Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Almonry Court was situated to the extreme N.W of the Priory complex, bounded by the Aula Nova on the east, the street called the Borough on the west, the lane leading to the Great Court Gate on the south, and Queningate Lane by the City wall on the north.

Monument Types

• YARD (C13, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1900 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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The Almonry Court was situated to the extreme N.W of the Priory complex, bounded by the Aula Nova on the east, the street called the Borough on the west (where a new Almonry Wall was built in c. 1160), the lane leading to the Great Court Gate on the south, and Queningate Lane by the City wall on the north.

In 1231 Henry III granted Christ Church land to increase the Almonry Court. The Court had a gate with a porter's lodge, which was possibly at its NW corner, on the site of the later Mint Yard gate. There was a hall for the distribution of food to the poor and pilgrims, a chapel and a stable. By 1291-2 a school had been established within the Almonry. The Account Roll for 1317-18 shows repairs and new buildings at Christ Church, including a new hall for scholars and a chapel in the Almonry Court.

At the Dissolution of the Priory the Almonry Court and all of its buildings became the property of the new Dean and Chapter. The school later became the King's School. Henry VIII set up a Mint in the Court (possibly at the north end), which has ever since been known as the Mint Yard. Entry to the yard was through a gate dated 1545 in brickwork outside, probably on the site of the old gate. In 1555 Queen Mary gave the Almonry to Cardinal Pole, who set up a chapel in the old chantry and school buildings. In 1573 the King's School moved into the Almonry building and the chapel was set up as an school room.

The Parlimentary Survey of the Precincts of 1647 describes the Latin School: all that large school house commonly called or known by the name of the King's School, situate within the Mint near the Northgate of the said church, and the little dwelling house adjoining the school house commonly called the Schoolmaster's house, consisting of a Hall, a Parlour, a Kitchen, a Wash-house, a Wood-house, six chambers, an old Kitchen and a little garden thereto belonging. Apart from that and the Usher's House at the NW corner all other buildings in the Mint Yard were let out as tenements.

In 1862 the tenements were demolished and by 1865 a new School House was built. In 1865 the Almonry Building was demolished and a new gate was made into the Borough.

Blockley, K., Sparks, M. & Tatton-Brown, T., 1997, Canterbury Cathedral Nave, Archaeology, History and Architecture (Monograph). SKE29723.

Sparks, M. & Tatton-Brown, T., 2003, The Almonry: Documentary Study (Unpublished document). SKE30260.

Sources and further reading