Wangford Priory facts for kids

The church of St Peter and St Paul, which was once part of the priory.

The Cluniac Priory of Wangford was a small religious house. It was located in Wangford, a village in the English county of Suffolk. A priory is a type of monastery led by a prior or prioress.

This priory was founded a long time ago, before the year 1159. It was connected to a larger monastery called Thetford Priory. The Wangford Priory was made a more independent English institution in 1376. It was finally closed down in 1540.

What Was the Priory Like?

The buildings of the Wangford Priory were right next to the south side of the local parish church. Records inside the church show that the last parts of the priory buildings were taken down in the late 1800s.

Only a few monks lived at the priory at any one time. There were usually between three and five men. By the year 1537, the monks had left. The priory building was then rented out and used as a farm.

Who Was the Prior?

The leader of the priory was called the Prior. In 1226, Pope Honorius III chose the Prior of Wangford for a special job. He was made a Papal Commissioner. This meant he was a representative of the Pope.

He worked with the Abbot of Westminster Abbey and the Archdeacon of Sudbury. Together, these three important men helped solve big arguments. These arguments were often about "tithes." Tithes were payments, usually a tenth of someone's income or produce, given to support the church. This role made the Prior of Wangford a very important person in the Roman Catholic Church in England.

Why Did the Priory Close?

The Wangford Priory, along with its main monastery in Thetford, was closed in 1540. This happened because of a big event called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when Henry VIII was the King of England. He ordered that many monasteries and religious houses across England be closed down.