important centers for learning, farming, and helping the local communities in the past.

Where Were Monasteries in Cornwall?
Types of Monastic Houses
A Look at Cornwall's Monastic Past
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Where Were Monasteries in Cornwall?

Types of Monastic Houses

Monastic houses came in different forms, each with its own rules and traditions. Here are some of the main types you'll find in Cornwall:

Monastery: A general term for a community of monks or nuns.
Priory: A smaller monastic house, often dependent on a larger abbey.
Abbey: A large and important monastic house, led by an abbot or abbess.
Friary: A house for friars, who were like monks but lived among people and often begged for food.
Cell: A very small monastic house, usually dependent on a larger one.
Grange: A farm or estate owned and managed by a monastery to produce food and other goods.
Preceptory: A house for military religious orders like the Knights Templar or Knights Hospitaller.

A Look at Cornwall's Monastic Past

Cornwall has a rich history of monastic life, dating back to early Celtic times. Many of these places were founded centuries ago.

Early Celtic Monasteries

Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, Cornwall had many "Celtic monasteries." These were often simple communities of monks. They focused on prayer and spreading Christianity.

Altarnon Monastery: This was likely a monastery before 1066.
Bodmin Priory: This site might have been an abbey for Celtic monks around the 6th century. It later became a priory for Augustinian Canons.
Crantock Monastery: Probably started by a saint named Carrock. It was a community of Celtic monks.
Kea Monastery, Old Kea: This is thought to be the site of an early Celtic monastery.
Lammana Priory, Looe Island: Believed to have been founded by Benedictine monks in the 6th century. It later became a small cell connected to Glastonbury Abbey.
Lannachebran Cell, St Keverne: Monks lived here around the 6th century. It later became a farm (grange) for Cistercian monks.
Lanwethinoc Monastery (Padstow): Founded by Bishop Wethinoc. The medieval church of St Petroc might be on its site.
Madron Monastery: A Celtic monastery existing before the 12th century.
Manaccan Monastery: Another site of Celtic monks.
Minster Priory: Possibly a Celtic monastery before 1066. It later became a Benedictine priory.
Probus Monastery: Said to be founded by King Athelstan in 924. It was a community of Celtic monks or secular clergy.
St Anthony's Monastery, St Anthony-in-Meneage: An early Celtic monastery that later became a grange (farm) for a larger priory.
St Buryan's Monastery, St Buryan: A Celtic monastery, supposedly founded by King Athelstan around 930.
St Carrok's Monastery, St Winnow: A Celtic monastery that was later taken over by Cluniac monks.
St German's Priory: Possibly founded by Celtic monks in the 7th century. It became a very important church and later an Augustinian priory.
St Goran's Monastery, St Goran: Founded in the 6th century by Celtic monks.
St Kew Cell: Monks lived here in the 6th century. It later became a collegiate church with secular canons.
St Mawgan Monastery: Another Celtic monastery where the lands later went to the Bishop.
St Neot's Monastery, St Neot: A Celtic monastery possibly from the 6th century.
St Piran's Monastery, Perranzabuloe: A Celtic monastery believed to be from the 6th century.
Scilly Priory: Started as Celtic monastic cells on the Isles of Scilly. It later became a Benedictine priory.
Tintagel Monastery: Remains here suggest an early Celtic monastic site, possibly from around 350 AD.

Medieval Monastic Houses

After the Norman Conquest, new types of monastic orders arrived in Cornwall.

Bodmin — Abbey of St Mary & St Petroc: This was founded much later, in 1881, by Augustinian Canons and became an abbey in 1953.
Bodmin Greyfriars: A house for Franciscan Friars, founded before 1260. They were known as "Greyfriars" because of their grey robes. It closed in 1538.
Launceston Priory: An important Augustinian Priory founded in 1127. It was dissolved (closed down) in 1539.
St Anthony-in-Roseland Priory: A small priory for Augustinian Canons, connected to Plympton Priory in Devon. It closed in 1538.
St Michael's Mount Priory: This famous island had Benedictine monks living there from the 8th century. It was connected to a large monastery in Normandy, France. It was used as both a fortress and a monastery.
Tregony Priory: A priory for Augustinian Canons, connected to a monastery in France. It was later given to Merton Priory in Surrey.
Truro Blackfriars: A house for Dominican Friars, founded before 1259. They were called "Blackfriars" because of their black cloaks. It closed in 1538.
Tywardreath Priory: A Benedictine priory founded around 1088. It was also connected to a French monastery but later became independent before closing in 1536.

Military Orders and Later Foundations

Some monastic houses were for special military orders or were founded much more recently.

Temple property: This land was owned by the Knights Templar, a military religious order. After they were dissolved, the land went to the Knights Hospitaller.
Temple Templars Preceptory: A house for the Knights Templar, founded in the 12th century.
Trebeigh Preceptory: Another house for the Knights Hospitaller, founded before 1199.
Sclerder Abbey: This abbey has a more recent history, with different groups of nuns living there from the 1840s onwards, including Carmelites and Franciscans. A new community, Chemin Neuf, has been there since 2014.
Truro — Convent of the Epiphany: This is a more modern Anglican community of nuns.