List of monastic houses in Devon

The following is a list of monastic houses in Devon, England. In this article alien houses are included, as are smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks), and also camerae of the military orders of monks (Templars and Hospitallers). The numerous monastic hospitals per se are not included here unless at some time the foundation had, or was purported to have the status or function of an abbey, priory, friary or preceptory/commandery.

The name of the county is given where there is reference to an establishment in another county. Where the county has changed since the foundation's dissolution the modern county is given in parentheses, and in instances where the referenced foundation ceased to exist before the unification of England, the kingdom is given, followed by the modern county in parentheses.

The geographical co-ordinates provided are sourced from the details provided by Historic England PastScape ^[1] and Ordnance Survey publications.

A Monastic Glossary follows the listing, which provides links to articles on the particular monastic orders as well as other terms which appear in the listing.

Abbreviations and key

The sites listed are ruins unless indicated thus: * indicates current monastic function + indicates current non-monastic ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure) ^ indicates current non-ecclesiastic function (including remains incorporated into later structure) or redundant intact structure $ indicates remains limited to earthworks etc. # indicates no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains ~ indicates exact site of monastic foundation unknown ≈ identification ambiguous or confused Locations with names in italics indicate probable duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented) or ecclesiastical establishments with a monastic appellation but lacking monastic connection.

Trusteeship denoted as follows: EH English Heritage LT Landmark Trust NT National Trust

Alphabetical listing of establishments

Allerton Cell

Axminster Monastery (poss. site)

Axmouth Priory (site)

Barnstaple Priory

Bodmiscombe Preceptory

Brightley Priory (approx.)

Buckfast monastery

Buckfast Abbey

Buckland Abbey

Canonsleigh Abbey

Churchill Monastery (approx.)

Cornworthy Priory

Crediton Monastery

Dartmouth Friary (poss. site)

Denbury Priory

Dunkeswell Abbey

EXETER (see below)

Exminster Monastery (site)

Frithelstock Priory

Hartland Abbey

Indio Monastery (approx.)

Ipplepen Priory (approx.)

Ivybridge Priory

Kerswell Priory

Leigh Cell (approx.)

Modbury Priory

Newenham Priory

Otterton Priory

Pilton Priory

PLYMOUTH (see below)

Plympton Priory

Sidmouth Augustinian Priory (purported)

Sidmouth Priory

Tavistock Abbey

Teignmouth Abbey

Torre Abbey

Totnes Priory

Totnes Trinitarian Priory (site)

Polslow Priory

Monasteries in Devon

List of monastic houses in Devon is located in Exeter

Monasteries (site)

Nunnery (site)

Black Friary (site)

Grey Friary, earlier site

Grey Friary

St James Priory (site)

St Nicholas Priory

Cowick Priory (site)

Marsh Barton Priory (site)

Monasteries in Exeter

List of monastic houses in Devon is located in Plymouth, Devon

Plymouth Abbey

Blackfriars (purported)

Greyfriars

Whitefriars (site)

