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List of monastic houses in County Durham facts for kids

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The following is a list of the monastic houses in County Durham, England.

Alien houses are included, as are smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks), and also camerae of the military orders of monks (Knights Templars and Knights Hospitaller). Monastic hospitals are included where they had the status or function of an abbey, priory, friary or preceptor/commandery.

Abbreviations and key
Status of remains
Symbol Status
None Ruins
* Current monastic function
+ Current non-monastic ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure)
^ Current non-ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure) or redundant intact structure
$ Remains limited to earthworks etc.
# No identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains
~ Exact site of monastic foundation unknown
Identification ambiguous or confused

Locations with names in italics indicate possible duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented) or ecclesiastical establishments with a monastic name but lacking actual monastic connection.

Trusteeship
EH English Heritage
LT Landmark Trust
NT National Trust


Alphabetical listing

Foundation Image Communities & Provenance Formal Name or Dedication
& Alternative Names
References & Location
Barnard Castle Friary (?) Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of York)
founded 1381: licensed by Neville, Archbishop of York, land granted by Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick; possibly not established, but if so failed before 1387?


54°32′25″N 1°55′28″W / 54.5404026°N 1.9243187°W / 54.5404026; -1.9243187 (Barnard Castle Friary (poss. site)) (possible)
Baxterwood Priory Augustinian Canons Regular — possibly from Gisborough, Yorkshire via Haswell
founded 1180;
transferred from Haswell after 1180 (possibly before Haswell was built);
dissolved 1196; lands appropriated by Finchale Priory
Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Baxterwood
____________________
Bactanesford Priory


54°46′35″N 1°36′15″W / 54.7763066°N 1.604138°W / 54.7763066; -1.604138 (Baxterwood Priory (traditional site))
Bradbury Cell Benedictine monks
chapel and cell dependent on Nun Monkton, Yorkshire
founded 12th century


54°39′19″N 1°31′16″W / 54.6551581°N 1.5209815°W / 54.6551581; -1.5209815 (Bradbury Cell (site))
Clare Abbey, Darlington Franciscan nuns — from Scorton Hall
founded 1857, property granted by Sir Caranby Haggerston;
transferred to Herefordshire, amalgamating with the house at Much Birch;
Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God
The Abbey Church of Saint Clare, Darlington

Durham Cathedral Priory + Southx.jpg secular canons
episcopal diocesan cathedral
founded 997 (995); extant;
founded 995 (997), built by Bishop Aldhun;
Benedictine monks
founded 1093 (or 1083) by Bishop William of St Carileph, who expelled the seculars;
dissolved 1539
The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Cuthbert at Durham

The Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin, Durham


54°46′24″N 1°34′33″W / 54.7732882°N 1.5759587°W / 54.7732882; -1.5759587 (Durham Cathedral Priory)
Durham Greyfriars Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Newcastle)
founded before 1239;
dissolved before 1240(?), friars apparently settled at the chapel of St Mary, but on meeting with opposition transferred to Hartlepool
Hartlepool Friary
Durham — St Anthony's Priory * Minoresses
founded at the former vicarage of St Nicholas Parish Church;
Society of the Sacred Mission;
extant
St Antony's Priory, Durham

54°46′42″N 1°34′19″W / 54.778257°N 1.572027°W / 54.778257; -1.572027 (St Antony's Priory, Durham)
Ebchester Nunnery nuns
founded before 660 by St Ebba (purportedly daughter of King Ethelfrid);
destroyed in raids by the Danes c.875;
reference to hermitage or chapel mid-12th century and 1241 (Chapel of St Mary, Yareshale (Yareshaugh)) possibly on site, private chapel of Bishops of Durham before mid-15th century
St Ebbas Nunnery

