Rosedale Priory
Rosedale Priory was a Benedictine priory located in Rosedale Abbey, North Yorkshire, England. Founded between 1150 and 1199, likely in 1154 by William of Rosedale with land donated by Robert de Stuteville, it housed a prioress and eight nuns by the time of its suppression in 1535. Although the village bears the name Rosedale Abbey, the religious house itself was a priory, with its remaining fabric largely re-used for village construction by the mid-19th century.
Key Facts
- ›Founded circa 1150–1199, likely in 1154.
- ›Land donation by Robert de Stuteville.
- ›Belonged to the Benedictine order.
- ›Suppressed in 1535 during the reign of Henry VIII.
- ›By suppression, had one prioress and eight nuns.
- ›A 13th-century turret is the only standing ruin.
- 13th-Century Turret
- Identifiable Fragments Used In Village Construction
William of Rosedale
- Suppression During the Dissolution of the Monasteries
About Rosedale Priory
Rosedale Priory was a Benedictine religious house situated in the village of Rosedale Abbey, within the modern-day county of North Yorkshire, England. Its establishment is dated to between 1150 and 1199, with c. 1154 being the probable year of founding, attributed to William of Rosedale. The land for the priory was donated by Robert de Stuteville, with the intention of establishing a community of Benedictine nuns for worship and agricultural work.
History and Dissolution
The priory's construction spanned the reigns of Henry II and Richard the Lionheart. By the time of its suppression in 1535, under King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, Rosedale Priory comprised one prioress and eight nuns. Following its abandonment in 1536, much of the priory's physical structure was dismantled and its stones were re-purposed for local construction projects, including the adjacent church of St Mary and St Lawrence, by the mid-19th century.
Surviving Remains
Although most of the priory has vanished, a notable 13th-century turret, standing approximately 20 feet tall, remains as the sole significant standing ruin. This turret is believed to have once connected the nave of the chapel to a dormitory. Other fragments of the priory's fabric can still be observed in the village, such as window jambs incorporated into gate posts and a roof coping fashioned from a stair tread. The area of the present school and playground is thought to occupy part of the former cloister.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Rosedale Priory founded?
Rosedale Priory was founded between the years 1150 and 1199. It is most likely that the founding occurred in 1154, possibly by William of Rosedale.
What religious order was Rosedale Priory part of?
The priory was established for nuns of the Benedictine order. They were intended to worship and farm the surrounding lands.
What happened to Rosedale Priory?
The priory was suppressed in 1535 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII and was abandoned in 1536. Much of its fabric was later re-used in the construction of local village buildings.
Are there any ruins of Rosedale Priory left?
The most significant remaining ruin is a 13th-century turret, which stands approximately 20 feet high. Identifiable fragments, such as window jambs used as gate posts, can also be found in the vicinity.
Why is the village called Rosedale Abbey when the house was a priory?
The village is known as Rosedale Abbey, but the religious institution itself was a priory. The reason for this discrepancy in naming is unclear.
Related Monasteries
Aldgate Priory
Holy Trinity Priory, also known as Christchurch Aldgate, was an Augustinian priory founded around 1108 by Queen Matilda of Scotland near Aldgate in London. It held significant ties to English royalty, with several queens maintaining a close relationship with the priory and some royal children buried there. The priory was a center of learning in the 12th century and played a role in civic life, with its prior serving as an Alderman of London. It was dissolved in 1532 and its buildings have since been largely lost, with only remnants surviving.
Ankerwycke Priory
Ankerwycke Priory was a small and relatively poor Benedictine nunnery established around 1160 in Buckinghamshire, England. Dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, it held lands across several counties. Dissolved in 1536, its revenues were transferred to Bisham Abbey, and the priory site later saw the construction of a manor house. Today, only a small section of ruins remains, situated in Berkshire.
Arthington Priory
Arthington Priory was an English monastery for nuns of the Cluniac congregation, located in Arthington, West Yorkshire, and founded in the mid-12th century. It was one of only two Cluniac nunneries in England. The priory experienced periods of disciplinary issues among its nuns and prioresses, as documented by Archbishop William Greenfield's visits and injunctions. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, the priory was surrendered in 1540, and its lands were eventually granted to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Today, little remains of the original priory structures, with a residence known as Arthington Hall built on the site around 1585, and the priory church potentially occupied by a farmhouse named The Nunnery.