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Monument details

HER Number:TR 34 SW 901
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:RUINS OF CLOISTERS TO WEST OF THE REFECTORY OF ST MARTINS PRIORY DOVER COLLEGE

Summary

GV II* Listed remains of cloisters. Probably mid C12. Flint walls with round-headed openings. Part of a series of monastic buildings of St Martin's Priory, a Benedictine monastery refounded by Archbishop Corbeuil in 1131. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information).


Grid Reference:TR 31520 41562
Map Sheet:TR34SW
Parish:DOVER, DOVER, KENT

Monument Types

  • BENEDICTINE MONASTERY (Medieval - 1131 AD? to 1538 AD?)
  • CLOISTER (Medieval - 1131 AD? to 1538 AD?)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II*) 1069496: RUINS OF CLOISTERS TO WEST OF THE REFECTORY OF ST MARTINS PRIORY DOVER COLLEGE; Scheduled Monument 1002943: St Martin's Priory (remains of)

Full description

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The monument includes a medieval Augustinian, and later Benedictine, priory surviving as upstanding and below-ground remains. It is situated on low-lying ground below Priory Hill in Dover. The upstanding remains of the priory include the medieval gatehouse, the refectory, remains of the cloister and fragments of other monastic buildings. This listing specifically refers to the remains of the cloisters, which are probably mid 12th century in date. The cloisters consist of flint walls with round-headed openings. Part of a series of monastic buildings of St Martin's Priory, a Benedictine monastery re-founded by Archbishop Corbeuil in 1131. (1)

Reasons for Designation

Despite some alterations and development on the site in the past, St Martin’s Priory survives well. The refectory and gatehouse, though altered, are still extant and upstanding remains of other priory buildings also survive. Together with below-ground archaeological remains, these will provide valuable evidence for the original ground plan and layout of the priory. The site will contain below-ground archaeological and environmental information relating to the construction, history and use of the priory.

A religious house was originally founded in the Saxon burgh at Dover Castle by King Eadbald of Kent (616-640) for 22 secular canons. In 696, King Wihtred transferred the canons to a new church dedicated to St Martin in part of the area of Dover now occupied by Market Square. They remained there for the following centuries and the names and possessions of the canons are recorded in the Domesday Book. In 1130, Henry I gave a Charter to Archbishop Corbeil of Canterbury to allow him to build a priory in the town and appropriate the assets of the existing church of St Martin. The new priory was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Martin and was called ‘St Martin's of the New Work’, or ‘Newark’, to distinguish it from the old church. Augustinian canons were initially introduced but in about 1143 Archbishop Theobald established Benedictine rule. The priory was closed in 1535 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The land was granted to Archbishop Cranmer in 1538 who leased it to Henry Bingham of Wingham.

Some of the buildings were dismantled but others were adapted to agricultural use. In the late 19th century, Dover College was established on the site and the remaining priory buildings were ‘restored’ by the architect George Edmund Street. A small excavation was carried out on the site in 1979 but no priory buildings were located. The priory gatehouse, the refectory and the remains of the cloisters to the west of the refectory are Grade II* listed. (2-3)

The GIS polygon associated with this record does not represent the full extent or curtilage of the listed building but merely defines the outline of the building. For further information on the extent of the listed building please contact Dover District Council.


<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<3> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
<2>Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments.
<3>Index: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.

Related records

TR 34 SW 22Part of: Remains of St Martin's Priory and 19th century Dover College (Monument)