Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas at Leeds was founded by Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119 and continued in existence until 1539. An extensive mansion was built in the vicinity by 1719, which in turn was demolished at the end of the 18th century. Nothing now remains above the ground of the church or claustral buildings. An extensive excavation was undertaken by the Kent Archaeological Society in 1973. The Norman cruciform church was extended in the 14th century, particularly the prsebytery being rebuilt with aisles and lengthened. Unusually, the short, 5-bay Norman nave with its West porch was not remodelled. The claustral range lay to the South. The East range consisted of the chapter house and dormitory, the South range had the refectory and kitchen. The only building which survived the Dissolution was the slype, which is a rectangular building , 45 feet by 12 feet, aligned North-South, and still standing to 10 feet high. Originally built in ragstone, it was partly rebuilt in brick in the 16th century. In the 19th century, a red brick chimney was added.

Monument Types

• AUGUSTINIAN MONASTERY (AUGUSTINIAN MONASTERY, Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHAPTER HOUSE (Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• CLOISTER (Medieval to Modern - 1119 AD to 2050 AD)
• GATEHOUSE (GATEHOUSE, Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• KITCHEN (Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• REFECTORY (Medieval - 1119 AD to 1539 AD)
• DOVECOTE (DOVECOTE, Medieval to Modern - 1533 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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(TQ 82345299) Remains of [NAT] St Mary and St Nicholas's Abbey [NR] Black Canons of the order of St Augustine AD 1119 [NAT] (1) Priory of Augustinian Canons at Leeds, Kent. Foundation date given as before 1119. (2) A Priory of Austin Canons, founded by AD 1119 and disolved between 1537 and 1540. Very little remains but to the south-east of the farm-house (TQ 85 SW 37) is a stone rubble wall, and there are two other portions to the south of the main barn of Abbey Farm and to the northeast of the mill pond. (3) With the exception of the supposed remains of the gate-house (TQ 85 SW 76) there are no extant remains of Leeds Abbey. According to Mr L R A Grove, Hon Corr and Curator, Maidstone Museum, the site of the Abbey is centred at TQ 82375305. It was excavated by Cave-Brown c1890, but his records were lost. No trace survives except a levelled area, now partially occupied by derelict farm buildings, or afforested. A building is shown here and described 'Leeds Abbey' in 1779 (a). (4) Survey of 8.1.61 checked and correct. (5) Augustinian Priory founded AD 1119. Perhaps the "finest" house in Kent. Thoroughly dismantled at the dissolution. The scheduling to include the clausteral ranges the entire precinct and the dovecote(s). The precinct still stands to the north and the west. The AP shows the site before the demolition of the farm buildings. The only building still standing in this area is the brick vaulted slype which will shortly collapse unless remedial measures are taken, its date is uncertain. The area of the Abbey has been demonstrated by excavation and the site has proved to be of Guardianship quality. (6) The Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas at Leeds (Kent) was founded by Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119 and continued in existance until 1539. An extensive mansion was built on the site which in turn was demolished at the end of the 18th century. Nothing now remains above the ground of the church or claustral buildings. An extensive excavation was undertaken by the Kent Archaeological Society in 1973 and continued until 1976. Full excavation report. (7 - 8) Slype at TQ 823529 in grounds of former Leeds Priory. Slype. Late Medieval or Medieval core, partly rebuilt in 16th c. West elevation roughly coursed ragstone with no plinth. East wall red brick in English bond on galletted stone plinth with chamfered coping. Rectangular, lying north-south, approximately 12' broad and 45' long externally, with thick walls standing to height of approx 10'. Formerly with more to top, and with further stone buildings to north and west at north end. Remains of 19th c red brick chimney stack towards south end of east elevation. Three rectangular window openings to east elevation. Doorway in south end with chamfered stone outer jamb to west side, with broach stop hooks for hinges on inside, head missing. Doorway to north end of west elevation with chamfered red brick jambs, head missing. Interior red brick barrel vault in English bond springing from stone inner walls. 3 east windows with flat stone outer lintels, jambs and cills, morticed for iron grilles, segmental brick inner heads and splayed and rebated brick reveals. Priory of Austin Canons dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas founded 1119 by Robert de Crevequer or Crevecoeur and dissolved between 1537 and 1540. Scheduled Ancient monument. (9)

