List of English abbeys, priories and friaries serving as parish churches

File:Bath Abbey 01.jpg

Bath Abbey

Nearly a thousand religious houses; abbeys, priories and friaries were founded in England and Wales during the medieval period; accommodating monks, friars or nuns who had taken vows of obedience, poverty and chastity; each house being led by an abbot or abbess, or by a prior or prioress. By their foundation monasteries and nunneries (although not friaries) had acquired endowments of land, property and parochial tithes, and many had become further enriched through subsequent bequests and pilgrim donations. The majority of these houses had come into existence between the 11th and 13th centuries, but by the 14th century decline had set in, hastened by the Black Death in the middle of the century. Later medieval benefactors increasingly regarded educational establishments, parish and collegiate churches as more appropriate recipients of bequests and donations; and by the early 16th century some religious communities had become very small, and few were more than half full. In those year a number were amalgamated or dissolved through the initiatives of reforming bishops, the wealth released being used to endow grammar schools and colleges at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

The process that has come to be known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries began formally in 1536 following the Act for Suppression of the Lesser Monasteries. This transferred the lands and the property of religious houses with an income of less than £200 (equivalent to £100,000 in 2021) a year to the crown. The motives behind this are complex, and include Henry VIII's conflict with the popes over his desire for a divorce, which led to the foundation of the Church of England; and also Henry's ambition to increase the income of the crown. Under this first Act, about one-third of the religious houses were closed. This resulted in the rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. The rebellion failed, and the process of dissolution was extended; abbots, abbesses and priors were placed under increasing pressure and threats in order to persuade them to surrender their monasteries to the crown; four who refused being accused of treason and executed. The last religious house to close was Waltham Abbey in March 1540.

The wealth and properties of the monasteries came into the ownership of the crown, although much was soon sold off; but what happened to the buildings of the abbeys, priories and friaries themselves varied. Most of them were immediately stripped of their valuable lead roofs, and fell into decay. Parts of some were converted into mansions by new owners. But, in around ten percent of cases, former monastic churches or other buildings have continued in religious use for parochial worship. This was necessarily the case for that small number of religious houses where part already functioned as a full parish church, as at Wymondham Abbey. Secondly, there were a number of instances where wealthy parishes or their benefactors, purchased a former monastic church as a replacement parish church building, as at Selby Abbey. Thirdly were those cases where part of a monastic church building was already in parochial use as a chapel of ease served by a stipendiary priest, in which case the dissolution commissioners would seek, if possible, for these clergy to continue as perpetual curates on fixed annual stipends charged against the former monastic endowments; with an appropriate portion of the monastic church retained for them to use. Priories of the Augustinian order, in particular, had been required by their rule to maintain a chapel of ease within their church for parochial worship, with the consequence that partial survival is more common for former Augustinian priory churches. Churches of dissolved friaries on the other hand, even though they had commonly served worshipping urban congregations, were rarely able to continue in parochial use as friaries lacked the foundation endowments from which a perpetual curacy might be established. Fourthly, former monastic structures that had fallen into ruin at the dissolution, or continued in secular use, were not infrequently brought back into use for parochial worship in later years out of subsequent private benefactions.

Ten medieval English cathedrals had been 'monastic', in that they had been simultaneously abbeys, and eight of these (Bath and Coventry being the exceptions) were refounded as secular cathedrals by Henry VIII. A further six former abbeys were raised to be cathedrals of newly created dioceses. Other former abbeys and priories became parish churches; of which two, Saint Albans and Southwark have become cathedrals since, while both also continuing to serve their respective parishes. In some cases, the whole of a former monastic church now serves as the parish church; but more commonly only of part of the original church has survived, incorporated into the fabric of a continuing church or chapel; as for example the north aisle of the nave of Wroxall Priory. At Beaulieu Abbey, it is the refectory that has been so converted. In a few cases, such as Tilty Abbey, the gatehouse chapel, the capella ante portas, now forms the parish church. Where former monastic churches were maintained after the dissolution as chapels of ease with their clergy as perpetual curates, in almost all instances these chapels will have been raised to full parish church status in the course of the 19th century.

113 former monastic buildings in England that have continued to function as parish churches or chapels of ease since the dissolution of the monasteries are included in this list, including some whose monastic functions had ceased much earlier; and also some whose conversion to parochial use happened in recent centuries. Churches are only listed where they maintain at least some substantial elements of their former monastic fabric, the extent of which is noted. Excluded are those former monastic churches that have never functioned for parochial worship, including some, such as the chapel of Jesus College, Cambridge, that have remained otherwise in continuous religious use; and also those churches converted into cathedrals by Henry VIII. All these surviving monastic churches have been listed by English Heritage, most at Grade I, the others at Grade II* or II.