Monasteries in Plymouth Central

Foundation	Image	Communities & Provenance	Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names	Online References & Location
Allerton Cell		Benedictine hermits cell dependent on Tavistock
Axminster Monastery ~		Saxon monks or secular canons collegiate founded before 757 when Cyneheard the atheling was interred in the minster; secular canons collegiate founded c.936 by King Athelstan; made dependent on York, Yorkshire 1060 by Edward the Confessor; dissolved 1535; collegiate and parochial church of St Mary possibly built on site during the Norman period		(possible)
Axmouth Priory		Benedictine monks alien house: possible monastic grange, dependent on Montebourg; founded before 1387 (during the reign of Henry II) by Richard de Rivers, Earl of Devonshire; dissolved 1414; granted to Walter Erle (Earl) 1552
Barnstaple Priory		Cluniac monks alien house: daughter of St-Martin-des-Champs, Paris founded c.1107 (before 1199) by Johel of Totness; became denizen: independent from 1403; dissolved 1535; granted to William, Lord Howard 1537/8	The Priory Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Barnstaple The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin
Barnstaple Austin Friary (?)		Augustinian Friars licensed 1348 and 1353 — apparently never established due to objection by the prior of the Cluniac house
Burlescombe Priory ≈		Augustinian Canons Regular recorded in the time of Richard I, (probably Canonsleigh Priory, in the parish of Burlescombe)	Burdlescombe; possibly Canonsleigh
Bodmiscombe Preceptory		Knights Hospitaller founded after 1200(?) (possibly during the reign of Henry III); dissolved before 15th century?; apparently absorbed by Buckland 14th/15th century	Bothemescomb Preceptory
Braunton Monastery		traditionally site of monastery purportedly founded 5th century by St Branock (Brynach of Nevern)
Brightley Priory #		Cistercian monks — from Waverley, Surrey founded 3 May 1136 (or 1132, 1133 or 1138) by Richard fitz Baldwin de Brioniis, Lord of Okehampton and Sheriff of Devon; abandoned 1141; transferred to Forde, Dorset; site now occupied by Brightley Farm, where a building is possibly a monastic chapel		(approx)
Buckfast Monastery		Benedictine monks founded 1018 by Aylward, Duk; Buckfast Abbey (see immediately below) built on site
Buckfast Abbey *		Savignac monks — from Savigny founded 27 April 1136 by Ethelwerd, son of William Pomerei; built on site of Benedictine monastery (see immediately above); Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; dissolved 1539; granted to Sir Thomas Dennys 1539/40; became ruinous Benedictine monks priory founded 1882, rebuilt 1884 to 1938 (church 1906 to 1938); raised to abbey status 1902; affiliated to the English Congregation 1960; extant	The Abbey Church of Our Lady, Buckfast ____________________ Buckfastre Abbey
Buckland Abbey		Cistercian monks — from Quarr, Isle of Wight founded 1278 by Amicia, Countess of Devonshire; dissolved 1539; granted to Sir Richard Greynfeld (Grenville) 1541/2; converted into a mansion named the 'Cider House' by 1576; sold to Sir Francis Drake 1581; remained with that family to 1946; house granted to NT 1949 currently principally in use as a museum; (NT)	The Abbey Church of Saint Benedict, Buckland
Canonsleigh Abbey ^		On site of Leigh, in the parish of Burlescombe; Augustinian Canons Regular — from Plympton? priory founded c.1161-1173 by Walter II de Claville, (a descendant of the Domesday Book tenant Walter I de Claville), lord of the manor of Burlescombe; dissolved before 1285; Augustinian Canonesses abbey founded before 1285 by Maud, Countess of Devon; dissolved 1539; remains now incorporated into farm buildings	The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, Leigh (1161-1285) The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Etheldreda, Leigh (1285-1539) ____________________ Leigh Abbey; Canon's Leigh; Burlescombe Priory? (see above)
Chudleigh Abbey		Brigittine nuns transferred from Spettisbury, Dorset 1887; transferred to Marley House, Rattery (now Syon Abbey) 1925	The Abbey Church of Saint Bridget of Syon, Chudleigh
Churchill Monastery		uncertain order and foundation		(approx)
Cornworthy Priory		Augustinian Canonesses founded 1205/1238 by the Edgecomb family; dissolved 1539; granted to Edward Harris and John Williams 1560	Court Prior
Cove		Knights Hospitaller member of Bodmiscombe Preceptory
Cowick Priory #		Benedictine monks alien house: cell dependent on Bec-Hellouin; founded 1144: granted as cell to Bec-Hellouin by William Fitz-Baldwin; became denizen: granted to Eton College 1451; granted to Tavistock after 1464; dissolved 1538	The Priory Church of Saint Andrew, Cowick ____________________ Cowick Priory
