Spalding Priory

The priory precinct in a 17th-century engraving by Wenceslas Hollar

Spalding Priory was a small Benedictine house in the town of Spalding, Lincolnshire, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St Nicholas.

It was founded as a cell of Croyland Abbey, in 1052, by Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife, Godiva, Countess of Leicester. It was supported by Leofric's eldest son. Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia and the monks were confirmed in their property in 1074, after the Norman Conquest of England.[1]

Until 1220, Alkborough Priory Cell was a dependency of Spalding.

After 1071 one monk only remained in Spalding, so the house was refounded in 1074 as a dependent priory of St Nicholas's Abbey, Angers. The monks secured their independence from Angers in 1397, and remained so until 1540, when the house was surrendered at the dissolution. Six human skeletons found during building work in Bridge Street are presumed to indicate the site of the Priory burial ground.[2]

The lands of the house passed to the family of Sir Richard Ogle of Pinchbeck, and were included in the English jointure of Anne of Denmark in 1603.[3]

  1. ^ Page, William, ed. (1906). A History of the County of Lincoln. Victoria County History. Vol. 2. pp. 118–124 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of Spalding'. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  2. ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 352420". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  3. ^ M. S. Giuseppi, HMC Calendar of the Manuscripts of the Marquess of Salisbury, 16 (London, 1933), p. 353.