Key

Grade	Criteria
Grade I	Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II*	Particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II	Buildings of national importance and special interest.
"—" denotes a work that is not graded.

Works

Name	Location	Photograph	Order	Notes	Grade
Amesbury Abbey	Amesbury, Wiltshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	The Church of St Mary and St Melor has been developed from the priory church, apart from the west end of the nave.	I
Atherstone Priory	Atherstone, Warwickshire		Austin friars	St Mary's church incorporates the chancel and the central tower of the priory.	II*
Bath Abbey	Bath, Somerset	100px	Benedictine	The church of St Peter and St Paul has been developed from the abbey church.	I
Beauchief Abbey	Beauchief, Derbyshire		Premonstratensian	The west tower is all that survives of the former abbey church; to which a private chapel was added in the 17th century; that since 1923 has served as the parish church of St Thomas a Beckett.	II*
Beaulieu Abbey	Beaulieu, Hampshire		Cistercian	The Church of the Blessed Virgin and Child has been developed from the refectory.	I
Binham Priory	Binham, Norfolk		Benedictine	St Mary's Church has been developed from the nave of the priory.	I
Birkenhead Priory	Birkenhead, Merseyside	70px	Benedictine	The chapter house was converted after the dissolution as a parochial chapel for Birkenhead. In the 19th century, the parish church of St Mary (now ruined) was built alongside.	II*
Bishopsgate St Helen's Priory	Bishopsgate, Greater London		Benedictine nuns	St Helen's Church has been developed from the priory.	I
Blackmore Priory	Blackmore, Essex		Augustinian	The Church of St Laurence has been developed from the nave of the priory.	I
Blanchland Abbey	Blanchland, Northumberland		Premonstratensian	St Mary's Church incorporates the nave, the north transept and the tower (which has been mostly rebuilt).	I
Blyth Priory	Blyth, Nottinghamshire		Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Martin incorporates most of the nave.	I
Bolton Priory	Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire		Augustinian	St Mary's Church has been developed from the nave of the priory church.	I
Bourne Abbey	Bourne, Lincolnshire		Augustinian	The Church of St Peter and St Paul incorporates the nave and tower of the abbey.	I
Boxgrove Priory	Boxgrove, West Sussex	100px	Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Blaize incorporates the chancel and the central tower of the priory church.	I
Breedon Priory	Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire		Augustinian	The Church of St Mary and St Hardulph incorporates the chancel and the central tower of the priory.	I
Bridlington Priory	Bridlington, East Yorkshire		Augustinian	St Mary's Church has been developed from the nave of the priory church.	I
Brinkburn Priory	Brinkburn, Northumberland		Augustinian	Other than the southwest corner, the present church has been developed from the priory.	I
Bristol St James' Priory	Bristol	100px	Benedictine	The nave has been retained from the priory, but is much altered.	I
Bromfield Priory	Bromfield, Shropshire		Benedictine	St Mary's Church consists of the nave, the north aisle, the former crossing (now the chancel), and the tower.	I
Bungay Priory	Bungay, Suffolk	100px	Benedictine nuns	St Mary's Church incorporates the nave of the priory church.	I
Carisbrooke Priory	Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight		Benedictine	St Mary's parish church is formed from the nave of the priory church.	I
Canons Ashby Priory	Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire		Augustinian	St Mary's Church incorporates the tower and part of the nave.	I
Cartmel Priory	Cartmel, Cumbria		Augustinian	The whole of the priory church has been developed into the Church of St Mary.	I
Chetwold Priory	Chetwode, Buckinghamshire		Augustinian	The chancel remains as the church of St Mary and St Nicholas, but has been much rebuilt.	I
Chirbury Priory	Chirbury, Shropshire		Augustinian	St Michael's Church has incorporated the nave and the west tower.	I
Christchurch Priory	Christchurch, Dorset		Augustinian	The whole church has been developed from the priory.	I
Clerkenwell St John's Priory	Clerkenwell, London	100px	Knights Hospitaller	The crypt of the priory church survives below the parish church of St John Clerkenwell.	I
Coggeshall Abbey	Coggeshall, Essex		Cistercian	The gatehouse chapel has been made into the Church of St Nicholas.	I
