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List of monastic houses in Staffordshire facts for kids

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The following is a list of the monastic houses in Staffordshire, 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



Foundation Image Communities & Provenance Formal Name or Dedication
& Alternative Names
OnLine References & Location
Baswich Priory Augustinian Canons Regular
founded 1174 (1173-5); land granted by Gerard de Stafford;
dissolved 1538;
remains incorporated into Priory Farm built on site
The Priory Church of Saint Thomas the Martyr by Stafford

52°48′13″N 2°04′29″W / 52.8037181°N 2.074855°W / 52.8037181; -2.074855 (Baswich Priory)
Blithbury Priory # Benedictine monks
priory cell dependent on Burton;
founded after 1129 by Hugh Malveysin;
dissolved 1158–65;
Benedictine nuns
founded after 1129;
apparently merged with Black Ladies, Brewood 1158–65;
dissolved before 1315(?);
alleged chapel demolished 1795
The Priory Church of Saint Giles, Blithbury

St Egidius (St Giles)
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Blythbury Priory


52°47′09″N 1°52′01″W / 52.7858128°N 1.8669516°W / 52.7858128; -1.8669516 (Blithbury Priory)
Brewood Priory Brewood Black Ladies 01.jpg Benedictine nuns
founded before 1150;
dissolved 1538; granted to Thomas Gifford 1538/9;
late-16th/early-17th century country house built on site
The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Brewood
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Black Ladies Priory;
Briwerne Priory;
Black Ladies of Brewood Priory


52°40′54″N 2°13′37″W / 52.6816314°N 2.2269952°W / 52.6816314; -2.2269952 (Brewood Black Ladies Priory)
Burton Abbey Benedictine monks
founded 1002 by Wulfric Spott, confirmed by charter of King Ethelred 1004;
dissolved 1539; granted to Sir William Paget by Henry VIII;
refounded as a college 1541;
dissolved 1545
St Mary, Virgin and St Modwen, Virgin
____________________
Modwennestow Abbey;
Burton upon Trent Abbey


52°48′01″N 1°37′50″W / 52.8002066°N 1.6306221°W / 52.8002066; -1.6306221 (Burton Abbey)
Calwich Priory Disused stable block of Calwich Abbey - geograph.org.uk - 1180423.jpg hermitage (hermetorium de Calwich)
Augustinian Canons Regular
priory cell dependent on Kenilworth, Warwickshire
founded between c.1125 and 1149: hermitage granted to Kenilworth by Nicholas de Gresley alias fitzNiel and his wife Margery;
independent from 1349;
granted to Merton 1535–6;
Georgian-style house built on site 1849–50, now derelict
St Margaret
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Calwick Priory


52°59′13″N 1°48′35″W / 52.9868179°N 1.8096462°W / 52.9868179; -1.8096462 (Calwich Priory)
Canwell Priory Benedictine monks
founded c.1142 (1131–48) by Geva, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Chester;
dissolved 1524–6, suppressed to found Cardinal Wolsey's college Cardinal College, Oxford;
reverted to the Crown;
much of the property passed briefly to St George's Chapel, Windsor 1532
The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Saint Giles, and All Saints, Canwell

52°36′10″N 1°47′06″W / 52.6029091°N 1.7849511°W / 52.6029091; -1.7849511 (Canwell Priory)
Colwich Abbey | Benedictine nuns — from Cannington, Somerset
(community founded in Paris 1651 by the English nuns at Cambrai)
settled in England 1795 after French Revolution
transferred here 1836;
returned to English Benedictine Congregation 1926;
raised to abbey status 1928
The Abbey Church of Our Lady of Good Hope, Colwich

52°47′24″N 1°59′22″W / 52.79°N 1.9895°W / 52.79; -1.9895 (Colwich Priory)
Cotton Abbey ~ Cistercian monks — from Aunay-sur-Odon
founded 1176, granted to Aunay by Bertram de Verdun
transferred to new site at Croxden 1178;
granted to Jeffrey Foljamb 1544/5
Chotes Abbey
Chotene Abbey


