List of monastic houses in West Sussex


The following is a list of monastic houses in West Sussex, England.

FoundationImageCommunities & ProvenanceFormal Name or Dedication
& Alternative Names
!width = 10%|OnLine References & Location
Aldingbourne Monasterygrant 692 for monastery and church by King Nothhelm to his sister;
endowment transferred to St Wilfrid

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Arundel BlackfriarsDominican Friars
founded before 1253;
dissolved 1538
Arundel Blackfriars
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Arundel Priory, earlier site ~Benedictine monks
alien house: dependent on Séez;
land granted to Séez by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury and Sussex before 1094; monastery established 1102; transferred to site of secular canons ' 1177

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Arundel Priorysecular canons
founded before 1177;
Benedictine monks
;
transferred from earlier site 1177, replacing secular canons;
alien house: dependent on Séez;
monks withdrawn by 1379
secular college
1380
dissolved 1544;
remains of the collegiate buildings of the Holy Trinity incorporated into St Winifred's Priory, a 19th-century convent of Servite Nuns which currently occupies the site
The Parish and Priory Church of Saint Nicholas, Arundel
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Atherington PrioryBenedictine monks
cell or grange dependent on Séez;
founded before 1102
dissolved c.1414; granted to Syon after 1414;
only chapel remains on site, subsequently in use as sanctuary for the ashes of the Moynes family; reproduction medieval-style structures built on site

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Bosham Monasterymonks
founded before 681 by Dicul, Irish monk;
became a possession of Osbern, chaplain to Edward the Confessor
secular canons — from Plympton
collegiate
founded c.1121;
dissolved c.1553

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Boxgrove Priory +secular college before 1066
Benedictine monks
alien house: dependent on Lessay
founded c.1117 by Robert de la Haye, Lord of Halnaker;
became denizen: independent from after 1339;
dissolved 1536; granted to Henry, Earl of Arundel 1560/1;
part of church now in parochial use
The Priory Church of Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Blaise, Boxgrove
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Boxgrave Priory
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Calcetto Priory,
Lyminster
Augustinian Canons Regular
founded before 1151 by Queen Adelisa, widow of Henry I;
dissolved 1525; suppressed by Cardinal Wolsey; granted to Antony Lord Monage 1607/8;
remains incorporated into a farmhouse called 'Calcetto'
The Priory Church of Saint Bartholemew, Pynham

The Priory Church of Saint Bartholemew and Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Pynham
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Pynham Priory;
Pyneham Priory;
Priory de Calceto
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Chichester Austin FriarsAugustinian Friars
former house of the Franscicans, conditionally granted to the Augustinians 1269, but never implemented

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Chichester BlackfriarsDominican Friars
founded before 1280;
dissolved 1538; granted to the Mayor and citizens of Chichester 1540/1

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Chichester Greyfriars, earlier siteFranciscan Friars Minor, Conventual
founded before 1232;
transferred to new site
' 1269;
site conditionally granted to the Augustinian Friars, but was deemed too close to the Franciscans' new site;
granted to St Mary's Hospital 1285;
site now occupied by St Mary's Hospital, established here 1269-90, infirmary cubicles converted into apartments

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Chichester GreyfriarsFranciscan Friars Minor, Conventual
;
transferred here 1269;
dissolved 8 October 1538;
chancel, now located in Priory Park, currently in use as part of the City Museum

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Chichester Priorysecular
founded before 956, monastery implied from charter by King Edwy, 956;
Benedictine? nuns
refounded before 1066;
nuns removed for canons 1075 when see removed from Selsey to Chichester;
St Nicholas
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Crawley Friary *Capuchin Franciscan Friars
founded 1861;
extant
SS Francis and Anthony
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Crawley Down Monastery *Community of the Servants of the Will of God ; extantThe Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Crawley Down, Crawley
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Dureford Abbey ^Premonstratensian Canons - from Welbeck, Nottinghamshire
daughter of Welbeck;
founded before 1183 by Henry Husey II, confirmation probably granted March 1161;
dissolved 1534-6; granted to Sir William Fitz Williams 1537/8;
fragmentary remains incorporated into farmhouse and stable block
The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, Dureford
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Durford Abbey
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Easebourne Priory ^+Benedictine nuns
founded c.1238 purportedly by Sir John de Bohun of Midhurst;
Augustinian Canonesses
refounded 15th century;
dissolved 1536; granted to Sir William FitzWilliam 1536/7;
claustral remains incorporated into house;
restored frater now in parochial use
St Mary

the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Farnham Minsterland granted by King Caedwalla for a minster 688;
no evidence establishment was founded