Cranborne Priory	Cranborne, Dorset		Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Bartholomew was formerly the priory church.	I
Croyland Abbey	Crowland, Lincolnshire		Benedictine	The north aisle of the abbey has been converted into the parish church of St Mary, St Bartholomew and St Guthlac.	I
Dale Abbey	Dale Abbey, Derbyshire	100px	Premonstratensian	Al Saints parish church is converted from the former infirmary chapel, and adjoins a farmhouse (which was once a pub).	I
Davington Priory	Davington, Kent		Benedictine nuns	The Church of St Mary Magdalen and St Lawrence incorporates the nave and tower of the priory.	II*
Deeping St. James Priory	Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire		Benedictine	St James' Church incorporates the nave of the priory.	I
Deerhurst Priory	Deerhurst, Gloucestershire		Benedictine	St Mary's Church, Deerhurst contains the tower and the nave of the priory.	I
Dorchester Abbey	Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire		Augustinian	The Church of St Peter and St Paul has been developed from the whole of the abbey church.	I
Dore Abbey	Abbey Dore, Herefordshire		Cistercian	St Mary's Church incorporates the chancel, transepts, and the tower of the abbey.	I
Dunstable Priory	Dunstable, Bedfordshire		Augustinian	Most of the nave and the northwest tower remain as the church of St Peter.	I
Dunster Priory	Dunster, Somerset		Benedictine	St George's Church has developed from the priory church.	I
Edington Priory	Edington, Wiltshire		Bonshommes	The Church of St Mary, St Katherine and All Saints has been developed from the priory church.	I
Elstow Abbey	Elstow, Bedfordshire		Benedictine nuns	The church of St Mary and St Helena consists of most of the nave and the detached tower of the abbey church.	I
Farewell Priory	Farewell, Staffordshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	St Bartholomew's Church incorporates the chancel from the priory church.	II*
Freiston Priory	Freiston, Lincolnshire		Benedictine	St James' Church has incorporated the nave and the tower.	I
Great Bricett Priory	Great Bricett, Suffolk		Augustinian	The nave of the priory church is incorporated in the Church of St Mary and St Laurence.	I
Great Malvern Priory	Malvern, Worcestershire		Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Michael has been developed from the priory church, other than the south transept.	I
Gresley Priory	Church Gresley, Derbyshire		Augustinian	The Church of Saint Mary and Saint George incorporates part of the nave of the priory.	II*
Hatfield Broad Oak Priory	Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex		Benedictine	The west tower remains and the Church of St Mary the Virgin has been developed from the nave of the priory.	I
Hatfield Peverel Priory	Hatfield Peverel, Essex		Benedictine	St Andrew's church has been developed from the nave of the priory.	II*
Hexham Priory	Hexham, Northumberland	100px	Augustinian	St Andrew's Priory Church incorporates the chancel, the transepts, and the central tower.	I
Heynings Priory	Knaith, Lincolnshire	100px	Cistercian nuns	A transept from the priory forms part of St Mary's Church, Knaith.	II*
Holm Cultram Abbey	Abbeytown, Cumbria		Cistercian	Most of the nave has survived as St Mary's Church, Abbeytown.	I
Hurley Priory	Hurley, Berkshire		Benedictine	The nave from the former priory remains as the church of St Mary.	II*
Ingham Priory	Ingham, Norfolk		Trinitarian Canons	The parish church is converted from the priory church, which survives complete.	I
Jarrow Priory	Jarrow, Tyne and Wear	100px	Benedictine	The tower remains, and the original nave forms the chancel of St Paul's Church.	I
Kirkstead Abbey	Kirkstead, Lincolnshire	100px	Cistercian	The gatehouse chapel has been converted into the church of St Leonard's Without.	I
Kyme Priory	South Kyme, Lincolnshire	100px	Augustinian	The southwest corner of the priory has been incorporated in the Church of St Mary and All Saints.	II*
Lancaster Priory	Lancaster, Lancashire	100px	Benedictine afterwards Bridgettine Canons	Formerly an alien cell of Sees in Normandy, and given to the Bridgettines of Syon Abbey in 1414. The 15th century parish church of St. Mary also served for the male canons.	I
Lanercost Priory	Lanercost, Cumbria		Augustinian	The nave is used as the parish church of St Mary Magdelene.	I
Lapley Priory	Lapley, Staffordshire	100px	Benedictine	All Saints Church incorporates the chancel, nave and tower of the priory church.	I
