Ruins of Priory Church
RUINS OF PRIORY CHURCH
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1326508
- Date first listed:
- 04-Oct-1960
- List Entry Name:
- Ruins of Priory Church
- Statutory Address:
- RUINS OF PRIORY CHURCH
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2003-05-11
- Reference:
- IOE01/10528/17
- Rights:
- © Dr Barbara Hilton. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1326508
- Date first listed:
- 04-Oct-1960
- List Entry Name:
- Ruins of Priory Church
- Statutory Address 1:
- RUINS OF PRIORY CHURCH
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- RUINS OF PRIORY CHURCH
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- Torridge (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Frithelstock
- National Grid Reference:
- SS4639919565
Details
FRITHELSTOCK SS41NE 11/102 Ruins of Priory 4.10.60 Church GV. I Ruins of Augustinian Priory, founded c. 1220 by Robert de Bello Campo (Beauchamp). Ruins of priory church, in Early English style, date from soon after 1220; Lady Chapel built c. 1330 for Bishop Walter de Stapledon; west tower also of c. 1330. Walls of coursed slatestone rubble. Plan consisted of Lady Chapel to east of chancel and nave, the latter with foundations of a tower to its south west corner (adjoining Church of St. Mary and St. Gregory (q.v).) Foundations of Lady Chapel has stone altar projection to east, and priest's door to south west with roll-and-tongue stop to chamfered jambs. Similar jamb to north side of doorway to chancel. North wall of chancel has, from east, blocked pointed-arched opening, pointed-arched window opening, and pointed- arched doorway with roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs and hollow-chamfered imposts. North wall of nave, which has mortice slots for roof of former cloister, has segmental arch over blocked doorway with roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs; plain string course and lower sections of clerestorey windows above; at west end of this wall is a tall lancet window between two blocked doorways. Remains of arches and doorways survive at west end of north side. Wall of nave, where it entered a tower; two doorways have roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs. West gable end of nave has three graduated lancets, trefoiled to centre; mid C13 pointed-arched hollow-moulded doorway below central window, has C17 frame and studded door. Inner side of north chancel wall has recess. Moulded stonework for tracery etc lies about site. History: The priory was first colonized from Hartland Abbey, and its ruins are the most notable surviving remains of a religious house in north Devon. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (A.M. Devon No. 13g.) (Buildings of England: North Devon, p. 88; National Monuments Record; R.P. Chope, "Frithelstock Priory", 1929); C.A. Ralegh Radford, "Frithelstock Priory and the Parish Church", Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Exploration Society, Vol. 2 (Part One), 1933, pp. 20-27).
Listing NGR: SS4638819567
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 91418
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Devon North, (1952), 88
Chope, R P, Frithelstock Priory, (1929)
Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Exploration Society in Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Exploration Society, Vol. 2, (1933), 20-27
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 04:55:30.
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