From the National Heritage List for England:

Details

The monument includes the known upstanding and buried remains of the medieval Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas, two dovecotes which are Listed Grade II, dating from the 16th/17th centuries, and the building known as the slype, which is also Listed Grade II, first constructed during the medieval period and altered in the 16th and 19th centuries. The area is also known to be the site of the 17th/18th century Meredith family mansion, which no longer survives above ground. The remains are all sited within the grounds of Abbey Farm, once part of the Leeds Castle Estate. There are now few upstanding remains of the priory buildings. A length of wall, which is Listed Grade II, to the south east of Abbey Farmhouse (Listed Grade II) is thought to have been associated with the priory buildings or precinct boundary wall, while part of the abbey gatehouse is incorporated into the structure of the Manor House (Listed Grade II*). One of the two dovecotes and the slype are also thought to have been associated with the priory. Most knowledge about the priory, however, comes from partial excavation by P J Tester during the 1970s. This revealed the plan of the monastic buildings and the church, as well as providing information on the various phases of building works on the site. The Augustinian Priory of St Mary and St Nicholas is believed to have been founded by Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119. Two charters exist relating to the foundation - the first is the grant of land at Leeds on which the priory was built, and the second is a grant to the canons of the advowsons of all the churches in his lands (Leeds, Goudhurst, Lamberhurst, Farleigh, Teston, Chatham and Rainham). In the late 13th century the advowson of the priory passed out of the control of the Crevecoeur family, and into the hands of the crown, where it remained until the priory was dissolved, sometime between 1537 and 1540, when most of its possessions were granted to the Dean and Chapter of Rochester. In the Taxatio of Pope Nicholas IV in 1291, the value of the temporalities of the priory was given as thirty seven pounds, eighteen shillings, while in the Valor of 1535, the income of the priory was recorded as three hundred and sixty two pounds, seven shillings and seven pence. Throughout its history, Leeds priory was a large and wealthy foundation, with a prior and around 20 canons (in 1379 there are thought to have been a prior and 22 canons; in 1425, a prior and 24 canons, and in 1511 a prior and 20 canons are recorded). Of the two dovecotes, the smaller structure appears to be the earlier, built at the beginning of the 16th century to serve the priory, while the large building became necessary after the site passed into private ownership, and the number of inhabitants increased dramatically. The slype appears to have a medieval core with 16th and 19th century alterations, and may have been connected with the Priory or with the manor house which replaced it in the late 17th and 18th centuries. After the religious foundation was dissolved by Henry VIII, the lease of all the lands belonging to the priory was granted to Sir Anthony St Leger. Soon after this the property came into the possession of the Meredith family, and a large mansion was built, probably to the west of the priory buildings. The dovecotes and the slype are thought to have continued in use and were associated with this structure, until it was sold at auction and demolished in the late 18th or early 19th century. Nothing now remains of the manor house and there is little information available about it other than an engraving of the house made in 1719 and published soon afterwards. Abbey Farmhouse, Abbey Mill House with associated outbuildings and Brook House are all Listed Grade II, while The Manor House is Listed Grade II*; these buildings are all excluded from the scheduling; also excluded from the scheduling are all standing farm outbuildings, the surfaces of all roads and paths, any service trenches below ground, all modern fences and walling and the telegraph posts; the ground beneath all of these features is, however, included.

