Monument record 1160/6 - St Andrew's Priory

A Cluniac Priory was founded at Northampton between 1093-1100 as a dependency of La Charite. In 1405 it became denizen, and was dissolved in 1538. Maps by Speed in 1610 and Pierce in 1632 suggest that the church lay to the North of Lower Priory Street and the gatehouse North of Grafton Street. The priory was entirely surrounded by a precinct wall. The area of the priory was built over in the 19th century. A watching brief in 1980 observed mutilated Medieval deposits, most notably part of the monk's cemetery. Dependencies: Kingsthorpe Hospital.

{1}Site of Cluniac Priory of St Andrews lies in area bounded by St Andrew's Street, St George's Street, Grafton Street, Lower Harding Street & Spring Lane. Probably founded in late C11th by Simon de Senlis I. Area was probably occupied by c.1100; acquired the advowsons of all the town's churches by the late C12th as well as much property in town & town fields; net revenue of priory in 1538 was £263; dissolved in 1538 & site sold in 1550. Discussion of priory buildings survival into C17th as shown on Speed & Pierce; also specific structures, closes & other features can be recognised on these maps.

{3} Monastic buildings located between Lower Priory Street & Crane Street;

{4} Founded between 1093-1100 by Simon de St Liz Earl of Northampton. Situated on north-west side of Northampton; abutted town walls and bordered River Nene. Hugh of Wells, Bishop of Lincoln 1209-1235 at request of monks confirmed all churches of Northampton in priory's possession with their appurtanances of other chapelrys in the town; taxation of 1291 priory held spiritualites in diocese of Lincoln amounting to £30.12s. Earliest reference to house is in letter of Peter the Venerable, ninth abbot of Cluny 1122-37 when raised order to summit of fame and prosperity; disputes between Priory and other religious houses in 1186, 1202, 1233 etc.; encroachments and withdrawals by Priory recorded in Hundred Rolls in enclosing the king's highway by the west gate of the town; received royal grants from King John in 1208-9 who took under his protection the monks of St Andrew's of Northampton; assisted with alms in the work of building; 1262 34 brethren & debt of 272.5 marks; visitation in 1275-6 by John Prior of Wenlock; 30 brethren then at Priory & having huge debt of 700 marks; In 1292 the monks obtained a new water supply by an underground conduit from a spring to the north-east of the town; In 1314 it was reported at the general chapter that sufficient provision was not made for the infirm at the house on account of the loss of rents pertaining to the infirmary; 1337 onwards Edward III granted payment of a yearly ferme; priory suffered indemnity; 1405 deed tells house was in ruins & estates of monks had been alienated; house surrendered 2nd March 1538 to Dr. Layton and pensions granted; house greatly in debt & many lands sold or heavily mortgaged.

{5} Last of Northampton Parliaments held at castle in 1380; Rolls of Parliament establish that earlier meetings of this parliament were held in new dormitory of St Andrew's Priory;

{6}Cluniac house was founded between 1093 & 1100; net income in 1535 was £263; surrendered in 1538;

{7} Within walls of Northampton stood the Cluniac Priory of St Andrew; house of Dominican friars at Horsemarket/Gold Street in 1348 was recorded as the original house of Cluniac monks before founding of St Andrew's Priory c.1100; charter evidence in St Andrew's cartulary indicating all churches as confirmation of Bishop Hugh granted to Priory c.1100; Simon de Senlis granted to St Andrew's 'the church in which they dwell & all other churches of the same vill'; St Andrew's 'Parish' was former demense lands of the town which belonged to Priory and were classed as extra-parochial; detailed discussion of demense lands; priory was one of two major landlords of the town at time of Dissolution; held over 160 properties & held pervasive influence over town in many other ways; Chapelry in 'St Andrew's ground' was probably part of the priory surviving after Dissolution; A garden & 2 orchards were recorded in 1545 as lying in St Andrew's parish; 'parish' may refer to former demense lands of the priory lying in the Northampton fields

{8} Area of St Andrew's priory shows monastic buildings still standing in C17th; Priory of St Andrew surrounded by walls with gatehouse & buildings with an internal precinct wall possibly around the Abbey church; walls form part of the medieval town defences;

{9} Priory of St Andrew surrounded by walls; some detail of buildings & other features within walls; description of all the Ancient Demense Lands belonging to the priory; Mynard identifies some of the structures depicted & suggests that his fieldwork confirms the accuracy of the map; some inconsistency with earlier Speed map;

{10} In 1532 Francis Leycester elected as prior; St Andrews 'greatly in debt' & lands being mortgaged & sold in 1535; survey of priory in 1538 & soon after house & its land surrendered to the king;

