St Nicholas Priory
Encyclopedia
The Benedictine Priory of St Nicholas or just St Nicholas Priory was a Benedictine
monastery
founded in Exeter
, England
in 1087. At the dissolution of the monasteries
the church and chapter house
range were pulled down but the domestic buildings were left intact. Parts of the south and west ranges of the monastery survive with the south range now being a museum owned by Exeter City Council
.
laid siege to Exeter
, where the mother of Harold Godwinson
, whom he had just defeated in the Battle of Hastings
, was living. After her hasty departure William gave the church of St Olave at Exeter to Battle Abbey
. Monks, who were sent from Battle to administer the church and its possessions, set about building a monastery with its own church, which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas
in 1087. In the 12th and 13th centuries the Priory gathered gifts of land and property and new monastic buildings were erected as funds permitted. Hospitality was built into the monastic rule and a guest house or wing was essential within a monastery. The monks provided hospitality for pilgrims
and other travellers and accommodation for important guests.
The Priory had a very important and lively life within the city until the dissolution of the smaller monasteries by King Henry VIII
in 1536, when the monks were pensioned off and their church and cloisters were pulled down. The remaining buildings and precinct were then sold by the Crown. Between 1575 and 1602 the building was turned into an impressive Elizabethan town house. After that the building became subdivided into houses and businesses. Between 1820 and 1913 the Priory was divided into five lots of premises and all were given entrance doors and new windows. Exeter Corporation bought the Priory in 1913 in order to restore it to show its original monastic architecture. It was opened to the public as a small museum three years later. Repairs and reinterpretation were undertaken in 2007 with funding from the HLF and Renaissance. During the 2007 development, the Priory was partially restored to how it looked when it was a wealthy Tudor merchants house with methods used at the same period 500 years ago. Then, at the beginning of 2009, the priory had further maintenance, which was carried out by Sub-Lime Renovations.
. It is currently furnished as an Elizabethan town house, home of the wealthy Hurst family, in 1602. It has replica furniture and it is painted in the bright colours used in the Elizabethan period. It gives an insight into Tudor
life from Exeter
's collection of artefacts. It has been enhanced with modern amenities such as toilets and a gift shop. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from Monday to Saturday during the British school holidays.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
founded in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1087. At the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
the church and chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
range were pulled down but the domestic buildings were left intact. Parts of the south and west ranges of the monastery survive with the south range now being a museum owned by Exeter City Council
Exeter City Council
Exeter City Council is the council and local government of the city of Exeter, Devon.The City Council provides a range of services within the city including housing, refuse collections and recycling, planning, economic development, tourism, leisure and arts facilities and activities...
.
History
In 1068 William the ConquerorWilliam I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
laid siege to Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, where the mother of Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
, whom he had just defeated in the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
, was living. After her hasty departure William gave the church of St Olave at Exeter to Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey is a partially ruined abbey complex in the small town of Battle in East Sussex, England. The abbey was built on the scene of the Battle of Hastings and dedicated to St...
. Monks, who were sent from Battle to administer the church and its possessions, set about building a monastery with its own church, which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
in 1087. In the 12th and 13th centuries the Priory gathered gifts of land and property and new monastic buildings were erected as funds permitted. Hospitality was built into the monastic rule and a guest house or wing was essential within a monastery. The monks provided hospitality for pilgrims
Pilgrims
Pilgrims , or Pilgrim Fathers , is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States...
and other travellers and accommodation for important guests.
The Priory had a very important and lively life within the city until the dissolution of the smaller monasteries by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
in 1536, when the monks were pensioned off and their church and cloisters were pulled down. The remaining buildings and precinct were then sold by the Crown. Between 1575 and 1602 the building was turned into an impressive Elizabethan town house. After that the building became subdivided into houses and businesses. Between 1820 and 1913 the Priory was divided into five lots of premises and all were given entrance doors and new windows. Exeter Corporation bought the Priory in 1913 in order to restore it to show its original monastic architecture. It was opened to the public as a small museum three years later. Repairs and reinterpretation were undertaken in 2007 with funding from the HLF and Renaissance. During the 2007 development, the Priory was partially restored to how it looked when it was a wealthy Tudor merchants house with methods used at the same period 500 years ago. Then, at the beginning of 2009, the priory had further maintenance, which was carried out by Sub-Lime Renovations.
Museum
As of 1916, the priory has been used as a museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. It is currently furnished as an Elizabethan town house, home of the wealthy Hurst family, in 1602. It has replica furniture and it is painted in the bright colours used in the Elizabethan period. It gives an insight into Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
life from Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
's collection of artefacts. It has been enhanced with modern amenities such as toilets and a gift shop. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from Monday to Saturday during the British school holidays.