List of monastic houses in Cheshire

CHESTER (see below)

Combermere Abbey

Curzon Park Abbey

Darnhall Abbey

Mobberley Priory

Norton Priory

Poulton Abbey

Runcorn Priory

Saighton Grange

Stanlow Abbey

Stanney Grange (Cow Worth Grange)

Vale Royal Abbey

Warrington Austin Friars

Locations of monastic houses in Cheshire

Chester Abbey

Chester Cathedral Priory

Blackfriars

Franciscan Friary

Greyfriars

Friary of the Sack (site)

St Michael's Monastery

Whitefriars

Chester Priory (site)

Locations of monastic houses in Chester

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

In this article alien houses are included, as are smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks), and also camerae of the military orders of monks (Templars and Hospitallers). The numerous monastic hospitals per se are not included here unless at some time the foundation had, or was purported to have the status or function of an abbey, priory, friary or preceptory/commandery.

The name of the county is given where there is reference to an establishment in another county. Where the county has changed since the foundation's dissolution the modern county is given in parentheses, and in instances where the referenced foundation ceased to exist before the unification of England, the kingdom is given, followed by the modern county in parentheses.

The geographical co-ordinates provided are sourced from the details provided by Historic England PastScape and Ordnance Survey publications.

A Monastic Glossary follows the listing, which provides links to articles on the particular monastic orders as well as other terms which appear in the listing.

Abbreviations and key

Alphabetical listing of establishments

Foundation	Image	Communities & Provenance	Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names	Online References & Location
Barrow Camera (?)		Knights Hospitaller church granted by Robert de Bachepuz[note 1]; considered to be a confusion with Barrow Camera in Derbyshire[note 2]	Great Barrow Camera
Birkenhead Priory	Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Merseyside
Bromborough Priory	Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Merseyside
Chester Abbey +		tradition of very early foundation disputed[note 3] ?nuns founded before 875; destroyed? in raids by the Danes 875; secular canons founded after 907, traditionally by Æthelflæd, daughter of King Alfred[note 4]; Benedictine monks refounded as an abbey 1092/3 by Hugh I, Earl of Chester; dissolved 1540; granted 1534/5; episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 1541; extant	The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Chester (-875) The Abbey Church of Saint Werburgh, Chester The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chester (1541)	[1][2][3][4] 53°11′31″N 2°53′25″W / 53.191832°N 2.890193°W / 53.191832; -2.890193 (Chester Cathedral Priory)
Chester Abbey		secular 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 1102	The Abbey Church of Saint John the Baptist, Chester The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Baptist, Chester (1072/5-1102)	[5] 53°11′20″N 2°53′08″W / 53.189023°N 2.885461°W / 53.189023; -2.885461 (Chester Abbey)
Chester Blackfriars		Dominican 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		[6][7] 53°11′17″N 2°53′43″W / 53.1880394°N 2.8953427°W / 53.1880394; -2.8953427 (Chester Blackfriars)
Chester Franciscan Friary, earlier site		Capuchin Franciscan Friars — from Pantasaph, Wales founded 21 December 1858 transferred to new site 1862 (see immediately below)
Chester Franciscan Friary *		Capuchin Franciscan Friars — from Pantasaph, Wales founded 21 December 1858 at earlier site (see immediately above) transferred to new site 1862; church opened 29 April 1875; extant	St Francis	[8][9] 53°11′16″N 2°53′35″W / 53.187771°N 2.8930199°W / 53.187771; -2.8930199 (Chester Franciscan Friary)
Chester Greyfriars		Franciscan 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		[10][11][12] 53°11′25″N 2°53′48″W / 53.19037°N 2.896625°W / 53.19037; -2.896625 (Chester Greyfriars)
Chester Friars of the Sack		Friars of the Sack founded before 1274; dissolved 1284; community probably died out before 1300		[13][14] 53°11′16″N 2°53′58″W / 53.1876826°N 2.8994572°W / 53.1876826; -2.8994572 (Chester Friary of the Sack (site))
Chester — St Michael's Monastery		uncertain order founded before 1162;[note 5]; Parish Church of St Michael, built 15th century; rebuilt by James Harrison 1849-50, currently in use as a Heritage Centre	St Michael	[15] 53°11′19″N 2°53′27″W / 53.1886582°N 2.8907347°W / 53.1886582; -2.8907347 (Chester — St Michael's Monastery)
Chester Whitefriars		Carmelite Friars founded 1279 (or before 1277) by Thomas Stadham; precinct granted 1289 to build their house; dissolved 15 August 1538; granted to John Coke (Cokkes)		[16][17] 53°11′18″N 2°53′39″W / 53.1883126°N 2.8940392°W / 53.1883126; -2.8940392 (Chester Whitefriars)
Chester Priory, earlier site		Benedictine? nuns founded 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 1964	The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Chester	[18][19][20] 53°11′46″N 2°53′38″W / 53.1960921°N 2.894015°W / 53.1960921; -2.894015 (Chester Priory (site))
Combermere Abbey		Savignac monks — from Savigny founded 3 November 1133 by Hugh de Malbane, Lord of Nantwich; Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; dissolved 1538; granted to William Cotton, Esq.	The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Michael, Combermere	[21] 52°59′38″N 2°36′46″W / 52.993906°N 2.612742°W / 52.993906; -2.612742 (Combermere Abbey)
Curzon Park Abbey *, Chester		Benedictine nuns (community founded at Talacre, Wales, 1868); transferred from Talacre 1988; extant	The Abbey Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Curzon Park, Chester	[22][23] 52°59′38″N 2°36′46″W / 52.993927°N 2.612756°W / 52.993927; -2.612756 (Curzon Park Abbey)
Darnhall Abbey		Cistercian monks — from Abbey Dore, Herefordshire founded 14 January 1271 to February 1274 by Edward I; transferred to new site at Vale Royal 1281	The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Darnhall	[24][25] 53°09′57″N 2°32′54″W / 53.1658614°N 2.5483292°W / 53.1658614; -2.5483292 (Darnhall Abbey)
Hilbre Island	Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Merseyside
Mobberley Priory #		Augustinian Canons Regular founded 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	[26] 53°19′06″N 2°19′00″W / 53.318291°N 2.316683°W / 53.318291; -2.316683 (Mobberley Priory)
Norton Priory		Augustinian 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 museum	The Priory Church of Saint Mary at Norton ____________________ Norton Abbey	[27][28] Greene, pp. 2–3, 65–72. Starkey, pp. 9, 35–40. 53°20′33″N 2°40′46″W / 53.342537°N 2.679403°W / 53.342537; -2.679403 (Norton Priory)
Poulton Abbey		Savignac monks — from Combermere site granted to Combermere 1146; Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; founded 1153[note 6] 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 1718	St Mary and St Benedict ____________________ Pulton Priory; Pulton Abbey	[29][30][31] 53°07′09″N 2°53′33″W / 53.1190692°N 2.8925478°W / 53.1190692; -2.8925478 (Poulton Abbey)
Runcorn Priory		supposed monastic house[note 7] founded c.912 by Æthelflaed of Mercia; Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1115 by William FitzNigel second Baron of Halton; transferred to new site at Norton 1134; possibly on site now occupied by All Saints parish church	St Mary and St Bertelin	Greene, p. 1. Starkey, p. 9. 53°20′37″N 2°44′12″W / 53.3435°N 2.73656°W / 53.3435; -2.73656 (Runcorn Priory)
Saighton Grange		Benedictine monks mainly 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		[32] 53°09′02″N 2°50′03″W / 53.1504219°N 2.8342795°W / 53.1504219; -2.8342795 (Saighton Grange)
Stanlow Abbey		Cistercian 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 inaccessible	The Blessed Virgin Mary ____________________ Locus Benedictus de Stanlawe; Stanlaw Abbey; Stanlawe Abbey	[33][34] 53°17′24″N 2°51′36″W / 53.2900108°N 2.8599724°W / 53.2900108; -2.8599724 (Stanlow Abbey)
Stanney Grange		Cistercian monks grange with resident monk, dependent on Stanlow and Whalley, Lancashire; founded 1172	Cow Worth Grange	[35] 53°16′20″N 2°53′04″W / 53.2721813°N 2.8844315°W / 53.2721813; -2.8844315 (Stanney Grange (Cow Worth Grange))
Vale Royal Abbey		Cistercian 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.1543	Saint Mary the Virgin, Saint Nicholas and Saint Nicasius ____________________ Valeroyal Abbey	[24] 53°13′29″N 2°32′33″W / 53.22476°N 2.542498°W / 53.22476; -2.542498 (Vale Royal Abbey)
Warrington Austin Friars		Augustinian 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		[36] 53°23′13″N 2°35′37″W / 53.386923°N 2.5935325°W / 53.386923; -2.5935325 (Warrington Austin Friars)
Warburton Priory	Historical county location. See entry under List of monastic houses in Greater Manchester