Lastingham Abbey	Lastingham, North Yorkshire	100px	Benedictine	St Mary's church consists of the apse, chancel, crossing and crypt of the abbey church, all built following the founding of the abbey in 1078. However, in 1086 the community moved to St Mary's Abbey, York, and the building became a parish church.	I
Lenton Priory	Lenton, Nottinghamshire	100px	Cluniac	St Anthony's parish church is a 19th-century rebuilding of the infirmary chapel of the priory.	II
Leominster Priory	Leominster, Herefordshire		Benedictine	The nave and west tower have been incorporated in the Priory Church of St Peter and St Paul.	I
Leonard Stanley Priory	Leonard Stanley, Gloucestershire	100px	Augustinian; later Benedictine	St Swithin's Church has been developed from the whole of the priory.	I
Letheringham Priory	Letheringham, Suffolk	100px	Augustinian	St Mary's Church incorporates the tower and the nave of the priory church.	II*
Little Dunmow Priory	Little Dunmow, Essex	100px	Augustinian	The parish church of St Mary has been converted from the lady chapel of the priory church.	I
Little Malvern Priory	Little Malvern, Worcestershire		Benedictine	St Giles' Church incorporates the chancel and the crossing tower of the priory church.	I
Malmesbury Abbey	Malmesbury, Wiltshire		Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Aldhelm has been developed from the nave of the abbey church, and the south porch has been retained.	I
Malton Priory	Old Malton, North Yorkshire		Gilbertine	The Priory Church of St Mary has retained part of the nave and the southwest tower.	I
Marrick Priory	Marrick, North Yorkshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	The church of St Andrew continued in use as a chapel of ease until 1948, with the tower surviving from the priory. Now converted into an outdoor education centre and retreat house.	II*
Merevale Abbey	Merevale, Warwickshire	100px	Cistercian	The Church of Our Lady has been developed from the gatehouse chapel.	I
Milton Abbey	Milton Abbas, Dorset	100px	Benedictine	Choir, crossing, tower and transepts survive of the abbey church; in use after the reformation as the chapel of ease for the estate village of Milton Abbas; and since 1954, for a public school.	I
Minster-in-Sheppey Priory	Minster, Swale, Kent	70px	Benedictine nuns	The Abbey Church of St Mary and St Sexburga incorporates the nave and part of the chancel of the abbey.	I
Monks Kirby Priory	Monks Kirby, Warwickshire	100px	Benedictine	The priory church evolved into the parish church of St Edith, Monks Kirby.	I
Monkwearmouth Priory	Monkwearmouth, Tyne and Wear	100px	Benedictine	The tower,porch and west wall of the 7th century monastic church now form the west facade of St Peter's parish church..	I
Nuneaton Priory	Nuneaton, Warwickshire		Benedictine nuns	The priory church was converted into a house; but in the 19th century was rebuilt on the medieval foundations as a parish church of St Mary. The monastic crossing piers survive.	II
Nun Monkton Priory	Nun Monkton, North Yorkshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	St Mary's Church has incorporated the nave of the priory.	I
Owston Priory	Owston and Newbold, Leicestershire		Augustinian	St Andrew's Church has incorporated the chancel, the tower, and a chapel from the priory.	I
Pamber Priory	Monk Sherborne, Hampshire		Benedictine	The crossing, tower and chancel remain from the priory as the church of the Holy Trinity, Our Lady, and St John the Baptist.	I
Pershore Abbey	Pershore, Worcestershire		Benedictine	The Church of Holy Cross with St Edburgha incorporates the chancel, the central tower, and the south transept of the abbey church.	I
Pilton Priory	Pilton, Devon		Benedictine	St Mary the Virgin's Church has been converted from the priory buildings.	I
Polesworth Abbey	Polesworth, Warwickshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	St Editha's Church incorporates the nave and the north tower of the abbey church.	II*
Portchester Priory	Portchester, Hampshire	100px	Augustinian	St Mary's parish church was built as the priory church in the 12th century; but the canons moved to Southwick Priory after 20 years.	I
Ramsey Abbey	Ramsey, Cambridgeshire		Benedictine	St Thomas a Beckett's Church was converted from the former hospitium or guest-hall of the abbey around 1222 CE.	I
Reading, Greyfriars Church	Reading, Berkshire		Franciscan friars	The nave and transepts remain, but have been almost completely rebuilt.	I
Redlingfield Priory	Redlingfield, Suffolk	100px	Benedictine nuns	The nuns shared with the parish the choir of the church of St Andrew, which survives.	II
Romsey Abbey	Romsey, Hampshire	100px	Benedictine nuns	The Church of St Mary has been developed from the whole of the abbey.	I