53°00′08″N 1°54′43″W / 53.0022886°N 1.9120342°W / 53.0022886; -1.9120342 (Chotes Abbey (suggested loc. at Cotton))
52°58′31″N 1°53′50″W / 52.9753149°N 1.8971948°W / 52.9753149; -1.8971948 (Chotes Abbey (suggested loc. at Alton))
Croxden Abbey CroxdenAbbey.jpg Cistercian monks — from Cotton
(community founded at Cotton 1176);
transferred here 17 May 1178;
dissolved 17 September 1538; (EH)
The Abbey Church of the Vale of Saint Mary at Croxden

52°57′17″N 1°54′14″W / 52.9548562°N 1.9039017°W / 52.9548562; -1.9039017 (Croxden Abbey)
Dieulacres Abbey Cistercian monks
transferred from Poulton, Cheshire
founded 1214, site granted by Randal de Blunderville, Earl of Chester after 1199;
dissolved 20 October 1539; granted to Ralph Bagnall 1552/3;
site now in private ownership at Abbey Green
St Mary, Virgin and St Benedict

53°07′04″N 2°01′37″W / 53.1177589°N 2.0268595°W / 53.1177589; -2.0268595 (Dieulacres Abbey)
Dudley Priory Cluniac monks
alien house: dependent on Wenlock, Shropshire;
founded 1161 by Ralph Painell, lord of the manor;
became denizen: independent from 1395;
dissolved 1539; granted to the Bishop of Lichfield 1540/1
St James
Farewell Priory hermits or canon brothers: unknown order and foundation;
Benedictine nuns
founded before 1148 (c.1140) by Roger de Clinton;
raised to abbey status between 1154 and 1189 (during the reign of Henry II);
reduced to priory status before 1210;
dissolved 1527;
site now occupied by St Bartholomew's Church
The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Farewell
____________________
Fairwell Priory


52°42′08″N 1°52′42″W / 52.7022191°N 1.8783188°W / 52.7022191; -1.8783188 (Farewell Priory)
Hawkesyard Priory Dominican Friars

Hulton Abbey Cistercian monks
daughter house of Combermere, Cheshire;
founded 26 July 1219 by Henry de Audley;
dissolved 18 September 1538; granted to Sir Edward Aston 1542/3
Hilton Abbey

53°02′22″N 2°08′33″W / 53.0394875°N 2.1425056°W / 53.0394875; -2.1425056 (Hulton Abbey)
Hansury Nunnery Benedictine? nuns
founded c.680 by St Werburgh at the instance of her uncle King Ethelred
destroyed in raids by the Danes 875
Keele Preceptory Knights Templar
land granted by Henry II 1168–9;
dissolved 1308-12
granted to the Earl of Gloucester;
Knights Hospitaller
founded c.1312 (1324);
dissolved after 1338;
country house named 'Keele Hall' built on site c.1580, rebuilt 1856–61


53°00′00″N 2°16′13″W / 53.0000401°N 2.2703867°W / 53.0000401; -2.2703867 (Keele Preceptory)
Lapley Priory Benedictine monks
alien house: dependent on St-Remi, Riems;
founded by Ælfgar (Algar), Earl of Chester;
dissolved 1415; granted to Tong College;
granted to Sir Richard Mannors 1547/8
Lappele Priory

52°42′50″N 2°11′25″W / 52.713832°N 2.1902007°W / 52.713832; -2.1902007 (Lapley Priory)
Lichfield Greyfriars Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Worcester)
founded c.1237 (1229) by Alexander, Bishop of Lichfield;
dissolved 1538; granted to Richard Crumbilthorn 1544/5


52°40′53″N 1°49′49″W / 52.6815257°N 1.830149°W / 52.6815257; -1.830149 (Lichfield Greyfriars)
Little Haywood Abbey | Benedictine nuns The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Little Haywood

52°47′25″N 1°59′23″W / 52.790139°N 1.989668°W / 52.790139; -1.989668 (Little Haywood Abbey)
Newcastle-under-Lyme Blackfriars Dominican Friars (under the Visitation of Oxford)
founded before 1277;
dissolved 1538;
cattlemarket built on site 1871;
superstore built on site before 2005


53°00′32″N 2°13′40″W / 53.0088575°N 2.2278°W / 53.0088575; -2.2278 (Newcastle-under-Lyme Blackfriars)
Oulton Abbey | Benedictine nuns
founded 1853; with girls' boarding school, then playgroup 1968, then care home, St. Benedict's Nursing and Residential Home 1989
The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Oulton