Reasons for Designation

From the time of St Augustine's mission to re-establish Christianity in AD 597 to the reign of Henry VIII, monasticism formed an important facet of both religious and secular life in the British Isles. Settlements of religious communities, including monasteries, were built to house communities of monks, canons (priests), and sometimes lay-brothers, living a common life of religious observance under some form of systematic discipline. It is estimated from documentary evidence that over 700 monasteries were founded in England. These ranged in size from major communities with several hundred members to tiny establishments with a handful of brethren. They belonged to a wide variety of different religious orders, each with its own philosophy. As a result, they vary considerably in the detail of their appearance and layout, although all possess the basic elements of church, domestic accommodation for the community, and work buildings. Monasteries were inextricably woven into the fabric of medieval society, acting not only as centres of worship, learning, and charity, but also, because of the vast landholdings of some orders, as centres of immense wealth and political influence. They were established in all parts of England, some in towns and others in the remotest of areas. Many monasteries acted as the foci of wide networks including parish churches, almshouses, hospitals, farming estates and tenant villages. Some 225 of these religious houses belonged to the order of St Augustine. The Augustinians were not monks in the strict sense, but rather communities of canons - or priests - living under the rule of St Augustine. In England they came to be known as `black canons' because of their dark coloured robes and to distinguish them from the Cistercians who wore light clothing. From the 12th century onwards, they undertook much valuable work in the parishes, running almshouses, schools and hospitals as well as maintaining and preaching in parish churches. It was from the churches that they derived much of their revenue. The Augustinians made a major contribution to many facets of medieval life and all of their monasteries which exhibit significant surviving archaeological remains are worthy of protection.

Leeds Priory has had a long and varied history, dating from the 12th century onwards. The Augustinian priory was a wealthy foundation, structural remains of which still survive in the form of the so-called slype, part of the gatehouse and one of the two dovecotes. Partial excavation of the priory in the 1970s demonstrated the survival of buried archaeological remains and considerably enhanced our understanding of the site, especially with regard to its layout and the various phases of construction. After the priory's dissolution in the mid-16th century, the Meredith family mansion was constructed within the precinct. Although few documentary records have survived, the mansion is known to have been the seat of several wealthy families in turn. The only known illustration of the mansion shows a large country house. This can no longer be seen although a few walls representing associated features still stand, incorporated into modern farm buildings. (31)

Additional bibliography (9-30)

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Md Rel Houses Eng & Wales 1953 143 (D Knowles & R N Hancock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46684.

<3> DOE (HHR) Hollingbourne RD Kent Nov 1960 59 (OS Card Reference). SKE40571.

<4> Map of Kent 1779 (Andrew Drury & Herbert) (OS Card Reference). SKE46517.

<5> F1 ASP 15-DEC-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42117.

<6> F2 ASP 25-Jun-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43166.

<7> DOE (IAM) Record Form 15.12.86 (OS Card Reference). SKE40735.

<8> Arch Cant 93 1977 Excav on the site of Leeds Priory 33-45 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36171.

<9> Arch Cant 94 1978 Excav on the site of Leeds Priory 75-98 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36202.

<10> DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 14 Dec 1984 49 (OS Card Reference). SKE39867.

<11> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1969 355 (N Pevsner & J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37836.

<12> F3 MJF 13-Mar-86 (OS Card Reference). SKE43398.

<13> Med Arch 20 1976 178 (L E Webster, J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46749.

<14> Arch Cant 88 1973 211-212 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE35939.

<15> Med Arch 19 1975 235 (L E Webster, J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46740.

<16> Arch Cant 92 1976 247 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36097.

<17> Arch Cant 89 1974 215-6 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE35981.

<18> Arch Cant 91 1975 199-200 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36043.

<19> Arch J 82 1925 260 (OS Card Reference). SKE36690.

<20> VCH 2 Kent 1926 162-165 (R C Fowler) (OS Card Reference). SKE50805.

<21> Arch J 143 1986 314 (M W Thompson) (OS Card Reference). SKE36583.

<22> Monasticon Anglicanum (ed Caley Ellis Bandinel) 6 215 1817-30 (W Dugdale) (OS Card Reference). SKE47322.

<23> Medieval Religious Houses Eng & Wales 1971 163 (D Knowles R N Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46867.

<24> JBAA 49 1893 89-102 (J Cave-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE44990.

<25> Notitia Monastica (ed Naismith) Kent 32 1787 (Tanner) (OS Card Reference). SKE47709.

<26> West Kent & the Weald 1980 370 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE51311.

<27> Arch Cant 97 1981 307 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36298.

<28> Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 3 - December, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4476.

<29> Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 3 - June, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4477.

<30> Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 3 - March, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4478.

<31> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

Sources and further reading

Related records