List of monastic houses in Cheshire

The following is a list of the monastic houses in Cheshire, England.

FoundationImageCommunities & provenanceFormal name or dedication & alternative names ! style="width:10%;"|References & locationBarrow Camera (?)Knights Hospitallerchurch granted by Robert de BachepuzBarrow, Cheshire  founder: citing Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum vi, p.835 and T. Tanner, Notitia Monastica, also Ormerod, ii, p.186 and Victoria County History: A History of the County of Derby, Volume 2, p.75, n.3;considered to be a confusion with Barrow Camera in DerbyshireBarrow, Cheshire disputed - L. B. Larking, The Knights Hospitallers in England p.233Great Barrow Camera |Birkenhead PrioryHistorical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in MerseysideBromborough PrioryHistorical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in MerseysideChester Abbey +tradition of very early foundation disputedChester Abbey  T. Tanner, Notitia Monastica, p.57, considers the accounts of Chester Cathedral's foundation either in the time of King Lucius or the foundation of a nunnery by King Wulfhere for his daughter Werburg to be later fictions?nunsfounded before 875;destroyed? in raids by the Danes 875;secular canonsfounded after 907, traditionally by Æthelflæd, daughter of King AlfredChester Abbey: Christopher N. L. Brooke's communications consider this tradition is correct;Benedictine monksrefounded as an abbey 1092/3 by Hugh I, Earl of Chester;dissolved 1540; granted 1534/5;episcopal diocesan cathedralfounded 1541; extantThe Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Chester (-875)The Abbey Church of Saint Werburgh, ChesterThe Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chester (1541) |Houses of Benedictine monks — The abbey of Chester | A History of the County of Chester: Volume 3 (pp. 132-146)Chester Abbeysecular canons?founded 689;destroyed? in raids by the Danes after 875;secular canons with associated anchorite cell;(?re)founded c.906-7?;part of the college of St John the Baptist;dissolved 1547;briefly episcopal diocesan cathedral, then co-cathedral with Coventry ?1072/5 until 1102;in parochial use from 1102The Abbey Church of Saint John the Baptist, ChesterThe Cathedral Church of Saint John the Baptist, Chester (1072/5-1102) |Chester BlackfriarsDominican Friars (under the Visitation of Oxford)founded before 1236 by Alexander Stavensby, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield;dissolved 1538; granted to John Coke of London February 1544; site came into the possession of the Dutton family 1561|Chester Franciscan Friary, earlier siteCapuchin Franciscan Friars — from Pantasaph, Walesfounded 21 December 1858transferred to new site 1862 (see immediately below)|Chester Franciscan Friary *Capuchin Franciscan Friars — from Pantasaph, Walesfounded 21 December 1858 at earlier site (see immediately above)transferred to new site 1862;church opened 29 April 1875;extantSt Francis |Chester GreyfriarsFranciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Worcester)founded 1237/8 (1238–40) by Albert of Pisa;dissolved 1537 (15 August 1538); granted to John Coke|Chester Friars of the SackFriars of the Sackfounded before 1274;dissolved 1284; community probably died out before 1300|Chester — St Michael's Monasteryuncertain orderfounded before 1162St Michael's Monastery, Chester: T. Tanner, Notitia Monastica p.62, cites Charter of Roger, Constable of Chester and that of Henry II to the Canons of Norton, and states in note i that Sir Peter Leycester, Historical Antiquities p.198, considers this to have been the parish church of St Michael;Parish Church of St Michael, built 15th century; rebuilt by James Harrison 1849–50, currently in use as a Heritage CentreSt Michael |Chester WhitefriarsCarmelite Friarsfounded 1279 (or before 1277) by Thomas Stadham; precinct granted 1289 to build their house;dissolved 15 August 1538; granted to John Coke (Cokkes)|Chester Priory, earlier siteBenedictine? nunsfounded before 1066;dissolved before c.1140;refounded on new site (see immediately below)St Mary |Chester Priory #Benedictine nuns(community founded at earlier site (see immediately above) before 1066);transferred here refounded c.1140 by Ranulph de Gernon (Randal), Earl of Chester;dissolved 1537 (c.1540(?)); granted to Urian Brereton and son;site excavated prior to construction of County Police Headquarters on site 1964The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Chester |Combermere AbbeySavignac monks — from Savignyfounded 3 November 1133 by Hugh de Malbane, Lord of Nantwich;Cistercian monksorders merged 17 September 1147;dissolved 1538; granted to William Cotton, Esq.The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Michael, Combermere |Curzon Park Abbey *, ChesterBenedictine nuns(community founded at Talacre, Wales, 1868);transferred from Talacre 1988; extantThe Abbey Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Curzon Park, Chester |Darnhall AbbeyCistercian monks — from Abbey Dore, Herefordshirefounded 14 January 1271 to February 1274 by Edward I;transferred to new site at Vale Royal 1281The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Darnhall |Hilbre IslandHistorical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in MerseysideMobberley Priory #Augustinian Canons Regularfounded c.1203-4 (c.1206) by Patrick of Mobberley;annexed as a cell dependent on Rocester, Staffordshire 1228–40;manor house built on site 1625 (replacing earlier, ruinous house)The Priory Church of Saint Mary and Saint Wilfrid, Mobberley____________________Modberley Priory |Norton PrioryAugustinian Canons Regular(community founded at Runcorn c.1115);transferred from Runcorn 1134 by William FitzWilliam third Baron of Halton;raised to abbey status 1391 (1422) (early in the reign of Henry VI or sooner);dissolved 1536; granted to Richard Brooke;part converted into private mansion 1545;demolished 1928;now in ownership of Norton Priory Museum Trust open to public as a museumThe Priory Church of Saint Mary at Norton____________________Norton Abbey |Greene, pp. 2–3, 65–72. Starkey, pp. 9, 35–40.Poulton AbbeySavignac monks — from Combermeresite granted to Combermere 1146;Cistercian monksorders merged 17 September 1147;founded 1153Poulton Abbey foundation: Robert died 1153 — date given by W. Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum; M. J. C. Fisher, referring to the Chronicle of Dieulacres, Grays Inn, manuscript no.9, f, 138 v. possibly indicates when building started by Robert, butler to Ranulf II, Earl of Chester;building possibly completed 12 May 1158;transferred to new site at Dieulacres, Staffordshire 1214 due to incursions by the Welsh;subsequently re-used as a monastic grange with chapel;dissolved; granted to William Cotton, Esq. (Sir George Cotton) c.1544;ruinous before 1672;demolished before 1718St Mary and St Benedict____________________Pulton Priory;Pulton Abbey |Runcorn Priorysupposed monastic houseRuncorn, foundation by Æthelflaed doubted by T. Tanner, Notitia Monastica p.59, note n.founded c.912 by Æthelflaed of Mercia;Augustinian Canons Regularfounded 1115 by William FitzNigel second Baron of Halton;transferred to new site at Norton 1134;possibly on site now occupied by All Saints parish churchSt Mary and St Bertelin |Greene, p. 1.Starkey, p. 9.Saighton GrangeBenedictine monksmainly agricultural grange converted to residential grange of the abbots of Chester 15th century;monastic site, apart from gatehouse, demolished 1861;house built on site;converted into a school named 'Abbey Gate College' 1977|Stanlow AbbeyCistercian monks — from Combermere;founded 11 November 1172 by John FitzRichard, Constable and sixth Baron of Halton;transferred to new site at Whalley, Lancashire 1296; retained in use as a cell/grange dependent on Whalley from c.1350(?) until 1442;dissolved 1442?; granted to Sir Robert Cotton, Kt. c.1553;no substantial remains, site inaccessibleThe Blessed Virgin Mary____________________Locus Benedictus de Stanlawe;Stanlaw Abbey;Stanlawe Abbey |Stanney GrangeCistercian monksgrange with resident monk, dependent on Stanlow and Whalley, Lancashire;founded 1172Cow Worth Grange |Vale Royal AbbeyCistercian monks(community founded at Darnhall 14 January 1274 to 1277);transferred from Darnhall 1281;never completed; a project of Edward I;dissolved 1545; granted to Thomas Holcroft c.1543Saint Mary the Virgin, Saint Nicholas and Saint Nicasius____________________Valeroyal Abbey |Warrington Austin FriarsAugustinian Friars (under the Limit of Lincoln)founded before 1272? (built 1379?) on the site of an earlier hospital;dissolved 1539; granted to Thomas Holcroft 1540/1;church continued in use until 17th century|Warburton PrioryHistorical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Greater Manchester

See also

List of monastic houses in England List of monastic houses in Wales

Notes

References

Bibliography