Crediton Monastery		monks founded 739; secular episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 909: see reputedly transferred from Bishops Tawton; see transferred to Exeter 1050; secular collegiate refounded 1050; dissolved 1548	St Gregory (possibly)
Dartmouth Austin Friars		Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of Oxford) (founded at Clifton in Dartmouth 1331); dissolved before 1348; church of St Petrox built on site 16th century		(possible)
Dartmouth Monastery		monks? uncertain order and foundation chapel of St Patrick in the Castle annexed as a cell to a "great abbey"
Denbury Priory		Benedictine monks dependent on Tavistock; founded 1086; dissolved 1539; site now on Wrenwell Farm	Denbury Cell; Denbury Grange
Dunkeswell Abbey		Cistercian monks daughter of Forde, Dorset; founded 16 November 1201 by William Briwere; dissolved 1539; granted to John, Lord Russell 1534/5; site in multiple ownership, with the Holy Trinity parish chapel built on site 1842
Exeter Cathedral Priory +		founded ?before c.690; Benedictine? monks 932 (see immediately below) secular canons founded 1050; episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 1050: see transferred from Crediton; extant	The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Peter The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter
Exeter Monastery		Saxon founded 868 by King Etheldred
Exeter Monastery		Benedictine monks founded 932 by King Athelstan; monks repeatedly fled through Danish raids but recalled by Canute 1019
Exeter Nunnery (?)		Augustinian Canonesses supposedly founded c.968; purportedly rebuilt as the Deanery 15th century Later sources deny its existence.
Exeter Priory (?)		Carthusian monks licence granted to Richard Stapleton 1331/2 to build and endow a monastery — apparently never established
Exeter Blackfriars #		Dominican Friars (under the Visitation of London) founded before 1232; dissolved 1538; house named 'Bedford House' built on site, demolished 1773	Exeter Blackfriars
Exeter Greyfriars		Franciscan Friars (under the Custody of Bristol) founded before 1240; transferred by Thomas Bitton (Bytten), Bishop of Exeter, to new site south of the South City Gate c.1292-1303 (see immediately below); dissolved 1538
		Franciscan Friars (under the Custody of Bristol) transferred by Bishop Bytten from behind the North and West Gates c.1292-1303 (see immediately above)
Exeter — Polsloe Priory		Benedictine nuns founded before/c.1160: transferred from Oldbury, Warwickshire; dissolved 1536 (1538); granted to John, Earl of Warwick during the reign of Edward VI; largely demolished, remaining range converted into country house	The Priory Church of Saint Katherine, Polsloe ____________________ Polleshoo Priory
Exeter — St James Priory #		Cluniac monks daughter of the abbey of St Martin-in-the-fields, Paris; founded before 1143 (1141) by Baldwin de Redverus (Redvers/Rivers), Earl of Devon; dissolved; house built on site called 'The Old Abbey'	St James
Exeter — St Nicholas Priory ^		Benedictine monks — from Battle, Sussex founded 1087 by William the Conqueror; dissolved 1536; granted to Sir Thomas Denys 1540/1; private houses built on site 1820; monastic architecture restored; in ownership of Exeter Corporation 1913; open to public as a museum 1916; (closed for repair until 2008)	The Priory Church of Saint Nicolas, Exeter ____________________ Benedictine Priory of St Nicholas
Exminster Monastery #		pre-conquest monastic or secular community founded 8th century
Frithelstock Priory		Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian founded c.1220 by Sir Robert Beauchamp, Kt.; dissolved 1536; granted to Arthur Viscount Lisle 1537/8	The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Gregory, Frithlestock ____________________ Frethelstoke Priory; Fristoke Priory
Hartland Abbey		secular college founded before 1066 by Gytha, wife of Earl Godwin Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian founded 1161-9 (secular collegiate church of St Nectan and its endowments granted to Richard, Archdeacon of Poictiers by Geoffrey of Dinam; approved by Henry II and Bartholomew, Bishop of Exeter); dissolved 21 February 1539; granted to William Abbot 1545/6; remains (cloisters) incorporated into house named 'Hartland Abbey' built on site	Hertland Abbey
Indio Monastery		uncertain order and foundation		(approx)
Ipplepen Priory #		Augustinian Canons Regular alien house: cell, daughter of St Pierre-Rille founded c.1143(?): church granted by the Fougères family to the priory, transferred from Notre-Dame-de-Fougères; dissolved c.1414; granted to Ottery St Mary 1438; house called 'The Priory' possibly built on site		(approx)
Ivybridge Priory *		Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary — from St. Quay 1910 Augustinian (Augustinian Recollect) 1932-present, originally 'Cadleigh House'	St Austin's Priory
