View source for Sopwell Priory

{{Short description|Monastery in Hertfordshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
'''Sopwell Priory''' (also known as '''Sopwell Nunnery''') was a [[Benedictine]] nunnery founded around 1140 on the site of an ancient hermitage in [[Sopwell, Hertfordshire|Sopwell]], [[Hertfordshire]], England. After the [[Dissolution of the monasteries|Dissolution]], the priory was torn down and a Tudor manor house constructed in its place.

==History==
===Priory of St Mary===
The priory was built c. 1140 by the Benedictine [[abbot of St Albans Abbey]], [[Geoffrey de Gorham]] on the site of an old hermitage. It was founded as the Priory of St Mary of Sopwell and was a dependency of [[St Albans Cathedral|St Albans Abbey]].<ref>[https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol4/pp422-426 British History Online: Victoria County History, Hertfordshire - ''A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 4'': Houses of Benedictine nuns: Sopwell Priory]</ref> The church was on the north side of the cloister with a chapter house and dormitory on the east side. At its height it comprised a prioress and nineteen nuns, and probably a number of servants. Many of the nuns came from well-off families.<ref name=matrix>[https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/monasticmatrix/monasticon/sopwell "Sopwell", Monastic Matrix, University of St Andrews]</ref> The prioress was appointed by the abbot of St. Albans. In 1247 [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] granted a yearly stipend of 50 shillings to support a chaplain.

The priory was attacked in 1429 by the robber William Wawe and his men, who attempted to plunder the priory but were driven off by the intervention of some townsmen.<ref name=matrix/>

[[Juliana Berners]], a prioress during the 15th century, is believed to be the author of the ''[[Boke of St Albans]]'' published in 1486.<ref>{{cite DNB |wstitle= Berners, Juliana |volume= 04 |last= Watkins |first= Morgan George |author-link= |pages = 390-392 |short=1}}</ref>

===Lee Hall===
Following the dissolution of St Albans Abbey in 1539, Sopwell Priory was bought by [[Richard Lee (engineer)|Sir Richard Lee]], a military engineer and commander of [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]]. He tore the priory down and built a house on the site which he named Lee Hall. Lee retained some features of the priory, using the nave of the priory church as a hall with a fireplace.<ref name=Bourton>[https://www.stalbanshistory.org/buildings/st-albans-abbey-buildings/sopwell-ruins-2 Bourton, Peter. "Sopwell ruins", St Albans and Hertfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society, May 20, 2021]</ref>

===Sopwell House===
[[File:Sopwell Nunnery - St Albans.jpg|thumb|Ruins of Sopwell House]]
In the 1560s, Lee decided to build a larger house, named "Sopwell House", with a great hall between two perpendicular wings. The monastic cloister was turned into a courtyard. In 1669, the estate was sold to [[Sir Harbottle Grimston, 2nd Baronet|Sir Harbottle Grimston]]. Much of the house was pulled down, and materials reused at [[Old Gorhambury House|Gorhambury]]. What remained was modified to form a house which ceased to be used in the late 18th century, and became a ruin.<ref name=Bourton/> 

The ruins, which are now managed by [[St Albans Museums]], remain today on Cottonmill Lane, near the centre of [[St Albans]].<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1019137?section=official-list-entry Historic England: The Benedictine Priory of St Mary (Sopwell Priory) and the post-medieval mansions known as Sopwell House or Lee Hall]</ref> In 2017 the ruins were tagged with graffiti. "Due to the fragile nature of the bricks, specialist teams were brought in to ensure cleaning chemicals did not cause damage."<ref>[https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/st-albans-sopwell-nunnery-ruins-now-clean-after-graffiti-incident-5115980 Berry, Franki. "St Albans’ Sopwell Nunnery ruins now clean after graffiti incident", ''The Herts Advertiser'', 6 December 2017]</ref>

==Images==
<gallery>
File:Sopwell-PS01.JPG
Image:Sopwell House (1).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (2).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (3).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (4).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (6).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (7).jpg
Image:Sopwell House (8).jpg
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/planning-building-control/conservation/16.03.03%20Area%204e%20-%20Sopwell%20Nunnery%20Ruins%20FINAL%20JD_tcm15-53962.pdf St Albans City & District Council Planning & Building Control - Conservation: Character Area 4e Sopwell Nunnery Ruins]

==External links==
* [https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/visit/sopwell-ruins St Albans Museums: Sopwell Ruins]
* [http://www.tonysfurniturecentre.com/photos/sopwell-ruins-of-St-Marys.jpg Priory ruins]
* [http://www.salbani.co.uk/Med%20Web/sopwellplan.gif Priory floorplan]

{{Commons category|Sopwell Priory}}

{{Listed buildings in Hertfordshire|G2}}
{{coord|51.7441|-0.3347|type:landmark_region:GB-HRT|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in St Albans]]
[[Category:Monasteries in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Benedictine nunneries in England]]
[[Category:Christian monasteries established in the 1140s]]
[[Category:Ruins in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:12th-century establishments in England]]
[[Category:1539 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Grade II listed monasteries]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in Hertfordshire]]

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