St Helen's Priory, Derby facts for kids
 Location in Derbyshire
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | The Priory of St Helen, Derby |
| Other names | Derby Augustinian Priory |
| Order | Augustinian Canons |
| Established | 1137 |
| Disestablished | Before 1360 |
| Mother house | Darley Abbey (from 1154) |
| Dedicated to | St Helen |
| Controlled churches | St Peter's Church, Derby (until 1154) |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Towyne, a Burgess of Derby |
| Site | |
| Location | Derby, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 52°55′37″N 1°28′52″W / 52.927061°N 1.481212°W |
| Visible remains | None |
St Helen's Priory, also known as Derby Augustinian Priory, was a small Augustinian priory in Derby, England. A priory is a type of monastery, which is a place where religious people, like monks or nuns, live and pray together. The Augustinians were a group of Christian monks who followed the rules of St. Augustine. Later, this priory also became a hospital, helping people who were sick or in need.
Building the Priory and Hospital
St Helen's Priory was started in 1137 by a man named Towyne. He was an important citizen of Derby, known as a Burgess. The priory was built just outside the town walls, to the northwest of Derby. It was named after St Helen, a famous historical figure. At first, it was a small religious house, mainly used for prayer.
A church leader named Hugh, who was the Dean of Derby, gave the priory some land. This land was in an area called "Little-Derley". He also gave the priory control over St Peter's Church, Derby.
From Priory to Abbey
The land at "Little-Derley", about a mile from the priory, was used to build a much larger monastery called Darley Abbey. In 1154, many of the monks, or canons, from St Helen's moved to Darley Abbey. This meant that St Helen's Priory became a smaller part, or "cell," of the bigger Darley Abbey.
Soon after, around 1160, St Helen's Priory started to work as a hospital. It provided care for people who needed help.
In 1291, a tax assessment showed that St Helen's had an income of about £4 17s. 8d. each year. Most of this money came from the 120 acres of farmland that the priory and hospital owned. The hospital is believed to have stopped operating around 1350.
What Happened Later
Today, nothing remains of the original priory buildings. The area where it once stood is now known as St. Helen's Street in Derby.
After Darley Abbey was closed down by the King, all its land, including the land that used to belong to St Helen's Priory, was given to the Crown.
In 1554, Queen Mary I issued a special document called a Royal Charter. This charter gave some of Darley Abbey's properties to the town of Derby. The purpose was to create a "Free Grammar School" for boys and young men in Derby. This school became what is known as Derby School.
Between 1766 and 1767, a large house called St Helen's House was built on land that was once part of the priory. This house was named after the old priory. It was first a private home, but from 1861, it became the home of Derby School.
Around 1817, some human remains were found at the old priory site. These remains are thought to be from the people who lived or were cared for at the priory and hospital. At that time, part of the site was also used by a marble factory.
Images for kids
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St Helen's House around 1920, when it was Derby School.
