Shulbrede Priory facts for kids
Shulbrede Priory is an old building in West Sussex, England. It used to be a home for monks during the Middle Ages. Later, it became the family home of the Ponsonbys, including the first Lord Ponsonby. Today, it's a very important historic building, known as a Grade I listed building.
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The Priory's Beginnings
Shulbrede Priory was first called Woolynchmere Priory. It was located in the area of Linchmere. This priory was started for a group of monks called Augustinians around the late 1100s. Sir Ralph de Arderne founded it.
What the Priory Looked Like
The priory was much bigger when it was first built than it is now. To the north, there was a large church shaped like a cross. The church was about 140 feet long and 98 feet wide. South of the church were cloisters, which are open courtyards. Around these cloisters were other important rooms. These included a Chapter House, a Warming Room, a dining hall (refectory), and other buildings like a buttery and parlour.
Becoming Part of the Priory
Around 1234, Ralph Neville, who was the Bishop of Chichester, made an agreement. He decided that the church at Shulbrede would officially belong to the Priory. Before this, it was connected to the church at Cocking.
After the Monks Left
When monasteries were closed down in England, Shulbrede Priory became part of the Cowdray estate. This estate owned the priory until 1902.
What Remains Today
Only a small part of the original priory buildings is still standing. This part is the section of buildings that was south of the cloisters. It includes the parlour, which led into the cloisters. There's also a buttery, which was a storage room, and above it, a large room. This room was likely the prior's (the head monk's) chamber or a guest hall.
At some point, this large room was divided into smaller rooms. One of the walls was decorated with special paintings. You can still see these paintings today! They show birds, animals, and women in old-fashioned Elizabethan clothes. There are also paintings of the Royal Arms of King James I and animals with Latin words about the birth of Christ.
The Ponsonby Family Home
In 1902, Shulbrede Priory became the home of Arthur Ponsonby and his wife Dorothea. Arthur Ponsonby later became the first Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede in 1930.
Music and Family Life
A composer named Parry wrote some piano music called Shulbrede Tunes. These songs were like musical pictures of the Ponsonby family members. Lord and Lady Ponsonby had a son, Matthew Ponsonby, who became the 2nd Lord Ponsonby. They also had a daughter, Elizabeth Ponsonby, who was known as a "Bright Young Thing." Shulbrede Priory was her family home.
Old Traditions at the Priory
Until 1925, an old legal meeting called the Court Baron was held at the priory. This meeting was for the area of Linchmere and Shulbrede.
When Lord Ponsonby passed away in 1946, his wife continued to live at Shulbrede Priory. It was also the home of their granddaughters, Laura Ponsonby, who died in 2016, and Kate Russell, who still lives there with her husband.
Historic Building Status
Shulbrede Priory was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building in 1959. This means it is a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