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Ferring Monastery possible Saxon church/chapel or monastery 757-96
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Hardham PrioryAugustinian Canons Regular
founded after 1248;
dissolved 1534;
site currently occupied by farmhouse and garden
St Cross
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Priory of Our Lady of Good Counsel *Canonesses Regular of Windesheim; extantThe Priory Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel
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Lyminster Priorypossible Saxon royal minster
Benedictine nuns or canonesses
alien house: cell dependent on Almeneches;
founded c.1082 by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Sussex, who granted land to St Peter's Abbey, Almenesches;

dissolved c.1414
St Mary
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Nonnaminstre?
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Poling PreceptoryKnights Hospitaller
founded before 1199: land granted by Ralph fitz Savarac, Gergaga de Palinges and his son, confirmed by King John;
last prior died 1442;
dissolved 1445: became part of the holding of the Prior of England 1445
St John's Priory
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Runcton PrioryBenedictine monks
founded before 1086;
alien house: cell dependent on Troarn: manor granted to Troarn by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury after 1100;
dissolved 1260: made over to Bruton, Somerset

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Rusper PrioryBenedictine nuns
founded before 1200, probably by a member of the de Braose family: William de Braose was a patron when confirmation granted by Seffrid, Bishop of Chichester;
dissolved 1537; granted to Sir Robert Southwell 1537/8;
site currently occupied by a house
The Priory Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Rusper
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Ruspur Priory
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Saddlescombe PreceptoryKnights Templar
founded c.1228: manor granted by Geoffrey de Say;
dissolved 1308-12;
Knights Hospitaller
c.1308-12

possibly merely a camera of Shipley after the suppression of the Knights Templar;
extant house named 'Saddlescombe Manor' possibly occupies site

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Sele Priorysecular canons collegiate church
founded before 1073 by William de Braose ;
Benedictine monks
alien house: dependent on St-Florent-de-Saumur: granted to St-Florent 1080 by William de Braose;
founded before 1126;
became denizen: independent from 1396;
granted to Magdalen College, Oxford 1459: permission obtained by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester;
dissolved 1480;
buildings occupied by Carmelite Friars ' 1493
St Peter;
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Beeding Priory
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Sele WhitefriarsCarmelite Friars - from Shoreham
founded 1493: Carmelites occupied the vacant buildings of the Benedictines
';
dissolved 1538; remains probably incorporated into vicarage built on site 1792
SS Peter and Paul
Selsey AbbeyBenedictine? monks
founded after c.681 by St Wilfrid;
episcopal-abbatial diocesan cathedral 709;
secular episcopal diocesan cathedral after c.750;
see and community transferred to Chichester c.1075;
precise location of abbey not known, possibly Church Norton, or submerged by the sea
Selsey Cathedral
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Shipley PreceptoryKnights Templar
founded c.1128: manor and church granted by Philip de Harcourt c.1125 or c.1128;
dissolved 1308-12
manor passed to Knights Hospitaller

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Shoreham Camera Knights Templar manor or camera
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Shoreham Monasteryuncertain order and foundation
church granted to St-Florent-de-Saumur 1075-6;
rebuilt by the monks of Sele;
referred to as collegiate

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Shoreham WhitefriarsCarmelite Friars
founded before 1317;
dissolved 1493: transferred to Sele;
land granted by Sir John de Mowbray in 1348 for the foundation to be extended to the north due to the threat of incursion by the sea;
"The Marlipins" have been suggested as the extant remains of the friary
New Shoreham Friary
Shulbrede PrioryAugustinian Canons Regular
founded c.1200 by Ralph de Arden;
dissolved 1536; granted to Antony Brown 1544/5;
site now occupied by private house with limited public access
Wolinchmere Priory;
Shulbred Priory
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Sompting Preceptorychurch associated with Knights Hospitaller
priory mentioned 1425/6
Sompting Priory
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Steyning Priorysecular collegiate
founded before 858?;
Benedictine monks ;
alien house: cell of Fécamp
refounded c.1042 ; evidence of Benedictine foundation lacking;
continuing in collegiate use until 1283-90;
12th-century church possibly built on site of Saxon minster; ruinous by 1577-8
rebuilt and refurbished; in parochial use as the Parish Church of St Andrew

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St Joseph's Abbey, Storrington ^rectory built 1871-2;
Dominican convent and boarding school 1953; school closed 1999

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Storrington Priory *Premonstratensian Canons Regular
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk invited canons to build a monastic house c.1882;
foundation stone laid 1902 by Cardinal Bourne, Bishop of Southwark; extant
Our Lady of England Priory, Storrington
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Tortington Priory ^,
Storrington
Augustinian Canons Regular
founded c.1180, possibly by Lady Hadwissa Corbet;
dissolved 1536; granted to Sir John Spencer 1599/1600;
remains incorporated into a barn on a farmyard
The Priory Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Tortington
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Warminghurst GrangeBenedictine monks
alien house: grange dependent on Fécamp
founded c.1085;
dissolved 1414

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Worth Abbey *
Turners Hill, Crawley
Benedictine monks from Downside; Somerset;
priory founded 1933;
raised to abbey status 1957; extant
The Abbey of Our Lady, Help of Christians
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Worth Minster possible minster; Saxon church, possibly from before c.1050, size and layout suggests an establishment with more than a parochial function;
Parish Church of St Nicholas on site

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Wythering Monastery evidence from possibly spurious charters of 680 and 685 referring to lands owned by Selsey monastery, including St Andrew's Church on the East side of 'uedringmutha' implying a community at Wythering rather than West Wittering, as previously inferredPagham Monastery;
Wittering Monastery
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