Kerswell Priory		Cluniac monks alien house: cell dependent on Montacute, Somerset; founded 1119-1129; became denizen: independent from 1407; dissolved 1538 or 1539; granted to John Etherege (Atherege) 1546/7; 16th century house built on site	Careswell Cell
Leigh Cell		Sauvignac monks grange(?) dependent on Buckfast(?) founded c.1137(?); Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147	Leigh Grange	(approx)
Marsh Barton Priory #		Augustinian Canons Regular dependent on Plympton founded 1142; dissolved 1539	St Mary St Mary de Marsh
Modbury Priory		Benedictine monks alien house: dependent on St-Pierre-sur-Dives founded c.1140 by Sir Peter-sur-Dive, sic., or (purportedly) by a member of the Chambernoun family; extant 1430; dissolved c.1441; granted to Eton College by Edward VI; nominally reverted to Tavistock c.1461-67	St George
Newenham Abbey		Cistercian monks daughter of Beaulieu, Hampshire founded 6 January 1246 or 1247 by Reginald de Mohun, Earl of Somerset; dissolved 1539; leased to the Duke of Suffolk; granted to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk 1562/3	The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Newenham ____________________ Neuham Abbey
Otterton Priory		Benedictine monks alien house: cell dependent on Mont-St-Michel, Normandy; founded before 1087 by the monks of Mont-St-Michel; dissolved 1414; subsequently granted to Syon Abbey; granted to Richard Duke at the dissolution of Syon 1539; part of claustral building converted into mansion	Otterington Priory
Ottery St Mary Monastery	supposed pre-Conquest monastery ("disproved")
Pilton Priory +		Benedictine monks founded ?before 12th century purportedly by King Athelstan (evidence lacking and disputed); dissolved 1539	The Priory Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Pilton
Plymouth — St Dunstan's Abbey		Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity founded by Priscilla Lydia Sellon with the support of the Henry Phillpott, Bishop of Exeter; transferred to Berkshire 1906; property transferred to St Mary the Virgin at Wantage, who continued in use as St Dunstan Abbey School for Girls	The Abbey Church of Saint Dunstan, Plymouth; St Dunstan of Glastonbury
Plymouth Blackfriars(?)		purported Dominican Friars founded 1431; site now occupied by the Black Friars Distillery; possible confusion with Greyfriars
Plymouth Greyfriars		Franciscan Friars (under the Custody of Bristol) founded 1383; in private ownership 1513; dissolved 1538	Plymouth Friary
Plymouth Whitefriars #		Carmelite Friars founded before 1296-7; dissolved 1538
Plympton Priory		secular collegiate founded 904 (before 909); Augustinian Canons Regular church built on site 1121 by William Warlewas (Bishop of Exeter 1150-9); dissolved 1539	The Priory Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Plympton
St Michael's Monastery		Benedictine monks purported cell dependent on Malmesbury	St Michael
Sidmouth Priory (Augustinian) (?)		purported foundation of Augustinian Canons Regular probable confusion with Benedictine founded (see immediately below)
Sidmouth Priory		Benedictine monks alien house: cell or grange dependent on Mont St Michel founded 11th century: manor granted by William the Conqueror ; dissolved 1414(?); Bridgettine monks grange of Syon Abbey c.1431; dissolved; remains incorporated in Marlborough Hotel
Tavistock Abbey		Benedictine monks founded 961/974 (or 975-80) (begun by Ordgar, Earl of Devonshire and completed by his son); dissolved 1539; granted to John, Lord Russell 1539/40; mansion built on site, now 'The Bedford Hotel'	The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Rumon, Tavistock ____________________ Tavestock Abbey
Teignmouth Abbey *		Benedictine nuns (founded at Dunkirk, Flanders 1662, daughter of Ghent) transferred from Hammersmith, London 1862	The Abbey Church of Saint Scholastica, Teignmouth
Torre Abbey		Premonstratensian Canons — from Welbeck, Nottinghamshire founded 1196 by William Briwere; dissolved 1539; granted to Sir John St.Leger 1543/4; country house built on site, now in ownership of Torbay Corporation	Torr Abbey
Totnes Priory		Benedictine monks alien house: cell dependent on St-Serge, Angers founded c.1088 by John Aluredi; became denizen: independent from before 1416; dissolved 1536; granted to Catherine Champernoun and others 1543/4; rebuilt priory church in parochial use, municipal buildings built on claustral site
Totnes Trinitarian Priory		Trinitarian monks founded 1271; dissolved 1509 (suppressed to 1519); granted to the vicars of Exeter Cathedral 1519; seized by the Crown; returned to the vicars 16th century until 1801	Little Totnes Priory; Werland Priory; Warland Priory
Townstall Monastery, Dartmouth		supposed alien cell
Yodby Monastery		uncertain order and foundation