Glossary

Map link to lists of monastic houses in England by county

Northumberland Durham Lancashire Cheshire Derbs. Notts. Lincolnshire Leics. Staffs. Shropshire Warks. Northants. Norfolk Suffolk Essex Herts. Beds. Bucks. Oxon. Glos. Somerset Wiltshire Berkshire Kent Surrey Hampshire Dorset Devon Cornwall Heref. Worcs. Bristol East Riding of Yorkshire Rutland Cambs. Greater London Tyne & Wear Cumbria North Yorkshire South Yorks. West Yorkshire Greater Manc. Merseyside East Sussex West Sussex Isle of Wight West Midlands

Bedfordshire Berkshire Bristol Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Cornwall Cumbria Derbyshire Devon Dorset County Durham Essex Gloucestershire Greater Manchester Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Isle of Wight Kent Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire London Merseyside Norfolk Northamptonshire Northumberland Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Rutland Shropshire Somerset Staffordshire Suffolk Surrey Sussex, East Sussex, West Tyne and Wear Warwickshire West Midlands Wiltshire Worcestershire Yorkshire, East Riding Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West

See also

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

Notes

References

• Binns, Alison (1989) Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 1: Dedications of Monastic Houses in England and Wales 1066–1216, Boydell
• Cobbett, William (1868) List of Abbeys, Priories, Nunneries, Hospitals, And Other Religious Foundations in England and Wales and in Ireland, Confiscated, Seized On, or Alienated by the Protestant "Reformation" Sovereigns and Parliaments
• Knowles, David & Hadcock, R. Neville (1971) Medieval Religious Houses England & Wales. Longman
• Morris, Richard (1979) Cathedrals and Abbeys of England and Wales, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd.
• Thorold, Henry (1986) Collins Guide to Cathedrals, Abbeys and Priories of England and Wales, Collins
• Thorold, Henry (1993) Collins Guide to the Ruined Abbeys of England, Wales and Scotland, Collins
• Wright, Geoffrey N., (2004) Discovering Abbeys and Priories, Shire Publications Ltd.
• English Cathedrals and Abbeys, Illustrated, Odhams Press Ltd.
• Map of Monastic Britain, South Sheet, Ordnance Survey, 2nd edition, 1954