Monument record 0057700000 - CHETWODE PRIORY

Summary

Site of medieval priory of Chetwode - The priory was founded in 1245 but was ruinous by 1460. It was rebuilt, and from circa 1480 until its dissolution in 1535, it was a cell of Notley Priory. The only extant remains are St Mary And St Nicholas' Church, which replaced St Martin's Church as the priory church and the parish church in 1480, and a fishpond. There are no extant remains in Priory House, which was built on the site after the Dissolution.

Protected Status/Designation

  • Archaeological Notification Area: Site of Medieval priory of Chetwode (DBC8855)
  • Local Heritage List 3032: CHETWODE PRIORY (DBC11143)

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Type and Period (2)

  • PRIORY (13th Century to 15th Century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)
  • AUGUSTINIAN MONASTERY (13th Century to 15th Century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)

Description

Priory founded 1245. Due to its poverty, annexed to Nutley Abbey 1460 (B6,B18).
Priory church became the parish church in 1480 (B9).
C16 plan shows transeptal church with tower, cloisters & conventual buildings (B5).
Of this, only the quire & N chapel survive, part of the present parish church (B6,B18).


(SP 64022979) Priory House on site of (NAT)
Priory (NR) (Augustinian Founded AD 1245) (NAT)
(SP 63972977) Moat (NR)
(SP 64052968) Fish Pond (NAT)
(SP 64042981) St Mary & St Nicholas's Church (NAT) (B19).

Augustinian Priory founded AD 1245, impoverished in 1460, becoming a cell and finally dissolved in 1538 (b20) (B21).

The only traces of the old priory are in the church of St Mary and St Nicholas, which superseded the parish church of St Martin (SP 62 NW 3) in 1480, the fish ponds and moats (B6).
See plan. (B5, B6, B13).

The Priory House is modern and contains no external evidence of the earlier monastic buildings. St Mary's is now the parish church of Chetwode and contains early architectural fragments fully described in RCHM Bucks (North) 1911 85. The published moat is defensive homestead and is later than the priory complex. Fishpond now water-filled/ornamental. Published survey (25") revised (B23).

NRHE Insert 2000 (B24).

Sources (29)

  • ---SBC28640 Serial: Society for Medieval Archaeology. 1999. Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology, vol 43 - 1999.
  • ---SBC28641 Serial: Society for Church Archaeology. 1999. Church Archaeology, Volume 3, 1999.
  • <1>SBC16730 Bibliographic reference: Browne Willis. 1755. The History and Antiquities of the Town, Hundred and Deanry of Buckingham. p174.
  • <2>SBC1759 Unpublished document: BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD, MSS DRAWINGS & PLAN, REF ; BROWNE WILLIS MS FOLIO XI, 201& 203.
  • <3>SBC26953 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 3). Volume 3. pp4-8.
  • <4>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. pp266-267.
  • <5>SBC13287 Article in serial: RECS OF BUCKS 1856 1 PP206-8, 307; 1867 3 PP214, 3 74-5; 1879 5 PP71-3; 1928 12 P100.
  • <6>SBC20460 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1905. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume I. Volume 1. pp380-381.
  • <7>SBC20467 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1913. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 2. pp19,21,85-86.
  • <8>SBC10388 Map: Ordnance Survey. OS 1958 6IN (1:10560); OS 1975 25IN (1.2500).
  • <9>SBC7160 Bibliographic reference: D Knowles & R N Hadcock. 1971. MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES (2ND EDN) PP139, 153.
  • <10>SBC6491 Article in serial: M W Hughes. 1940. 'FEET OF FINES FOR BUCKS', IN BUCKS RECORD SOC 4 P50. Vol 4.
  • <11>SBC3514 Bibliographic reference: DICKINSON JC 1968 BUILDINGS OF THE ENGLISH AUSTIN CANONS IN BAA JNL 3RD SER 31 PLXIV (PHOTOCOPY OF P.
  • <12>SBC3681 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1983. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
  • <13>SBC19256 Bibliographic reference: Browne Willis. 1717. An History of the Mitred Parliamentary Abbies. Vol 2. pp16-23.
  • <14>SBC19087 Unpublished document: Oxford Archaeological Unit. 1998. The Church of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, Chetwode: Archaeological Watching Brief Report.
  • <15>SBC15132 Article in serial: Ian Toplis. 1975. 'SIR GILBERT SCOTT'S CLASSICAL WORK IN BUCKS', IN RECS OF BUCKS 20 PP93-99. Vol 20.
  • <16>SBC24277 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society. 2011. Chetwode: Historic Landscape Report.
  • <17>SBC24754 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust. 2016. Chetwode Priory: Understanding Historic Parks and Gardens in Buckinghamshire.
  • <18>SBC20463 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1927. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume IV. Volume 4. pp163, 165-168.
  • <19>SBC28494 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1958. OS 6" 1958.
  • <20>SBC28611 Bibliographic reference: edited by William Page and Granville Proby, assisted by H.E. Norris. 1926. The Victoria History of the County of Huntingdon, Volume 1.
  • <21>SBC28638 Bibliographic reference: D Knowles & R N Hadcock. 1953. MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES in England and Wales 1953. p133.
  • <22>SBC7170 Bibliographic reference: D Knowles & R N Hadcock. 1971. MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES in England and Wales. p153.
  • <23>SBC28639 Verbal communication: F D Colquhoun. 1973. Field Investigator Comments - F1 FDC 20-NOV-73.
  • <24>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). 1231362: Letter - A Bracebridge to EP Shirley, Feb 1842.
  • <25>SBC28610 Verbal communication: James Baird. 1973. Field Investigators Comments - F1 JB 15-OCT-73.
  • <26>SBC28494 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1958. OS 6" 1958.
  • <27>SBC28642 Verbal communication: James Baird. 1973. Field Investigators Comments - F1 JB 16-OCT-73.

Location

Grid reference SP 64150 29700 (point)
Civil Parish CHETWODE, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (3)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event - Survey: (EBC14118)
  • Event - Intervention: Watching brief: CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST NICHOLAS (Ref: CHETMN 98) (EBC16083)

Record last edited

Dec 12 2025 3:01PM

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