Standing remains
Following the Dissolution, the church continued to serve as the parish church which was superseded by Brecon Cathedral in 1923. The cathedal now incorporates much of the medieval fabric but little survives of the conventual buildings which stood to the south of the church. Read more.
Dedicated to: St John the Evangelist Medieval Diocese: St David's Affiliated to: Battle Abbey (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Brecon Access: Open to public (Brecon Cathedral) Owned by: Representative Body of the Church in Wales
Main events in the history of this site
c.1100: Foundation - [3 sources] c.1125: First community arrives - The founding community of monks from Battle Abbey probably arrived at Brecon at this time under Walter, who presided as the first prior of the dependency. [1 source] 1125x1148: Confirmation - Bishop Bernard of St David’s (1115-48) wrote to Earl Roger of Hereford praising the state of monastic life at Brecon and stating that the priory's right to Llan-goers church had now been established. His letter states: [4 sources] c.1150: Benefaction - Walter the Constable granted the monks of Brecon Priory a hospice at Hay with his man serving there. [1 source] c.1175: Benefaction - Robert of Baskerville granted land to the priory when his son, James, entered he house as a monk. [2 sources] pre 1175: Benefaction - Henry of Hereford, the king’s constable, granted Brecon the churches of Hay and Llanigon and gave them the yearly sum of three shillings. [2 sources] c.1200: Benefaction - Mahel le Brec gave Brecon 12d of rent to maintain the lights in the church; Alice de Putangle gave the monks six acres of land to maintain the poor. [2 sources] c.1207: Appropriation of churches - The churches of Talgarth, Llan-gors, Hay and Llanigon, granted to Brecon in the twelfth century, were formally appropriated to the priory. [2 sources] 1216x1230: Presentation - Peter fitz Herbert, lord of Blaenllynfi, secured the right for himself and his successors to present two clerks to the priory who would be received as monks of the house and say masses for the family’s souls. [2 sources] 1260: Resignation - Prior Reginald of Brecon resigned to take up the abbacy at Battle Abbey. [1 source] 1265: Arrest of former prior - In November 1265 a warrant was issued for the arrest of Stephen de Oteringber (Wateringbury), former prior of Brecon and now vagabond. [1 source] c.1275-1290: Debt - By this time the priory had accumulted significant debt and owed small sums to a number of creditors. [2 sources] c.1275: Wider community - Brecon maintained a Lady Chapel choir. [1 source] 1283: Feud - The priory was attacked by Reginald fitz Peter when his two presentees were removed from the priory without his consent. [2 sources] 1283: Visitation - Archbishop Pecham conducted a visitation of Battle Abbey and whilst there made an enquiry about the state of monastic life at its dependency, Brecon Priory. [4 sources] 1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Nicholas IV the community’s spiritualities were assessed at £86 6s 8d and its temporalities at £36 3s 4d. [3 sources] c.1300: Patronage - At this time the patrons of Brecon were the de Braose, the Bohuns and the Buckinghams. [1 source] 1357: Challenge to Battle's authority - Prior John Lose mounted an unsuccessful bid for independence from Battle's authority. [2 sources] 1377: Numbers - At this time there were only six monks at Brecon. [1 source] 1379: Clerical poll tax 1379 - Payments required [1 source][1 archive] 1381: Clerical poll tax 1381 - Receipt of payments [1 source][1 archive] 1435 : Resignation - In July 1435 Prior William Waller resigned from office and was elevated to the abbacy at Battle. [1 source] 1503: Resignation - William Westhall, who had been prior of Brecon from 1497, resigned from office to take up the abbacy at Battle. [1 source] 1521: Royal Patronage - At this time the priory was under royal patronage. [1 source] 1529: Rights - The monks of Brecon had the right to adminster the priory during a vacancy. [1 source] 1534: Royal authority - The prior and five monks of Brecon subscribed to the Act of Supremacy. [3 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the priory’s gross income was assessed at £134 11s 4d with its spiritualities recorded as £76 5s 4d and its temporalities at £58 6s. [3 sources][1 archive] 1536: Dissolution - Brecon was dissolved under the 1536 Act of Suppression. [2 sources] + 25 minor events.Show minor events
Stöber, Karen, 'Social networks of late medieval Welsh monasteries', in Monasteries and Society in the Later Middle Ages, Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 35, ed. Janet Burton and Karen Stöber (Boydell and Brewer: Woodbridge, 2008), pp. 12-24
Walker, D., 'Brecon Priory in the Middle Ages', in Links with the Past: Swansea and Brecon Historical Essays, ed. O. W. Jones and D. Walker (Llandybie, 1974), pp. 37-65
