Plympton Priory facts for kids

Plympton Priory was an important religious house, like a monastery, located in Devon, England. Its story is found in old records called the Annales Plymptonienses.

History of Plympton Priory

How Plympton Priory Started Again

Plympton Priory was built on the site of an even older church from Anglo-Saxon times. In 1121, a new type of monastery, called an Augustinian house, was started there. This was done by a religious leader named Bishop William Warelwast. King Henry I also approved this new beginning around the same time.

Bishop Warelwast believed the religious men living at Plympton were not following their rules strictly enough. So, he closed their house and sent them to a new place in Bosham, West Sussex. After that, he started Plympton Priory again. He brought in new religious men from other priories, like Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate and Merton Priory.

Plympton Priory's Importance and End

Plympton Priory became a very important place in the local area. It provided many religious leaders for nearby churches. The priory continued to be a major establishment until 1539. This was when many monasteries in England were closed down by the king during a time known as the Dissolution.

Plympton Priory was the wealthiest monastery in Devon. It was also the fourth richest Augustinian house in all of England and Wales. An official survey from that time, called the Valor Ecclesiasticus, said its value was £898 0s 8 1/8d. This was a very large amount of money back then!