Description

KINGTON ST MICHAEL THE PRIORY

ST 87 NE

7/137 Priory Manor
(previously listed as Priory
20.12.60 Farmhouse)

II*

House, C15 to C17 incorporating part of a Benedictine nunnery
founded in C12, rubble stone with stone slate roof and ashlar
stacks. Two storeys and attic, basically L-plan, the main range
being the former prioress's lodging and guest hall on the west side
of the former cloister, and the south wing being half the former
south side. Main west front has coped north gable, three ridge
stacks and roof hipped at south west angle. Left bay has
buttresses each side and cusped 2-light upper window over renewed
cusped 4-light, both with hoodmoulds. The next two bays, with
buttress beyond have large gable over and mullion-and-transom
windows with hoodmoulds 2-light and 3-light above, 2-light and 4-
light below, ovolo-moulded except for hollow-moulded first floor 2-
light. To right, a large gabled stone slate roofed porch with
depressed-arched moulded doorway. Gable,is rebuilt. To right a
C15 cusped 2-light with hood with similar 2-light above. End bay
has C20 timber mullion window each floor. A C17 drawing of the
house shows two tall pointed windows, to great hall, in bays now
gabled, buttresses, cusped lights and porch as existing. South
range has two bays of C20 timber-mullion windows to left, one bay
of 2-light mullion windows, hollow-moulded above, ovolo-moulded
below with iron opening lights, then large outside chimney and, to
right, one bay of single lights. Rear of south range has original
2-light ovolo-moulded first floor window over 3-light hollow-
moulded window to left with blocked segmental arch over 3-light.
Single light to right over 2-light, C20 single lights in angle.
Main range rear has C20 enclosed gabled porch and two C20 two-
lights each floor. At north end is L-plan lower range, projecting
to east and with coped north gable and stack. West front has
ground floor ovolo-moulded 2-light with hoodmould and first floor
single light and very small cusped light. North side has C20 lean-
to additions but one first floor C15 two-light with hooodmould is
exposed. East end has low pointed chamfered doorway and moulded
single light. South side has stair projection in angle to main
range with roof carried down over and one quatrefoil light.
Interior: roofs not generally visible but some cambered tie-beams
and deep coved timber wall-plate exposed. In main range, north end
room has Tudor-arched stone fireplace with ornate moulded shelf on
console brackets, much renewed, room to south, in former hall has
three deep chamfered beams and large stone chamfered Tudor-arched
fireplace with shelf. C20 C17-style stair beyond and stone Tudor-
arched west door. Room to south has small moulded Tudor-arched
fireplace with shelf and Tudor-arched doorway to right. In south
range main ground floor room has timber-lintel side-wall fireplace
and four chamfered beams. C17 oak winding stair in angle to north
range, but this range has earlier stone winding stair built into
wall. Priory existed in 1155, a house for paupers was built 1221.
There appears to have been a cloister with chapel on north side,
the chapel still existing in the late C17 when John Aubrey drew the
west front of the house. Sold to Taylor family 1556, to Tyndale
family 1628 and to R. Sherwin 1677, the front gable and other
alterations being probably for Sherwin.
(Gentleman's Magazine 1803 717; Wilts. Arch. Mag. 4 1857 36ff;
Wilts. Arch. Mag. 43 1925; J.E. Jackson ed The Topographical
collections of John Aubrey 1862 p1.13; N. Pevsner Wiltshire 1975
282)

Listing NGR: ST8951277796

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534277

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)