North front of the 14th-century gatehouse of Butley Priory
Butley Priory, sometimes called Butley Abbey, was a religious house of Canons regular (Augustinians, Black canons) in Butley, Suffolk, dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary.[1][2] It was founded in 1171 by Ranulf de Glanville (c. 1112-1190), Chief Justiciar to King Henry II (1180-1189),[3] and was the sister foundation to Ranulf's house of White canons (Premonstratensians) at Leiston Abbey, a few miles to the north, founded c. 1183.[4] Butley Priory was suppressed in 1538.
Although only minor fragments of the priory church and some masonry of the convent survive at Abbey Farm, the underground archaeology was expertly investigated and interpreted in 1931-33, shedding much light on the lost buildings and their development.[5] The remaining glory of the priory is its 14th-century Gatehouse, incorporating the former guest quarters. This exceptional building, largely intact, reflects the interests of the manorial patron Guy Ferre the younger (died 1323), Seneschal of Gascony to King Edward II 1308-1309,[6] and was probably built in the priorate of William de Geytone (1311–32). Having fallen into decay after 1538, it was restored to use as a private house about 280 years ago.
Near-complete lists of the priors survive from 1171 to 1538,[7] together with foundation deeds, deeds of grant, and records pertaining to the priory's manors, holdings and visitations.[8] In addition there is a Register or Chronicle made in the last decades of the priory,[9] and there are sundry documents concerning its suppression. Its post-Dissolution history has also been investigated.[10] In private ownership in the area of the Suffolk Heritage Coast, the Gatehouse is now a Grade I listed building[11] and is used as a venue for private functions, corporate events or retreats.[12]
^R.J. Day, 'Butley Priory, in the Hundred of Loes', Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and Natural History Vol. IV, Part 7 (1874), pp. 405-13 (Suffolk Institute pdf).
^'Houses of Austin canons: Priory of Butley', in W. Page (ed.), A History of the County of Suffolk, Vol. 2 (VCH, London 1975), pp. 95-98 (British History Online, accessed 20 May 2018).
^E. Foss, The Judges of England: with sketches of their lives, Volume I (London, 1848), pp. 185-86.
^'House of Premonstratensian canons: Abbey of Leiston', in W. Page (ed.), A History of the County of Suffolk Vol. 2, ed. William Page (V.C.H., London 1975), pp. 117-19 (British History Online accessed 12 May 2018).
^J.N.L. Myres, W.D. Caröe and J.B. Ward Perkins, ‘Butley Priory, Suffolk,’ Archaeological Journal XC (1933), pp. 177–281 (archaeology data service pdf).
^See 'The Gascon Rolls Project, 1317-1468', Research Tools, "Principal Office Holders in the Duchy: Seneschals of Gascony" (gasconrolls.org).
^Good lists of the Priors are given by Day, 'Butley Priory, in the Hundred of Loes', at pp. 412-13; Page, 'Houses of Augustinian Canons' (VCH); and (with fuller accounts) by Myres, 'I. The History of the Priory', in Myres et al., Archaeological Journal, at pp. 179-212 and p. 222. See also Bishop Tanner's list of priors in W. Bowyer, An History of the Mitred Parliamentary Abbies, and Conventual Cathedral Churches, 2 Vols (Robert Gosling, London 1719), II, pp. 221-22 (Google).
^For texts of charters, Bishop Tanner's evidences etc., see W. Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum New Edition (James Bohn, London 1846), Vol. VI Part 1, pp. 379-81 (Google).
^A.G. Dickens (ed.), The Register or Chronicle of Butley Priory, Suffolk, 1510-1535 (Warren and Son, Winchester 1951).
^V. Fenwick and V. Harrup, Untold Tales from the Suffolk Sandlings (Butley Research Group, Woodbridge, 2009).
^Historic England. "BUTLEY ABBEY AND PRIORY GATE HOUSE (1030850)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
ButleyPriory, sometimes called Butley Abbey, was a religious house of Canons regular (Augustinians, Black canons) in Butley, Suffolk, dedicated to The...
where it stands entirely unsupported. This seems to be a mistake for ButleyPriory, Suffolk, which was certainly founded as an Augustinian house by Ranulf...
(Valognes, Valeines etc.), Lord of Parham (fl. 1135). These include ButleyPriory (founded 1171) and Leiston Abbey (1182–83), both founded by his son-in-law...
architecture. It is a rare survival of such a gatehouse, comparable to that of ButleyPriory in Suffolk. It has a wide arch of continuous mouldings with a crocketed...
distinguished by using it on all four elevations. (The heraldic priory gatehouse at Butley, Suffolk, of 1325 is another flamboyant early example.) The side...
siege of Acre in 1190. He founded two monasteries, both in Suffolk: ButleyPriory, for Black Canons, was founded in 1171, and Leiston Abbey, for White...
Safari Hotel. 15 4 "ButleyPriory" 27 September 2007 (2007-09-27) 1,490,000 Ruth travels to Suffolk to try and transform the ButleyPriory. 16 5 "Weyanoke...
Theobald de Valoines, Lord of Parham. In 1171 he founded the Priory of Augustinian canons at Butley, a few miles south of Leiston, on lands settled upon his...
Augustinian house for 36 canons at ButleyPriory (1171). Gilbert satisfied his very influential patrons: he continued at Butley until his death around 1195,...
arms of Sir Guy Ferre (d.1323): A fer de moline over all a bendlet, at ButleyPriory, Suffolk A millrind forms the central part of the insignia of the Judge...
Chief Justiciar of England to Henry II, who founded the Augustinian Priory of Butley (1171) and the Premonstratensian Abbey at Leiston (c. 1183). Ranulf...
daughter Bertha married Ranulf de Glanvill, Chief Justiciar (founder of ButleyPriory (1171) and Leiston Abbey (1183) in Suffolk), and his daughter Matilda...
between 1292 and 1303 the advowson was acquired by ButleyPriory in Suffolk, without licence: Butley challenged a royal appointment made c.1438, and its...
Monastic houses in England include abbeys, priories and friaries, among other monastic religious houses. The sites are listed by modern (post-1974) county...
1182), when Robert, probably the first abbot, ceded it to the canons of ButleyPriory in exchange for the churches of St Andrew at Aldringham and St Margaret...
the 2nd Earl (d. 1382), maintaining patronage of ButleyPriory and Leiston Abbey, made Campsey Priory church their dynastic mausoleum. The Tibetot memorials...
father-in-law in 1182, and was a patron of Ranulf's religious foundation at ButleyPriory, Suffolk, of 1171. Langdon Abbey was founded as a daughter house of...
Cartulary and ButleyPriory Charters Suffolk Records Society (The Boydell Press, London 1979), p. 2 (Google). 'Houses of Benedictine monks: Priory of Snape'...
Global Information