52°55′05″N 2°08′07″W / 52.9181052°N 2.1352074°W / 52.9181052; -2.1352074 (Oulton Abbey)
Radmore Abbey hermitage
founded 1135–9, site granted by King Stephen, confirmed by Roger, Bishop of Lichfield, who allowed the community to adopt the order of their choice
Cistercian monks
daughter house of Bordesley;
converted c.1143/7-1155
monks transferred to Stoneleigh 1155;
converted to a royal hunting lodge
The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Radmore
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Red Moor Priory


52°42′15″N 1°56′26″W / 52.7041076°N 1.9404548°W / 52.7041076; -1.9404548 (Radmore Abbey)
Ranton Priory RantonAbbey.jpg Augustinian Canons Regular — (?)Arroasian
priory cell dependent on Haughmond, Shropshire;
founded between 1135 and 1166 by Robert fitz Noel (Noeli);
independent from 1246–7;
dissolved 1536; granted to Robert Wiseman 1538/9
St Mary
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Ronton Abbey;
de Sartis


52°48′57″N 2°14′29″W / 52.8158°N 2.2412512°W / 52.8158; -2.2412512 (Ranton Priory)
Rocester Abbey $(?) Augustinian Canons Regular
founded c.1146 by Richard Bacon (Bacoun);
dissolved 1538; granted to Richard Trentham 1539/40
The Blessed Virgin Mary
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Roucester Abbey


52°57′04″N 1°50′07″W / 52.951243°N 1.8352962°W / 52.951243; -1.8352962 (Rocester Abbey)
Sandwell Priory Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in the West Midlands
Stafford Austin Friars Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of Lincoln)
founded 1344 by Ralph de Stafford, permission granted by the Pope 1343;
dissolved August 1538, surrendered to Richard Ingworth, Bishop of Dover; granted to Thomas Neve and Giles Isam
Austin Friars, Stafford

52°48′10″N 2°06′52″W / 52.8027128°N 2.1145463°W / 52.8027128; -2.1145463 (Stafford Austin Friars)
Stafford Greyfriars Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Worcester)
founded before 1274;
dissolved 10 August 1538, surrendered to Richard Ingworth, Bishop of Dover; granted to James Leverson 1539/40;
house called 'Grey Friars' built on site before 1610


52°48′47″N 2°07′17″W / 52.8129566°N 2.121461°W / 52.8129566; -2.121461 (Stafford Greyfriars)
Priory of St Thomas nr. Stafford
Stone Priory secular canons
founded c.670 by Wulfhere, King of Mercia
destroyed in raids by the Danes 9th century, canons dispersed;
Benedictine nuns
apparently founded before 1066;
replaced or dispersed before c.1135;
Augustinian Canons Regular
priory cell dependent on Kenilworth, Warwickshire;
granted to Kenilworth;
founded c.1135 by Enisan de Waleron;
independent from after 1260;
dissolved 1536; granted to George Harper 1538/9
St Wulfad and St Rufin

St Wulfad

St Mary, St Wulfad and St Michael


52°54′04″N 2°08′41″W / 52.9010236°N 2.1447346°W / 52.9010236; -2.1447346 (Stone Priory)
Trentham Priory possible minster before 1066
possible Benedictine monks
possibly founded c.1087-1100 subsequently lapsing;
Augustinian Canons Regular
(re)founded before 1153-5 by Ranuph II, Earl of Chester;
dissolved 1537 (1536)
The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints, Trentham
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Trickingham Priory(?)


52°57′55″N 2°12′07″W / 52.9653743°N 2.2018602°W / 52.9653743; -2.2018602 (Trentham Priory)
Tutbury Priory + Benedictine monks
alien house: dependent on S-Pierre-sur-Dives;
founded after 1080 (1066–1086) by Henry de Ferrers;
became denizen: independent from after 1431–3;
dissolved 14 September 1538; granted to Sir William Cavendish 1552/3;
part of conventual church now in parochial use
St Mary Virgin

52°51′33″N 1°41′16″W / 52.8590643°N 1.6877532°W / 52.8590643; -1.6877532 (Tutbury Priory)
Wolverhampton Monastery Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in the West Midlands
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