Monument record 0158700000 - LUFFIELD PRIORY (OR ABBEY)

Summary

Historical records of twelfth to fifteenth century abbey, some earthworks remaining and site of buildings can be seen on aerial photographs - Benedictine Priory founded in 1116, annexed to Windsor College in 1494. There are no remains visible. Air photographs show cropmarks of a number of features visible north and south of Luffield Abbey Farm, including possible fish ponds and enclosures to the south and possible trackways to the north, within an enclosure which seems to encompass all the features. The features may form part of the priory complex.

Protected Status/Designation

Archaeological Notification Area: Site of Medieval Benedictine monastery at Luffield Priory (DBC9969)

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Type and Period (1)

PRIORY (12th Century to 15th Century - 1100 AD to 1499 AD)

Description

FOUNDED C.1124, DISSOLVED 1494 DUE TO ITS POVERTY. BENEDICTINE MONKS. IN 1755 PART OF TOWER WALL REMAINED. SUPPOSED CHURCH DIMENSIONS: 80 X 30 FT (HISTORY)(B1-8,B16).
NO STRUCTURAL REMAINS; NUMEROUS DITCHES MAY INDICATE MONASTIC BUILDINGS (B9).
C15 CARTULARY (B10-11).
NGR (B12).
AP CROPMARKS PROBABLY BLDGS (B14).

(SP 674421) Luffield Abbey Farm on site of Luffield Priory (LB) (Benedictine Founded C. AD 1116) (B17).
The Benedictine priory of Luffield was founded for twelve monks in 1116-1118. All the monks died in the Black Death, and in 1494 the priory was annexed to Windsor College, when the buildings were in a "ruinous condition" (B8).
Luffield Abbey Farm and its outbuildings are modern, and no remains of the Old Priory are evident. The owner stated that nothing relating to the Priory had been found during farming. The name and local tradition are the only evidence that the Priory was sited here (B18).
SP 674421. Indication of an associated village site (B19).
A rapid examination of air photography (b21) shows cropmarks of a number of features visible north and south of Luffield Abbey Farm, including possible fish ponds and enclosures to the south and possible trackways to the north, within an enclosure which seems to encompass all the features. The features may form part of the priory complex (B20).
NRHE insert 1997, update 2000 (B22).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Sources (23)

---SBC19942 Photograph: 1942. Luffield Abbey.
<1>SBC16730 Bibliographic reference: Browne Willis. 1755. The History and Antiquities of the Town, Hundred and Deanry of Buckingham. pp223-227.
<2>SBC16743 Unpublished document: Browne Willis. WILLIS B MS FOLIO XI, BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD.
<3>SBC26953 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 3). Volume 3. pp110-112.
<4>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. pp285-286.
<5>SBC5750 Article in serial: Henry Gough. 1884. 'THE TERRITORIAL, CORPORATE, AND LOCAL ARMORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE', IN RECS OF BUCKS 5 PP358-374. Vol 5, part 7. p367.
<6>SBC5706 Bibliographic reference: GIBBS R 1891 BUCKS MISCELLANY P157.
<7>SBC20460 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1905. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume I. Volume 1. pp347-350.
<8>SBC7151 Bibliographic reference: KNOWLES D & HADCOCK R N 1971 MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HO USES,2ND EDITION PP55,70.
<9>SBC20467 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1913. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 2. pp19,21,184.
<10>SBC4578 Bibliographic reference: ELVEY G R (ED)1968,1975 LUFFIELD PRIORY CHARTERS,V OLS 1-2 IN BUCKSRECORDSOCIETY15&18"".
<11>SBC3426 Bibliographic reference: DAVIS G R C 1958 MEDIEVAL CARTULARIES OF GREAT BRI TAIN P71.
<12>SBC10378 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1958. OS 1958 1:10560 MAP. 1:10,560.
<13>SBC1948 Excavation archive: BROWN MRS G FEB 1975 (LETTER RE EXCAVATION FILED) (SITE ARCHIVE AT NAR (PRN 1866)..
<14>SBC12052 Bibliographic reference: PIKE A R FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY A/P BSG 101,APR IL 1975 (COPY AT BCM).
<15>SBC19256 Bibliographic reference: Browne Willis. 1717. An History of the Mitred Parliamentary Abbies. Vol 2. p24.
<16>SBC20463 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1927. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume IV. Volume 4. pp197-198.
<17>SBC28521 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1955. OS 6" 1955.
<18>SBC28736 Verbal communication: James Baird. 1970. Field Investigator Comments - F1 JB 02-FEB-70.
<19>SBC28737 Aerial Photograph: J K St Joseph. Aerial photo: J.K St Joseph ACT 64.
<20>SBC28615 Unpublished document: Andrew Miller. 1994. RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project.
<21>SBC28738 Aerial Photograph: NMR. Aerial photograph: NMR SP 6742/1-2.
<22>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 6738 4209 (230m by 170m)
Civil Parish	LUFFIELD ABBEY, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Event - Intervention: Excavation: LUFFIELD PRIORY (EBC11833)
Event - Survey: RCHME: Air Photograph Primary Recording Project 1992-1996 (EBC18831)

Record last edited

Jan 8 2026 12:27PM