Glossary

Orders: Augustinian Augustinian Canons Regular / Austin Canons / Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) - Arrouasian / (Arroasian) - Victorine - Holy Sepulchre Austin Friars (Augustinian Friars) Augustinian Recollects Benedictine / Order of St Benedict (O.S.B.) Bonshommes Bridgettine / Briggittine Carmelites Carmelites (White Friars) Carthusians Cistercian Cluniac Crutched Friars / (Crouched Friars / Crossed Friars / Fratres Cruciferi / Brethren of the Holy Cross) Culdee Dominican (Black Friars) / Ordinis Praedicatorum (Order of Preachers) (O.P.) / Friars Preachers Franciscan (Grey Friars) Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (The Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.) / Ordo Fratrum Minorum) Capuchin (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin) Franciscan Observants Franciscan, Third Order Regular Franciscan Recollects Minoresses (Poor Clares) Friars of the Order of Blessed Mary (Friars of St Mary / Fratres Beatae Mariae) Friars of Penitence of Jesus Christ (Friars of the Sack) Gilbertine Grandmontine Military Orders Knights Hospitaller / Hospitallers / Order of Hospitallers / Knights of Saint John / Order of Saint John Order of the Holy Sepulchre Knights Templar / Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon / Order of the Temple / Templars Order of Saint Lazarus

St. Lazarus Hospitallers Premonstratensian Savignac Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Sisters of St John of Jerusalem Tironensian Trappist Trinitarian (Maturines) Valliscaulian General terms: Abbots / Abbesses / Abbey Alien House Anchorites Camera (pl. Cameræ) Canons Canons Regular cell Commandery Double monastery Friars / Friary Friars Eremites / anchorites Hermits Mendicants Monks Nuns / Nunnery Preceptor / Preceptory Priors / Prioresses / Priory Secular canons

Map link to lists of monastic houses in England by county

Northumberland Durham Lancashire Cheshire Derbs. Notts. Lincolnshire Leics. Staffs. Shropshire Warks. Northants. Norfolk Suffolk Essex Herts. Beds. Bucks. Oxon. Glos. Somerset Wiltshire Berkshire Kent Surrey Hampshire Dorset Devon Cornwall Heref. Worcs. Bristol East Riding of Yorkshire Rutland Cambs. Greater London Tyne & Wear Cumbria North Yorkshire South Yorks. West Yorkshire Greater Manc. Merseyside East Sussex West Sussex Isle of Wight West Midlands

2

See also

• List of monastic houses in England

References

• Binns, Alison (1989) Studies in the History of Medieval Religion 1: Dedications of Monastic Houses in England and Wales 1066-1216, Boydell
• Cobbett, William (1868) List of Abbeys, Priories, Nunneries, Hospitals, And Other Religious Foundations in England and Wales and in Ireland, Confiscated, Seized On, or Alienated by the Protestant "Reformation" Sovereigns and Parliaments
• Knowles, David & Hadcock, R. Neville (1971) Medieval Religious Houses England & Wales. Longman
• Morris, Richard (1979) Cathedrals and Abbeys of England and Wales, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd.
• Thorold, Henry (1986) Collins Guide to Cathedrals, Abbeys and Priories of England and Wales, Collins
• Thorold, Henry (1993) Collins Guide to the Ruined Abbeys of England, Wales and Scotland, Collins
• Wright, Geoffrey N., (2004) Discovering Abbeys and Priories, Shire Publications Ltd.
• English Cathedrals and Abbeys, Illustrated, Odhams Press Ltd.
• Map of Monastic Britain, South Sheet, Ordnance Survey, 2nd edition, 1954

Further reading

• Oliver, George (1846) Monasticon Dioecesis Exoniensis: being a collection of records and instruments illustrating the ancient conventual, collegiate, and eleemosynary foundations, in the Counties of Cornwall and Devon, with historical notices, and a supplement, comprising a list of the dedications of churches in the Diocese, an amended edition of the taxation of Pope Nicholas, and an abstract of the Chantry Rolls [with supplement and index]. Exeter: P. A. Hannaford, 1846, 1854, 1889