{11} St Andrew's Priory situated in the vicinity of Harding Street & Francis Street now built upon; most ancient of religious houses of the town; Simon de Liz first Earl of Northampton repaired & endowed all churches & appurtenances & associated land; c.1084 given to Cluniac monks; priory had many benefactors therefore richly endowed; alien priory at time of war with France their revenues siezed & made payment of 20 shillings annually in order to retain their temporalities; 1404-5 convent was made denizen & relieved from all pensions due to the crown; at time of Dissolution in 1538 priory had a prior & 12 monks; house & demesne lands amounted to c.700 acres; granted by Edward VI to Sir Thomas Crane; in 1833 site was disposed of & built upon; second Simon de Liz was interred here along with many other persons of rank;

{12} In 1084 Simon de St Liz & his wife granted churches & estates to the priory; details given; priory was repaired or rebuilt; situated on north side of town bordering river; the modern church of St Andrew partly occupies site; the priory was most important establishment in town; it possessed ten churches of town & other lands in county; the priory was surrendered in 1538; house & demesne lands of nearly 700 acres were granted by Edward VI to Sir Thomas Smith;

{13} Notes general bequests to the Priory of St Andrew during the C14th & C16th;

{14} Monastery of the black monks stood in the north part of the town by the north gate; founded by Simon Saint Liz; Earl Simon 2nd & 3rd both buried there; also one Varney that was made a knight at the field of Northampton;

{15}There is evidence that the house of the monks originally lay in Horsemarket & was subsequently moved;

{16}Scope of endowment by Simon de Senlis I;

{18}Simon de Senlis I granted to the priory the chruch in which they dwell & all other churches of the same vill;

{19}The Cluniac priory of St Andrew was probably founded in the late 11th century by Simon de Senlis 1 as a dependency of the priory of St Mary de Charitie on the banks of the Loire. The monastery which played an important role in the history of Northampton was dissolved in 1537 and the site was sold in 1550. The site was totally built over in the 19th century but large areas of the priory precinct were cleared in the 1980s for redevelopment. Watching briefs were maintained and badly disturbed features were observed.

{20}Priory was paid compensation for land taken into castle;

{21}T.C. Welsh claims "There is documentary evidence, from a proof of title extending back to the sale of the Priory lands that the St Andrew's Priory holdings extended further south than suggested by the archaeologists, probably up to the castle walls, helping to explain the compensations to the Priory for the building or enlargement of the castle and the building of the town walls.

{?}St Andrew's Priory lies in area bounded by St Andrew's Road & St George's Street & Grafton Street & lower Harding Street & Spring Lane; the priory was probably founded in the late C11th by Simon de Senlis as a dependancy of the priory of St Mary de Charite on the banks of the Loire; there is evidence that the house of the monks originally lay in Horsemarket & was subsequently transferred, but the scope of Senlis' endowment.

{23} Drawings of stones, stone coffins and tombstone, with measurements;

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.337-8 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.452-55+502 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<3> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1905, Journal of Northants Natural History Society and Field Club, 79-92+131+137-8 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN433.

<4> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.102-109 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<5> Serjeantson R.M., 1908, The Castle of Northampton, p.39 (checked) (Article). SNN3900.

<6> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.97 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<7> WILLIAMS J., 1982, Northampton's Medieval Parishes, 74-84 (checked) (Article). SNN316.

<8> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN559.

<9> Pierce M., 1632, A true plot and description of al the Ancient Demesne Lands belonginge to the Priorye of St Andrew's in 1632, (unchecked) (Map). SNN365.

<10> 1509-1532, Letters & Papers of Henry VIII (LPFD 1-30, Vols.1-13), (unchecked) (Document). SNN1036.

<11> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.40-43 (checked) (Book). SNN1032.

<12> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.100+117-18; Copy in NDC SMR File M2; (checked) (Book). SNN1002.

<13> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.228 (checked); Copy in NDC SMR File M2; (Extract). SNN1080.

<14> Leland J., 1543, Itinerary, p.9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN13988.

<15> Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1348-1350/247 (unchecked) (Document). SNN978.

<16> Dugdale, 1823, Monasticon Anglicanum, p.190-191 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN479.

<17> Lee H., 1932, A History of Northampton, p.67-76+93-103+145-52 (unchecked) (Article). SNN57546.

<18> BM.COTT.VESP, FOL.1B (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN1738.

<19> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p.204 (checked) St Andrew's Priory (Article). SNN100418.

<20> Calendar of Pipe Rolls, 31 Henry I (1130)/135 (unchecked) (Document). SNN3785.

<21> WELSH T.C., 1998, NOTE, (unchecked) (Note). SNN47226.

<22> 1545, PRO E 318 21/1098, PRO E 318 21/1098 (unchecked) (Document). SNN56773.

<23> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/17,25-27,706 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:00PM