Royston Priory	Royston, Hertfordshire		Augustinian	The nave of the Church of St John the Baptist re-uses the choir of the priory.	I
Rumburgh Priory	Rumburgh, Suffolk		Benedictine	The parish church of St Michael and St Felix is converted from the priory church	I
St Albans Abbey	St Albans, Hertfordshire	70px	Benedictine	At the dissolution, the Abbey Church was purchased in its entirety by the town as a parish church; and became a cathedral in 1877.	I
St Bees Priory	St Bees, Cumbria		Benedictine	The nave was retained as the parish church which now also occupies the tower crossing and transepts. Chancel re-roofed as theological college 1817, restored 2012, now parish room.	I
St Germans Priory	St Germans, Cornwall		Augustinian	The nave and west towers remain.	I
St Michael's Mount	St Michael's Mount, Cornwall		Benedictine	The priory was suppressed by Henry V and the church continued as a chapel of ease for residents of the tidal island.	I
Selby Abbey	Selby, North Yorkshire		Benedictine	The Church of St Mary and St Germain has developed from the abbey church.	I
Sempringham Priory	Sempringham, Lincolnshire	100px	Gilbertine	Until around 1140, the first house of the Gilbertine order shared use of the parish church of St Andrew, and the surviving nave of the current church may date from that period.	I
Sherborne Abbey	Sherborne Dorset		Benedictine	The Abbey Church of St Mary is the successor.	I
Shrewsbury Abbey	Shrewsbury, Shropshire		Benedictine	The Church of the Holy Cross incorporates the abbey's nave and west tower.	I
Smithfield St Bartholomew's Priory	Smithfield, Greater London		Augustinian	The chancel and crossing have been incorporated into the Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great.	I
Southwark Priory	Southwark, Greater London		Augustinian	After the dissolution, the church became the parish church of St Saviour's, and was converted into a cathedral in 1905. Choir, transepts, tower and crossing survive from the priory church.	I
Stogursey Priory	Stogursey, Somerset		Benedictine	St Andrew's Church has been developed from the priory church.	I
Swine Priory	Swine, East Yorkshire		Cistercian nuns	St Mary's Church incorporates the chancel of the priory church.	I
Tewkesbury Abbey	Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire	100px	Benedictine	The whole of the present church of St Maryhas been developed from the original abbey church.	I
Thorney Abbey	Thorney, Cambridgeshire		Benedictine	The present church of St Mary and St Botolph incorporates part of the abbey's nave.	I
Thurgarton Priory	Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire		Augustinian	The Priory Church of St. Peter incorporates part of the nave and the tower.	I
Tilty Abbey	Tilty, Essex	100px	Cistercian	The gatehouse chapel has been developed into the Church of St Mary the Virgin.	I
Tutbury Priory	Tutbury, Staffordshire	70px	Benedictine	The nave of the priory church is incorporated in St Mary's Church.	I
Upholland Priory	Upholland, Lancashire		Benedictine	The Church of St Thomas the Martyr incorporates the former chancel of the priory as its nave.	I
Waltham Abbey	Waltham Abbey, Essex		Augustinian	The nave of the abbey has been converted into the Church of the Holy Cross and St Lawrence.	I
Weybourne Priory	Weybourne, Norfolk		Augustinian	The nave and chancel of the parish church of All Saints abut the arcades and walls of the former monastic nave and tower.	I
Witham Charterhouse	Witham Friary, Somerset		Carthusian	The lay brother's church is now used as the Parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St John Baptist and All Saints, Witham Friary	I
Woodkirk Priory	Woodkirk, West Yorkshire	100px	Augustinian	St Mary's church was rebuilt in the 19th century; but retains the west tower of the medieval priory and parish church.	II
Worksop Priory	Worksop, Nottinghamshire		Augustinian	The west towers, nave, and Lady chapel are incorporated in the present church of St Mary and St Cuthbert.	I
Wroxall Priory	Wroxall, Warwickshire	100px	Benedictine	The north aisle of the priory church has been incorporated in St Leonard's Church.	I
Wymondham Abbey	Wymondham, Norfolk		Benedictine	The present church of St Mary and St Thomas of Cantgerbury has been developed from the nave of the abbey.	I
York Holy Trinity Priory	Micklegate, York, North Yorkshire	100px	Benedictine	Holy Trinity Church has retained the nave and the northwest tower of the priory church.	I

References

Bibliography

See also

• List of monastic houses in England