More Local History

Leeds Priory


Elsewhere in the locality exist the remains of Leeds Priory, founded by Augustinian monks in 1119, on land provided for them by Robert de Crevecoeur the then owner of Leeds Castle. Robert, a religious man, invited some Black Canons of the Augustinian Order (so named for the colour of their robes) to come over from France and take up residence close to the castle - where they could say Mass for his soul. It is possible that Baroness de Crevecoeur quickly began to tire of having her slumbers disturbed by the chanting of the monks at 4 o'clock each morning because Robert soon decided to move them. They were offered a plot of land some distance from the castle - where they could continue to pray for Robert's soul without disturbing anybody's sleep but their own. On this extensive tract of land they built a Priory which flourished for over 400 years until its dissolution in 1539 by Henry VIII's henchmen under orders from Thomas Cromwell. Up until its dissolution the Priory supplied priests to the Church of St. Nicholas in Leeds village, which was situated on a hilltop a quarter of a mile away from the Priory. There is little left on the site of this once magnificent group of buildings, but the village abounds in stone walls with, here and there, traces of monastic architecture embedded in unlikely places, bearing evidence to the fact that the locals were quick to avail themselves of the abundant supply of free building materials providentially supplied for their use.