Description

TF 81 SW
8/11

CASTLE ACRE
PRIORY ROAD
Remains of Cluniac Benedictine Priory of St. Mary and St Peter and St Paul

G.V.
I

Remains of Cluniac Benedictine Priory of St. Mary and SS Peter and Paul. C12
church and monastery, C15 and C16 alterations and additions in west range
forming Prior's Lodging. Founded 1090 by William de Warrene, second Earl of
Surrey, dissolved 1537. Benedictines of the Cluniac Reform. Stone faced, flint
built church, flint monastery. Cruciform church with monastic quadrangle to
south. Church west elevation of early C12, Romanesque freestone tripartite
facade. Surviving to parapet height. Nave gable has central round arched door
with 4 orders supporting arch of diaper, rope, zig zag and bobbin sections.
Flanking bands of interlace blank arches in 3 stages. Large Perpendicular
west window, with flanking diaper pattern Norman blank windows. Clasping
nook-shafted buttresses to parapet height. Aisles have single round arch door,
blank windows and interlaced arches above. At south-west fourth storey, above
aisle formed by Transitional tower with 2 shafted 2-pointed arched windows
to each face. Blank arcading and interlace to interior of nave west gable.
Nave elevation survives on south side only, one bay of arcade with gallery
and clerestorey with half passage above. Piers with diagonal grooving, wall
shafts running through 3 storeys formerly supporting unvaulted roof. Vaulted
south aisle. Remains of C12 nave, aisles, crossing, transepts, chapels, choir
and sanctuary. Compound section piers of polychrome greystone and carstone
banding. Outline of reconstructed apsed east end terminations after Cluny
II altered to square ends in C14 and C15. C12 monastic quadrangle to south,
with Chapter house, Dormitory with undercroft and stairs, garde-robe.
Rere-dorter at right angles at south, with drains and lavatories, arched over
river. C12 Norman and C14 Infirmary. South range with Norman Refectory and
kitche, further later kitchen. West range has C12 Prior's Lodging and west
gate, altered in C15 and C16. Central c.1500 flint chequerwork and timber
frame gabled pantiled 2 storey porch with 4-centred arch and window. C12 zig
zag arch and 2 bay rib vaulted passage. Refaced facade of C12 west range to
north, with C12 range refaced in C16 at north-west. 2 storey gabled west
elevations with C15 first floor stone oriel, north face with perhaps C16
post-Dissolution stone bowed first floor window on buttress base with
squinches. Norman ground floor door. Interior has ground floor C12 aisled
vaulted undercroft with parlatorium to north. First floor Prior's Chapel
with C12 arched apsed sanctuary, C14 east window and sedile. C15 scissor
braced roof, remains of inner moulded ceiling. Presumably post-Dissolution
C16 inserted stack divides into 2 chambers. Further detached possibly agricul-
tural buildings at southwest. Scheduled Ancient Monument, County Number 2.
See F.J.E. Raby and P.K.B. Reynolds Castle Acre Priory (1952). In care of HBMC.

Listing NGR: TF8139714810

External Links

• Historic England Listing

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas