Much Wenlock - Part 1: Wenlock Priory

Continuing our exploration of English Heritage sites (I can honestly say joining was one of the best decisions made by D and me) we decided to visit Much Wenlock and the Priory.

Saint Milburge and brief history of Much Wenlock Priory

Just after 680 King Merewalh of Mercia (youngest son of the pagan King Penda) gained land in Shropshire and founded an abbey at Wimnicas (or Wininica) - now known as Much Wenlock. The new abbey was run initially by the abbess Liobsynde and Merewalh sent his eldest daughter Milburge to be educated at Chelles near Paris.

In 687 Milburge succeeded Liobsynde as abbess. At that time the monastry housed monks and nuns and had two churches so they could worship separately. It is believed the monks' church was located at the crossing of the present priory church and the nuns' church was probably on the site of today's Much Wenlock Parish Church, Holy Trinity.

Milburge was abbess for 30 years and stories of the miracles she performed began to appear. It was said that she brought a dead boy back to life, banished successfully geese that were raiding her crops and made her veil float on a sunbeam. The monastery acquired land and property and as she got older she dictated the "Testament of Milburge" listing the properties and lands of the priory. A copy of this is still in existence. She lived into her sixties and died between 722 and 730. She was recognised as a saint after her death.

Around 1101 two boys were playing in the church and a pit opened containing the "beautiful and luminous bones" of St Milburge. These were placed in a shrine and stories of miraculous cures related to the saint were told. For example, it was said a blind woman had her sight restored, lepers were cured and a drowned child revived.

After Milburge's death there are few records remaining for the next few centuries althought it is thought the priory was attacked by Danes ~874.

Following William of Normandy's successful invasion of England in 1066, Roger de Montgomery was given vast estates in Shropshire and he requested the Abbot of Cluny in France to send some monks to Much Wenlock. The monks arrived ~1080 and the priory became a Cluniac priory dedicated to St Milburge and St Michael. The monks constructed new domestic buildings of which the chapter house, lavabo and infirmary partly remain today.

Following the establishment of a shrine to St Milburge in the 12th century pilgrims began to visit Wenlock in ever increasing numbers and a town developed around the priory.

By 1521 immorality and easy living appeared to be bringing Wenlock Priory into disrepute. On 24th January 1540 the priory was closed under Henry VIII's Suppression of the Monasteries. Work took place to strip the priory of its valuables and over time many of the buildings were demolished and the stone used for local buildings. In the 18th and 19th centuries ruins began to be appreciated for their beauty and romance. The ruins were given eventually into the care of the Ministry of the Works and then to English Heritage and work then commenced to consolidate the ruins.

Apologies in advance as there are rather a lot of photos for this post!!


The Church

As with all monasteries the main building was the church. It was one of the finest monastic churches in England and was over 107 metres long. The Cluniac order put a lot of emphasis on communal worship. It took over 40 years to build with construction commencing around 1200 and it received many endowments from Henry III who was a frequent visitor to Wenlock. As you look down the length of the church you can see the remains of pillars on each side of the central aisle.

In this photo you can see the Nave in the foreground and St Michael's Chapel in the background.

The Eastern end of the Church

Beyond the transepts is the eastern end of the church which contained the monks' choir and high altar. In the 14th century a Lady Chapel was added to this area.

Although no evidence remains it is believed the shrine of St Milburge existed at the far east end.

There is a lovely view over the countryside.

St Michaels' Chapel

The chapel on the first floor, which these days has no public access, was dedicated to St Michael and was used for private worship by the prior.

Timothy enjoying himself immensely :)

*D


I was absolutely thrilled to find remants of a tiled medieval floor. Sorry again I have got a little carried away with photos but they were superb and I have developed a bit of passion for medieval tiles :) It is amazing to think of the skill possessed by the medieval tile makers. Before leaving I purchased an inexpensive little Shire book on Medieval Tiles which is proving exceeedingly interesting.

South Transept and Library

The church was built on a traditional cruciform (cross-shaped) plan. The two transepts would have contained side chapels for the saying of masses for the dead which generated much income for monasteries in the Middle Ages. The ruins seen today are over 20 metres high.

In the centre of the middle arch can be seen the remains of a laver in the west wall which is a rare feature in a monastic church. It may have been used by the prior to wash the monks' feet to commemorate Christ washing the feet of his disciples.

The remains of a spiral staircase in the end wall of the south transept which would have led to the triforium and clerestory.

Library

The library was located on the east side of the cloister and it backs onto the South Transept.

Behind the wire netting and not accessible are more medieval tiles made by local tilemakers which have been re-laid and also two effigies which may have been taken from the tombs of former priors. Much as I tried with the wire in the way I just could not get a decent photo :(

Sacristy

The remains of the 15th century octagonal building can be seen by the east end of the church. Altar vessels and vestments would have been stored here.

The North Transept

In front of the North Transept is a large crypt (the sunken area). The function of this is unknown but it has been suggested that it could have been an unnamed shrine. During recent excavations the body of a monk was found and he had been buried holding a chalice. The upper level of the transept with three blank arches may have been used as extra chapel space.

The Infirmary and Prior's House

The infirmary was built in the 12th century and was originally a single storey building where sick, old or infirm monks and lay brothers were housed. The second storey was added at a later stage. In the 15th century Prior Richard Singer built a new Prior's lodge adjoining the infirmary. These buildings were converted into a private residence after the closure of the monastery in 1540 and this remains their use today.

The Cloisters

Cloisters of monasteries in the Middle Ages were located next to the church and built as a quadrangle. Three sides of it were surrounded by buildings where the monks ate, slept and studied. The actual cloister was a covered walk way with open arcaded windows where monks prayed read and meditated. Today this area has a topiary garden and a lovely flower border with seats where you can sit and relax and soak in the peace and tranquility of this beautiful priory.

The Wenlock Lavabo in the cloister garden built ~1220 was a huge vessel to hold water where monks washed their hands before eating. Parts of an earlier lavabo were used in the construction such as the main basin and carved panels. It would have been an octagonal structure with open arcades supporting a roof. The central part consisted of three storeys and water fed into a central container flowed through the mouths of 16 carved heads into a trough where 16 monks could wash as the same time.

The panels were carved in 1180 and 1190 and the ones in the photos are replicas as the originals have been resited so they can be preserved. The panels depict Jesus and his apostles. The one panel shows John with his hand on his chin and an unknown apostle and the other shows Jesus calling Peter and Andrew on the Sea of Galilee with James and John in another boat . The lavabo is constructed of Silurian Wenlock Limestone which is known as "Wenlock Marble" as it can be highly polished.

Ruins of the Refectory

*D


The Chapter House (I have left the best to last)


is Norman and built ~1140. It was called a chapter house because a chapter from The Rule of St Benedict was read out at the daily meeting. This was the area of the monastery where monks met each morning to discuss priory affairs and give out punishments to disobedient monks.

There are arches in the area between the cloisters and the chapter house and elaborate false arcading on the south wall.

North wall of Chapter House

On the lintel over a door can be seen a Romanesque grotesque head. Although not mentioned in the guide book the two creatures each side of the carved head look like amphisbaenas to me and D (an amphisbaena is a mythological ant eating serpent with a head at each end of its body).

South Wall of Chapter House

Plants in Walls

View towards the cloister garden

Arches from cloister to chapter house.

There are some places you visit that have a special "sacred" very peaceful and tranquil atmosphere and Wenlock Priory was one such place. Others I have visited include Avebury, the Chapter House at York Minster, Temple Balsall church, St Seiriol's Well, Anglesey and St Catherine's Oratory on the Isle of Wight.


The second part of the post will include a walk around Much Wenlock and a brief visit to the church - not so many photos I promise!!!



*D Photos taken by my son with the Canon SX50 bridge camera

Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera


Reference: English Heritage Guidebook to Wenlock Priory