54°53′23″N 1°50′45″W / 54.8896722°N 1.8457353°W / 54.8896722; -1.8457353 (Ebchester Nunnery (possible site)) (possible)
Egglestone Abbey Egglestone Abbey 1 63bb6379.jpg Premonstratensian Canons — from Easby, Yorkshire
daughter house of Easby;
founded between c.1190 and c.1195, probably by Ralph Moulton: land granted by Ralph de Moulton, sub-tenant of Ralph de Lenham, who ratified the grant 1198;
refounded 1537;
dissolved 5 January 1540; granted to Robert Shelley 1548/9;
converted into a house 1548, then labourers cottages; (EH)
The Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist
____________________
Egleston Abbey


54°31′53″N 1°54′19″W / 54.5314762°N 1.9051623°W / 54.5314762; -1.9051623 (Egglestone Abbey)
Finchale Priory Fichale.jpg Benedictine monks
cell dependent on Durham;
1115 (or 1128) by Ranulf, Bishop of Durham who permitted St Godrick to establish his hermitage before 1170;
becoming priory dependent on Durham 1196;
confirmed to Durham by Hugh Pudsey, Bishop of Durham;
dissolved 1538; granted to the Dean and Chapter of Durham 1534/5; (EH)
The Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist

St John the Baptist and St Godric


54°49′05″N 1°32′25″W / 54.818137°N 1.540213°W / 54.818137; -1.540213 (Finchale Priory)
Gateshead House monks
founded before 653;
apparently abandoned when monks left for Ireland
Hartlepool — St Hilda's Monastery HartlepoolStHildasChurch.jpg probably monks and nuns
founded c.640 by Hieu, an Irishwoman (possibly St Bega) placed in charge by St Aidan
destroyed 800?
St Hilda's Monastery

54°41′44″N 1°10′51″W / 54.6955677°N 1.1807352°W / 54.6955677; -1.1807352 (Hartlepool — St Hilda's Monastery)
Hartlepool Greyfriars HartlepoolFriarage.jpg Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Newcastle)
transferred from Durham, before 1240;
dissolved 1538


54°41′48″N 1°10′47″W / 54.6967225°N 1.1797898°W / 54.6967225; -1.1797898 (Hartlepool Greyfriars)
Hartlepool Friary? Dominican Friars
probably copyist's error ref. to Franciscan Friary (see immediately above)
Haswell Grange Benedictine monks
endowment — possibly from Gisborough, Yorkshire;
transferred to Baxterwood after 1180, probably prior to any buildings being erected;
becoming a grange under Finchale


54°47′16″N 1°27′20″W / 54.7878194°N 1.4554739°W / 54.7878194; -1.4554739 (Haswell Grange)
Jarrow Priory Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Tyne and Wear
Jarrow Friar? Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Tyne and Wear
Neasham Priory Benedictine nuns
founded before 1156 (before 1163) purportedly by Lord Dacres;
dissolved 1539–40; granted to James Lawson 1540/1;
house named 'Neasham Abbey' built near site 19th century
St Mary
____________________
Nesham Priory;
Nesseham Priory


54°29′06″N 1°30′13″W / 54.4851107°N 1.5036356°W / 54.4851107; -1.5036356 (Neasham Priory)
Norton Monastery? St Mary's Church incorporates remnants of a church built c.1000 — no reference of pre-Conquest community, but size suggests more than a parochial church; granted to St Cuthbert's, then to Chester-le-Street Cathedral

Owton Priory Gilbertine Canons
charter confirming founded 1204 by Alan de Wilton, probably never established (though possibly a grange at Owton Grange nr Brierton)
St Mary
____________________
Oveton in Hartness Priory;Owton in Harness Priory


Samford Priory? Benedictine monks
probably confused for Stamford Priory, Lincolnshire


South Shields Monastery Saxon monks and nuns
founded 648 by St Aidan for St Hilda;
Benedictine? nuns
refounded? c.686;
destroyed ? 865–75
Wherhale Monastery?;
Wyrale Monastery


Wearmouth Abbey Historical county location until Tune and Wear created in 1974. See List of monastic houses in Tyne and Wear

See also

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