Chepstow was founded by William fitz Osbern, lord of Chepstow Castle, as an alien priory of Cormeilles (Normandy). It later became an independent priory. Whereas the monks occupied the east end of the church the nave functioned as the parish church and continued to do so after the suppression of the house. show details of standing remains
Standing remains
The former priory church today serves as the parish church. It was effectively rebuilt in the late nineteenth century but incorporates many medieval fragments, chiefly, the west processional entrance, the shell of the nave and two fonts - one is Norman and the other dates from the fifteenth century.
The medieval church was cruciform in design and built in the Romanesque style. It had a central tower (which collapsed in 1701) and massive rectangular piers; the base of one survives. A dividing screen partitioned the monks' choir in the east end from the laity in the nave.
Nothing remains of the claustral buildings.
Dedicated to: St Mary Medieval Diocese: Llandaff Affiliated to: Cormeilles Abbey, Normandy (mother-house) Lordship at foundation: Hereford Access: Parish church is open to public Owned by: Representative Body of the Church in Wales
Main events in the history of this site
pre 1071: Foundation - Chepstow was founded by Earl William fitz Osbern, lord of Chepstow Castle, as an alien priory of his foundation of Cormeilles in Normandy. It was the first Norman house founded in Wales. [3 sources] c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica the priory received £7 7s 2d annually in assized rents and 6s 8d from its courts.
[3 sources] 1387: Royal custody - The priory was seized and handed to royal commissioners until the prior of Chepstow paid a significant sum for having retained custody of the house since the start of the war. [1 source] 1391: Custody - On 13 October the king granted Chepstow Priory to Giles Wenlok, clerk, as farmer of the priory, during the French wars. [1 source] 1394-1398: Custody - From 1394 until 1398 there were no monks at Chepstow; in June 1398 John Workman, a monk, was granted keepership of the farm of the priory and Benedict Cely, knight and royal marshal, was given custody of the house. [2 sources] 1442: Independence - Chepstow became an independent priory with a community of English monks. [1 source] 1458: Custody - On 25 July Chepstow was granted to God’s House, Cambridge. [1 source] 1534: Numbers - At this time the community comprised a prior (Roger Shrewsbury) and one monk who subscribed to the Act of Supremacy. [5 sources] c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the priory had an income of over £32. [4 sources][1 archive] 1536: Dissolution - The house was surveyed on 30 May 1536 and dissolved 6-7 September that year. [4 sources] + 7 minor events.Show minor events
Shoesmith, Ron, 'Chepstow town, priory and port wall', in Chepstow Castle: its history and buildings, ed. Rick Turner and Andy Johnson (Almeley, 2006), pp. 199-212; 288-89
