Fortified Britain
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Castle Acre Priory
- Castle Acre, Norfolk
- OSGB – TF 81446 14827
- Scheduled Monument
Clunic Benedictine Priory of St. Mary and St. Peter and Paul. Medieval ditched enclosure and boundary wall. The cloister measuring 100ft square.
1089 Founded by William, 2nd Earl of Surrey at the site of the fortified manor of Castle Acre.
1090 Moved to the present site from the fortified manor.
1130 c: Angevine was Prior.
1148 The church and cloister were consecrated by William Turbus, Bishop of Norwich.
1160 c: Jordan was Prior.
1170 c: Richard was Prior.
1180 c: Odo was Prior.
1190 c: Hugh was Prior.
12th C Prior’s lodgings.
12th-14th C Infirmary.
1200 c: Maynus was Prior.
1203 Lambert de Kempston was Prior.
1203 c: Jordon was Prior.
1203 Philip de Mortimer was Prior.
1211 Philip de Mortimer was Prior.
1219 Robert de Bozun/ de Alenson was Prior.
1239 Ralph de Wesenham was Prior.
* William de Kent was Prior.
1250 Adam was Prior.
1252 John de Granges was Prior.
1255 John de Granges was Prior.
1258 Walter de Stanmere was Prior.
1267 Walter de Stanmere was Prior.
1270 Robert de Hake-beche was Prior.
1276 Visited by the Prior of Wenlock.
1279 Visited by the Priors of Mont Didier and Lenton.
1286 Benedict was Prior.
1291 Value of the site put at £215 14s 4½.
1296 January: Edward I and Queen Eleanor stayed for several weeks.
1308 Robert Porter was Prior.
* John Hamelyn was Prior.
* John de Acre was Prior.
1311 Walter de Fraunceys was Prior.
1317-1329 Peter de Jocelis was Prior.
1325 Restored to the Prior.
1329-1337 Guy Charyns was Prior.
1337 Protection was granted for a year to the Prior, from the King of France.
1344 William de Warren was Prior.
1349 An arrest warrant was issued for William de Waren and Robert de Neketon, monks of the priory.
1349 William Picot was prior.
1351 Naturalization was granted by Edward III to the Priory.
1390 Inhabited.
1404 Prior Simon Sutton had his oath questioned.
1404 John Okinston was Prior.
* Simon Sutton was Prior.
* Thomas Bayley was Prior.
* Thomas Tunbridge was Prior.
1428 John Sharshulle was Prior.
* Thomas Gatys was Prior.
1445 Nicholas Benet was Prior.
* John Plumstead was Prior.
1484 John Amflets was Prior.
15th-16th C Prior’s lodgings altered.
1510 John Winchelsey was Prior.
* Thomas Chambers was Prior.
1519 Thomas Mailing was prior.
1535 Annual value was given as £306 11s 4¾d
1536 Dissolved.
1537 22nd November: Thomas Mailing and ten monks signed the surrender of the Priory.
1539 The Crown gave the Priory to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk.
1734 Excavated,
1826 Medieval seal found on site.
1889 Excavated.
19th C Excavated.
1954 Medieval seal of Edmund the Millar found.
1964 Excavated.
1972 Field Investigation.
1972-1976 Excavated.
1981 Excavated.
1985 Excavated.
1993 Aerial photograph.
1995 Surveyed.
20th C Substantial ruins.
2007 Scheduled.
2011 Surveyed.
2012 Excavated.
